Chapter Text
Felicity heard footsteps and looked up from her computer in time to watch Laurel elegantly glide down the steps, making her way into the foundry.
"Where's Ollie?" Laurel asked as she scanned the room.
"Ummm...he ummm... he's not here." Felicity struggled to get out. She didn't know what it was about Laurel but she always seemed to make Felicity nervous. Maybe it's the obvious fact that Laurel didn’t like her which Felicity really didn’t get, seeing as they had never had a real conversation.
"What are you doing here so late anyways?" Laurel asked but not in an "I'm interested in what you're doing" kind of way, more like "why don't you leave" kind of way.
"Umm… I'm just finishing up some searches. I'll be done and on my way soon enough."
"Okay," Laurel replied as she gracefully crossed the room, headed towards Oliver's bow and arrows.
It started out innocent enough at first she just touched the arrows examining their engineering and she plucked the string of the bow. But then she picked the bow up and pulled the string taut as if she were going to fire.
"I don't think you should be touching Oliver's bow" Felicity warned
Laurel turned to her with a scowl on her face. "Why, you touch his bow all the time"
"Yeah but only to put it away when Oliver comes back injured I don't try to use it."
"Well I have used it before so..."
"I'm just saying Oliver's not here and I don't think he would want anyone using his bow."
"Well I've known OLLIE a lot longer than you've known him, so let me worry about him, okay?" she said as she picked up an arrow and nocked it into place.
"Okay," Felicity sighed under her breath. She turned back to her computers and tried to speed up the progress on her search so she could leave. But then it all happened so quickly.
Felicity heard the familiar sound of the string being pulled back when an alarm went off on her computer. She heard the arrow be released and Laurel shouted, causing her to turn around and then she felt a sharp pain in her shoulder.
Stunned, Felicity looked down only to confirm what she already knew.
Laurel had shot her with an arrow.
Felicity screamed as she looked at the arrow that had punctured her body and began to feel faint. She could barely hear Laurel as she called Oliver on her phone and was too overwhelmed by the pain to decipher how long it actually took for them to get there. Her shoulder began to feel cold when she heard three sets of footsteps rushing down the stairs.Felicity turned to see Oliver, Diggle and Roy all looking at her with their mouths agape.
Diggle was the first to come out of shock and went to get supplies as he ordered Roy to get her to the medical table. Oliver remained unmoved at the base of the stairs. He stared at Felicity then at Laurel then back at Felicity.
"What the hell happened?" He shouted, looking furiously at Laurel.
"I was just practicing. I didn't mean to shoot her, it slipped," Laurel said quietly as she avoided eye contact.
"Who told you could touch my bow Laurel, cause I know damn well I didn't."
"OLIVER," Diggle shouted, "Not the time." Oliver's face softened as he walked over to her and took hold of Felicity’s hand.
"Are you okay?"
"I will be once you guys get this arrow out of me. I know that not too long ago I was complaining about not having a scar but I kind of got over that after I got shot. God, I hate pointy things. I told you that, right Dig, I told you. I don't even like getting shots, and now I have an arrow in me. I really thought one of the perks of working for you would be never having to be in this situation. "
Tears flooded her eyes as she continued to ramble. Oliver wiped away the ones that fell with his free hand and squeezed Felicity’s hand with the other.
"Hey Felicity, hey,” Oliver said searching for her eyes “just keep looking at me okay, Dig you're going to pull it out on three. Roy, get ready to stop the bleeding. It’s going to be okay Felicity, you can squeeze my hand as hard as you want, okay?"
Felicity nodded but started to shake when she felt Diggle steady his grip. Oliver cupped her cheek forcing her to keep eye contact.
"On my count. Ready… three."
Felicity’s screams bounced off the foundry walls. She squeezed Oliver's hand so hard any normal person would have been screaming with her.
"There the worst is over, let me just stitch you up and give you something for the pain and you'll be good to go." Diggle said encouragingly, "Roy keep putting pressure on it."
"Hey, I know how you feel Blondie Oliver shot me in the leg remember." Roy joked and which got her to laugh while Oliver just glared at him.
Diggle finished cleaning her up and gave her some aspirins, which she was starting to think weren't aspirins. Afterward, Diggle went home, followed by Roy, leaving her alone with Oliver and Laurel.
"I don't ever want you touching my bow or any other weapon in here again, do you understand?" he said lowly.
"I'm sorry, Ollie. I told you it was an accident."
"I don't care, you almost killed her. Do you get that? You know what, I can't even deal with you right now”
Oliver gathered Felicity’s things before taking hold of her good hand.
"Come on, Felicity, I'm taking you home."
The ride home was quiet. Oliver was still fuming, so Felicity thought it best not to talk. He helped her up to her apartment, opening the door for her and following her in without waiting for an invitation. He asked her if she needed help getting changed but she told him she could manage on her own. Felicity struggled but was successfully able to change into a pair of shorts and an oversized t-shirt. When she was done she could still hear Oliver shuffling outside her bedroom so she told him he could come in.
Oliver slowly entered her room looking around as he did. He handed her a water bottle he must have gotten from her fridge. "Dig said that you should take some more painkillers before you go to bed." She did as he said, and he continued to watch her intensely. "Are you okay?" he said, still looking concerned.
"Yeah, I'm fine really, like Laurel said, it was an accident she was just messing around." She handed him back the bottle and turned to get into bed.
"Yeah, well, she should have never been touching my bow in the first place. This should have never happened."
"But it did, and I'm already over it, so you should be too." Felicity said, trying to lighten the mood as Oliver was starting to get worked up again. He smiled at her from where he continued to stand next to her bed. Oliver gave her room another once over before taking a seat on the edge of her bed.
He stared at her, eyes filled with worry. "Do you mind if ummm… if I stay over? It would make me feel better."
"Yeah, sure," Felicity whispered back as she pulled back her comforter to let him in. She repositioned herself to make room and Oliver crawled into her bed. He surprised her when he put an arm around and tucked her into his side. Felicity rested her head on his chest as he combed his fingers through her hair.
Felicity began to drift to sleep, "Hmmm, that feels good, you're so warm," her eyes shot open, and her face felt flushed. "I think the painkillers might have kicked in," she said nervously
Oliver laughed softly, as he continued to stroke her hair. Felicity could feel his chest vibrating underneath her. Feeling more confident, she snuggled deeper into his chest. "Good night," Felicity sighed
"Good night, Felicity," Oliver whispered into her hair and she swore she felt him press a kiss to the crown of her head before she drifted off.