A/N: As promised, the sequel to Dating Philosophy 101. If you haven't read it, then parts of this story likely won't make sense. This story is partially canon compliant, but I tweak whatever I feel like changing. Hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 1

Chaos. Oliver had been acting CEO for a day, and it was already chaos. She should've known that nothing would be simple about his return to Starling City.

It had taken her months to track him to the island after the Glades fell. Later she could have kicked herself for not figuring it out sooner. After all, Lian Yu literally meant purgatory, and Oliver felt he deserved that after the shit hit the fan, both in his personal life and as the vigilante.

Tommy had nearly been killed trying to save Laurel, despite their unattached status at the time of the earthquake. Oliver had gotten there in time to see Laurel, her father, and several other bystanders pull him from the rubble that was CNRI, but there had been nothing he could do to help. Felicity was the one who managed to get medics there in time to save Tommy's life.

When he'd arrived at the foundry, his first concern had been her despite his injuries. It had warmed something inside her to still be a priority in his life. She'd patched him up, helped him track down Thea, and then driven both of them to the hospital to check on Tommy.

And that was where things had gotten ugly. Laurel was a mess, sobbing in the ICU waiting room, and she lashed out at Oliver. Felicity had known about Tommy breaking things off with Laurel since Laurel had shown up to talk to Oliver about it a couple of times. What she hadn't known was that they'd slept together, something that it seemed Laurel was regretting with a vengeance.

She threw it all at Oliver that night – every lie, every betrayal, every messy emotion that had been the core of their relationship. And Oliver just stood there and took it, his face a mask. Thea and Lance eventually intervened due to the attention they were attracting.

Felicity left, unable to watch any longer for fear she'd give away the tenuous hold she had over her own emotions. She and Oliver hadn't been anything, really. There had been an attraction that culminated in a kiss, but they'd agreed that hitting the reset button was for the best. And it stuck, more or less. She didn't have a right to be angry about him sleeping with Laurel, but she couldn't deny she was upset. The last thing she wanted was for him to see that.

She'd called Diggle and found out he was still in the emergency room, so she made her way down to check on him. Soon, Oliver and Thea followed, but the expression on Oliver's face brooked no questions. Thea had advised them that Tommy was still unconscious and therefore not out of the woods yet.

Oliver had stuck around for a couple of weeks afterwards, long enough to make sure Thea was okay and Tommy would actually pull through. The board at Queen Consolidated was in an uproar since their CEO was in jail, and the company's stock had, predictably, nosedived. Felicity had expected Oliver to step up and take on the responsibility for his family's company.

Instead, he'd deposited huge sums in both her and Diggle's bank accounts and promptly left the country, stating that he needed some time to get his head together. The money had pissed her off, but she understood his need for time. When 'time' turned into three months, Felicity started tracking him, and she was sure he wasn't in Europe after a couple of weeks.

It was Tommy who had given her the idea. She'd begun visiting him a couple of times a week after he was out of intensive care. Sometimes Thea was there, and sometimes it was just Tommy and Felicity. At first, they carefully avoided the topic of Tommy's father, the Glades, and Oliver. Initially it was due to the fact that Tommy had enough to worry about. His injuries had left him unable to walk, although doctors were hopeful that in time he would regain at least limited mobility.

Oliver had been gone just over four months when Tommy said, "You know, it wouldn't surprise me if he made his way back to that island. I mean, he never really left it, did he?" Tommy was now in a rehab facility, and he grimaced as the physical therapist helped him with his daily stretches.

Felicity was startled, but waited until the woman left before responding. "I can't believe that didn't occur to me."

"Yeah, well if he doesn't come back soon, Queen Consolidated is going to be done – kind of like my father's company."

"You sold your father's company," Felicity pointed out.

"Because I couldn't have a building standing in Starling City that carries the name of a man who murdered 503 people," Tommy grunted. "And once I'm out of here, I'm planning to use the money to open a couple of clinics and a crisis center in the Glades."

She nodded. "And if I can bring him back? What then? You and Laurel…"

"Are done – for now, at least. I pushed them together, so I don't blame them. Not exactly."

"You're angry, though."

"Aren't you?" Tommy had looked up at her, his smile pained. "But Thea needs him, and his company needs him. That has nothing to do with me or how I feel about him."

