CHAPTER 18 - PT2

Felicity wakes to Oliver's hand pushing the hair out of her face. "Hey" he says softly.

She smiles back at him, "Hi."

"I didn't want to wake you but neither Digg or I are in the best condition to try to carry you."

Felicity let out a small laugh and sits up, "It's okay I can walk."

It was night now and Felicity wondered just how long she slept and what time it was when they got into the car.

"Diggle, just go to the mansion. You can stay in one of the guest rooms tonight."

"No!" Felicity said a little too harshly then she meant.

Hurt crossed Oliver's face, "I need you to be safe…and with me."

"Oliver, I've been held hostage for days. I just want to go home and shower and lay in my own bed." The look on his face told her he didn't like that idea. She cupped his cheek and looked into his eyes, "Hey, they're all gone. I'm safe because of you."

Oliver's lips formed a straight line before he looked up and nodded to Diggle in the rearview mirror.

When they pulled up in front of Felicity's building she thanked Digg and got out of the car, what she wasn't expecting was for Oliver to come up with her. Felicity didn't argue with him and took her keys out of her pocket that Detective Lance gave her earlier.

The elevator ride to her floor was awkward and very quiet. Inside she was terrified to go back into that apartment, and she had a feeling Oliver was scared for her too.

The first thing she noticed was that her door had been replaced with a new one, freshly painted and with no bullet holes. Taking a deep breath, she rips the yellow caution tape off and unlocks the door to her apartment.

Felicity stops abruptly causing Oliver to walk into her and grabbing her waist to stable her. Felicity feels her chest starting to tighten and her breath quicken. She feels Oliver tense and alert behind her, his hands gripping her waist tighter.

Her vision goes cloudy and she realizes she's not breathing, everything coming back to her.

The sound of the bullets flying through the door. The sound of the scream escaping her lips. The feel of the gun in her palm.

She subconsciously shakes her right hand as if it's been branded by the gun and can feel Oliver rubbing his palms up and down her arms to let her know she's safe.

'I'm okay, I'm safe. Breathe. Oliver's here.' She closes her eyes and focuses on his touch. She realizes he's been whispering in her ear saying soothing things to calm her down.

His hand trails down her arm to hers and she looks down at it, then back at him smiling gently, giving his hand a little squeeze then letting it go.

'Shower then Bed. Right, move Felicity' She tells herself.

Taking another deep breath she walks toward her bedroom, ignoring the fact that Oliver is following her close behind. Felicity holds her breath, not knowing what she's going to see. She flips the light switch on with shaking hands and looks around.

Her room looks the same as it did that night. Her unmade bed from that morning of running late, her dark purple comforter hanging off one side of the bed. Clothes thrown on the floor and-her breath caught in her throat as she noticed the blood stain on the light coloured carpet.

Felicity's pulse quickened, her breathing coming shallow, her throat felt like it was closing, and her chest was tightening again. Oliver's hand on her shoulder made her jump and clutch her chest.

She swallowed hard and cleared her throat, "I'm fine," she breathed out, half telling him and half trying to convince herself. "Um, if you're hungry, there's food in the kitchen. Well not much but-you're probably hungry right? I mean fighting super soldiers and being chained up and rescuing a damsel in distress-not that I'm a damsel, but it probably builds up an appetite."

"Felicity," Oliver says.

Felicity realizes she's rambling and takes a deep breath. "Right, well I need a shower. Badly. I only had one when I was…" She trailed off, and looked up to see Oliver watching her with sad but understanding eyes.

"Go on, do you what you have to do. I'll be fine." He says moving so she can walk by.

Felicity opened her mouth to say something but his phone ringing cut her off. Shutting her mouth she pointed towards the bathroom, letting Oliver know she'll leave him to take his call.

"Hey." She heard him say before she closed the door to the bathroom. Sighing, she turns the shower on high, letting the steam fill the small room.

Felicity looked down at her clothes with disgust, Oliver's blood on her cardigan and her ripped tank top. Removing them quickly, she throws them in the trash can, not wanting be reminded of the 4 or 5 days she spent in that hell hole.

Stepping into the shower, the hot water turning her skin red, but it felt good on her over exhausted body. She stayed in there for an hour, letting the familiar smell of her shampoo and body wash fill her senses, calming her down more.

