City Of Flames

chapter one

Oliver smiled, as he stared back at her. Framed, blue eyes stared back at him, and he couldnt help but make his smile wider. This was like a dream come true for him, finally after so long... he was going to marry the woman he loved.

Except suddenly, in a blink, Felicity no longer stood in front of him. A woman he didnt reconize, with large green eyes and long black hair stood in front of him. Taking a step back in confusion, he tried to speak, but found that no words escaped his mouth.

Oliver snapped awake, in a cold sweat. This dream had reoccurred three times that week, he wasn't sure what it meant, nor did he know who that woman was in it. She seemed almost familiar, Shado, maybe?

Oliver ran his hand across his face, noting that his stuble had grown a bit, but neglected to bother to shave it. With a slight groan he got out of his bed in the loft, and stalked to the bathroom, flipping the light switch on and staring at his reflection. Long past where the times that he looked at the people and things in his life with such joy, he decended into a pit of misery after Felicity made it clearer then his state of diskept that he and her... weren't meant to be.

Oliver sighed, and started the shower, waiting for the water to warm up before entering the stream of hot water.

He didnt stay in it very long, and wrapped a towel over his lower half and noted the time, barely past four in the Afternoon. he doubted he could get back to sleep,he threw on a typical outfit of jeans, a plaid shirt and his favorite leather jacket and decided to head to the Foundary. He hadn't the heart to think of it as the Arrowcave like Felicity loved doing, it brought back a dull throb to his heart.

He had a lot on his plate, being the mayor, and he had taken today off to catch up on some much needed sleep, but there was no days off for his Alter Ego. He quickly located the secret elevator and headed down to their base of operations. It was down to just him and felicity, after thea and diggle walked away, and laurel.... he didnt want to think of laurel at the moment.

To his surprise, Felicity was at her station, typing at the computer. He felt their relationship had been a bit strained lately, and he hoped that it eased off a bit. "Hey!" He called, flopping his jacket over the railing and approaching her. "Have anything?" She pulled up several screens.

"Weren't you taking the day off?" Felicity asked, glancing up at him. He could see the same warring of feelings in her eyes as he felt, so he did have some hope. Maybe...

"Yeah, from mayor, not from our crusade." Oliver replied leaning closer to the screens. "What is " he pointed at a dark blob on a screen. " That?"

"Some creature that is roaming around in star city. No one seems to have a good picture of it, and it hasn't made news yet, probably to keep panic down. " She informed him " there was also a non reported break out in an old labratory. I am assuming ' She paused as she brought up a report "that creature came from that labratory. Which means its illeagal?" She cast her gaze up at him, Oliver stared at the screen, reading the headline of the report.

Labratory under fire for illegal human experements.

"Once night falls, ill take a look around that labratory. For now, give me every sighting of this creature. Ill go and check them out." Oliver said, strightening out and walking to grab his jacket.

Felicity stared after him for a second too long, telling herself it was habit to stare after him.