The Man in a Hood

"You will never change!"

After reaching back home, throwing the keys on the table and taking a deep breath, felicity sat on the couch and her eyes fell on the envelope Oliver placed on the table and his words  buzzed in her ears "in case you change your mind"
She thought of opening the envelope, but quickly remembered all the emotional torture Oliver did to her and she denied the idea of accepting Oliver's offer.
But suddenly she remembered what John told her about Oliver;
She took a deep breath and gave a thought; may be he was right after all, maybe she judged too much, maybe she should talk to Oliver and sought things out and maybe he deserves another change.
With all these thoughts she opened the envelope to find letter as appointing her as the new head of the department and also increase in salary.
She read the letter and as she was putting it back, she found another note inside the envelope
Which said;
"Hi Felicity,

I'm apologizing for my early behavior; I have been through a lot, that makes me hard to trust people. please give me a another chance. I can prove you that I'm not the Boss you see me as.

I know it's hard for you, but in case you change your mind, I will  wait for you in the basement parking lot at 7:00 pm tonight sharp. We can talk things out."

                                                                                                                                                   - Oliver Queen

Reading the note made felicity smile, and she thought that she will give him another chance.
Looking at the clock hanging on one of the way, she said to herself
"Wow it's already 2:00 pm, 5 hours more until I have a date... I mean meet you with Mr. Queen and I honestly have no idea what I will wear...better think of something nice"
Thinking the same she walked to her room to search for something nice to wear.

On other side, Oliver who was in his office, sitting in his cabin and lost in his own thought.
Diggle noticed and said "hey man, what's up with you?? Never seen you brooding like this before"

"Well, I wasn't so much upset before, I suppose" Oliver replied by looking at john
"If you are upset about felicity than, I suggest you to wait for the time you gave her" john replied

"I don't think Diggle she will come, Digg..." Oliver begin
"I've hurt her.. even though I didn't wanted to..."
He nodded and further added by standing near the window
"Last night I went to see her as a hood... I saw her cry Diggle, and that made me feel sorry for her... Everything I did was to protect her, save her from pain... But I realised that, that the same thing caused her more pain than I thought"

"Oliver.... Man, you see, sometimes physical pain is better than emotional pain, cause you can cure the physical pain but it's hard to cure an emotional pain...." John explained
"Right now Felicity is going through that same emotional pain, caused by your behavior... God, Oliver that girl being nice to you.. but you....
I understand that you want to protect her or something else going on in your heart and mind, which you dont wanna admit about it; man...this isn't the way... Maybe you should open up to her... Tell her how you feel about her...talk things out"
John added further after a pause
"...And maybe 'The Arrow' needs a smart partner like felicity..."

"Digg, I dont want her to get involved in this... You know that" Oliver said turning towards John
"This is the only way to sought things out Oliver, go there tonight and talk to her, explain to her, if she agrees... Rest we can decide later" John suggested
"but what if she doesnt come??" oliver questioned with sadness in his eyes
"Oh she will oliver.. she will for sure" John replied, and Oliver gave a nodded, "i hope so" he added taking a deep breath

Later that evening...

Felicity wore a beautiful sleeveless maroon colored short dress and headed to meet oliver, she left early as she didnt wanted to be late. Entering the basement parking and parking her car, she walked across to see if oliver has arrived;
Felicity's eyes were widened to find oliver making out with Laurel near his car; oliver noticed her and they broke apart, "hey laurel.. i gotta.." oliver said fixing his shirt
"Oh sure...Bye Ollie... i will see you later" Laurel said with a wink, walking away from oliver 

"You are UNBELIEVABLE Oliver" Felicity said in anger
"Felicity...I--" Oliver tried speaking
"screwing your brother-like best friend's girlfriend??" she added further
"how did you..." Oliver tried speaking further
"Oh i saw them the other day at the restaurant, together.. Tommy loves her so much and you are..." felicity said furiously
"Felicity.. its not how you think it is..." Oliver tried explaining to felicity, "i can explain"
"explain?? i know what i saw...and also that she was your girl friend before you disappeared on lian yu.. but this...." felicity said angrily, she paused and added further,
"... i wonder what tommy will feel if he finds out.. that his brother-like best friend betrayed him..." 
"felicity... its n--not..." Oliver begin
"oh hold it for yourself" felicity said increasing her voice, and tears begin to form in her eyes
"you know.. i came here not because of your note, but john asked me to give you a chance... i came here because of him.. thinking maybe i was wrong...maybe you deserve another chance... BUT NO!! you are disrespectful and mean and a backstabber!!" she added further before she turned and walked away
"felicity wait..." oliver said firmly, "i can prove to you..that i can change... we can talk on this..."
"Oh really?? if you want to change, then tell tommy about what you are doing with his girl.... take that as a first step... and than we can talk" saying this felicity walked away, leaving oliver think about what she just said

Later that night...

Felicity had just jumped on bed, when she heard the door bell ring, she looked at the digital watch on the side table, which was showing 11:05pm, she said to herself "i really wonder who it is this late" and quickly she ran to the hall, to get the door; only to find drunken oliver leaning on the door, and who fell into felicity's arms when she opened it; "Oh my god! Oliver..." felicity said in shock, "are you drunk??"
"Hi Fellici....tyyyy... can i--i...." Oliver said slurring his words
"Sorry.. felici...felicity.. i didnttt knew.. where else--tto--ttoooo go..." Oliver mumbled
"okay.... just.... " Felicity said holding oliver by putting her hand around his waist, while oliver put his arm around her neck.
she walked oliver and made his sit on the couch, "Godd.. you are so heavy" 
"...and what the hell happened to you??" she added giving a quick loot at oliver by sitting next to him
"You told me...to--to tell tommyy... and i didd.. and he... we--we had a fiightttt...and i--i gotttt..."
"i cant believe you actually did that" felicity mumbled, and oliver who's eyes were barely open, giggled 
"Its okay oliver... you can stay here..." felicity replied 
"just wait here.. let me get you some water.." she added before running to kitchen and getting some water for oliver
"take... drink this..." felicity said handling the glass to oliver, which slipped from his hand, and felicity assisted him 
"my--my phonee.." oliver mumbled 
"wait, let me take it..." felicity said keeping the glass on the table and taking phone out from his pocket, and answering the phone as John's name was displaying on it
"Oliver...where are..." John said through phone
"Hmm... John, its felicity here.." felicity said cutting john's sentence
"where is oliver.. is he okay??" john replied felicity furiously via phone
"Oliver is fine... fine means not fine exactly.. he is drunk.. and he is at my place" felicity babbled 
"Keep him there.. i'm on my way.." john said furiously; felicity noticed oliver silently sleeping by keeping his head on her shoulder and said, "John.. its okay.. let him be here.. you can come in the morning"
"are you sure??" john replied, to which felicity said, "oh yes absolutely..he will be fine, dont worry" and cut the call

Felicity than gently held his head and layed him on the sofa by placing cushion under his head, She than got a blanket and pulled it over him and kneeling next to him, she gently moved her hand over his face and oliver smiled being still asleep; 
"You look so peaceful when sleeping..." felicity whispered 

TBC..