Felicity walked into the self-defence class and took a seat at the back drawing her knees close as she watched the demonstration.

Oliver who was watching Diggle give the presentation while texting on his phone at the same time quickly spotted her. He didn't know what it was but he could feel her presence when she was in the room. However he had to remind himself of what Diggle told him he couldn't save someone who didn't want to be saved. Oliver put his phone away and paid attention to her, he noticed that she was struggling to breathe and he knew from the way she sitting and holding her frame that her ribs were not doubt hurting.

Oliver clenched his fists he hated this, he despised men who put their hands on women. He despised men who thought it was ok to be controlling and manipulative and to think it was ok to hurt a woman not just a woman anybody. Oliver wished he knew where she lived so he could show this man of hers exactly what it feels like to receive blow after blow. Oliver begun to think that maybe he needed to follow her home, find this man and go ten rounds with him, he was thinking of all the different ways he could torture the man the same way he had to the poor defenceless girl who sitting in his class.

As Diggle motioned that they would begin the activity in a few minutes and everybody needed to get into their positions and find a place Oliver decided it was time to talk to her.

Felicity pulled out her phone, it didn't have a SIM card but she used it to check the time and would hack into local Wi-Fi and use their internet. Oliver walked closer to her and before he could say anything he was staring down at her phone. Felicity immediately reacted locking her phone and shoving it in her pocket.

"Sorry I wasn't snooping ..."

"Well it kind of looked like snooping" she snapped back.

"Ok yeah I was totally snooping but hey that's what happens when you have a cute ... Son?" He raises his eyebrow having seen a small boy with dark blonde hair on her wallpaper.

Felicity bit her lips contemplating whether to tell him, "yeah my son" she put on another one of her fake smiles which Oliver saw straight through.

"He looks pretty old, not old as in ... What is he like 10" he chuckled awkwardly.

"He is 8 let me guess you're thinking damn she had a kid way too early and ..."

"Hey I wasn't thinking that"

"Well if you must know he isn't mine, I mean he is, he is mine it's on paper and everything and he is my real son before something thinks his not because they don't understand the difference because there is no difference but my brother and his girlfriend had him and when he was 3 years old they passed away in a car accident and I'm the legal guardian" she finally breathed and Oliver stopped swirling his head round trying to catch everything she was saying.

She purposely left out the part where she had hacked into federal courts and did up all the paperwork because she was only 20 at the time and they wouldn't have allowed her to raise Nicky until she was at least 21 and in a stable job.

"Wow that's very honourable" he smiled.

"Yeah so you know judge away and ..." She stops staring at him as he chuckles. "What?"

"You sure do like to talk" he looks at her directly in the eye with a grin.

Felicity cringes and picks up her bag, "sorry, sorry I didn't mean to talk ... Too much" and with that she is running out of the door.

Oliver stops dumbfounded at which just happened, he then found his feet moving going after her. Damn she was fast he thought as he chased all the way to the alleyway.

"Felicity stop, stop I'm so sorry I never meant it anyway but as a complement ... Hey stop please" he grabbed her elbow slowly causing her to stop and face.

"Sorry I shouldn't have overreacted, god I must look like the crazy person who comes in and leaves and the time and ..."

"Hey" he places a hand on her shoulder, "it's fine, look I don't know what kind of trouble you're in, ok let me hel..."

"I'm not in any kind of trouble I just what makes you think that I'm in trouble it's none of your..."

"Sorry I shouldn't have assumed"

"Look I think it's best that I don't come anymore besides I ..." She bites her lip and looks away and Oliver can see the healing of a split eyebrow. He winces and squeezes her shoulder.

"How about when you come round again ... I'll give you one to one classes, training, we can take it at your pace and ..."

"No" she begins to panic.

"Hey you're falling behind ok I'm not going to lie to you everything will be confusing you will be lost so let me do this let me help you ok private classes we can start from the beginning and once we learn self we can move on to some offensive moves" he grins as he notices the her eyes lighten when she hears him talk about offensive moves.

Oliver guides Felicity into one of the dance rooms which has several mirrors everywhere.

"Nice place you got" she says feeling slightly self-conscious because of all the mirrors.

"Yeah I brought the gym, like running self-defence and all the Tai-Kaunda etc etc and helping people with their workouts" he moves over to where the studio is and turns on the radio on low. "My parents wanted me to take over the family company"

"Queen Consolidated"

"Yeah" he smiles, "Just it's not me, doesn't make me happy"

"Well … it's good you're doing this for you, for standing up for what you want"

"And what do you want?"

Felicity freezes and looks at the small lines across his jaw that are barely visible, it had been a very long time since somebody had asked what she wanted. "Well I got a job at QC believe it or not in IT and …" she pauses licking her lips "denied it because I needed to be a full time mom, but I always wanted to run my own IT department"

"Couldn't you do both, QC has a children's centre and a nursery, your nephew …"

"Son" she says a little too loud.

