Teamwork

Chapter 36 - Honesty

Oliver couldn't help but be amused at the looks on his teammates' faces. Diggle's face showed first shock, then amusement, and then concern. Sara's face went from relief to entertained. Felicity's face however was the best as it went from embarrassed, to relieved, to embarrassed again, to finally a smile graced her lips and he saw his love for her mirrored in her eyes. 

"Felicity." Oliver said just above a whisper. He slowly started to move into a sitting position, pushing down the pain that the movement caused.

Diggle and Sara stepped forward as one to help Oliver, knowing that the movement would be causing quite a bit more pain to add to what he was already experiencing. Once they had him in a sitting position, with only a couple of small grunts of pain from Oliver, they watched as their teammate reached a hand towards Felicity. The scene in front of them unfolded almost like a movie. The hero wakes up, sits up despite injuries, reaches for the damsel who walks willingly into his arms, and then they kiss. Yep, definitely like a movie and both Sara and Diggle rolled their eyes with huge smiles as Oliver gently took Felicity's face in his hands and placed a gentle kiss onto her lips.

"Come on guys." Sara said with mock irritation. "Can't you at least get a room? I mean really... Do you have to do that in front of us?"

Oliver slowly pulled back after planting a gentle kiss on Felicity's lips. He started to laugh at Sara's comments but it quickly turned into a fit of coughs, which in turn caused him to have to clamp down on the pain yet again. Sara quickly brought Oliver a bottle of water which he carefully took a sip of between coughs. Finally they eased and Oliver was able to breathe again.

"Are you okay?" Felicity asked, the worry clear in her voice and in the look on her face.

"It's just the fluid in my lungs. It will take care of itself in time." He said as he took her hand, trying to reassure her.

"How are you feeling man?" Diggle asked, noting the look of pain in Oliver's eyes as he did so.

"I'm..." Oliver started before being interrupted by Felicity.

"Oliver, I swear. If you say you're fine..." Felicity started to say before Oliver placed a finger on her lips, effectively ending her sentence.

"...in a lot of pain." Oliver continued, deciding to be completely honest with his Team. "But it's nothing that rest won't cure." He tried to give Felicity a reassuring smile and was rewarded with her squeezing his hand tighter.

"You need anything?" Diggle asked, wondering if Oliver would give in and actually take some pain medication.

"No." Oliver stated simply. He knew that Diggle was just trying to help ease his pain. "Where is everyone? Are they safe?" He asked as he looked around, surprised at how empty the lair was at the moment.

"Lance and Laurel went to her place and I sent Roy and Thea back to the mansion to update your mom and Walter." Diggle updated Oliver. "Everyone is safe. Don't worry."

"What about Nyssa?" Oliver asked as hewas pretty sure that he hadn't just imagined her presence.

"She had to leave again." Sara filled him in. "She only came back because she heard about Slade and wanted to make sure I was okay. Once we were rescued and she was reassured that I was fine she left."

"Next time you talk to her please tell her that I said thank you." Oliver said with complete sincerity. He may not have always gotten along with the Assassin, however he knew that she had helped in the rescue mission and he didn't want that to go unnoticed.

"I will." Sara said with a smile.

"So, what now?" Felicity asked from her place next to Oliver.