So this story sort of came to me last night as I was falling asleep. I've read a bunch of fantastic Olicity fics lately but none of them have followed this storyline so I figured I'd give it a shot. It's a two-parter for now, but there's a possibility of extending it. Enjoy!
Felicity shifted her weight but it did nothing to alleviate the discomfort of her bare knees on the unforgiving concrete floor upon which she knelt. Her wrists chafed against the cuffs that held her arms behind her back and she had an itch that was driving her crazy above her right shoulder blade. She fidgeted and a chilling bark of laughter sounded from behind her. She stilled, putting the itch as far from her mind as possible and ignored the man behind her.
She should have seen this coming. Well, she actually had seen this coming. But so many preventative measures had been taken that she figured they'd be safe. Months ago Sara had told Felicity, Diggle and Roy about 'The Choice', an event so big that it required parenthesis and capital letters. Ivo, the mad scientist and a cliché if she'd ever heard one, had forced Oliver to choose between the two women he cared about and Sara had lived. Shado, the woman who Slade loved had died. Thus setting off the unfortunate vengeful chain of events that led to Felicity kneeling in an abandoned warehouse with a gun pointed at her head.
She'd known as she listened to the story what Slade's plan would be, or at least how it would end. Two women that Oliver cared about and a choice. Only she'd expected it to be the Lance sisters or perhaps more cruelly a Lance and a Queen.
But it couldn't be a Lance or a Queen. Because Sara had decided months ago that she wasn't willing to be a part of this dance. She and Oliver had fizzled out and she didn't want to be in Slade's crosshairs anymore. None of them had blamed her when she'd whisked Laurel away from Starling City for a whirlwind sisterly trek across Europe. Felicity had lost track of them after their flight had landed in Venice. If Felicity couldn't track their movements then neither could Slade and that gave them all more comfort than they'd admit.
Moira and Thea were across the country, checking out possible Universities for Thea to start attending in the fall. Thea had made it painfully clear that she wasn't interested in higher education at the moment but she'd given in, if only to avoid the mounting conflict between her mother and brother. Diggle had personally picked their rather large security detail. The tension that had been slowly crushing them for months seemed to lighten if only a little bit for both Oliver and Roy after the women boarded their plane. Slade hadn't made a move since he'd arrived at the mansion three months previous. But they all had a feeling that things were going to come to a head soon. Especially when major players started leaving the city, limiting his options. It was only a matter of time before his patience ran out.
So Felicity shouldn't be surprised to find herself in this situation, if only because she was the only one left who could be. The reason for her deep-seated, bone-chilling terror was not that Slade had chosen her. No, she knew that Oliver cared about her. She knew that he cared more than he'd ever expressed. She wasn't afraid that she'd come out on the losing end of some horrifying choice. She was terrified because there didn't seem to be a choice. She was alone in the building with Slade. Oliver was on his way. Slade's gloating phone call assured her of that. She was just scared that he'd arrive in time to face not a choice, but an execution. She wasn't sure if she was more afraid of her own death or Oliver's.
She also knew that he'd be arriving alone, without any backup. Not only because that's what Slade had demanded, but also because he had no other choice. His trust in Roy was great but he wouldn't risk placing his prodigy in Slade's path. His sister's happiness meant too much to him and Felicity knew that he'd come to care for Roy as a brother. And John Diggle was currently in Germany with the Suicide Squad, following an obviously false lead on Slade Wilson's whereabouts.
So here she knelt, waiting for a window to smash, or a door to burst open and for the Arrow to burst in. She ignored her aching muscles and the amusement of the wicked killer behind her and she waited. Because Oliver would come for her. She took courage in the fact that soon she'd be surrounded by green leather and righteous anger. She geared up for the furious admonishing she'd receive for having been at the foundry alone at night, ripe for the taking. She looked forward to the moment where his emotion would overtake him and he'd pull her into his arms and his body would tell her all of the things that his words couldn't say to her. The Arrow would come for her.
But the Arrow didn't come for her. And Oliver Queen, CEO, in his impressive suits and stature didn't come for her either.
There was no glass breaking or furious shouts that proceeded his arrival. The man who shuffled quietly through the front door wasn't the Arrow or a CEO. He was the real Oliver, wearing sweat pants and a fitted t-shirt as he walked slowly into the room. His hands were shoved deep into his pockets and his shoulders were hunched forward. No mask, leather or carefully constructed stare, covered his features as he stared at Slade Wilson. The anguish on his face was plain and he'd come unarmed. Felicity's bottom lip trembled.
No, the Arrow hadn't come to fight for her life and neither had the CEO. The man standing just fifteen feet away from her was defeated. She choked on a sob as she realised what she was seeing. She could almost feel the smug satisfaction rolling off of Slade behind her and for the first time in her life, she hated someone. If her hands were untied and a weapon readily available, she'd do her best to inflict the damage upon her captor that Oliver wasn't going to.
"Oliver, please." Her voice was thick with unshed tears. Even she wasn't sure what she was asking him for.
