The mistletoe! How could she have forgotten it? It had been Thea's idea; she'd been talking about it that morning, and the morning before that, and the morning before that. Felicity, in her naïvety, had honestly believed it was a joke. There was no way Thea could actually manage to break into her home, or Diggle's - but especially not hers. It just wouldn't happen.
And now it was happening. And Felicity couldn't think of a thing to say.
At this point, it was all about damage limitation. Caitlin was an intelligent woman: there was no way she could have failed to figure out Felicity's feelings for her. She probably thought Felicity had engineered this little disaster, in the hope that some Christmas magic would come to her aid - mortifying, to say the least, and also completely untrue. Endangering her friendship would be a terrible move.
Caitlin wasn't backing away. Felicity chanced a glance at her. She didn't look completely horrified.
"It's tradition," Felicity said - stammered.
Caitlin smiled, which was encouraging.
"Obviously, we don't have to do anything. I'm not sure how it - well, I am sure, but I don't think you'd believe me."
"I've seen a lot," Caitlin said. "Try me."
"I think Thea - broke into the house? And rigged it with mistletoe. She's probably done the same to Diggle. I figured she was kidding, because how insane would you have to be to trespass to put up decorations? Actually...now that I think about it, that does sound like something Thea would do."
Caitlin laughed. "So - what should we do now?"
"I don't know. I guess we - " Felicity hesitated - "take it down?"
"It is tradition," Caitlin said. "I mean - it's not as though it's serious."
"And Thea did break the law. She's certainly...committed herself to this."
"Yes. And it would just be once. It wouldn't have to matter."
Felicity swallowed. "No."
"So - are we going to?"
Felicity moved forwards, and almost ended up hitting Caitlin's forehead. She laughed; she placed her hand on Caitlin's shoulder. "Like this?"
Caitlin touched her cheek. Felicity could feel every press of her fingers.
Caitlin's cheeks were still flushed from the cold of the afternoon. They were both dripping. Distantly, Felicity realised that the carpet would be ruined. The door was still half-open, and threatened to slam closed with every gust of wind. Felicity was conscious of the rasping of her breath, Caitlin's hand stroking through her hair.
Caitlin was humming with warmth. Her head tilted to one side, and Felicity raised her eyes. Caitlin's hair hung in curls around her neck. Her coat-collar, turned up against the wind, had been flattened now. She looked as though she was about to speak.
Felicity's phone rang.
"You'd better take that," Caitlin said.
Felicity scrambled. What had she been doing? What had she been about to do? Risking her friendship for the sake of - what? A one-sided - crush? That didn't seem the right word for it.
Diggle's voice, crackling: "Did Thea get you too? It's insane. There's mistletoe all over the house. It's in every doorway."
Caitlin was untying her scarf, hanging it on the chair-back. Her hands tightened ; she smoothed out some wrinkle or other, and smiled.
"Felicity? You there?"
Felicity hung up.
