QUICKLY I'D LIKE TO SAY :: that I have posted a picture on instagram (chrissyl0vestoread_) that I based this chaper off of. Please check it out and let me know what you think of this idea :)
There is also a link to this picture somewhere on this chapter I think :)
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Thank god its lunch time. I shut my door and turned off my office lights and put my head on my desk. The Hood has been on my mind all night. No sleep, I've been searching hospital records for John Doe's or, god if I knew who he was. I rubbed the back of my and yawned when there was a knock on my door.
"Come in." I yelled.
In walked John Diggle. He looked tough and mean with his straight face and very very angry right now. He flipped on the lights. "Are you alright?" I nodded. "Ms. Smoak, I have a very odd question." I nodded again. Thanks to Oliver Queen, I've gotten used to weird. "What do you know about the Hood?"
My eyes widened. "I don't know anything about him besides what's on tv. Why? Do you know who he is"
His brows furrowed. "No, I can't say I do." To me, it looked like he wanted to say more but held off. "Listen, if someone asked you how far would you go to protect your friends, what would you say?"
"I'd say that I'd do whatever it takes to keep my loved ones safe."
He just looked at me for a few minutes before standing. "Are you good at keeping secrets, Felicity?"
I nodded with a small smile on my face. "Yes, I am."
"Good." He tilted his head to me and then left.
The rest of my day was oddly quiet. Just before it was time for me to leave, I turned the corner from my office to the elevators when I heard John's voice.
"So you're going to drag her down, too? Is that it? The famous Oliver is now off the market?"
"No, Diggle. It's not like that. I think she can be useful to us to, you know. I think she can handle it."
"I don't think she can, I know she can Oliver. But do you really want to have another partner?"
There was no reply. I counted to five and then turned the corner.
"Hello."
Oliver turned and smiled his famous smile at me and my knees knocked together. I pressed the elevator button and used the excuse to hold the wall to keep my elf upright. What is wrong with you Felicity? He's Oliver Queen! !
"Hello, Felicity."
"Hi."
"You two know each other?" John asked.
Oliver turned and said, "Yes. Diggle, this is Felicity. She's my friend. She's also the one who fixed your computer."
John gave him a flat look before looking at me. "Thank you. I don't know what I would have done if I lost those prints."
"Not a problem." The elevator chimed and we all got in. It wad all very awkward. So I did what I usually do. Rambled. "Did you know that those prints look extremely similar to the prison layout? I mean I'm not saying you've got the prison layout, because I mean what would you do with it?" I laughed. "Break in? Anyway, you could be building a smaller sized model."
I looked over at him and he had his eyes closed, but Oliver seemed to be trying to bite back a smile.
"You're very observative."
Thank god the doors opened again and it was the lobby. I smiled a polite smile and said goodnight and quickly made my way to my car, heels clicking on the sidewalk.
"Felicity," Oliver called, jogging up to me, "Do you have plans for later?"
"Um, yes, actually. I have a date. I mean, it's a first date. A blind date." I closed my eyes. "Why? What can I do for you?"
Brows furrowed he said, "I have a party later tonight and I was wondering if you'd accompany me, but I don't want to take away from your personal time."
I opened and closed my mouth a few times. "I have a date." Was all I was able to say.
Oliver smiled kindly and said, "Have a wonderful time on your date."
"Thank . . . You." I watched him walk to John and they turned at walked in the other direction. "Good God Felicity, you're an idiot!" I muttered to myself.
"So there I was and the captain of my work crew says, 'Son, it's time for a promotion.' You have to imagine that I'm completely shocked. . ." Blah, blah, blah. I stare blankly at this conceited ass sitting across from me. We've been sitting in this restaurant, as nice as it is, for forty-five minutes and he has not once asked me about what I do.
"I'm a professional hacker." I say unexpectedly. He stops talking and looked at me like I slapped him.
"How much does that pay?"
"Money isn't an issue when I can hack the bank system and transfer money without anyone knowing. All I need is a first and last name."
His eyes sort of bug out of his head because he told me his first and last names. Franco Maxwell. He raises his hand and requests the check. Just as I am standing up to gather my things, my phone rings.
"Hello?"
"How quickly can you disarm a security system?"
"Who is this?"