"Sorry son, is old enough to go to school I'm sure if I talk to my dad you can get hours that fit into his schedule …"

"No, erm Nicky doesn't go to school he … I … he … I home school him" wow worst lie ever she thought. "Anyways if we are going to do this and by this I mean these classes we should start its already been 10 minutes so that leaves 20" she chuckles.

"We can do a 30 minute session from now" he says with no concern on his face what so ever.

"No I can't I … have plans" Oliver watches as she scratches her eyebrow and looks at him waiting or her next step.

"Ok" Oliver begins, "We will start from the beginning and you kind of missed the speech so, first thing to always remember is prevention. Remember your attacker is always on the lookout for someone unsuspecting, vulnerable" Oliver begins to walk side his face never leaving hers as he explains.

"Remember to always be aware of your surroundings walk and park in well-lit areas, avoid confrontation either by talking down your attacker or by handing over your wallet or purse or whatever it is they want" Oliver paused again studying her face.

Felicity heard hand over whatever it was they want to avoid confrontation and her mind raced to sex and making him food, keeping the house clean, fetching him his beer. She swallowed and then faced Oliver gesturing him to continue.

"Hand over your money rather than fight, nothing you own is worth more than your life or health"

Nicky she thought, she owned his so to speak he was worth her life and her health.

"As soon as your attacker touches you, you should shout loudly back off and push them back. This is because it signals for help and lets the attacker know you're not an easy target" Oliver stops in front of her his hands resting on his hips. "What would you say the most effective body parts are to hit?"

"The groin" she said quickly causing Oliver to chuckle.

"Yes, the groin, knee, chin just behind the ear, all sensitive areas, ok I'm going to show you a move if your attacker is close in front of you, you sue the heel pf your palm to strike his nose and throw your whole weight into the move and force him to loosen his grip and if he is behind you use your elbow"

For the next few minutes they practiced the move and Felicity felt herself relaxing into and actually soothing. Oliver had a way of making her feel comfortable and relaxed something she did not expect. She found herself babbling more and laughing and she had forgotten just how nice it was to feel free.

"Perfect" he said smiling at her.

"Thank you, erm I should probably go …" she points towards the door.

"Yeah and hey I'll see you tomorrow, tomorrow I'll show the eyes and the neck defence".

"Thank you" she said and turned on heels heading for the door. "Oliver" she turned. "Thank you, I … for the classes and … maybe once I catch up I can go the actually lessons because I can't pay you and …"

"Felicity, it's fine I want to help that's why the gym is here, that's why Digg and I crated the free self-defence classes if you ever need anything or you want to train or practice even if it's not in the situated time-sloth you can still come round and I will see you" he wanted to reassure her that this was a safe place and that she could always rely on him and the gym.

"Thank you" she whispers and turns and leaves and Oliver can swear he saw a tear fall down her cheek.


When Felicity got home she quickly arisen preparations for dinner. Floyd was sitting on the sofa watching the television whilst downing a bottle of whiskey. Whilst she waited for her pie to bake in the oven Floyd turned and gestured for her to join him in his lap. Felicity's mind played back to Oliver's speech and she decided that her life was worth her avoiding confrontation. Because of Nicky, she knew if it had just been her she would have left creating a new life for herself.

She straddled him and watched television, every time his hands rubbed up and down her body she cringed in disgust but she allowed it. Floyd reached into her tracksuits and down her panties his fingers finding her clit. She hadn't been turned on and she knew what was coming once his fingers went lower and deeper into her folds. Floyd stopped midway of kissing her collarbone when he noticed that she wasn't wet. Felicity closed her eyes knowing what was to come. He removed his hand and then pushed her off of him.

"You're not wet, what you don't find me hot enough, do you not want to fuck me" he yelled he gripped her jaw tightly "Do you think someone else will want to fuck you, do you think someone else will love you like I love you"

"Floyd" she whispered immediately regretting it as it only angered him.

"Did I tell you to talk" he screams as she shakes her head gently. Felicity watched as he removed his hands from her face and undid his belt. "You never listen".

Felicity pushes him "Back off" she yells. What had she done?

Floyd is frozen in place clearly confused as she had never done anything like that before. Felicity could see the darkness in his eyes, the anger that radiated off him, she watched as he took his belt off and she knew that she would be receiving a lash of two so she did the only thing she could think of.

Floyd walked towards her and Felicity flattened her palm to strike up his nose just like Oliver had shown her, just like she practiced. Floyd yelped in pain, his hands covering his nose, pulling his hands away he can see the blood.

He grabs her by the hair, she screams begging him to stop. "What the hell do you think that was? Am I the man or you" he paused her face inches from the wall. He pulls her hair tightly pulling her back and then bangs her head against the wall three times one more than the number she always passed out on.


Here we are enjoy …. Thank you for all the reviews. So excited for Arrow next week. Secret Origins of FS. :D