Your Love Is A Waiting Game

Working On Empty

Four weeks passed. Oliver had been interrogating small time crooks trying to find out the identity of the man in the skull mask but had had no success. She told Oliver she needed some time off, he let her go and she had visited Barry in Central City sporadically for a few weeks. She spent most of her time there talking to Barry's unconscious body. He and Digg were the only ones who knew her true feelings for Oliver so she had barred her soul. Her mind went back to the conversation they had had over a month ago.

"You're really worried about him aren't you?"

"He takes crazy chances. Even when he's not hallucinating about beautiful island girls." Barry chuckled then turned sober.

"I have some experience in that department..." She raised her brow. "Loving someone who doesn't see you the same way." She smiled at him sadly. "You love him."

She didn't answer for a moment. "I don't know if he could ever feel the same about me. I'm afraid... if he knew it would change everything."

"Maybe that's not such a bad thing."

"It's more complicated than it seems."

"Life is complicated Felicity, it's also too short."

"You're one to talk..." She said while looking at him."What's her name?" She asked.

"Iris," he answered.

"Wow, what a pair we make. Pining after people we can't have."

"Yeah. You know what's strange? You and I? We're completely perfect for each other but..."

"I'm not her," Felicity stated simply.

"And I'm not him."

They both nodded in understanding.

This particular time in Central had given her a clear mind to think. She had decided to tell Oliver when she got back and just let the chips fall where they may. She had to trust that he cared about her enough that he'd do what was best for her and their child. She couldn't keep it from him anymore, the longer she did the worse it would be when he found out. She had popped while she was gone and if she continued wearing the same clothes then people would definitely know she was pregnant. She had decided to take advantage of her time off and stay one more day, do some shopping, find some looser dresses when she got a newsletter about the bombing. So she packed her bags, threw on a coat and one of the dresses that still fit her and hopped a train back to Starling. When she arrived she took a cab to QC. Oliver and Diggle were talking and looking at a tablet when she entered. Oliver looked up.

"You're back," he said, relief crossing his features.

"I got a newsletter about the bombing, caught the first train out this morning."

"Good...we need you here." She smiled at him and he stared back, a small tick in his lips. They were caught in the moment when Digg interrupted their starring session.

"How are you?"

"I'm okay, I need to do some shopping but other than that.."

"Shopping?" Oliver questioned as if wondering how that was important in this situation. She looked at the outer room and conference room and when she was satisfied that they were clear she unbuttoned her coat and showed them her now prominent baby bump. Oliver's eyebrows rose to his hairline and Diggle just mouthed 'wow.'

"Yep," she said as she closed her jacket and re-buttoned it. "I'm going to pop out of my dresses soon. A lot of them I had just bought," she said sadly as she looked up at them. Oliver's mouth was hanging slightly open and his eyes were still trained on her now covered abdomen.