Once she'd pointed her mouse in the right direction, she'd managed to pick up a trail. And as Tommy predicted, that trail led her straight to Lian Yu. She'd boarded a plane with Diggle to go after him, and she'd jumped out of another one to get to the hellish island. She'd nearly been blown up by a landmine too; then Oliver swung in from the trees and rescued her. Having his shirtless, sweaty body pressed against hers had sent her hormones into overdrive, and that angered her as well because she had no intention of going down that road again.

Back in his shelter, she'd pushed and prodded until he agreed to come home for the sake of Thea and Queen Consolidated. He had flatly refused to consider donning the hood again, and she'd wisely decided not to press him on that topic. Getting him back to Starling City was her primary goal. She could work on the rest.

And now here they were, standing amongst the ruins of the boardroom and the executive suites after armed Hood copycats came crashing in looking for Oliver Queen's blood and uncaring if they spilled a little extra. It had been utterly terrifying when the bullets started flying and Diggle fired back. Her eyes met Oliver's as she crouched by the table, and she'd realized in an instant that he was planning to evade rather than engage.

It had nearly cost him his life when he was confronted by one of the hooded men, but Felicity somehow mustered the courage to stand up and hit the guy in the back of the head, knocking him flat. And then her world became flying glass, freefalling, and a hard landing. She still couldn't believe Oliver had managed to crash through a window and swing them to the floor below without killing them in the process. She'd never be able to look out these windows again without her stomach turning over.

The scene was crawling with cops, and Oliver was busy giving a statement to one of the detectives. Spotting Detective Lance, she walked over to join him. Technically, he was Officer Lance now, having been demoted over the summer, but she afforded him the respect of the title. They'd forged a bond of sorts while trying to save the city and their teamwork had succeeded in disarming one of the deadly earthquake devices set to destroy the Glades.

As they spoke, her eyes met Oliver's across the room. He was standing, shirtsleeves rolled up and hands on his hips, looking grim and angry and a few other things she couldn't even decipher. Then a flicker of concern crossed his features, and he headed in her direction.

Quentin spoke before Oliver could. "You know, I've been wondering what the hell you were thinking when you jumped out a window fifty stories up, Queen. You're damn lucky that chain held. You both could have been killed."

"It was instinct. I used to swing between trees on the island," Oliver replied, expression bland as he shrugged it off.

Of course it wasn't the kind of skill set Oliver Queen was expected to have, but his explanation struck Felicity as funny, and she struggled not to laugh. This was definitely not a laughing matter.

Lance, however, looked incredulous. "What, like Tarzan?"

Felicity giggled. When they stared at her, she said, "Sorry. I just had this image of Ol-… uhm, Mr. Queen in a loincloth. But that's totally inappropriate, isn't it?" Besides, he hadn't been wearing a loincloth when they'd found him. He was shirtless, but at least he'd been wearing pants when he'd so unceremoniously tackled her to the ground, and she giggled again when she remembered telling him that he was sweaty.

"She's in shock," Lance said, gesturing for one of the medics to come check her out. "Did anyone check Ms. Smoak for injuries?"

Oliver led her over to a chair and crouched in front of her. "Are you sure you're okay?"

When his hand came out and brushed her hair over her shoulder, she pulled back. "I'm fine. Cuts and bruises, that's it." And she was freezing all of a sudden. She glanced over at the open windows allowing the cool breeze in and shuddered.

"The adrenaline is probably wearing off," he said.

He stayed while the medics checked her over, finally pronouncing her okay to go. They produced a blanket which Oliver wrapped around her, and Diggle arrived bearing soft drinks and cookies.

She shook her head, but Diggle was firm. "Don't argue – your body needs the sugar. I promise you'll feel better, and these are your favorite cookies."

"The oatmeal raisin ones from the bakery across the street?" At his nod, she grabbed two.

Oliver opened a can of soda and passed it to her. "I'll be right back."

Diggle pulled a chair up beside her. "If we were war buddies, you'd be getting a nickname right about now."

"Really?" Biting into her cookie, she waved her hand. "I've defied death three times in the last week. I deserve more than a cookie."

"Tell you what – I'll give it some thought." Diggle suddenly stood. "But right now you've got some company."

