Hidden Arrow

Chapter 7: There Wasn't A Choice to Make

Oliver choked, noting silently that he screwed up - big time.

"I read in the papers that you and Oliver were together, I naturally assumed-"

"You're a horrible lair, feel free to stop," Felicity smiled at him, feeling more comfortable.

"You and Oliver weren't to-"

"I don't want to hear his name," Felicity said harshly. She tried to explain, "It hurt a lot when he left, and... " Felicity forced out the words, "Died. I've recently realized that when you loose someone that you love, there's nothing in your power you can do to bring them back. It hurt a lot when he died, and I think about him every day. So many time a day, I try and stop thinking about him because I know that it's not what Oliver would've wanted. He wanted me to be happy, so please, don't say his name."

"Understood," Oliver quietly. "I've lost many people, I understand the pain it can cause."

Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes and Oliver took a step forward to wipe them away, but then stopped himself.

"The pain you cause wearing that hood?" Felicity asked. "If you're not a bad guy, show me your face. Why do you wear a hood if you're not doing anything wrong?"

Oliver admitted in his deep throaty voice, "To protect the ones I care about."

Felicity thought about it and nodded. "Okay, that's a pretty good answer, but do they know who you really are?"

Oliver shook his head and gave a soft chuckle. "This is my disguise, Felicity. It's not who I am on the inside."

"And who are you? On the inside?" A strange sensation of desire washed of Felicity and she squinted her eyes to try and figure it out.

Oliver held up the thumb drive and placed it on the table next to the window which he came from. "De-cypher this, and you might find out..."

Oliver turned on his heels to leave and walk away, but Felicity's loud and urgent "Wait!" made him stay. He looked over his shoulder to see her beautiful pale moonlit face.

"I saw on the news that..." Felicity tried to have a steady breath. "That you saved all those people. Why do you make the choice to go in after the hostages and save them?"

"The criminals had those people and he was gonna hurt them... There was no choice to make, Felicity."

And with that said, Oliver Queen turned from his one true love and left her with those pondering thoughts to think about in his absence.