The Crow Chapter 2: Everybody Wants To Rule The World, an arrow fanfic

The Crow Chapter 2 – Everybody Wants To Rule The World

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Music Everybody Wants To Rule The World by Lord

Welcome to your life
There's no turning back
Even while we sleep
We will find you
Acting on your best behaviour
Turn your back on mother nature

Everybody wants to rule the world

It's my own design
It's my own remorse
Help me to decide
Help me make the most of
Freedom and of pleasure
Nothing ever lasts forever

Everybody wants to rule the world

There's a room where the light won't find you
Holding hands while the walls come tumbling down
When they do I'll be right behind you

So glad we've almost made it
So sad we had to fade it

Everybody wants to rule the world
Everybody wants to rule the world
Everybody wants to rule
The world

The sound of Felicity's heavy combat boots against the wet concrete pavement were the only sounds in the empty street. She walked quickly, looking back over her shoulder every few minutes, her heart jumping inside her chest at every small noise. Night was quickly approaching and as the cold wind blew, she heard the sound of a dark crow flying above her. Her eyes caught sight of it as it flew over to a building across the street.

Any other day and she would have just ignored it…now she thought that it was following her. A sign.

Tucking her shoulders up she pulled her backpack tighter against her back. A chill ran down her spine inside her leather jacket. She wasn't ready for this. Wasn't ready for being alone and tired. She didn't want to feel like this anymore. She thought she was done with this empty feeling inside of her. This feeling of everything being ripped away where she was the only one left.

She was wrong.

For most of her life she was invisible, hiding in shadows, just another face in the crowd. Ever since she was little she reasoned that if she were invisible no one would try to hurt her, judge her, or push her. Invisibility meant safety. And sadly, Felicity Smoak never knew any other way. That had all been shaken tonight.

Growing up in Las Vegas as the only daughter of a cocktail waitress with a penchant for having a string of boyfriends and not noticing her growing and changing daughter, made it so that the odds were not in her favor from the start.

She was a bright girl since birth. Her intelligence levels above the average person with a snappy personality to match. And even though an absent father had left her mother to care for her, she loved her. Her mother, Donna, acknowledged how smart and brilliant her daughter was but many others didn't. They would look at her with their judging eyes, wondering why a little girl was more interested in books, in computers, in anything besides Barbie's and playing around with other kids. People had a hard time understanding her. If fact, even her mother had a hard time understanding her sometimes. But she was her daughter so she tried.

To be truthful, her mother Donna had tried the best she could. She would support her daughter's education, working along with Felicity's schoolteachers to help develop her abilities and even skip her a grade even if she didn't understand a word Felicity said. She would support her daughter financially, making sure she was fed, dressed, and always had a babysitter. She tried to provide for her as much as she thought she should/could. But she was never there.

Donna's priority was her life and her job. Her job as a cocktail waitress made it so she worked endless hours, trying to provide for her daughter. This led her to miss all the signs that her daughter needed her. Her job stopped her from noticing Felicity as she grew. Not noticing when her daughter's eyes would be on her, waiting for her mother to see her or even notice her. Donna's job also afforded her a lot of opportunities to meet men and continue her aforementioned life. Her mother was a beautiful woman and she wanted to live it no matter how much time she had to spend away from her daughter.

She wanted to find a man to 'complete' her, maybe even give Felicity a father. It would go like this. Donna would work at the casino and meet a wonderful guy, Felicity's equivalent of the wrong kind of man, with eyes that apparently only shined for her and a bank account to match. They would spend countless evenings together, eating in fancy restaurants and even sometimes going on supposed 'family' outings. But every time it would end the same way; broken hearts and a sobbing mother who would remember that she had a daughter. Curling up next to her and telling Felicity that one day she would find someone good for them. In those moments she loved her mother and forgave her for everything.

For those couple weeks when she dropped her 'man hunt' things were great. Felicity's mom would be attentive, caring, even loving. They would go to the park, watch television together and on one rare time when she was six go to see the pandas at the zoo. A couple weeks later it would start again. Donna was a hopeless romantic and had the need to always have a man by her side or she wouldn't feel complete. So while Felicity wondered why her mother wasn't home anymore or why she wouldn't play with her and leave her with a horrible babysitter, Donna continued looking for Mr. Right. She dreamt of the perfect family, a good husband and a father figure for her daughter. Sadly, that dream never came true.

All of this led Felicity to learn that invisibility was key at a young age. If no one saw her then no one could hurt her, judge her, or push her around. It worked on her mom when she came home ranting and raving about a date or a patron who was a little rambunctious, as if Felicity would want to know about that. It worked when her neighbors would whisper or stare at catching her bringing home a bunch of books in her tiny arms instead of friends. It worked on her mother's boyfriends when their eyes would linger too long on her and she would lock herself in her bedroom or the bathroom. It even worked when the kids at school would try to pick on pigtail wearing, geeky Felicity. It kept her safe.

Invisibility hurt.

At a young age Felicity thought something was wrong with her. Every mean comment or odd look cutting though her like glass, her fragile heart not understanding why people said she was different even though she could solve high school math problems at a young age. That looked like an achievement to her that deserved recognition but all she got was odd looks and a mother that didn't understand why she strived for more. Invisibility also brought loneliness. A coldness growing in her that made it so she withdrew into herself, protecting her heart from all her mother and everyone else. She would read herself to sleep, dress herself after the babysitter helped her with a bath, and worked on her homework by herself.

By the time Felicity was 8 years old she knew some absolute truths. Firstly, that her mother didn't see her like the daughter that Felicity wished. Secondly, that her mother would always be on the look out for the next man. And lastly, that she would have to learn how to take care for herself since no one else would.

Despite the loneliness that prevailed her when she little she couldn't deny that her mother was the fiercest and most beautiful woman that she knew. Felicity was pretty sure that her mother was a princess of sorts and would sit with her while she got ready for the night. She loved to see her mom dressed in her shiny and sparkly dresses, her makeup always on point and smelling like the sweetest perfume.

