Fighting for the Heart

Untitled Part 10

Felicity sat in the car looking out the window, the ride between her and Oliver silent. She had a lot on her mind and they needed to talk. The car pulled to a stop and before Oliver could open her door she was out and walking inside. Oliver followed not far behind and when she walked to the bar he glanced her way before he walked over to where she was sitting at the bar and he heard her order a shot. She asked the bartender to place it on her room and then downed the drink, grimacing as it slid down her throat like fire.

"Felicity......" he started and she held up her hand telling him not to say a word as she ordered one more and then downed it as well. Oliver waited patiently.

She stood after the second drink and motioned to him to follow her. She walked over to a table in a corner of the bar and he followed and sat across from her. She ordered a drink from the waitress and he ordered a whiskey before she looked at him. He knew what was coming before she spoke.

"So tell me what happened with Laurel." Felicity said.

Oliver took a sip of his whiskey, took a deep breath and then glanced at her. "Laurel and I met in high school and we dated for a few months before I broke things off. We were fighting all the time and just were not a good fit. She was angry that I broke up with her but wasn't too much of a problem, until I started dating Sara. I ran into Sara at a frat party during college and we hit it off right away. When Laurel found out we were dating she started leaving harassing messages and even showed up when we were out on a date. After we got engaged Sara went to her and talked to her and things were fine again. Laurel even attended a few of my fights with Sara. The night that Sara died I had just finished a fight against a man known in the MMA circles as The Reaper. I was in my locker room changing when Laurel came in and because things were going better I didn't think anything of it. Sara had not made it into the room yet, and when she heard Sara walk in she grabbed me and kissed me. I immediately pushed her away but Sara was upset and we got into an argument. She was worried I was not over Laurel, even though I had assured her many times that she meant nothing to me. I finally talked Sara into going home with me to talk and that was when the accident happened."

He took another sip of his whiskey and Felicity saw his eyes flood with emotions as that night came rushing back to him.

"After that night Laurel blamed me for Sara's death. She blamed me and started saying I had kissed HER which was not true. When I denied it she called me a liar. I was sent to rehab in Central City and when I returned, every time I ran into her she called me a murderer and a cheat." His hand gripped his drink tightly.

Felicity looked at him and the look in her eyes must have shown uncertainty because he leaned across the table and said earnestly. "I did not kiss her Felicity. I loved Sara. I would never do that to her."

Felicity looked in to his eyes and saw the truth. She was feeling the effects of the drinks and she placed her hand over his. "I believe you."

She realized she was holding his hand and pulled hers away, sitting back in her chair.

"Thank you for defending me today." he said. His gaze was intense as he looked at her.

"It's my job." she said, but they both knew that was not why she had done it.

She was about to say something else when the waitress placed a drink in front of Felicity. "From the man at the bar." she said. Felicity and Oliver turned and looked at the bar where a nice looking man raised his glass to Felicity. Feeling a little daring Felicity smiled at him and raised her drink back to him. Oliver's eyes narrowed, shooting daggers at the man and the man finally turned back to the bar.

"What was that?" she asked.

"What was what?" Oliver said, looking at her innocently.

"That!" she waved her hand at the man. "He was being nice and you totally scared him off."