A/N: Thank you for all the kind reviews for chapter one. I'm incredibly glad you all enjoyed it. I've got some free time and so I decided chapter two is definitely needed. Thanks again and enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or the show, that honor belongs to the CW.


Chapter 2: Matching Scars

Felicity's apartment was dark, the only light coming from the television in the living room. Oliver watched her chest rise in fall, his eyes grazing over every part of her to make sure she was fast asleep. She had offered to cook dinner after a disappointing night of running around the city. Oliver had come back to the Foundry, clearly upset, and Felicity had decided that for once, he needed to forget about being the vigilante. So they ended up at her place and then on her couch once dinner was done and the dishes were cleaned. Though the TV was on, they talked. About a lot of things. Mostly his time on the island which was strange because before Felicity, Oliver had never wanted to talk about it to anyone. But there was something about her that made him unafraid to share his experiences with her. It was well past midnight when she had fallen asleep on his shoulder, her hair free of the elastic that held it together during the day, her color free lips parted slightly. Oliver had been watching her ever since, trying to figure out why he couldn't bring himself to take her to her bed and leave a note before heading back to the Queen mansion. All he really wanted to do was bring her to her bed and then climb right in next to her, wrapping his arms around her and falling asleep himself. Oliver smiled when Felicity shifted next him, unknowingly making herself comfortable in his lap. He looked down and gently stroked her hair. If he wanted to kiss her…all he had to do was lean down and…


Oliver snapped out of his memory when Felicity groaned. His eyes widened, afraid something had happened.

"Felicity? Are you okay?"

She met his eyes and tried to smile, the bruise over her right eye already a sickly yellow color.

"I'm fine Ollie."

It had been two days since Malcolm brought Felicity to Oliver. She stayed tied to the chair while Oliver's arms stayed bound to each other, attached to the ceiling by chains. Once morning came and the sun burst through the windows, Oliver was able to clearly see the extent of Felicity's injuries. Whoever took her from her apartment really did a number on her before tying her up and putting the wretched bag over her head. Oliver's anger spiked when he saw the bruises and cuts scattered all over his IT girl's slim face. She had smiled, shrugging a little.

"You should see the other guy."

Oliver allowed himself a smile even though he wanted nothing more than to kill the bastards who hurt her.

"What happened Felicity?"

She shifted in her seat and winced, infuriating Oliver even more than before.

"Diggle sent me home and so that's what I did. I went home. I took a shower, I ate dinner, and then I was climbing into bed when I heard my door crash open. These two big, bulky guys came in and started hitting me and I tried to use training but they were too strong and then one of the guys…Roman? He threw me to the floor and then they started kicking me and I couldn't yell and it hurt so bad – "

She stopped when she saw Oliver's face.

"They kicked you? You mean to tell me there are bruises under your clothes too?"

She nodded, biting her bottom lip.

"All over my abdomen. They knocked me out after that and then I ended up here. With you."

His breathing was hard and he tried to struggle against the ropes and chains again, with no success. Malcolm was going to pay. He was going to pay for everything he had done. To his family. To the city. To Felicity. His Felicity. He looked back at her.

"Felicity. I will get you out of here. I promise."

She smiled, even though her entire body was on fire.

"I know."

The two days went on without Malcolm making an appearance. No food was brought to them, the fear of untying Oliver so he could eat far greater than anything else. Though they were given water, Oliver knew Felicity wouldn't be able to hold on much longer. She dozed on and off frequently and he could hear her stomach growl from hunger. And the bruises that covered her face and body should've been checked on hours ago. If he didn't figure a way out soon, he'd lose her. He knew she was trying to stay as strong as she could but this was the first time she had ever been in a situation like this. Oliver would've stopped anything from happening to her if he wasn't bound to the ceiling. On the third day, Malcolm strolled in well into the night. He was once again in a crisp black suit, his red tie standing out like blood staining his white dress shirt. He stopped next to Felicity and Oliver prayed he didn't touch her. He'd take it all. Just as long as he left Felicity alone. Malcolm sighed deeply, squatting down to Felicity's eye level.