When she was about 8 years old her mother got a job at the Bellagio. Things changed even more then. She spent an increasing amount of time working there as a cocktail waitress because according to Donna it was a 'goldmine' of opportunities for them. She didn't care that she was leaving her young daughter alone more often. It was around that time that Felicity learned how to fix things on her own and how to take care of herself courtesy of the Watsons.

Their neighbor Mr. Watson and his wife had agreed to take care of Felicity instead of the numerous babysitters they went through. And Felicity loved it there. The Watsons were caring and sweet. Mrs. Watson would time out of her day to teach her about her growing and changing body, how to cook, and how to be a lady. Mr. Watson took his time to teach Felicity something that would drive her for the rest of her life – how to fix things. He loved to fix all sorts of things, no matter how big or small. He taught her how to take any electronic device apart and how to put it back together. He made her see that wires were wires, and that there was always a way to fix it. Nothing was irreparable.

"I can't fix it," nine-year-old Felicity grumbled, throwing the screwdriver down on the table in frustration. She felt helpless.

"You just have to be patient, Felicity. You can fix it; you just need to find the cause of the problem. Don't lose your focus." James Watson calmly reassured her as he took the remaining screws from Felicity's small hand and calmly worked on the small toaster. Felicity watched with rapt attention. A few minutes later the toaster was working again. "See, you were really close to fix it by yourself," the older man added.

"You just make it look so easy," she mumbled, her big glasses falling down to the tip of her nose as she tucked her long bangs behind her ears.

"That's because I've had a lot of practice," Mr. Watson joked, "You'll get it. Just takes time. And we'll keep on trying till you get it dear."

"I wish I could be just like you, Mr. Watson," the little girl said with a sweet smile.

"And you can be, Felicity. You are the most brilliant little girl that I've ever met. You are destined for greatness. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You can change the world, Felicity. Never forget that." Mr. Watson beamed at her with pride when she picked up the screwdriver again as Mary Watson walked into the living room.

"James, Lissy, lunch is ready. Honey, time to put your toys away," Mary said, while pointing to the endless tools and components that were strewn about on the table, before walking back towards the small kitchen. Mr. Watson helped her put her stuff away in her very own toolbox.

"Lissy, can you set the table, please," a call came from the kitchen.

"Sure, Mrs. Watson," Felicity replied. Practice made it so it only took a couple minutes to set the table for the three of them to have lunch together.

The Watson's and Felicity had a very easy relationship. While they had their own child, he lived far away from them in New Jersey with his own kids, and the couple was lonely. When Donna Smoak begged them for help to watch over Felicity, as her regular baby sitter couldn't, they opened their home and their hearts to the small dark haired girl with braided pigtails and large glasses. They enjoyed her quirky personality and her brilliant mind, and it gave the older couple a feeling of joy that they hadn't felt in a very long time. Felicity loved them just as much, and she longed for afternoons and nights that she spent with the Watson's.

No matter how lonely she would get from time to time when her mother was away working, or out with a boyfriend, the Watsons always made her feel like she belonged. They loved her as if she was their own grandchild and treated her as family. And Felicity felt like they had become the family that she had always wanted. She would help Mrs. Watson cook dinner, or help Mr. Watson fix things on a daily basis. They would watch old movies together, work on her homework and read books together. In fact they were the first ones to give Felicity her very own book. The old copy of The Hobbit, with its yellow pages and turned down corners was still her favorite, no matter how many times she had read it. She would always carry the book with her, no matter where she went.

All of this time spent together made it so that Mr. Watson's promise of her getting better with practice, come true. Felicity could still picture how proud he was of her when she fixed her first radio at the age of 10 years old. She and Mr. Watson would spend hours going through antique and broken looking electronics that he loved to restore. When she had blown right through those he helped her get her first computer; actually he helped her build one. With his help they went through various books on electronics that he had from his working days. And for the next year they dedicated themselves into working small components – from old computer parts from the Salvation Army – to build a makeshift computer for her. It was their ultimate goal to finish this together. But he would never see their project finished.

Sadly, Mr. Watson passed away when Felicity was 12. His death was devastating for both Mary and Felicity, but she promised herself and Mrs. Watson that she wouldn't give up. That she would carry his memory with her all the time, with each component, with each wire and screw that she worked on. He was the one that first noticed how special she was and that helped her improve her abilities. He inspired her to do more. He believed in her and she wouldn't disappoint him.

His wife, Mrs. Watson didn't handle his loss very well. The old couple had been married for fifty years and the loneliness that she felt was heartbreaking. The older woman was miserable, being away from her beloved and slowly but surely started cutting off her babysitting duties of Felicity. When she had asked Mrs. Watson why she couldn't come over and cook, watch old movies and work on her electronics there as often as she did in the past, Mrs. Watson had told her that she believed that Felicity was capable of taking care of herself and wouldn't need to be watched as diligently as before. Neither brought up the crippling loneliness they felt for the empty hole that been left in their lives.

Not long after her husband passed away, Mrs. Watson followed.

Felicity was devastated to lose two people that she loved and considered the closest thing she would get to grandparents. She lost the security and the feeling of belonging she had gained for the first time in her young life. She lost the two people that were always there for her, that loved her and cherished her from who she actually was. She lost part of her family and a part of herself.

Years later she would listen to that radio she first built with Mr. Watson when she felt alone and needed her family.

After The Watson's passed away and she entered her teenage years, Felicity became even more lonely and an outsider.

She couldn't fit in with the other kids her age, and no one seemed to understand the young girl like the older couple had. Her mother seemed oblivious to her daughters pain and believed that it was just 'teenager angst' as she liked to say. That it would pass, as she grew older. But what Donna couldn't see was that Felicity had lost her sense of belonging since they were the only family that she knew, as her mother kept being absent when Felicity needed her the most.

Her loneliness made it so she would spend never-ending hours with her nose inside a book or building her own electronics and inventions from old spare parts she could scrounge up. She grew to love her ability to build and fix things. It was something that she had control of in a life where nothing was as she desired. It felt good to be able to control something. And she was damn good at it. She learned how to live and be happier with the characters in her books and comics and the things that she created. She could always count on the characters in her books and comics. They never let her down like life did.

