Home: An Arrow Fanfic

Chapter 16

There was an extra bounce in Felicity's step as she walked into Big Belly Burger the following Monday. After the emotions of the weekend, she was glad to be back in her happy place.

She smiled to herself as she recalled the heated kisses she'd shared with Oliver. Just thinking about their steamy exchange caused her temperature to rise by several degrees. The man certainly knew how to sweep a girl off her feet, she'd give him that.

"Don't you look like the cat that got the cream," Carly's voice teased from behind the counter.

Felicity laughed. "Perhaps I did," she responded cryptically.

Carly raised an eyebrow curiously, her eyes sparkling with mirth. "You sit your behind down and start talking." She pointed to an empty seat in front of her.

Felicity removed her coat and took the proffered seat. "Our non-date started out well, really well in fact," she explained as she accepted the cup of coffee Carly placed before her, "and then descended into misery about halfway through."

At Carly's startled look she waved her hand carelessly. "Long story. Anyway, the most important thing is that we managed to sort it all out," she concluded.

Stepping around the counter to sit down beside Felicity, she gave her a quick hug. "So what does this mean? You and Oliver Queen are now…?" She smiled, waiting for Felicity's response.

She shrugged. "In an undefined…something. There is no label at present."

"Are you okay with that?"

Felicity was sorry that she couldn't tell Carly everything. However, betraying Oliver's trust would never be an option. "There's a lot going on at the moment. I think once things settle down, we may get around to figuring out exactly what this is. Right now, we have an understanding. So in the interim that's good enough for me."

Carly nodded, accepting her explanation. "Then I'm so happy for you."

Behind them, the door opened. Glancing over her shoulder, Felicity saw Tommy Merlyn walk in. Carly hopped up and ushered him to the counter, offering him a menu.

"Just a coffee please. I'm waiting for someone," he told her with a smile.

"Coming up."

Tommy sat down and glanced at Felicity, recognition flaring in his eyes. "Felicity, right? You were at the Gala with Oliver." Felicity thought she detected a note of disapproval.

"I work at Queen Consolidated," she said, ignoring his mention of the Gala.

"So you've known Oliver for a while?" He thanked Carly for the coffee.

Felicity got the impression that he was leading up to something. "Almost as long as he's been back."

"Does he treat you well?" Tommy seemed to choose his words carefully.

Annoyed, Felicity realised what he was getting at. "No, Mr Merlyn. He regularly threatens to put an arrow through me if I refuse to obey an instruction."

He looked taken aback, her sarcasm clearly unexpected. "Please, call me Tommy." He raked a hand through his hair. "Look, I'm sorry. I just want to make sure that you know that he's…dangerous." He said the last word softly.

Felicity narrowed her eyes at him. Seriously? This was Oliver's best friend and he was trying to warn her to stay away from him? "Thanks for the concern, but I assure you it's not necessary."

His voice harsh, Tommy glanced sideways at her. "You don't know, Oliver. You don't know what he's capable of!"

Felicity was not prone to irrational bursts of anger. She prided herself on being evenly tempered, capable of diffusing a situation by remaining calm and focused. But after listening to Tommy maligning Oliver's reputation when he had no idea what he'd been through, made something inside of her snap.