Felicity turned her head to see Ed hurrying towards her. She stood and winced. She was definitely going to be feeling that landing for a few days. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard what happened over the scanners," Ed replied, "and when I went to the IT department, they told me that you were on the executive floor with Mr. Queen. Are you hurt?"

"No, just a little bruised. I've felt worse after weekend gaming sessions in college."

He cracked a smile at that. "Somehow I doubt that, Felicity. Can you leave now or are you still waiting to give your statement? And what were you doing up here, anyway?"

Oliver suddenly appeared by her side. "She was in on the meeting, acting as one of my advisors. Hi, I'm Oliver Queen." He held out a hand.

Ed took his hand and shook it firmly. "Ed Raymond, Felicity's boyfriend."

Felicity closed her eyes and sighed. While she hadn't been hiding her relationship with Ed, that wasn't how she'd planned for it to come out. "I can't leave yet, Ed, but I'll walk you out. If that's okay, Mr. Queen?"

Oliver's eyes narrowed ever so slightly at her formality. "By all means."

Felicity allowed Ed to lead her over to the elevators. "I'll call you later when I'm on my way home, but it could be a late night."

Ed looked confused. "I guess I don't understand what's going on. Yesterday you worked about twenty floors down…"

"Eighteen," she corrected him.

"Okay – eighteen – in the IT department. And now you're a personal advisor to Oliver Queen, the acting CEO? We skipped a few letters between points A and Z, apparently."

She had considered this – what she would tell Ed when the questions inevitably arose. It didn't make the lying any easier, so she tried to stick close to the truth. "I used to help Oliver with technology questions after he was rescued from the island. He brought me a laptop one day, and then he asked me to set up the website and internet router when he opened Verdant."

"None of which explains what you're doing up here," he pointed out.

She shrugged. "I guess he needed someone he felt he could trust. Isabel Rochev is no joke, and she's gunning pretty hard for his company. He needed research, and he needed it quickly. He's also asked me to advise him on some projects going forward."

Ed sighed and ran a hand over his jaw, and it struck Felicity again how handsome he was. He was tall, at least as tall as Oliver, and broad shouldered. Though certainly not as muscular as Oliver, he was strong and fit. His square jawed features were classically handsome, and his deep set brown eyes, usually warm, were now regarding her warily.

He doesn't believe me, she thought. She blamed it on his journalistic instincts; they'd kept him alive during three stints as a war journalist, after all.

"Why don't we shelve this discussion for later," he finally said. "If you don't feel like driving home later, call me, okay? It doesn't matter how late it is."

"Promise," she replied, leaning up to kiss him. She watched as he stepped into the elevator, keeping her eyes on him until the doors closed. Then she turned and walked back into the boardroom.

Isabel and her minions, as Felicity had taken to calling them, were gone. Building security were now stationed everywhere as the cops prepared to leave. A cleaning crew was standing by to clean up the broken glass, and she knew that a company had been called to replace the shattered windows. There wasn't much else they could do there.

But if she'd thought that armed men crashing his boardroom would motivate Oliver into taking up the bow, she was wrong.

"I didn't come back here to become the vigilante again!"

Felicity threw up her hands. "Well, I'm sorry that the guys with masks and guns didn't get that memo! And someone needs to stop them, or the body count will keep rising."

"What about the vigilante's body count? Every time I put the hood on, I become a killer!"

"You're not…"

"I was a killer, Felicity. Tommy called me a murderer when he found out what I was, did you know that? And he wasn't wrong. I killed his father." His face was like granite as he spoke.

"Malcolm is responsible for his own death," Felicity told him. "Everyone knows that. And with all due respect, Tommy has no idea who you are because you shut people out, Oliver. You play 'The Three Faces of Oliver Queen' and keep them all separate like some kind of psychological juggling act. Instead of juggling, why don't you just let the act drop once in a while? At least with us, maybe even with Tommy. Maybe if you explained it all, he could actually try to understand you."

Diggle tried smooth things over. "Whether you hood up or not, those copycats won't stop gunning for you, Oliver. That means that everyone close to you is at risk. Something needs to be done."

"I am doing something. And right now I have a company that needs saving, so if you're not going to help with that, I'll go to someone who will." With that he left, his footsteps ringing through the deserted hallway.

