Home: An Arrow Fanfic

Chapter 14

Oliver woke with a headache. Not the ideal way to start a Saturday morning, but it couldn't be helped. He attributed it to having spent the larger part of the evening trying to figure out what had happened to alter Felicity's mood so completely. After getting home he'd tried calling her several times, but kept getting her voicemail.

He'd always thought he had a pretty good understanding of how the female mind worked. Obviously, he'd been mistaken. Or perhaps his mistake had been in assuming that Felicity was like any other woman he'd known. She wasn't. Not even close.

Her rejection hurt, something he was loathe to admit, but couldn't deny. The only thing that seemed to soothe his wounded pride was the knowledge that she would never deliberately harm anyone. Something must have happened.

Climbing out of bed, he pulled the curtains aside to look out of the window. It was a bright winter's day; crisp and cold. He could see Thea down below, laying flowers on their father's grave. A habit she'd developed soon after he'd returned home.

Deciding to join her, he turned from the window and headed to the shower.

"Speedy," Oliver called as he approached Thea. She was kneeling beside the grave, wrapped up warmly in a grey coat and scarf, her hands covered in gloves. He stood beside her for a moment, lending his silent support.

"I miss him, Ollie. Every day. It's been five years, and though the pain dulls to an ache, I don't think it will ever go away."

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, hugging her close to his side. He understood her pain better than anyone. He'd been with his father in his final moments, the memory one he wished he could erase. He had to live with so much that he could never share with his family. "I know. We all do."

Sniffing indelicately, she wiped at her wet cheeks. "Enough of the doom and gloom. What are you doing up so early?" She looked at him curiously.

"I could ask you the same question," he said.

She wrinkled her nose. "Why is my being awake so hard to believe?"

"Seriously?"

"Okay, okay. So I like my beauty sleep. It's not a crime," she said defensively."Why are you up?"

"Couldn't sleep." They walked up the grassy bank and sat down on a bench overlooking the garden.

Thea bumped her shoulder against his. The jolt made him wince inwardly. His ribs were healing well, but they still caused him a lot of discomfort. "Oh, to be young and in love," she teased, jiggling her eyebrows at him saucily.

Oliver laughed. "Do I need to remind you that I'm the older one?"

Thea rolled her eyes. "A thing no one ever lets me forget."

He watched the fine mist of her breath disperse as she exhaled. "I take it you had an awful time last night?"

"Horrid," Thea was never one to prevaricate. "But, there was an upside," she said, her eyes twinkling devilishly.

"Do share."

"Do I need to spell it out? I've never seen you smile the way you did last night. Wait. Let the clarify - I've never seen you smile that much, Ollie! I would have paid good money for it had it not been for free. My big brother," she sighed dramatically, "finally taken down by cupid's arrow."

Oliver gaped at her. "There is definitely something wrong with you."

She ignored him "I like her. You're different around her, you know – softer, less guarded, relaxed." She looked at him pointedly.