The lair is quiet at ten o'clock at night, except for the gentle trickle of coffee that Felicity pours into her Palmer Tech mug before settling back on her chair with her fingers poised on the keyboard. Moments later, though, she turns at the sound of the elevator as the doors slide open and reveal Sara.
She looks remarkably well for someone who's just got her soul back and has been dead for over and year. Her blonde hair looks washed, this time, and she's in her Canary jacket and a grey top and ripped jeans, looking almost completely like her old self.
"Hey, Sara," Felicity calls, and her friend smiles back. "God, I haven't seen you in that jacket since…" She trails off, though, realising her sentence would be completed with "I did your autopsy".
But thankfully Sara doesn't seem to notice. "I miss it," she says. "Figured I'd come here, see what you're all up to."
"One of your dad's CIs gave him a tip about this drug shipment that's supposed to come in tonight," Felicity explains. "The team are headed there now, actually."
"Is it all right if I – sit in?" Sara asks.
Felicity smiles, pulling up the chair next to her and gesturing to it. "You're part of Team Arrow, Sara. You don't need to ask."
But Sara's smile fades a little as she takes the seat. "It's – not the same Team Arrow I remember."
"No, it isn't," Felicity agrees.
"I'm just –"
"– worried about Laurel?"
Sara nods and then chuckles lightly. "You know, you probably wouldn't expect me to be so protective of her. But there was a time when I hurt her in the worst possible way and I – don't ever want that to happen again. By me or by anyone else."
"You mean you would blame yourself either way," Felicity guesses.
"Probably."
"For what it's worth," Felicity says, "she found strength in taking up the Canary's mantle. Your mantle. And all that strength came from how much she loved you and wanted to honour your memory in becoming the Black Canary."
"I'm glad," Sara says softly. But then she brightens a bit. "I am wondering if maybe Ollie stole the whole adding the colour before the name thing from Laurel, though."
Felicity laughs. "Actually, he still hasn't told me where he got that codename from. I have this nagging feeling someone suggested it to him but I just don't know who."
"It's catchy, for sure," Sara says, shrugging. "Green Arrow. Mayor Queen." When Felicity raises her eyebrows, Sara adds, "His first interview was on TV and somehow being dead for a year has kinda made me hate being asleep.I… guess I have some catching up to do."
"I know it's probably a bit of a shock," Felicity says quietly. "You've been… gone all this time and suddenly it's like everything's changed."
"You mean you living with Oliver Queen or being the CEO of the company he used to own?" Sara suggests. "Gotta say – I saw both those things coming a mile off."
"You did?"
"Well, I knew Ollie wasn't exactly businessman of the year, and I also knew he would get his head out from his ass and ask you out on a ."
And this just makes Felicity laugh more. She's on the verge of telling Sara all about the disaster of said first date when the comm in her ear bleeps. Felicity hits a key to put everyone on speaker.
SPARTAN: On site.
SPEEDY: I sure hope this is the right place.
BLACK CANARY: This is one of Dad's CIs from his detective days. He trusts her.
GREEN ARROW: And we trust him.
"Okay, pulling up thermal imaging inside the warehouse since I can't detect any cameras," Felicity replies, typing away. "You've got ten people on the inside, but the tip Captain Lance gave us said the shipment isn't due to arrive for another five minutes, so you can probably expect more company."
GREEN ARROW: Laurel, Thea, are you two sure you're okay back in the field so soon? John and I could probably handle this on our own –
"Oliver, how many times do I have to tell you – there is no 'dead' in 'team'," Felicity says, cutting across him. "And in case you've forgotten – you're part of Team Arrow, which means you have backup. Got it, honey?"
At that moment Felicity looks up, catches Sara's eye. Sara looks amused at her tone, and on an impulse, Felicity winks at her.
GREEN ARROW: Copy that.
Sara bursts out laughing.
BLACK CANARY: Sara, is that you?
"Hey, Laurel," Sara says cheerfully. "Yeah, I got bored of being in your apartment on my own so I thought I'd keep Felicity company."
BLACK CANARY: How are you feeling?
"She looks pretty good for someone who only recently came back from the dead," Felicity blurts out without thinking. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean –"
But Sara just places her hand on Felicity's shoulder and says fondly, "Don't ever change." Felicity smiles back, and Sara says to Laurel, "I'm feeling okay. Still tired, but I've never done great with my eyes closed."
BLACK CANARY: Sure you're going to be okay?
"I'm sure," Sara insists. "Though it seems I now owe Dig twenty bucks."
BLACK CANARY: Yeah, you do.
