Welcome to part 2 of this series I'm calling "Aspects of Human Nature." This part is titled You and I. I'm adding it on to the Strong Enough chapters just to make it easy to find. (If you follow this on AO3, as well, it'll be it's separate thing, but in the Aspects series. I hope you all enjoy this. I don't think updates will be almost daily like they were with Strong Enough, but they will be often. I have a lot more to plan out this time since it's an almost completely original AU now. Let me know what you think! This part will also have some of Oliver's writing, as that has been requested often during Strong Enough.

~9 October 2013~

Two weeks. That's how long it's been since my mother was killed. We weren't surprised when the autopsy found Kurari in her system. Felicity picked up slight traces of Lawton's trail here Stateside, but the leads didn't pan out. I wish I knew who ordered the hit, because it further proves the theory that Malcolm and mom weren't the tops of the Undertaking. They had their own puppeteers, and that scares me.

Felicity has been spending more time here at the Manor. She's asleep in Thea's room right now. They fell asleep watching movies. I've lost so much this past year, and yet, somehow, I've earned the right to have Felicity in my life. I still don't know what good I did to deserve her. She's also wonderful with Thea. I really wish Tommy could have met her. He'd tease me to no end about her not being my usual type. Then he'd meet her, and I'd be doomed. The two of them would get along so well and constantly keep me on my toes. I miss Tommy.

Oliver sighs as he closes out the journal program Felicity wrote him. The writing helps him, more than he admits, and Felicity wanted to give him a little more security. He keeps the journal she gave him, though. It stays tucked in his bow crate, and every so often, he hands it to her so she can read new things he has written down about his time on the island. Oliver rarely speaks about those years, but Felicity never minds.

When he looks up, Felicity is leaning in the doorway. "Hey you," she smiles.

"Everything okay?" Oliver gets up to walk to the bed and lays down.

"Yeah, I just woke up and missed you." Felicity curls herself next to Oliver on the bed. "For some reason, I knew you'd still be awake."

Oliver chuckles as he wraps his arms around her. They lay there in silence for a few moments, before he speaks again, "Just thinking about this past year."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Felicity props her head up on her elbow so she can see his face.

Oliver looks over at her, "Just thinking about what I've lost versus what I've gained, and just wondering what's happening next." He runs a hand down her cheek.

"Whatever happens, we'll make it work." Felicity leans forward, pressing a kiss to Oliver's lips.

Oliver wraps his arms around her, rolling them so that he is on top of her. He leans down and kisses her again.

Felicity's fingernails run down Oliver's back. "I'm glad I decided to come find you," she whispers in his ear.

Oliver chuckles, which tickles Felicity's neck, causing her to shiver underneath him. "You always seem to find me when I need you." He starts kissing at the pulse point on her neck.

"Maybe that's my super power," she manages to say in between soft moans.

Oliver nods his head yes, as he slots their mouths together again, but this time the kiss is more forceful – yet passionate.

The rest of the night is spent in wordless gasps as the two spend it together.

Felicity wakes up the next morning to her cell phone yelling its alarm at her. She taps the button, grumbles at it, and rolls back over into Oliver's arms.

"I think I'm a bad influence on you," he chuckles.

"No, you are warm, and it's cold outside." Felicity giggles.

"At least it's Friday?"

"Good point." She kisses her pillow, Oliver's chest.

He rubs her back, "I want to ask you something, Felicity."

"Anything."

"Do you want to move in? Here?"

Oliver sounds completely nervous and unsure of himself, which instantly has Felicity sitting up in bed; then she remembers that she's naked. Blushing, she wraps the sheet around herself, which only makes Oliver laugh.

"Hush!" She sticks out her tongue at him. "And - move in?"

Oliver just nods from his still laying position on the bed.

"I practically live here now."

"True, but I mean, officially." Oliver is blushing.

"Is it because you want me to or because you want to keep me safe?"

"Both." Oliver answers honestly. "But mainly, because I love having you near me." He motions his hands between the two of them. "This feels right, Felicity."

Felicity smiles, "What about my apartment?"

"We can keep it for appearances. If one thing this year has taught us, it's planning for any potential problem."

"Oliver Queen is asking a girl to move in with him. What has the world come to?" Felicity deadpans.

"I know." Oliver smirks. "Felicity Smoak being late for work!"

"I'm not late, yet." Felicity says, double-checking the time.

"Key word – yet." Oliver adds, pulling Felicity on top of him.

Felicity ends up being late for work, and she doesn't complain about it.