She kept moving forward for the next couple years just like she knew that Mr. and Mrs. Watson would have liked her to do. She got good grades in school, she stayed out of trouble, and got better at building and fixing things. She even took care of her mom when she was around. Before she knew it she was feeling years older than she actually was. The weight of being the responsible one on her shoulders.

While that was all fine and dandy she couldn't stop the amounting feeling of inadequacy and frustration that she felt around her peers and her mother. It made it so she could hardly picture that little girl that James and Mary Watson were so proud of, the one they believed that could change the world if she tried it. She felt hopeless as she watched her life passing by, and her inability to change it.

It was on one of those lonely nights, that the ever growing angry 14 year old found a sweet escape for all her frustrations. She was channel surfing when she hit a rerun of a movie staring a young Angeline Jolie in a world that Felicity never knew could be possible. A world where your smarts got you far and a love of electronics was ok. Felicity Smoak realized that night that she could change the world if she chose to with just a few strokes of her keyboard.

That was the day that The Oracle was born.

While she was growing up most of the men that came in and out of her life, courtesy of Donna, kept to themselves, not wanting to endure a small child. That all changed when she hit puberty. All of a sudden Felicity got the unwanted attention from them that she never wanted. And no matter how much she tried she couldn't escape it as Donna brought these men into her home. No matter how much she would hide her changing body with loose clothes, or hide her beautiful face behind a waterfall of dark hair, or try to keep out of the way and locked inside her room…they would always have eyes for her.

At first, it was small innuendos, disgusting appreciating looks, and some catcalls. She hated it all. It made her feel dirty and violated. And her mom seemed to be oblivious to it as well. Too lost in her own fantasy world. Donna always tried to see the best in people, and no matter how much her daughter expressed her desire to stay away from her mother's boyfriends, Donna simply couldn't see how any of them would ever try to hurt her child.

On the one occasion that one of her mother's boyfriends made her feel disturbingly uncomfortable and she had complained to her mother about it…Donna had thought she was making it up. Maybe even trying to pull attention from Donna and to herself. That was the day that Felicity Smoak realized that her mom wouldn't pick her side no matter how much she begged her. No matter how vile those men were. They came first in her eyes.

She was alone.

Entering high school didn't make things any easier. To Felicity, it was a time filled with angst, pain and self-doubt as her body truly blossomed. She continued to be a loner, not trusting anyone to get too close to her, and she'd rather spend her time in the safe haven of her own bedroom than around other people.

High school was tough, as she didn't fit in with anyone. She was also a constant victim of bullying. While they never touched her, the mental scars felt much more painful than the physical ones they could have left behind. Her confidence took a blow during these years. She would wonder why all these bad things were happening to her? Why life had to be that hard when she never did anything to hurt anyone? Why had life chosen to be so unfair to her?

The only thing that kept her going in high school besides her books and her steadying wonder with electronics was her schoolwork. Her teachers tried to help her as much as they could and she ended up taking tons of AP classes and joining extra-curricular activities to stay as far from home as possible. She was good at her schoolwork as it was something that she could understand and work with it. It was safe. It was one of her teachers that pointed out that her talent with Math and Computer Sciences could be put to better use. He was the one that pushed M.I.T into her life and filled her soul with hopes and dreams of a better life. He gave a sense of purpose that she never had before. He gave her a way out of a life that only brought her pain and sorrow.

So Felicity put her heart into it. She worked harder than ever to get the highest SAT scores that her school had ever seen and a stack of recommendation letters that would get her into M.I.T. She had a real chance of getting in by the first half of her senior year. While she knew that her mom couldn't afford a place like M.I.T, her professor explained that she had a high chance of getting all sorts of scholarships because she was exactly the kind of student that they were looking for. After submitting her application it was a waiting game.

It was during a study session for her winter break finals that her mother seriously questioned her future plans. She was lying down on her bed, a book in her hands and Linkin Park playing in the background. The music helped her focus and she was enjoying the last moments of peace and quiet of the night. But the minute she heard the familiar sound of high heels clicking against the hardwood floors, she knew her time was up. Letting go a tired sigh she put a bookmarker in her Chemistry book and waited for the hurricane that was Donna Smoak.

"Lissy, honey. Are you home?" Donna said, her voice echoing in the small apartment.

"I'm in my room!" Felicity shouted, closing her book as a frustrated sigh left her dark painted lips. Things between her and Donna had been even more strained lately – Felicity's desire to move out of Las Vegas and Donna's desire for her to follow her footsteps always caused fights nowadays. Felicity was exhausted of fighting with her mom.

Donna walked into her room on quick and smooth steps. Her green sequin dress and extremely high heels proof that she just finished another day at the casino. She smelled like cigarettes and scotch, and the smell of it always made Felicity's stomach uneasy. It was proof of the life that her mom leaded, and Felicity hated that she couldn't see pass it. Her mom would never leave Las Vegas. And Felicity would be dammed if she would be another victim of this fate. She knew that M.I.T would change her life, and she couldn't wait for it.

While her mom had gorgeous long blonde hair and a curvy body, Felicity had her father's dark brown hair, and his wicked mind. Her mom would always say how she couldn't keep up with her, just like she couldn't with her father during their time together. Donna was flirty and romantic, always picturing endless possibilities of happy endings with each new man that walked into her life, and always putting her heart on the line. Felicity was realistic, grounded and quite frankly a loner. She was the complete opposite of her mother, and that always led them down different paths and into many arguments.

"Look what I got you, baby," Donna said in excitement as she put a small bag into Felicity's hands.

"What is it?" Felicity asked her with an arched eyebrow. It wasn't her birthday or time for Hanukah so there was no reason for unplanned presents. Not to mention she was sure they couldn't afford it.

"Open it, silly!" Donna said, practically vibrating in glee as she moved to sit next to Felicity on the bed.

Felicity opened the bag only to find a short baby pink lace dress. It had cap sleeves and a small amount of tulle to give it volume. Felicity kept staring at the small dress, frozen and at a lose for words.