"What do you mean?" says Felicity, bemused.
SPEEDY: You really don't want to know.
"I, uh, didn't exactly believe Dig when he said that Ollie was still whipped as fuck," Sara says, chancing a glance at Felicity. Felicity tries to look annoyed, but it doesn't quite work and she ends up grinning back instead.
SPEEDY: Like I said… you were probably better off not knowing.
GREEN ARROW: That's not… I'm not… whipped? Felicity doesn't –
"Ollie, we didn't mean it literally," Sara interrupts. "Though, to be honest, I wouldn't exactly put it past you letting Felicity tie you up."
BLACK CANARY: Neither would I.
SPEEDY: Okay, we're going to drop this conversation right now before I stab my ear with an arrow to try and erase what I just heard.
SPARTAN: Gotta agree with you there, Speedy.
SPEEDY: I told you, it's Red Arrow.
"Sorry, Speedy," Felicity says, biting back another laugh. "I mean – uh, Red Arrow. Okay, how about you be on overwatch? That way your over-protective brother won't be as worried about you."
GREEN ARROW: That leaves the three of us to cover the exits.
SPARTAN: I'm hearing a vehicle. Let's move!
BLACK CANARY: Copy.
Felicity watches the thermal imaging closely as Laurel, John and Oliver make their way to the three doors the warehouse has, and Thea ziplines up to the roof.
SPEEDY: In position.
BLACK CANARY: In position.
SPARTAN: In position.
GREEN ARROW: In position.
"Let's do this." Felicity crackles her knuckles – and then she winces. "Somehow that always looks so much more badass when I do it in my head."
Sara chuckles again.
SPARTAN: Hang on, I got movement.
Felicity's gaze flies to the monitor on her right, where she has the thermal imaging up for the exit Laurel's covering and she can see another figure approaching her from behind.
"Pretty-bird, six o'clock," Felicity says quickly. She holds her breath, waiting, but thankfully it doesn't take long before the Black Canary knocks her opponent out with a swift punch in the jaw.
"God, the last time I heard someone call Laurel that – other than me, I mean – was years ago. And it was only ever when Ollie wanted something."
"I hope you don't mind," Felicity says. "I kind of called her a pretty bird by accident once, last year, after you died, and then she told me that you called her that and it just – caught on, I guess."
But then Felicity feels Sara's hand on top of her own. "Hey," she says. "It's a family nickname."
BLACK CANARY: And I can't imagine a world where you're not family, Felicity.
"Good to know," Felicity replies with a smile, squeezing Sara's hand.
"By the way," Sara adds, "nice moves, Laurel. I see Nyssa trained you well."
BLACK CANARY: Thanks, sis.
"I think Green Arrow needs your assistance," Felicity says, noticing seven figures surrounding Oliver. John's got two right now, but even all as Felicity watches one of them goes down.
BLACK CANARY: On it.
"Speedy, behind you," Sara says as she watches the monitor from the roof.
SPEEDY: Copy – oof!
"You okay, Speedy?" Felicity asks.
SPEEDY: You know what? I'm giving up on trying to get you guys to call me Red Arrow – out of sheer frustration.
"Hey, at least I tried," Felicity says. "But Speedy's better, I think."
SPEEDY: I think that's still debatable. But I'm fine. The gangster who tried to jump me isn't doing so good. Thanks, Sara.
They all halt at the sound of gunfire on the comms, though, and again Felicity holds her breath. Her apprehension must be pretty obvious, because Sara's hand is covering Felicity's once more in reassurance.
"You'd think after all this time I would be used to this," Felicity murmurs. "You know… watching and hearing people I love run into the line of fire every night. But in nearly three years, that feeling never goes away – of what could happen to any of them."
"That's good," Sara tells her, "because I don't think it's supposed to."
BLACK CANARY: Drugs are secure.
SPARTAN: Same with the weapons.
GREEN ARROW: Just – got – a couple – more shots –
SPEEDY: You're clear.
GREEN ARROW: Thanks, Speedy. I mean – uh, Red Arrow.
SPEEDY: Actually, I think I decided to keep Speedy. Besides… a red arrow just means you can't make a left turn.
SPARTAN: I've been trying to tell you that for months.
"Nice work, team," Felicity says. "All right, next up is a robbery now in progress a couple blocks from where you are, at Fullerton and Halstead."
GREEN ARROW: Copy. We're on it.
Felicity turns to Sara, temporarily muting the comm. "Thank you," Felicity says gratefully. "You'll probably hear this a lot over the next few days but – it's good to have you back, because… you've been missed. And – just for the record, you're family too. Always have been."