Oliver's eyes flashed to hers and the agony within those blue depths caused her to physically ache. She realised with a start that perhaps it would have always ended with her in this position. She knew that he cared about her, knew that maybe someday he could even love her. But his eyes were telling her another story. His eyes were wide and full of more love and torture than she could bear. She fought to keep his gaze even as her heart started to fracture.
He loved her. Maybe he had for a while and she'd missed it. But Slade wouldn't have. Slade's mind may have been warped by the Mirakuru but the man was a strategist and he'd decided to use Oliver's weaknesses to bring him to his knees. She was his weakness.
The thought brought her no joy. She'd wanted him to love her, to return the feelings that she couldn't contain. But as he stood in front of her she felt no happiness or lightness of being. She felt the burden of his feelings for her, felt the burden of the decision he had made by coming here unarmed and vulnerable. He hadn't come as the Arrow because he wouldn't risk her getting caught in the crossfire. He loved her and it might be too late.
Slade would win. And she hated him for it.
"Everything will be fine, Felicity." Oliver promised softly, his lips caressing her name the way they always had.
"No!" She yelled. "No! I want you to fight, Oliver! Please don't give up."
His eyes bore into hers and her control broke, tears rushing over her cheeks.
There was no choice to make.
He had come to die for her. He knew it, she knew it and Slade knew it.
"Well, well, well. I've got to admit I'm surprised by you, Kid." Slade mocked and Felicity's jaw clenched furiously. "I thought there'd be more fight in you. Especially when you spirited those Lance whores out of the country."
Felicity stared at Oliver. He said nothing and his silence was like a blow to the chest.
"It was always going to be Ms. Smoak here, but you took away my other options. This poor girl could have been spared if you'd only listened to what I told you about attachments, Kid. Now poor Felicity will-"
"Don't say her name!" Oliver snarled, stepping forward. His whole body radiated with fury and Felicity found herself hoping he'd fight back. "Don't you ever say her name."
Slade only chuckled darkly before pressing the barrel of the gun where her ponytail usually sat. Oliver's anger dissipated and he took a step back.
"Nasty temper still there I see. You've got no more control of yourself than you did on that Goddamned island. Kneel, Asshole." Slade's tone hardened as he bit out the order.
"Don't" Felicity begged. The idea of Oliver kneeling before anyone made her physically ill. "Don't. Do not kneel. Please."
Oliver only shook his head at her before dropping to his knees. It was not a reluctant movement, he simply dropped in defeat. Felicity's gaze hit the floor in front of her and her shoulders shook as more tears escaped.
"You're disappointing your lady, Kid. How-"
"Go to hell, Slade!" Felicity screamed. "I hate you! I hate you! You miserable bastard. You m-miserable b-bastard!" Her voice cracked and her mouth snapped shut.
The room was silent apart from the sound of Oliver panting. She could only imagine the look on Slade's face for Oliver to be panicking. She took a deep breath before raising her chin defiantly and looking Oliver in the eye. The muzzle of the gun pressed more firmly against her hair but she ignored it.
"Feisty." Slade bit out after moments of silence, but his tone was anything but amused. "It's time to choose, Kid."
"No." Felicity growled.
Slade ignored her. "You can see the gun I've got pressed against your girl's lovely head. It's fully loaded and you're unarmed. So my question for you is this: What would you do, what would you give to save her?"
Felicity opened her mouth but Oliver beat her to it.
"Anything." Oliver breathed out, the honesty of his answer plain on his face.
"No. No, no, no, nononononono, No!" Felicity mumbled desperately. "Not anything!"
She didn't need to look further than his shining blue eyes to see how little affect her words were having.
There was no choice to make.
"Anything? What about your own death?" Slade prompted, amusement back.
Felicity shook her head furiously. Please don't do this.
"Yes." Oliver agreed, his eyes on Slade.
Slade snorted. "Yeah right, too easy. We both know you don't value your own life."
Felicity took one deep breath and then another. Slade wasn't going to kill him.
"You know, I thought about bringing the kid here. Roy Harper. Your prodigy and the one who you think will absolve you of your sins against me. But even he would have no chance against your lovely assistant. Don't want to be wasteful after all." Slade laughed. "I could give you a long list of people to kill, destroy your noble vision for saving this city. Turn you into a killer, maybe ruin whatever respect this woman has for you but even that seems too easy."
"You talk too much." Felicity grumbled.
"Oh! Then by all means, I'll get to the point. I had no idea you were so desperate to wrap this up, Miss Smoak. How rude of me." His tone was mockingly polite and Felicity's teeth worried her bottom lip. "Oliver said he'd be willing to do anything to save you. Obviously you aren't happy with his decision but I can't say that bothers me much. See he loves you. More than any Lance. I want to make this interesting, difficult. So instead of choosing between two women he loves, he's going to choose between someone he loves, you, and the thing he fears most."
It took her longer than it should have. She stared at Oliver and watched as horror masked his features. His whole body went rigid. The thing he fears most.