"God, he is so… stubborn!" Felicity kicked at a chair as she passed, and a pain shot up her hip. "Ow."

"And this surprises you? We knew we were going to have a battle on our hands when it comes to the vigilante, Felicity."

Felicity huffed as she continued pacing. "What is it going to take to get his attention?"

Oliver changed clothes when he got back to the foundry and placed his bow back in its case. The only noise was the faint hum of Felicity's computers as he sat down and turned on the scanner. Thea was safe, and Lance had taken the four Hood copycats into custody. According to the police chatter, there were plenty of other criminals in the Glades these days, though. True, it had always been the seedier side of town, but now it was something much darker.

Felicity and Diggle were right. The city needed help – the kind of help he could only provide as the vigilante. He had a lot to think about.

When he heard Felicity and Diggle coming, he looked up. Felicity immediately walked over to check her computers, and he smiled at the way she touched the keyboard almost reverently. She'd done an amazing job renovating the place. He supposed a large chunk of the money he'd left her had gone towards all of the upgraded equipment.

"I don't want to be called the Hood anymore." He surprised himself by speaking that thought aloud.

Diggle raised his brows. "What do you want to be called, then?"

"I don't know," he answered. "But if we're going to do this, I need to find another way." He felt Felicity's eyes on him. It was a discussion they'd had before the Glades fell. She'd helped him develop the tasing arrows in order to keep the body count to a minimum, so he knew she understood what he was saying.

When Felicity's phone beeped, she looked over at them. "I guess my ride's here. See you tomorrow?"

When Oliver nodded, she smiled and left, her heels echoing against the basement floor. He turned to Diggle. "Boyfriend?"

Diggle crossed his arms. "Five months, Oliver. Things change in five months."

"Yeah. So who is Ed Raymond?"

"He's a freelance photojournalist who showed up here after the Glades fell," Diggle answered. "He's won awards for his reporting on Iraq and Afghanistan. I met him once a few years ago – he was embedded with an Army ranger unit. Good guy."

Oliver turned back to his arrow case, examining the arrows inside. Some of the tasing arrows were there. Based on plans he'd seen at Felicity's desk, she had also been working on a design for a smoke grenade arrow. He concentrated on the arrows rather than the dark pit he felt in his stomach. "How did they meet?"

"Felicity was carjacked here in the Glades a couple of weeks after you left."

His head shot up. "What happened? Was she hurt?"

"No, but it scared the hell out of her. She was supposed to wait for me to drive her down here so she could work on the cleanup, but I got held up and she got impatient. She stopped at a light down on Forrester and two guys busted her window in and dragged her out. Ed was down there doing interviews, and he stopped them."

Oliver wondered what else had happened during his absence. Diggle's story definitely tracked with the slight changes he felt in Felicity. She had always been stubborn, but she'd never yelled at him the way she had earlier in the boardroom. The fall of the Glades had changed everyone.

"The fact that he's a reporter is a potential complication – especially if he's here reporting on crime in the Glades." It wasn't the only complication, but it was a place to start.

"She's aware," Diggle replied. "But if that's your roundabout way of asking me how serious they are, or if she plans to keep seeing him now that you're back, then the short answer is I don't know. Eventually, you'll need to talk to her."

Oliver didn't answer his friend, keeping his eyes on the arrow he'd plucked from the case. "If we're going to do this – work as a team – we'll need a cover story for why we spend so much time together. For you and me, it's fine, but there's no reason I should be with Felicity all the time. Just pulling her into that meeting today was a stretch, and her manager was definitely confused about why I needed her in the first place."

"We'll think of something. You going home or staying here?"

Oliver wiped a hand down his face, suddenly tired. "Home." He wanted to check on Thea and maybe set up better security for the club since she was determined to keep her role as the manager. Then he had a fight on his hands with Isabel. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

A/N: So this chapter was kind of setup, I guess. I wanted to show what had happened before and after Oliver left. There are parts of canon I'll follow, but obviously I've changed things as well (Tommy, for example.) There is a lot more Olicity coming and things start changing pretty soon between the two of them. I'll post again soon, but I've got some updates due for other fandoms this weekend, so it might be next week. It just depends on how much time I have for editing. Thanks for reading :)