Summary: A possible telling of events in episode 4 x 9. Spoilers possible from promos. The fight with Darhk escalates during a holiday campaign party. If you don't want to read now, please come back after you watch episode 4 x 9. Warning: referral to major character death.
AN: I have been kinda heartbroken, first with the manufactured Olicity obstacle that happened in episode 4 x 8, and then what I saw in the New Zealand promo. I had to write this as a possible explanation, for therapy. As well as I thought it would make one heck of a story besides. Warning: referral to major character death.
They had been so happy. The holiday party being held in the conference room of Parker Tech was going off without a hitch. Everyone was enjoying themselves, and Felicity was doing okay in her role as informal hostess, if she said so herself. Of course, Thea was also helping, but Felicity's nervousness didn't lessen at all with that detail. However, she was managing to enjoy herself regardless.
The celebratory mood was suddenly interrupted by the entrance of one unexpected guest. Despite the triple security Digg had arranged, Damien Darhk walked into the ballroom, followed by six men wearing HIVE combat gear brandishing machine guns.
The group headed straight to Oliver in the middle of the room, talking with Felicity and several supporters. The soldiers stood at attention, their guns pointing at the partygoers.
Addressing Oliver, holding out his arms in what was meant as a welcoming gesture, Darhk said, "It appears my invitation got lost in the mail."
Pushing down the fear leaping into his throat, Oliver asked in his best Arrow growl, "Why are you here, Darhk?"
"To do this." Darhk raised his arms and suddenly Oliver felt himself being flung backwards through the air into the glass partition behind him.
Oliver found himself on the floor, covered with shattered glass. He shook his head, trying to clear it. Through the haze, he barely registered arms bringing him to a standing position. He attempted to get out of the grip, but was unable to. Instead he found himself being dragged back in front of Darhk.
"I am now going to bring Mr. Queen and Ms. Smoak with us for a little conference. I ask for privacy. Otherwise you will not see them again." Nodding towards Felicity, he commanded, "Bring them!"
Felicity attempted to pull out of the hands now gripping her upper arms, without avail. She found herself being dragged towards the exit with Oliver following with his own set of guards.
They were brought to the basement of the building, where an abandoned laboratory from the applied science days was located.
Oliver watched as Darhk walked across the room to a glass-partitioned area.
"This was where they performed experiments in an oxygen-deficient environment." Nodding his head towards Felicity, Darhk commanded, "Bring her!"
"No!" escaped Oliver's lips as he struggled against the men holding him back. He was powerless while watching them drag Felicity to the airtight chamber. Face white, struggling against Darhk's men, Oliver could only watch as Felicity failed to escape their hold.
"You fight because you have something to live for. Let me take away your reason for living."
Felicity was thrown into the chamber, the door locked. Darhk looked over at Oliver with a gleeful look on his face. "You will now watch as I take away your light."
Darhk nodded at his men. Oliver watched in horror as the man standing by the control panel pulled down a lever. Suddenly, the arms holding him back released their hold, and Oliver stumbled forward but regained his footing. Rushing towards the chamber, his eyes only for Felicity, Oliver pressed his hands against the glass.
He watched in horror as Felicity's eyes widened, her breathing quickened and more labored, and she mouthed the words, "I love you." She slowly sunk to the floor, collapsing in one still, unmoving heap.
Oliver clawed at the glass, trying desperately to get to his love, but it was impossible. He was oblivious as unfriendly arms dragged him away. All he knew was that his place was beside her, no matter what.
In his daze, Oliver didn't register being thrown into a van, a sack thrown over his head, and brought to another location.
He was brought to a jail cell, thrown in without regard, where he ended up on the floor. Oliver didn't register the footsteps fading away and the main door slamming shut behind them.
This was unlike anything he had ever experienced. It was worse than when his mother died. He couldn't function. He didn't register anything happening around him; he laid on the floor for twenty-four hours. They brought meals to him, leaving them on the floor just inside the cell door. Oliver ignored them, and the food, and everything else. Damien Darhk had managed to do what no one else had, not Waller, Wilson, or al Ghul...break the spirit of one Oliver Queen.
They came to get him a day after she died. After he watched her try to take a breath, looking at him with desperation in her eyes, begging him to somehow help her. And the only thing he could do was watch her die.
Again, since he wasn't capable of walking on his own, he was dragged down a long hallway. Again he didn't register his surroundings, and when he was thrown into a room, he didn't notice anyone else. He again laid on the floor where he had landed. Not moving. Until he heard it.
But he couldn't have heard it. He wasn't going to be able to ever hear it again. It was impossible.
However, there it was. Her voice, speaking his name. And her arms around him as she knelt down beside him.
He must be dreaming. Or in a nightmare. But it felt so good, to be in her arms again, receiving her kisses. He didn't care. He missed her so much.
"Oliver, Oliver! Speak to me. What is the matter with you? Did Darhk do something terrible to you? What kind of torture did he use to render you speechless like this?"
He suddenly realized, it was truly his Felicity. Alive, well, and babbling her usual babble. He could barely take it in. Then he sensed someone entering the room.
"Well, Mr. Queen. I hope you now understand completely what I am capable of. What your continued insubordination could mean."
Looking up at Felicity, Oliver mumbled, "I thought he killed you."
"No, I was only unconscious."
Darhk approached the couple. He pointed his hand at Oliver and slowly raised it towards the ceiling. Oliver felt himself being lifted up into a standing position and brought against the wall. He then was elevated off the floor, his toes barely touching, held firmly in place against the stucco.
Oliver watched as the man approached him. Darhk looked straight in his eyes, commanding Oliver's complete attention. "I repeat, Mr. Queen, have I made myself clear? Have I communicated to you the futility of further resistance?"
After not speaking, his voice scratchy, Oliver forced out his reply, "Yes."
Darhk dropped his hand and Oliver felt himself collapse onto the floor, seemingly released like a puppet cut from its strings. Felicity rushed to his side.
"You both are now free to return to your home. Mr. Queen, I will be in contact with you soon to discuss how our new partnership will work."
The confused couple watched as Darhk left the room, leaving the door open. His soldiers fell in line behind him and left without a further glance at their former prisoners.
"Well, that's a fine howdy-do. We don't know where we are and we have no transportation and no cell phone," Felicity said in a huff.
In spite of everything, Oliver found himself smiling slightly at another of his love's quirky statements. He could barely take it all in. It had all been a lie, Felicity dying in front of him. But, oh what a mess they were now in.
As Oliver struggled to sit up, Felicity said, "I guess we now know what Darhk is up to."
"Yep, total domination of Star City."
"And you. What are we going to do now? What exactly did he mean about a new partnership?"
Oliver shook his head, his lips forming a grim line. "I don't know, Felicity. I shudder to even start thinking of the possibilities."
"Well, you just can't agree with him, Oliver."
Oliver looked at her with sadness in his eyes. "What else can we do? He almost killed you. It was a message loud and clear to me." He lowered his head and said softly, "I can't oppose him, Felicity. I can't lose you. I'm sure it would be for real the next time."
Felicity closed her eyes, squeezing them tight. She let out a heavy sigh. "Let's talk about this later. Let's get home so everyone can stop worrying about us."
AN: We shall see how accurate I am with guessing how it all occurs on Wednesday. Or else this is the beginning of an AU. Like I did for last year's mid-season finale. Which I swore I wouldn't do again. Sigh, what can you do if your Muse refuses to leave you alone? So stay tuned for what happens next. (I know I probably should've worked on this more, but I really wanted to post it before the episode airs).
And if you really want to make the Muse happy, leave a review. Thanks!