Friday at Queen Consolidated is a smooth day. Felicity finishes the bulk of her work before lunch, so she spends the rest of her day getting ahead on projects for next week. With Hood stuff, it's always good for her to be ahead.

Around three in the afternoon, she gets an email.

If you want to protect Oliver, meet me on the roof in an hour. I won't harm you, but I understand if you come armed after all you've been through. I'm coming to you with this information, because I know Oliver doesn't trust me anymore. I cared about him once, and I owe him a debt.

Felicity sighs and sinks down in her chair. "Shit." She considers texting John or Oliver, but they would not let this happen. Felicity opens her desk drawer and pulls out a throwing dagger that Oliver gave her. She slips it into her knee high boots.

Turning back to her computer, Felicity attempts to track the email, but her efforts fail. "Whoever this is, they are going through a lot to cover their tracks, yet they come here to Queen Consolidated."

Felicity spends the next hour looking at security footage to see if she can spot anyone she doesn't recognize.

The fall wind causes Felicity to shudder as she steps out on to the roof. She zips up her dark green leather jacket and is thankful for wearing a long skirt to work this morning. On the west side of the building, Felicity sees a dark haired woman, about her height, looking straight at her. As Felicity approaches, she sees that the woman has Asian features.

"Shado," Felicity says sure in the fact she knows who this is.

"So, he has told you about me." Her voice is soft and steady.

"Yes, somewhat. I don't press him to talk about the island."

"I've kept up with him since he returned home." Shado looks at Felicity, "You seem to be the one he trusts the most."

"What danger is he in?" Felicity grows impatient with games. (Shado can thank Malcolm Merlyn for that.)

"I am not the only one from the island that seeks him out."

"Are you the danger?" Felicity asks, pointedly.

"No. Not unless Oliver makes it so. We did not part on the best terms."

"I thought you said you owed him a debt." Felicity says, knowing what debt is owed.

"He saved my life one time. I hope to save his."

"If you want to save him so much, why did you leave him on that island?"

For the first time in the conversation, Shado's reply is not instant. "I had my reasons."

"They must have been very large reasons to leave a man who saved your life to rot on an island by himself."

"That is a story for another day." Shado attempts to end that conversation.

"Fine, tell me what you know about right now."

"The Triad is who ordered the hit on Moira Queen. It is resulted from the failed attempt on Malcolm Merlyn." Shado pauses, "I know you've figured out that it's Deadshot. The thing to remember is that someone contracted the Triad to source out the hit."

Felicity's cell phone beeps with a text message, "If I don't reply, he'll know something is wrong."

Shado nods, as Felicity starts typing.

"Prove to me you are Shado." Felicity says while she types.

The dark haired woman pulls off her jacket. She's wearing a spaghetti strapped tank top under it, exposing her back. Shado turns around, and Felicity sees the red dragon tattoo on her left shoulder.

"I'm thinking you recognize this."

"I do," Felicity puts her cell phone back in her pocket. "Tell me everything you know about this mess."

Oliver is in the foundry with Diggle. They've spent most of the day searching leads that Felicity's sweeper programs have found off of the internet. Oliver sees that it's nearing five in the evening, so he texts Felicity for ideas for their evening.

When Felicity's reply comes back, Oliver drops his cell phone on the table.

"Oliver, what's wrong?" John asks, reading the next message.

Felicity: Anything is fine with me. Finishing up some stuff here at work. Love you, Ollie. S.H.

"Something isn't right." Oliver stands up from the chair and paces, wanting to reach for his gear and trace Felicity's cell.

"What makes you think that, Oliver? This text sounds pretty normal, but I don't get the S.H. part." John spins his chair to face Oliver.

"S.H. stands for Safe Haven. It's something of a nickname I gave Felicity, since she protects me and keeps me safe." Oliver rubs the bridge of his nose. "She never calls me Ollie, ever. In fact, she has said she never will."

"So you think it's a code?"

"Yes." Oliver snaps. "I think she's doing something stupid to protect me."

"Oliver, breathe. Felicity is a smart girl. Let's atleast see if she's still at work." John turns back to the computers.

Before the program can track Felicity's cell, Oliver's phone buzzes.

Felicity: We need to talk. I'm okay. Love you, Oliver.

Oliver takes a deep breath.

Oliver: What is going on?

Felicity: It's more than I can type in a text. Plus, I'm driving. I'll be there soon.

Oliver hands his cell phone to John, and he heads to the dummy, grabbing his bamboo sticks on the way.

"So much for a lazy, hassle free weekend." Oliver sighs.