"I am . . . The Hood. I need your help again, Felicity."
I stare at my phone and then say, "It depends. Where are you?"
He was quiet before saying, "Queen Consolidated."
My mouth formed a little "o" in surprise. "In the basement there is a main control board. Once you're there you can flip the switch on the power grid to any floor you need. Wonderful, I'm helping you kill people now. Don't kill anyone, please? Not anyone there. The Queen family has been though enough. You should know that." The other end of the phone was quiet for a long time. "Hello?"
"I will promise you, Felicity. I promise I wont kill anyone."
"Thank you." I said as he disconnected. Franco was staring at me as if I had three heads so I sighed. "It's been . . great. I have to go." My heels click against the marble floors as I walk away from him. My stylish outfit wasted. A grey tweed blazer with a matching high waisted pencil skirt and a white blouse. I suppose I could wear it to work. Thank god this date blew. I;m not sure I would want to waste something nicer on him.
Driving home was a blur. It happened quickly and without me remembering it. Up in my apartment, the heat was blasting. "As usual." I grumbled. This landlord can't get anything right. Heat in the summer and nothing in the winter. A groan from my living room froze me in place.I looked around and spotted the Hood right away. All but a small strip of moonlight cloaked him in complete darkness. He raised his arm and placed his hand on the wall to keep himself upright. As soon as I noticed he was having trouble standing I saw the red seeping out of his chest.
"Oh my god!" I rushed over to him. He tilted his head and grabbed my waist. "Why don't you ever go to a hospital! I'm not a nurse you know. I don't know the first thing about first aid!"
"It's not . . . that bad. I . . . just need gauze and . . . tape." He struggled through the obvious pain.
"And to lay down and some water." He shook his head. "Okay, I'll go get the-" He cut me off by pulling me close and holding on to me. I had my hands placed on his chest and now i was trapped between his arms. A wonderful place to be, if you asked me. The Hood leaned his head on to my shoulder and his weight sagged a little. "Kind of heavy, just a little." I helped him walk to my sofa chair and he sat down. "I'll b right back. Please don't leave until I know you're alive and okay."
I ran to get the only thing I could think of, napkins and scotch tape, and rushed back to my livingroom. I half expected him to be gone, but there he was. Sitting in all his darkened glory. The tight pants and hooded shirt fit his body perfectly. I walked over and placed some napkins on his wound.
"So, who shot you?"
"Mrs. Queen." there was something in his voice that indicated anger, but I would be angry too if I was shot.
"You shouldn't go around shooting arrows and scaring people. You were bound to get shot sooner or later." I rambled as I stopped the bleeding and covered his wound.
"Thank you, Ms. Smoak."
"That's funny that you call me that. My boss, no- well- my boss's step-son calls me that. It's funny, because even though its my last name on you and him seem to be able to fill those two words with so much contempt."
I turned to throw away the bloody napkins but his hand over mine stopped me. "I'm sorry, Felicity. I didn't mean to upset you. And this boss, maybe he doesn't either?"
"He would be oblivious to whatever he does. He's sort of a playboy like that."
He took a step closer to me and brushed the hair away from my face. "You don't sound like you mind him being oblivious to you."
I closed my eyes and tilted my head just slightly into his hand. "Oh, I mind. Despite his incredibly horrible past, I actually kind of like him."
"I like you, Felicity." My eyes snapped open. "I need you to stay safe, okay? If I asked you to . . . stay away from this boss, would you?"
I shook my head. "I can't. I feel like I help him like I help you, only not so much criminally with him." I lifted half my lips in a semi-smile. He chuckled deeply and the sound vibrated my bones.
"Stay safe, Ms. Smoak." The Hood brushed his hands over my hair again and I closed my eyes. Ever so lightly I felt his lips against mine. I opened my eyes in shock and I stood alone in the middle of my living room.
Her smell was intoxicating. I needed to warn her away from me. Watching her look to miserable on her date nearly sent me in there myself to save her. But, I am weak when she is involved. I can't make up my mind. I want her safe, and to stay safe she needs to stay away from me. I need her close, to kiss her and taste her and that brings her closer to danger. Lightly kissing her like I just did made me feel elated. My mother shooting me is a long gone memory, replaced by the sweetness of Felicity Smoak.