"Isn't it wonderful? I was walking by my favorite thriftshop on the way back home and when I saw it I couldn't resist. It will look so good on you. The color will look amazing against your pale skin. Then with the right pair of heels and the right hairstyle, you will look like a million bucks. I'm sure that Tom from the casino won't be able to resist you," Donna said proudly, moving her hands over Felicity's hair, trying to see how to make her more presentable.

"What?" Felicity asked, shock and anger mixing in her tone.

"I know you don't like to wear your hair up, but it will look good with the dress. We can braid it even," Donna said, lost in her own thoughts and not catching Felicity's shock or anger.

"That wasn't what I mean, mom," Felicity said, throwing the dress back in the bag.

Her mom pulled back and gave her a confused look as if Felicity was in the wrong, "What do you mean, then?"

"Tom, the security guard from the casino? Really? He is 27 years old!"

"So?"

"I'm seventeen, mom! That's not even legal!"

"Well, a lot of women like older men. Older men like to support and protect women. That is a very nice trait to find in a companion. You know that Tom likes you, Lissy. He is always so polite with you. He will make a fine husband one day. Any woman would be lucky to have him!"

"Mother! I don't even like, Tom! How can you even try to set us up? And the dress, really? What the hell is wrong with you?" Felicity said furiously, getting up from the bed and walking towards the other side of the room where her desk sat.

"I'm thinking about your future! You need to find someone to take care of you, Felicity. I won't be around forever, and when I am gone, who will be there for you?"

Felicity scoffed. Who would be there for her? That was certainly a surprising sentence coming from her, "I don't need a man to take care of me! I have been doing fine by myself. I have been feeding myself, cleaning the house, going back and forth to school, all by myself since I was 8 years old!"

"Don't be absurd, Felicity" Donna said, exasperated as she got up from the bed.

"No mother! You are being absurd!" Felicity shot back, pointing at her mother, "Why do you keep trying to change me?"

"Because it's not healthy! All you do is go to school; spend hours locked inside this room or the damn bathroom, with this angry music playing, surrounded by books and those old computer parts. You keep dressing as if you were going to a funeral with all that black clothing and that dark makeup! Not to mention all those piercings," Donna shouted back, letting her daughter know exactly how disappointed she was with her and the person she'd chosen to be, "You will never find someone to be with you while you are dressed like that and with that attitude. Don't you worry about your future?"

"Really? That's all this will ever be about? Me finding a guy to support me? How about my hopes and dreams? How about me getting out of this town, and getting far away from it!"

"Oh Felicity, don't kid yourself," Donna said, bitterness transforming her beautiful face into something ugly.

Felicity felt anger and pain bubble up inside of her. She wouldn't let anyone stomp on her dreams, "I will get the hell out of this city, mother. You mark my words. I won't stick around and watch all my dreams die."

"You really believe that because you are bright and good with computers you will find a way out of here. That M.I.T will change your life. Is that it?" Donna asked her in disbelief, placing her hands on her hips, "Guess what Felicity, girls like us don't get to go out there and conquer the world. We are the ones that stay behind and serve the drinks. You can try to fight it all you want, but the quicker you accept it, the easier your life will become."

"I won't ever accept it!" Felicity shouted angrily, furious tears pooling in her eyes, "I won't be like you!"

Donna looked as if she had been slapped. "Then I hope you will enjoy the disappointment," her mother growled out as she took the bag with the dress and left a broken Felicity behind, "Cause this is all you are going to get".

Donna's lack of faith on Felicity's dreams only pushed then further apart. While Felicity worked hard to achieve her goal of attending M.I.T, Donna got even more lost in her own little world. At the time Donna was dating Dave, a lawyer that Felicity was sure was married with kids somewhere – he would come and go every few weeks, always bringing Donna luxurious gifts and taking her to expensive dinners – then he would suddenly disappear, not pick up her mother's phone calls; leaving a mess behind him. Felicity despised him, and it drove her mother mad, since Donna believed he was her prince charming.

Her relationship with her mom began to truly fade as time passed and home became her own personal brand of hell. She resented her mom for choosing her life over her daughters and thinking that Felicity would follow in her footsteps. Felicity would always be locked in her bedroom, her cyber personality taking over and giving her the control that she craved. While Felicity Smoak was bright, she was considered weak and weird. But The Oracle was strong, determined and even feared in some ways. Coding and hacking came naturally to her, and soon she was immersed in a life that was very different from her own. The cyber world made more sense to her than what she was living every day, and for the first time in forever, she felt free. Hacking became second nature to her like breathing was.

The Oracle became her salvation.

While all the odds were against Felicity Smoak, she made the best of it during the final months at her home with Donna. When she was 17 years old, she emancipated herself and said goodbye to a life that she always felt she didn't belong in. She broke all chains that had held her back. She said goodbye and never looked back.

It was in M.I.T that her life really changed.

Even on her first day, a large backpack on her back and a box in her hands with all the belonging she had, she didn't feel like a freak here, like she didn't belong. No one seemed to stare at her jet back hair and purple highlights, or at her ripped jeans and combat boots, and dark makeup. No one actually seemed to care. They were all too busy living their own lives and it exhilarated Felicity.

Her dorm room became her home and M.I.T her life. While she was majoring in computer sciences, she would work part time in a small library and spend many nights working on her hacking as The Oracle. The thrill of the danger, freedom and challenge that she experienced every time that she hacked was enough to keep her going that first year. She was known in the hacker world. In many ways people came to admire her work.

Felicity finally was happy, and she couldn't imagine living her life any other way.

Her life changed even more when Cooper Sheldon came into the picture. He was a senior, majoring in the same area as she was. When he caught sight of her one day at work he had approached her and actually flirted with her. Felicity was shocked. This had never happened to her before. Especially because he was gorgeous, with dark blond hair, dreamy eyes and a sarcastic personality that she enjoyed. He was like her in many ways, and they became quick friends who spent hours talking about music, politics, their courses and even the latest TV show that they both enjoyed. She tried to resist at first, wanting to focus on her major and not follow in her mom's footsteps. But Cooper wouldn't give up, and after months of pursuing her, she accepted his dinner invitation. Their first kiss blew her away. She felt something shift inside her, realizing that not all men were like the sleaze bags that her mom dated. She didn't let go of all her doubts and fears but they eased slowly and surely. For the first time in a long time, she put her heart on the line and let someone in.

