Author's Note: Sorry this took so long, but the characters would not cooperate.

Hostages

Felicity's P.O.V.

"Hey! Hey! Come on, what the hell?"

Felicity scrunched up her eyes, working to repress a groan as the loud voice penetrated the darkness clouding her mind. Her head already ached and the shouting female added a sharp edge. She tried to burrow back into unconsciousness, but then memory and instincts began to pull at her. Her apartment…intruders…Nyssa… Now she did groan.

"Oh, hey, are you awake?" The female voice, now dropping into a more bearable range grew closer. A warm hand touched Felicity's arm. "Are you okay?"

"Shh," Felicity managed to whisper, her eyes staying closed. "Give…minute…"

"They got you good," the other woman mumbled. Her hand remained on Felicity's arm even as she fell silent.

After a moment, Felicity blinked and opened her eyes. The light stabbed at them and she winced, but she forced herself to look around. A small room, it held two twin beds and nothing else. No windows or wall hangings broke the monotony of the walls and it had only one door. "Wonderful," she muttered, pulling herself up to a sitting position so she could turn to her current roommate. "Generic hostage room, type three."

"You have types?"

Felicity took a moment to examine the other woman. She looked to be the same height as Felicity, though a bit more well-rounded in her figure. Dark curls tumbled down her shoulders, and her expression seemed torn between amusement and concern – probably over Felicity's current state of mind. Felicity sighed. "Empty houses, office buildings, deserted islands..." she shrugged, letting her voice trail off. "I run with a dangerous crowd." A wan smile stretched over her mouth. "Felicity Smoak, I.T. girl."

"Darcy Lewis, Pop-Tart provider," the other girl replied. Felicity blinked and Darcy gave her own shrug. "I hang out with scientists who forget to eat if they aren't badgered about it. I'm trying to wean them over to sub sandwiches, but for now Pop-Tarts still work faster."

"My bunch have a thing for burgers," Felicity offered. She looked around again. "I wonder if we're still in Starling City."

"Shit!" Darcy exclaimed. "I hope not! I started out in Manhattan."

"Fantastic." Felicity's voice dropped back to a mutter. "People are going to be ballistic." A frown furrowed her brow and she looked back at her temporary roommate. "So, what did you do to end up on the League's person-of-interest list?"

"What League?"

"Answers that question," she murmured. "Okay, if you don't know the League, then who abducted you? Because I definitely knew the woman leading the group at my place, and she's with the League."

"Who's the League?" Darcy tossed her hands up. Then she let them fall with a huff. "And I didn't know who the chick was that gave the orders at my end. All she let slip was that she knew my people and wanted to get her hands on one of them. Other than that? No clue."

"Yeah, Nyssa wants answers," Felicity nodded. Her head throbbed and she raised a hand to feel the spot behind her ear. "They couldn't have used drugs or…chloroform or something?" She focused on Darcy again. "The League of Assassins…and they're….pretty much what they sound like."

"Isn't that just peachy?" Now Darcy started muttering. "Because I don't have enough whacked out stuff in my life?"

"Your scientists are that crazy?" Felicity asked, amusement spiking through the irritation and anxiety.

"Her heroes are," said a new voice.

Felicity's attention snapped to the door and she had to repress another wince. Nyssa stood there with another woman – a smug looking blonde. Felicity lifted one eyebrow at the woman before glancing back to Darcy. "That one with you?" she asked.

"Are you planning on claiming the other one?" Darcy challenged.

"No."

"Then I don't have to claim the blonde," she insisted, folding her arms over her chest.

"She's the one that abducted you though, right?" Felicity inquired.

Darcy rolled her eyes. "Yes, her and her goons."

"Oh, there have to be goons."

"Aren't there always?" Darcy sighed.

Felicity shrugged and then frowned as a thought occurred to her. "Have you ever noticed the goons always come in pairs?"

"Well…" Darcy's voice trailed off as she considered it. "Huh…you're right. There's always an even number of goons." She tilted her head. "Why is that?"

"It's the only way the bad guys can show how fabulous they are," Felicity explained. "Having them in an even amount means the bad guy…or girl in this case is the odd one out. It makes them stand out instead of just being one of the crowd."

"Enough." Nyssa's voice brought the room to silence.

Felicity turned to look at her. "Yes? Did you need something?" she asked, her tone filled with an icy disdain.

"Your hostility does you no credit, Felicity Smoak," Nyssa remarked in her quiet voice.

"You're hardly one to talk, Nyssa al Ghul," she riposted.

"Definitely some history," Darcy noted.

"You could say that," Felicity agreed. "She's part of a group that kills innocent people in order to force others into compliance."

Nyssa broke in at that. "It is not that simple."

"Yes, actually, it is," Felicity argued. Nyssa went to argue but Felicity kept talking right over her. "Sara thought herself a monster for what she had to do in order to survive in the League. We showed her she could be a hero. You tried to force her to go back to the League and she took poison rather than become a mere killer once more." She held up a hand when Nyssa started to protest. "And, yes, I know she went back of her own free will…sort of. She went back in return for help in stopping Slade Wilson in order to keep her family safe." Felicity focused cold eyes on the now silent Nyssa. "Sara refused to kill you and even talked Oliver out of killing you when he had the chance." Her lips thinned. "Only for you to threaten the very city Sara did everything she could to protect and then to stand by and watch while one of her oldest friends died at your father's hands." Emotion roiled through her, the still sharp sting of grief mingling with something darker as she stared at the woman in front of her. "I prefer to honor Sara by not becoming part of your schemes." Her chin came up. "I will not be the one to soil her memory."