"And how are we on this fine evening?"

Felicity shot him an icy glare.

"Oh just fine Mr. Merlyn. I hope you enjoyed whatever expensive dinner you feasted on tonight while we starved here in your stupid warehouse."

She spit the last words at him, his smug grin falling flat.

"Well if you must know Ms. Smoak, my chicken marsala was divine. Thank you for asking."

Both captives watched as he got up and started circling them, just like the night Oliver first woke up in the room.

"You know I have to admit. You both make a stunning couple. Oliver, don't get me wrong. Laurel is wonderful but Ms. Smoak here is such a match for you. But do you know what she's missing?"

Oliver's head rose as he met Malcolm's eyes. He didn't answer but feared the worst. Malcolm smiled.

"You don't even want to guess?"

Felicity shifted to look at the suited man next to Oliver.

"Why don't just let us go? You know that in the end, Oliver will stop you. He'll stop you and you'll live out the rest of your miserable life in prison!"

Stars sprung in Felicity's vision after Malcolm whipped his hand back and slapped her, her glasses flying to the other side of the room. Oliver jolted forward, every part of his body trying to reach her.

"Felicity!"

She blinked a few times before sitting up right again. The skin around her mouth was red, Malcolm's slap incredibly hard. She raised her eyes to Oliver and hoped he could see what she was trying to tell him. I'm okay Ollie. Malcolm bent down and gripped the back of Felicity's chair.

"Now, now Ms. Smoak. Play nice."

He turned back to Oliver, the vein in his neck telling Malcolm he finally hit a nerve. He smiled mischievously. It's not Laurel he cares about. It's this girl. Felicity. He's in love with Felicity. He could use this to his advantage. If Malcolm couldn't get Oliver to see he was right and coax him onto his side, he'd just use his feelings for Felicity to torture him until Oliver Queen completely breaks down. This will be fun.

He walked out suddenly, an idea springing to mind, while Oliver watched Felicity. Once he was gone and the doors had shut, his breathing quickened.

"Felicity? Felicity are you okay?"

She smiled but her face was already starting to swell up.

"I'm fine Oliver. I can take more than you think I can."

He clenched his jaw.

"I don't want you to have to take anything!"

She was still smiling.

"Just get us out of here Oliver. Then we can take down Malcolm. Just focus and get us out of here. I believe in you."

Those last four words hit home for Oliver. He had never heard it before. Not from anyone. And here was Felicity, putting her life in his hands. His stupid, tied up hands. He shot her a smile, hoping it would ease her pain somehow.

"I'll get you a whole case of wine when we get out of here."

At that, she laughed, wincing when a pain shot up her side.

"A whole case? It should be four cases at least."

He nodded, shaking his head. She would be negotiating at a time like this.

"Deal."

They were smiling at each other and for a second, they both believed they truly were going to be okay. Their happiness was short – lived when Malcolm returned, this time with Roman and long thin box.

"Sorry to bother you both but I almost forgot about what I had asked you earlier Oliver."

He was met by an icy cold glare.

"Well since it looks like you've forgotten, I'll ask it again. What is Ms. Smoak here missing in order for you two to be a matching couple?"

He moved towards the box in Roman's hands, opening it and pulling out a long blade, one that reminded Oliver of the blade that inflicted his scars on the island. When he realized what it was for, his eyes widened and he struggled even harder against his restraints.

"Malcolm! Malcolm don't you touch her!"

Felicity's eyes filled with fear as her eyes settled on the blade. It glimmered under the lighting in the room and everything around Oliver froze. He's going to give her matching scars. He's going to hurt her! Oliver's eyes were focused on Felicity as she whimpered, the blade stopping just below her collarbone.