Cooper became her first love.

They dated for almost a year and Felicity soon realized that her boyfriend had a cyber pseudo personality just as she had. It was further proof that he was just like her, had a much darker side, a side that he liked to say was focused on doing the right thing just like her. According to Cooper he would not reduce himself to becoming a corporate lap dog. No, he would be something else. Cooper liked to say that he was a hacktivist, that he was ready to fight and face a world filled with injustice, to be a hero. To dare to make things and venture to places no one else would.

And she was right there with him as he convinced her with his words, 'You need to decide what you want to be when you grow up babe, a hacker or a hero.'

He seduced her with the idea of doing the right thing, to help people in need, people that society would exploit. Cooper loved to say that they had gifts, and that they could make a difference, that they could change the world together. The words sounded like music to Felicity and she embarked on a dangerous journey of illegal hacking that would change her life. A world she thought she'd be even freer in and where she could have control and change the lives of others for the better.

By the end of her first year Cooper introduced her to Charles 'Chuck' Thomas and to Cameron 'Rory' Matthews. The three of them became their own knights, the pseudo Robin Hood of a modern era. They became The Raiders. They would take from the dirty and corrupt, and give it to the poor and oppress. They would settle the scale and the injustices of society.

And nothing would ever be the same ever again.

Felicity relationship with Cooper didn't last long. While they shared a love for technology and for setting right society's wrongs, they didn't have much but that. As soon as the flame of passion passed, Felicity realized that Cooper was far from the courageous and loving man she thought she'd fallen in love with. He had a darker side that scared her and he had a greed growing inside of him that sometimes made Felicity question his motives for what they were doing. Yet she stayed with him and The Raiders for her four years at M.I.T. They became her second family.

When graduation came around Felicity was at an impasse. The Raiders had become her home. And now all of a sudden she was being faced with this decision to leave and go anywhere but Las Vegas or stay here at M.I.T. Sure she had offers to work at some really good companies thanks to her professors – Palmer Technologies, Queen Consolidated and Wayne Enterprises – but this was her home, here with Cooper, Chuck, and Rory. Plus she was doing something worthwhile here. Taking from the rich and giving to the poor as cliché as that sounded. In the end she decided that the job they were doing was more important and more rewarding than any job she would have at QC, Palmer Tech., or Wayne Enterprises.

So she stayed and she wasn't alone anymore.

A year after her graduation she marked herself as being with The Raiders, her family, for five years. In that time they had hacked into endless government agencies, private companies and banks. Always looking for holes in their systems, always stealing from those that didn't make honest money, always taking from them and disappearing before anyone would ever notice. They would sometimes steal small and sometimes large amounts of money, always making sure that no one would be able to track them. They would make numerous anonymous donations to people in need, charities and NGOs; splitting the dirty money and making good things happen with it. They were known as some kind of guardians and even vigilantes in the hacker world, always looking for the next heist, always looking to right a wrong.

A few months after they all graduated, specifically Chuck, from M.I.T they felt like they needed a change of scenery. Cooper wanted to expand business, and he knew that they would be able to do that and more in California. So they packed their things and rented a large loft for themselves. The loft was located in an old steal factory that was converted into apartments in the late 90s. It was close to downtown but in an area that didn't have much traffic besides a supermarket a couple minutes away. The area had an edgy vibe, and young artists seemed to enjoy the neighborhood. No one would suspect why they wanted to rent a loft there – it was the perfect cover – they blended in like no one else. It was excellent for them. While the boys decided it was the ideal place to crash and still work, Felicity didn't feel like living with three guys and wished to branch out a little. And so she rented a small apartment a few blocks from theirs.

They had been living in California for 6 months when someone tried to breach the firewall that Felicity had designed. The system had been one of her best creations, and all hell broke loose when Cooper realized they had been hacked. While the self appointed leader of The Raiders seemed to be calm and self-controlled on a daily basis, he also had an explosive personality and he hated to lose control. He wanted all of them to be in on finding out what the hell happened with Felicity's beautifully coded and impenetrable system. When the dust had settled and they'd figured it out they were all surprised at what they found. This is how 17-year-old Sin came into their lives.

Cindy 'Sin' Johnson was a wayward youth that had the broken look in her eyes that Felicity knew oh too well. So Felicity did the only thing she possibly could do, she brought the young girl into their lives. Sin was a foster child, running from a broken system and with more scars on her young soul than anyone should ever have. And what really brought Felicity in is that she was bright with a smart mouth and a sarcastic remark to everything you could possible say. She became the younger sister that Felicity never had and her roommate.

Sin fit perfectly with The Raiders, and so, she joined their quest to do justice with their own hands.

By that time they had been hacking into companies that laundered or embezzled money, as well as insurance companies that refused to pay their clients. One special time they'd even hacked into a construction company that took their clients' money and didn't finish the work. The list would go on and on. They had helped a lot of people in California, but with time the heists became bigger and more dangerous, and Felicity knew they were walking a fine line into dangerous territory. Cooper realized that they could get real money from the worst kind of people – criminals. So their search to find justice shifted to find any kind of breach into their systems. It took months, but finally they found a breach in one of the most powerful crime organizations in California and in the U.S. – The Triad.

The Chinese organization dealt with drug and gun trafficking, prostitution, and was responsible for hundreds of murders in the past twenty years. They had connections in the police and in the government. And while Cooper saw himself as untouchable and the Triad an easy chance for them to give back to the people that the mob hurt, Felicity knew the risks had gotten way too high. It was one thing to steal from dirty companies, politicians and even banks, but the mob wasn't a risk she was willing to take.

"Cooper, this is a mistake," Felicity begged, trying to change his mind when they gathered at the loft.

"What's the matter, Smoak? Are you afraid?" Cooper teased a small smirk on his lips.

"Yes, and so should you. All of you should be," Felicity said, crossing her arms against her chest. Chuck, Rory and Sin looked on with worry in their eyes.

