When the Queen's Gambit capsized in the North China Sea, the world mourned with the Queen family over the loss of CEO and Philanthropist Robert Queen and his son, Oliver - Starling City's own beloved playboy, but weeks later when Oliver emerged from a remote Hawaiian love nest alive, oblivious, and with his girlfriend's SISTER, sympathy turned to suspicion. The ugliest of accusations flew and Oliver left behind the rich and privileged life he'd known.
Eight years after he vowed never to return home, Felicity Smoak arrives on his doorstep determined to change his mind. Clever, stubborn, cheerful and working for his mother, she is not his type though lord knows he's tempted. She sweeps in and suddenly everything he knew about his past is shaken.
When she offers to become his ally in uncovering the truth about his father's legacy, he can't walk away even though she comes with her own set of loyalties that put her in the heart of his estranged family. For eight years he's had no trouble keeping people at a distance, so why do all his instincts now cry out to keep her close?
This is an AU that has no island and no Green Arrow but does follow much of the canon as laid out in the show except without Oliver having come home to save his city. Also, while Laurel gets mentioned, she is not in this story.
Oliver Queen, billionaire playboy and future heir to Queen Consolidated. That's what the public thought of him. Then he joined the army and disappeared from the public eye. This wasn't like the Oliver Queen they knew. Five years later he returned, to his family, to his friends and to Starling City. Everything had changed, everyone was glad to see him. But they didn't that the Ollie they knew died in that war. His younger sister Thea was happiest to see him, always accompanied by her best friend, Felicity Smoak. Oliver Queen never used to be a one woman man, but he wasn't that man anymore. He could never be that man again. His attraction to Felicity was undeniable, and extremely strong. Something he had never felt before. But the city was now in danger. Since his return, crime was everywhere. Oliver had to do something. He makes another life changing decision. He becomes the vigilante. It was dangerous, but he could protect the people he cared for and the rest of the city. What he doesn't know could kill him... And everyone he cares about. (AU where Oliver was a soldier instead of going to the Island, Felicity is Thea's best friend.)