"I've realized Oliver, that you have no intention of joining me. And as sad as that is, I can't just let you come up with a plan to escape. I need you focused on something else. Something like Felicity here. She's quite beautiful and I've come to find out that even beauty can be scarred. And how romantic would it be for Oliver Queen and his computer hacking girlfriend to be a couple in every possible way? You refuse to see why the Undertaking is necessary. And because of that, you will be responsible for Ms. Smoak's pain. I hope you can endure her screams Oliver. Because they will be loud."

The blade dug into Felicity's skin and Oliver could only watch in horror and Malcolm drew it across her upper chest and down one arm. Felicity tried not to scream but once the blade's tip reached her shoulder, she couldn't handle it anymore. Her mouth ripped open, a bloodcurdling scream echoing through the empty building.

"OLIVER!"

He pushed against the floor and tried to propel forward, trying to break free, Felicity's cries tearing away at every fiber in his being. Malcolm continued to pick spots on her body, cutting the blade across, blood pooling against the purple of her pajamas. Felicity's face was turned upwards, her mouth set in a firm line. She tried to be strong but halfway through every cut, she yelled out loud, the pain just too much for her small frame. Oliver continued to struggle, his eyes welling up with tears. Felicity. I have to get to Felicity. I HAVE TO GET TO FELICITY! But the restraints were just too tight. He wasn't budging. And Malcolm continued to move the blade across her. Across Felicity's skin. Every cut bled rapidly but Oliver knew his captor wouldn't cut deep enough to kill her. He'd continue to torture Felicity as way to torture him. And he loathed the fact it was working. He could only watch as the girl he was in love with screamed at the top of her lungs, every part of her on fire from the blade's touch. After only a few minutes of screaming and blood, Malcolm pulled away and Oliver counted the wounds. Fourteen. The bastard cut her fourteen times. Some were small; others long and running down her arm or leg. Both Felicity and Oliver were breathing hard and Malcolm smiled with satisfaction.

"Now Oliver, see what you did? I hope you'll understand I had to use Ms. Smoak as an example. You go up against me and you…will…lose. And the best part for me? Every time Felicity looks at you and her scars, she'll remember these days. She'll remember the pain. She'll remember the screams that echoed throughout this room. And she will hate you."

With that, he turned and gave the blade to Roman, who wiped it clean before placing it back inside its velvet lining. They both left the room and Oliver could hear the lock click in place. He brought his face up to look at Felicity, bloody and broken. Every part of him was dead. This is what Diggle was talking about when Oliver first asked Felicity to be a part of their team. I can protect her, Digg. He mentally kicked himself. Protect her? He couldn't protect her. He just put her in more danger. And now she'd never be the same. And Malcolm was right. She'd hate them and he'd continued to love her while she resented him.

"He's…w – wrong."

His breath caught in his throat.

"Felicity?"

She swallowed and raised her head, blinking hazily at him.

"He's w – wrong. I would n – never h – hate you. I l – love you."

Her confession shocked Oliver to the core. She loves me? He opened his mouth, his own love confession resting on the tip of his tongue. But when she smiled and her head dropped, he panicked.

"Felicity?"

No response. And from this angle, he couldn't tell if she was breathing.

"Felicity?"

No movement. No shifting. Nothing. No. No! Malcolm wouldn't…he only wanted to scar her! But as his eyes continued to graze over her unmoving body, he wasn't so sure of Malcolm's intentions anymore. Maybe in order to continue torturing Oliver, Malcolm did the one thing he knew would keep his enemy forever in pain: he killed the one person he loved more than anything. He had killed Felicity. Oliver tried one more time to pull away from his restraints, the tears now uncontrollable sobs that wracked his entire frame. The chains rattled and the roped moved but Oliver stayed in place. He stopped, defeated, and looked up one more time to Felicity's bloody, hunched over body. He raised his head, anger, pain and sadness radiating off him in waves. When he screamed her name, even Malcolm could hear it as he climbed into his car, proud of his day's work.

"FELICITY!"


So hopefully that wasn't too bad. I wanted something intense and huge for this chapter. I hope I succeeded. Chapter three should be up in a day or two so keep a look out! And any reviews are much appreciated! xoxox