"We can do it," Cooper insisted, "This could be the big one Felicity. The one to change everything."

"Maybe Felicity is right, Coop. It's not a random heist, this is the mob," Chuck said, pushing his thick glasses up on his nose, clearly nervous.

"So? What's the difference between this job and any other that we have done in the past five years? Think about how many people we can help with this money," Cooper said as he looked at all of them.

"Cooper, if something goes wrong…there's no negotiating with these people," Rory said, looking down at his tapping dirty converses.

"They won't find out." Cooper said with a role of his eyes, confident that everything would be ok.

"How do you know? How can you be absolutely sure about it? They can have a super system protecting their accounts. They can have a team of hackers just waiting for someone to try to breach them. You need to think this through, Cooper." Felicity argued. They were close to doing something life changing and she wasn't sure if she was ready for this.

"I did think this through," Cooper said as he started to pace," I have studied their transactions, and you know their systems, Felicity. We've been researching all about them. The algorithm that you and Sin wrote will crack any firewalls that they might have. Chuck and Rory can overload their systems while I set a virus that will remove small amounts of money. It will be so quick that it'll take months for them to realize that there ever was a breach in their system. It will work!"

"When you say it like that it doesn't sound so bad," Sin said with a shrug, receiving a glare from Felicity, "What?"

"We can do it if we work together," Cooper said, finally stopping his pacing, "We're a team. We've always fought together through all of our battles. I've always been able to count on each one of you. Don't leave me now."

Chuck and Rory exchange glances before nodding in agreement. Felicity felt her shoulders sad. Cooper had won again on something that she felt was wrong.

"Let's do it," Chuck and Rory said.

"Come on, Felicity. What do you say?" Cooper asked when he turned to her. She was the last one left and Felicity wanted nothing more than to punch that stupid grin off his face. He'd cornered her without her even realizing it.

"It's not like you left me any other choice," she fumed, "I can't let you guys get caught. But if I see anything that can lead back to us, I am shutting us down. Do you understand me Cooper?" She wouldn't put them in any more risk for what she now suspected was Cooper's need to be greedy. Maybe it was time for them to rethink this partnership.

A few weeks later, after studying every possible breach and crack into Triad's system, they pulled the heist. It was quick like Cooper promised her it would be, and Felicity made sure to cover all their tracks, protecting them in every possible way. They managed to grab a whopping 3 million dollars. A small part of the money was split between them as always and placed in off shore accounts. The larger part was donated to different charity organizations and a few research programs, all anonymously of course.

Weeks passed by and no one came after them. Felicity doubt's only grew stronger after the heist and she started to question if Cooper was still a hacktivist, if he still cared about being a hero, about helping people in need… or if he just wanted the money. While they lived simple lives, to not attract too much attention to themselves, their offshore accounts were growing and Felicity knew she had enough to live a comfortable life. She wondered if she made the right decision joining Cooper on his crusade.

The success of the heist made Cooper even more confident, and he had honed in on another criminal organization, the Russian mob also known as the Bratva. To appease Felicity and her growing mistrust in him he gave her the reins. He told her it was up to her if they did this. Taking in the eager faces of her friends she threw herself into research. If they were going to this then she wanted to be even more ready than when they stole from the Triad.

What she found surprised her.

If you knew where to look, like she did, the signs were right there and pointing to one person. Oliver Queen. The first time Felicity saw Oliver Queen's face pop up in her Bratva research she had to pause. She couldn't understand how this man could be the leader of the American branch of Bratva. She couldn't understand how all the evidence she collected pointed to him. He was the CEO of one of the most influential companies in the U.S.; he did charity work and he donated to rebuild and better the impoverished parts of his town called 'the Glades'. This couldn't be the Captain of such a big but quite new branch of Bratva. Yet he was. The mysterious death of his family, his disappearance and absence in Russia, his return, and most notably the decrease of Triad and Italian mafia dealings in the area all surrounded him.

He confused her.

When Cooper asked her if she was ready and satisfied with what she had found she had lied. She hated mysteries and somehow Oliver Queen was one. She wouldn't let Cooper near him until she figured out the true mystery behind the suspected Bratva Captain known as The Crow and if it was safe to do to him what they had done to the Triad.

The night that changed it all started like any other. Chuck and Rory were arguing about who shot first, Hans or Greedo. Sin was schooling a group of newbies on some online first person shooter game. And someone was set to cook tonight. It was Felicity and Cooper's turn to make dinner so they headed down to the supermarket a couple streets over to grab some stuff.

"Did you get the mint chocolate chip?" Felicity asked as she dug into her pockets for her key, her arms full of food.

Cooper gave a small huff and brandished a bag, "It's right in here. Don't freak out."

Felicity rolled her eyes as she found her keys and opened the door, "Not freaking out. I never freak out over ice cream."

"You do when it's 'that' ice cream. Remember finals during second year?" Cooper countered. He held the door open with a foot and they entered the apartment.

Felicity gasped, "You said you would never mention that again. It was finals. Ice cream was essential for survival! No ice cream = failed exams and me crying."

"And no one wants that," Cooper mumbled as they reached the kitchen and placed their bags on the counter.

She couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out of her. This light moment between them rare, "Jerk."

"Bitch."

Felicity looked up in shock and Cooper bolted. She called after him in annoyance, "Just because we started watching Supernatural doesn't mean you can call me that!"

She heard his responding laugh down the hallway. He was probably checking in on the rest of the group. Grumbling how she was going to kick his ass later she began putting things away in the kitchen. She was just putting away the flour in the pantry when her foot slipped on something. Felicity barely had time to grasp the wall and prevent herself from tumbling over. When she righted herself she tilted her head in confusion. Across from her was a smashed bowl, the remnants of Rory's favorite cereal and soymilk spread around it on the floor. Walking over to it she frowned. Why would this be here and why…

Her inner thoughts were interrupted when she heard a crash from the living room where Cooper was. She looked up just in time to see Cooper crash into the wall at the end of the hall. His eyes were wide and there was a slash across his stomach, a growing patch of red forming there.