After, Felicity stood in front of the mirror. She still didn't recognize the girl who stared back at her. The black under her eyes from lack of sleep, the bruise on her face, darker. Her hand falls from her cheek to her throat where the man choked her. It's tender and she can just make out the starting of bruises where his fingers were.

Tears threatened to spill as her body begins to shake as the thoughts of her trying to gasp for air flooded her mind. She grabbed ahold of the sink tightly, closing her eyes and taking deep breaths.

Looking around she realized she didn't bring any clothes, flush crept to her cheeks as she grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her. Maybe if she ran really fast, she can run into her bedroom and he won't see her. 'Don't be stupid Felicity, you have to pass the living room to get to the bedroom.' Maybe, he was still on the phone, or in the kitchen.

Felicity opens the door, feeling the cool air against her bare legs. Walking lightly, she sees Oliver siting on the couch deep in thought. She tries to tip toe past him so he doesn't notice her in just a towel, but when his eyes rise to hers she stops mid-step.

Felicity feels her heart pounding in her chest, flush creeps up all the way from her toes to her head. She watches how his eyes take in her towel and slowly come back up to hers.

Felicity swallows hard, avoiding his eyes. "Shower's free."

Without looking back at him she moves quickly to her bedroom feeling his eyes on her back.

Closing the door, she rests against it, taking deep breaths. She throws on an old t-shirt and shorts before throwing her damp hair up in a ponytail. When she comes out, Oliver isn't in the living room anymore and she can hear the shower running.

Felicity stares at the closed bathroom door, Oliver Queen is in her shower. Oliver is naked-in her shower. Felicity's mind goes to dangerous thoughts, of water running down his perfectly sculpted body-'Okay! Stop Felicity!'- She shakes her head and decides to take her mind off of naked, sexy Oliver by getting that stain out of her carpet.

After a half a bottle of stain remover it still didn't do the trick, so she cut out a large square of her carpet and threw it in the garbage, reminding herself to tell the manager she needs a whole new one.

When she looks at her clock it has only been 20 minutes and the shower is no longer running. Felicity climbs into bed, leaving the light on.

Her eyes get heavier, until she looks to see Oliver standing in the doorway, her eyes now wide. He's wearing the t-shirt and sweatpants he had on before, but his hair is wet and looks like he's combed his fingers through it too many times, looking sexier than ever and causing Felicity to stop breathing.

Swallowing hard, she glances over at the spot beside her and without having to ask him, he turns off the light and gets in bed beside her.

Felicity's heart beats erratically and she's afraid he can hear it. There is so much she wants to talk to him about but doesn't know if it's the right time.

She rolls on her side, facing him and he reaches out a hand tracing her face with his finger tips making her sigh and close her eyes.

"I meant it," Felicity's eyes fly open and give him a questioning look. Oliver takes a deep breath, "that's what you're thinking about." He stated.

"Oliver..." She breathed out. "You don't have to say that to try to make me feel better. You didn't think you were going to make it out so you kissed me on an impulse. It's okay if you regret it. Though, to you it probably meant something totally different-" She stopped because he was laughing.

"Great now you're laughing at me. Not only do you kiss me and find out that I'm in love with you-from Slade of all people- and I have been for months, and now your-" she was cut off by his lips pressed to hers.

When they parted she felt his warm breath across her lips, "I meant the kiss Felicity… And I would never take it back." He kissed her again, more passionately than the other.

Felicity stared up at him, her eyelids threatening to close but she tried to keep them open. Oliver put his arm around her and pulled her into him, laying her head on his chest.

He kissed her damp hair and Felicity smiled and feeling the tug of sleep, knowing the nightmares won't be there tonight, as long as Oliver was there.

"Felicity," Oliver whispered, his voice sounding deep and far away.

"Hm?" she said sleepily.

"I love you too." She heard him say back, and then she was gone, drifting into a peaceful sleep.

The End

So I might, make an epilogue or … maybe a mature fic of this chapter. I'm not sure yet, but keep an eye out for this chapter. It all depends on the response I get back from this and how much time I have. I do have at least 5 or 6 drabbles planned so I can't wait to start writing those.

Thank you to every single person who favoured, followed and gave me feedback throughout this story, you guys are the ones that literally kept me doing this, so thank you so so much! Until next time bye!

xox Sam