Oliver didn't admit to being afraid often. He'd been afraid for her safety and for Dig's but he rarely admitted to being afraid. He took bullets and stab wounds in stride. He woke up from near death experiences with nonchalance and light jokes. Only one thing had ever scared him enough that he'd admitted to it not once, but several times. Mirakuru.
"No! No you can't. Please, Oliver. Don't. Please don't do this." She yelled, trying to stand but Slade's free hand gripped her shoulder tightly enough to cause pain.
Oliver's gaze was on the hand that held her down and she could see the conviction forming beneath his terror. She couldn't allow this.
"Are you stupid, Slade?" She screamed, ignoring both Oliver's surprise and the way Slade's grip tightened. "The only advantage you have on us is your Mirakuru-based strength, which is cheating by the way. It's like steroids in the Olympics, not cool. Which isn't the point, obviously."
"What is your point, Miss Smoak?"
"My point is that why would you give Oliver of all people, Mirakuru? It's all he needs to level the playing field and take you down. Why would you give away your advantage? It seems like a stupid move for a ninja strategist terrorist…guy" She trailed off lamely.
Slade's hand left her shoulder and he started laughing, this time with genuine amusement. She huffed in annoyance.
"It would take years on Mirakuru for Oliver to stand a chance at beating me, Miss Smoak." Slade announced when his amusement had faded. She bit back a retort about the ridiculousness of underestimating Oliver. "He won't survive for years. Look at his face, Girl. He's afraid of nothing more than he is of being injected." Her eyes fell on Oliver and she saw his chin raise and his eyes shine defiantly. He was still afraid but she realized that he was more afraid of losing her than he was of Mirakuru.
"You're wrong." She argued. "He's stronger than you. He won't go crazy like you did and-" She wasn't expecting the blow to the back of the head but she'd been poking the proverbial bear for a while now so maybe she should have.
"Felicity!" Oliver roared as she landed on her side.
"Don't. Move!" Slade bellowed as Oliver made a move to rush forward. He settled back on his knees as she slowly moved back to hers. Her vision was clouded but she needed to focus.
"Oliver will take the Mirakuru and he'll survive the transformation. But the thing about this serum, Miss Smoak, is that it builds on the rage inside. It will consume him. He thinks he can save you but in the end your death will be at his hands. He won't be able to control it and you'll die." He paused and tossed a syringe full of green liquid at Oliver. It landed with a dull thud in front of him. "And then when he's killed you, it will destroy him. And then, Miss Smoak, I'll have my revenge."
Felicity shook her head desperately. "Please don't, Oliver. I'd rather die."
His eyes were closed and she watched as tears escaped and trailed down his cheeks.
"That is never going to be an option." He told her quietly, resolutely. There was no choice to make.
She began to fight against her restraints as jumbled pleas and cries escaped her lips. When he opened his eyes she knew it was too late. He was going to do this. It was stupid and she was so angry with him. But he was going to do this and she'd support him the way she always did. She rubbed her wet face against her shoulders and did her best to stay calm. She could not fall apart as he did this. She wouldn't give Slade the satisfaction. She would not add her anguish to the mess he'd wake up to. She raised her chin and stared at him with eyes full of love.
"Tick tock, Kid."
"I love you." She whispered. She had imagined telling him those words under various circumstances; but she'd never spoken truer words and she meant them with her whole being, despite the peril they now faced.
Oliver's shoulders relaxed and a look of tranquility settled upon him. He picked up the syringe and lined it up with the vein along his wrist.
"There was never a choice to make." He assured her before swallowing thickly. "I love you."
The needle disappeared into his vein and the green serum disappeared. She bit down on her lip to stop herself from crying out. She held his gaze steadily even as she tasted blood.
At first nothing happened. The two of them stared at each other as their last words echoed around them, filling the space and leaving them changed. The only indication of his pain was the furrowing of his eyebrows and his clenched jaw. Suddenly his body went rigid and he stared fiercely at her for another moment before his eyes squeezed shut. Oliver's fists clenched and his neck snapped back, the momentum taking his body over onto his back. Felicity shivered as she watched him contort and his back arch off the floor. No sound left his lips as he twisted in agony. She fought a scream as blood fell from and pooled beneath his beautiful eyes. He jerked and his head bounced off the pavement and then he was still.
The ties that held her wrists were snapped free, whether from her own strength or Slade's she didn't know, and she was crawling over the floor as fast as she could. Her shaking fingers found his throat and she tried not to panic when she couldn't find a pulse. She'd heard enough to know that the serum would bring him back. He wasn't dead. He wasn't dead. She heard a door slam and knew that Slade was gone. He believed fully that Oliver would reap his own destruction so he'd left him to it. But he didn't know Oliver the way that Felicity did and she knew he'd survive this. They'd survive this.
So there's part 1. Let me know what you think. I have a paper due this week so I probably won't be able to update until Wednesday or Thursday. Thanks for reading.