Felicity stood there in shock as Cooper began limping towards her. The perfect word to describe the look on his face was…fear.

"Run!"

She took a small step back. What was happening? He was half way to her when she realized that the apartment was quiet. She couldn't hear Rory's chatter or Sin's trash talking, Chase wasn't at his computer station at the end of the hall. Behind Cooper's limping form Felicity saw someone step out from the living room. It was a white haired Asian woman with a curved blade in her hand. She stopped at the entrance as she watched them. She had about two seconds to take in and realize that the cold look on her face was nothing in comparison to the eerie feeling that she felt wash over her at the sight of the blood splattered on her face and clothes.

Cooper's blood.

"Cooper what's happening? Who is she?" she asked in a desperate whisper as Cooper reached her and tugged her backwards.

The white haired woman gave her a full smile, teeth seeming to shine as she slowly sauntered towards them, "Don't be afraid. I'm not going to hurt you little girl."

A shudder went through her before Cooper again roughly yanked her backwards, effectively breaking her out of whatever spell of shock and disbelief she was under. She spun on her heel and helped Cooper run. They had to get out.

The woman laughed as they kept moving, "You can't run!"

She kept close to Cooper in their mad scramble to get away from the woman; Cooper's limp disappearing as he pushed through the pain. She was so focused on getting out that she followed Cooper's lead instinctively and jumped over something that lay across the threshold to the bedroom where the fire escape was. It was as they entered the room and Felicity looked back that she caught sight of what she had jumped over. It was Sin. Her head twisted to the side in an unnatural way. Eyes vacant as if she was looking right through Felicity.

Cooper slammed the door closed and locked it. Not two seconds later the door handle moved.

"Open up," the woman singsonged.

"She's blocked the front door. Fire escapes the only way out. Go!" Cooper shouted before a small piercing sound echoed out, his body jolting at every hit; painting Felicity's face and shirt red. The white haired woman was shooting through the door at them.

"GO!" RUN!"

Cooper's thundering boom of a voice made it so that Felicity jumped as she scrambled to open the window and hop onto the fire escape. Felicity bolted down the escape when the door groaned and slammed open; Cooper yelling out before another thump was heard.

She didn't even know what she was doing as she scored five floors and landed roughly on the cold hard sidewalk. The weight of the ever present bag on her back sent her into the side of the building and scraped her hands. But she didn't let that stop her. She was a mess of struggling and uncoordinated limbs as she desperately pulled herself up and ran off into the night.

Away from the white haired woman.

Away from the bodies of her friends.

Felicity felt her heart hammer against her chest, threatening to break through. She couldn't breath. As her trembling hands fiddled with the lock of the door she realized she needed to get out of the hotel hall before she collapsed. She'd stopped about a block away and cleaned her face and hands of the blood but the spooked look on her face would make anyone pause. She shot inside when it opened, her hands struggling for the lock and chain as the door shut behind her. It wasn't much but it was something.

Felicity closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She had just escaped a killer in her apartment, seen the dead body of one of her only friends, locked herself in a room with Cooper and seen Cooper shot right in front of her; his blood on her face and shirt. Her mind couldn't help supplying that he was dead by now. They were all dead.

She tried not to picture Sin's empty gaze as she made sure the window was locked and the curtains drawn. Drawing a chair up she wedged it under the doorknob before surveying the room. Cheap, quick, and efficient. She kept silent as she tore the cover off the bed and walked to the bathroom. She gave the bathroom door the same treatment before draping the cover over the inside of the tub. Stepping in she brought her backpack to her chest.

She was trembling. Her hands gripping her bag as if it were a lifeline. No sound could be heard in the cheap motel room besides her quick breaths. If she didn't stop herself soon she'd go into a full-blown panic attack and black out. Her eyes watered as she looked down at her bag.

'The spilled cereal and milk. The broken bowl.'

A sob erupted from her throat and she squeezed her eyes tight. She was close to teetering over the edge. She tried to gulp in air as she tucked her face into the top of her bag. They were only supposed to be gone for 15 minutes tops. Just grabbing some essentials for dinner. They were going to have Italian tonight. It couldn't have been enough time for the white haired woman to do that. To kill them.

Sin's empty gaze popped up again and Felicity curled into her self. Somehow it had been enough time.

"They're dead."

Her voice felt wrong in the steady silence of the hotel room. Too loud. Pressing a hand to her chest she stopped herself from crying out as tears spilled down her cheeks. Her heart still beating fast but not as fast as before. Noise felt wrong when it didn't have the constant chatter of Chuck in the background, Rory clicking away, Sin complaining about running out of her favorite cereal, Cooper across from her, both working in silent companionship as they looked to steal from the rich to give to the poor. And she had just ran, had left Cooper there even though he had yelled at her to go. In the apartment she had just frozen, even when Cooper pulled at her…she'd frozen. Maybe if she were faster he would still be alive. He'd still be ok. But she didn't and now he was dead.

Turning her head she pressed her face against her bag and pressed her back against the tub wall. The people she cared about were ripped from her just as she had finally come to a place where she thought of them as family, a place where she could serve justice and help those in need.

She was alone again.

She spent three hours curled up on her side in that tub. She allowed herself to cry, to mourn, and to feel it all. She stared at the lose of her life in the face because she knew that after that third hour it would stop. She would push it aside and lock it up because fear and tears had no place in what she had to do next.

Third hour mark hit and she locked it up. Eyes hardening and shoulders pulled back, she sat up and got to work. Laptop out she piggybacked on the Wi-Fi connection off the pawnshop next door.

Step 1: Check the surrounding area.

By her estimate she had been running for about an hour. Too scared to even take the bus or take a major street to get to this side of town; a place she hoped they wouldn't look. Logging into the surrounding cameras she checked the streets and the hotel. They were clear. Satisfied that she was safe for the moment she moved on to step two.

Step 2: Figure out what happened.

It was an easy switch to the cameras around her apartment building. Back tracking she watched herself leaving the building, Cooper by her side. About ten minutes later, when she was pretty sure Cooper and her were paying, a car pulled up across the street. Felicity knew it was her instantly. Her feelings began trembling inside of her, tearing at her walls and threatening to break through. Sitting up straight she bashed them down into the deepest part of her. Not now.