Nyssa's face turned implacable. "I want the name," she repeated. "And if you will not give it to me, then perhaps your team will…in order to get you back."

"Honestly," Felicity sighed. Then an idea came to her. Her lips pursed as she considered it, but she finally decided to go for it. "Bring me the weapon your father used to kill Oliver," she offered, "and I'll give you a name." A soft sound behind her drew Felicity's attention and she glanced over.

"Okay," Darcy muttered, "ick."

The look on Nyssa's face could only be described as astonished disbelief. "You want…what?"

"I want the weapon."

The other woman stared at her for another moment before turning on her heel and striding out. The heretofore silent blonde gave a brief chuckle. "Just a touch insane, aren't you?" she asked Felicity, a small hint of approval in her gaze.

"There's a method to my madness," Felicity waved off the comment. She lifted an eyebrow. "I don't think I caught your name?"

"A deliberate choice," the woman replied but then a sharp smile flickered over her face, "but I can appreciate a defiant attitude. I'm Yelena Belova – also called Black Widow."

Felicity felt more than heard Darcy jerk in surprise and her gaze shifted to the other woman.

Darcy's P.O.V.

"Like hell!" Darcy spat out, glaring at the woman.

"Did you think there was only one, Miss Lewis?" Yelena's smile turned from sharp to smug. "Natalia Romanova may indeed be the most famous, especially with the collapse of SHIELD and yet she is but one of us." Contempt filled her face. "How soft she has become – to give her trust in such a way."

"Her name is Natasha," Darcy retorted. "And you don't know what you're talking about."

"I only speak the truth," Yelena continued, condescension in every word. "She left those who gave her all of her skills to serve another and she didn't bother to verify their true alliances?" She shook her head in mock pity. "So sad for one of the Academy's brightest stars to commit such a first year error."

Darcy's glare grew furious. "I'm going to enjoy watching her kick your ass."

"You'll be terribly disappointed." Yelena turned towards the door. "I wonder how long it will take for them to realize you're missing. A mere assistant? That could take a while…ah well, it will be a good chance to practice my patience."

Her frown darkening Darcy started forward only to stop when Felicity grabbed her arm. She turned an unhappy gaze on the other woman. Felicity shook her head. "She's taunting you," the blonde said, eyes tracking to where Yelena lingered in the doorway. "Don't give her the satisfaction."

Yelena sighed as Darcy backed away. She shook her head at Felicity. "Ruin my fun," she accused, giving a mock pout. "Ah, well, too bad you aren't my pawn," she continued. "You seem to be a lot more fun."

Darcy all but snarled, but she stayed put, watching as Yelena strolled out. Her eyes flashed as she turned to Felicity. "How are you staying so calm?"

"You don't have much experience at being a hostage yet, do you?" Felicity asked, her voice making it clear the question was purely rhetorical. Then she shook her head. "I've got some practice at this and it's kind of become an expected part of my life. Something is almost off if I haven't been taken hostage at least once every so often."

"Seriously?" Darcy blinked at her. "Okay, I've seen giant robots and faced aliens invading London, but this is like the first time I've ever been taken hostage."

"You'll get used to it," Felicity assured her, "if you're going to continue hanging out with the Avengers." Darcy's eyes narrowed, but Felicity just smiled. "Computer nerd here," she said. "I caught the whole thing with SHIELD, so I know who Natasha Romanoff is. Not to mention your whole angry jump at her claim to the 'Black Widow' title? You either work with them or are friends with them."

"Both?" Darcy sighed. She huffed out a breath. "I hope you're ready to sign some insane number of non-disclosure forms when they find out you know."

"Forms for whom?" Felicity frowned. "I mean…with SHIELD all but kaput?"

"The Avengers themselves?" Darcy chuckled. "Maybe Stark Industries?"

"Oh, well that might be a problem," Felicity laughed. "My day job is at one of SI's competitors."

Darcy's eyebrows went up. "In that case Tony or Pepper may just try to recruit you instead."

"Won't happen," Felicity shook her head. "My home and family are in Starling City. They need me there."

"Too bad – we'd probably have a blast."

"Or blow everything up."

"No sweat," Darcy waved that off. "There's something wrong with the universe if something doesn't blow up at the tower on a regular basis. I mean, given all the geniuses running around there. It'd be nice to have someone normal around." Felicity's nose wrinkled and a semi-embarrassed look filled her face. Darcy groaned. "Don't tell me…"

"It only counts in computers," Felicity replied in a rush. "Or, well, technology actually, but I focused on computers."

"Tony is so going to try and steal you," Darcy muttered. "I don't care if he's engaged to Pepper, he's going to want to romance your brain."

"What?"

Darcy began laughing as she took in Felicity's confused expression. "Just trust me – Tony's got a thing about collecting every genius he comes across. I hope you're ready to deal with the grabby hands of a billionaire who can be charming when he wants to be." A hint of pain flickered over Felicity's face and Darcy frowned. "Hey…are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Felicity told her, a forced smile on her face. "I can handle it, don't worry." Darcy's expression must have conveyed some doubt because the blonde shook her head. "Really, I'm fine."

"Yeah," Darcy murmured as she eyed the other woman. "I've seen your 'fine' before…and you're just as bad as he is."