She watched as the lone white haired woman crossed the street and entered her building. She wanted to punch out at the woman in the screen; hurt her. She looked in charge. Not afraid or even bothered that she was about to take the lives of four innocent people.

A couple minutes later she spotted herself returning with Cooper, their arms weighed down by the food they'd planned to make; not aware of the danger they were walking into. She couldn't take it anymore. Felicity pressed forward and stopped when she caught herself in the distance. She had just jumped off the fire escape and was moving fast and was gone in seconds.

Gripping tightly to her control she tried not recollecting the feelings she felt as her feet hit the ground and she bolted into the night. The white haired woman wasn't far behind in exiting the building but she'd lost Felicity. It was evident by the frustrated shake of her head and how she started yelling at someone on her phone.

Curious.

Not a half an hour later a van pulled up and joined the white haired woman inside the apartment. Over two hours later she watched as they carted out a couple trashcans before loading them into the car. They all disappeared off into the night without a look back. Felicity needed to look inside. Logging onto Chuck's computer was be the best option since it had a view of the hall where Sin's body was, where they could see the open door where the white haired woman had shot Cooper.

Dread filled her when the camera came online. She'd seen movies and knew what this looked like. Her apartment was pristine, not a speck of blood, a brand new door with no bullet holes, and…no body on the ground by the door. She paused her typing when she realized that her friends were in those bins. She'd never really know what happened because someone had taken them out as if they were garbage. They'd fallen into something dangerous, something that they had underestimated. And Chuck, Rory, and Sin had payed that price. Cooper had paid it for her.

She felt cold. Like something had replaced the light inside of her from earlier on in the night with a dying ember. Only a couple small sparks of fire keeping her going. Because that's what she needed to focus on with all her might: to keep going. Palming the side of her neck she continued.

Step 3: Figure out who was responsible.

The white haired wasn't normal. Her look was too on point and her mannerisms suggested authority. Her cronies suggested organization. And their ethnicity spoke of Triad. The people they just stolen money from. Letting out a small curse she ran the woman description through police records. Her gut had been right. Going after Triad, no matter how noble Cooper made it sound, was too close to home. To close to danger. Everything that happened tonight was proof of it.

A small beep signaled a match and she was staring at the face of…China White. She felt as if something had clamped around her throat as she took in the white haired woman. She wasn't just any member of Triad. Someone sent out to clean things up when things got messy or when a group of five hackers decided to steal from them. This woman was suspected of being the leader of the North American branch of the Triad. She had multiple counts in her rap sheet but nothing that stuck, nothing to keep her in jail more than a couple days. One thing was clear though; all her suspected connections were violent killings or the disappearance of people. Like her friends tonight.

She held off the bile that had risen in her throat and pressed on.

Step 4: What she was going to do about it.

They were looking for her, that she was sure of. And from the way that Cooper limped towards her with that panicked face, she knew that her friends hadn't had an easy death. Cooper was probably dead right now too. And if not for Cooper…she would have been dead too; rolled out in one of those bins to just disappear into the night. That right there wasn't fair. Cooper, Chuck and Rory had families. Small ones but they were there. And because of what they had done, their families would never know the truth. They would just think that they disappeared off into the night. Felicity thought of Sin again. She had once told Felicity that she had no family worth remembering, that they were her family now. And because of what happened tonight no one would mourn her except Felicity. She couldn't even go to the police. After everything they had done online and the clean up at the apartment, there would be nothing to find.

Pressing her curled hands against the side of her head in frustration she tried to figure it out, "Think. What do I do now that I'm alone? What do I do when I can't find my way out? What do I do because my enemy is coming and she won't be far behind?"

It was as if the words appeared in her mind all of a sudden, the familiar words Sin had spoken to her once in jest while playing a game where she had turned the tables by joining the opposite side, thus winning the game.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

She blinked and looked up in surprise as her mind started to piece together something.

"The enemy."

Felicity had no enemy right now besides Triad, who was probably hunting her down now with a vengeance. But Triad had enemies, plenty of them. And the most notorious was the man that had surprised her weeks ago when she was canvassing their next hit. A couple keystrokes and she was staring at his face.

"Oliver Queen. The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

She could go to him.

This could work. He was only a couple hours away. She could…she could use the knowledge she had pieced together about him to help her find a way to seek justice for what they had done to her friends and stop them from killing her. She was almost certain that Triad was responsible for the death of Oliver Queen's loved ones and she needed him. Quite possibly more than he needed her but…she had to this. There was no other option that she could think of. No other avenue to take besides this man. He was the enemy of her enemy. And in doing so he was the closest thing to a friend or ally against the storm that was coming her way in the form of China White.

After coming to the conclusion that Oliver Queen was her only option she set about how she was going to get there. A coach bus seemed like the best option. She packed her bag again, grateful that she never went anywhere without her prized possessions, and waited until the sun began to set the following day. She hoped the cover of night would work in her favor at covering the blood splatter on her shirt and the haunted but determined look on her face.

The sound of Felicity's heavy combat boots against the wet concrete pavement were the only sounds in the empty street when she left the hotel. She walked quickly, looking back over her shoulder every few minutes, her heart jumping inside her chest at every small noise. Night was quickly approaching and as the cold wind blew, she heard the sound of a dark crow flying above her. Her eyes caught sight of it as it flew over to a building across the street.

Any other day and she would have just ignored it…now she thought that it was following her. A sign.

She was wrong.

To save her life and seek justice for her friends she would have to do this. Something frightening. Something new. Something where she would have to get close to a possible enemy to destroy another. She would have to journey alone to find The Crow.

A/N: Hi guys! We hope you all have enjoyed the second chapter of The Crow and that you will take this journey with us! We are very excited for it!

An official soundtrack for The Crow is up! LISTEN HERE: /lyra-aureus/the-crow-official-soundtrack

Please let us know what you guys think!

Love,

PoisonAngelMuse and TheAlternativeSource