Chapter 03 – Donna's POV
"She's going to be alright, Donna." She heard Quentin's words.
Yet her heart was having doubts. She saw her daughter just before they brought her from the surgery. Felicity was looking pale and weak, as if she was dying.
Donna Smoak was never a weak woman. She never backed off from life. Yet now, she was afraid. She was afraid for her daughter. Will she survive? Even though she lived, will she survive the loved ones she lost? Her daughter was a widow now. And a mother who lost her child, even before learning about its' existence.
Her life was wrecked.
Her baby girl is strong. But will she survive this? Donna was not so much sure anymore.
"I'm really sorry Donna. I don't know what to do or tell in that matter. Sara had been drunk. She shouldn't have driven the car." Quentin was saying. Donna heard his words but they didn't make any impact. Her baby girl was hurt.
"Mrs. Smoak…"
The doctor, who assured her that Felicity will live after her surgery, came from her room. Donna got up from the chair she was residing since last two nights and walked to him.
"Doctor, how is my baby girl? Is she awake yet?" She asked him. She felt Quentin's presence next to her.
"Mrs. Smoak, your daughter is awake. But…" the doctor's voice intended trouble.
"What? Is she okay?" Quentin asked.
Doctor took another moment.
"Her surgery went well. She is awake. Apart from two broken ribs, possible concussion and some bruises she seemed to be okay when she was brought. But her left lung was punctured. We mended it but she will have to go through a long treatment and have to rest for at least two months." Doctor said, yet Donna felt like the worst was yet to come.
"And…" she waited.
"And, now that she is awake, we were able to take a diagnose about her head situation." The doctor looked straight into Donna's eyes.
"Mrs. Smoak. Your daughter is suffering from amnesia."
Donna didn't know what to say. She just stared at the doctor.
"She lost memory?" Quentin asked.
"Yes, she has completely lost her memory. She doesn't even remember her name, age or where she lives."
Donna felt like she was in a nightmare. Her baby losing her memory was a nightmare indeed.
"She doesn't remember me?" Donna asked the doctor in a strained voice.
"No, she doesn't remember anything or anyone. It's full amnesia."
"When will she be okay?" Donna asked again.
"We can't say for sure, Mrs. Smoak. It may take two days, weeks, months or years. There is a chance that she may never regain her memories. We will wait for a few days and see how she recovers. Then we can decide how to move on with her treatments. Don't lose hopes." The doctor patted Quentin's shoulder and left.
Doctor's words hit Donna like thunder bolts.
How could her baby lose all her memories? How could her little genius lose everything she held close to her heart?
How could fate be this cruel to her baby girl that she loses her husband, her child and her memories all the way at the same time?
How could this happen to her?
But, if she doesn't remember anything, that means she won't remember Ray or what she lost that night. She will not suffer from the pain of losing her family, because she doesn't remember them.
That should be a good thing. Isn't it?
Donna's mind worked fast.
She couldn't let her daughter suffer anymore. If she regains her memories she will be hurt.
"She should not get her memory back." Donna whispered to herself.
"What?" she forgot that Quentin was there. He was staring at her like he was seeing her for the first time.
"She should not get her memory back." She repeated.
"Donna..?"
"If she got her memory back she will suffer. Isn't it enough that she has already lost everything that mattered to her? Should she go through that again?" Donna asked him.
"I get what you are thinking, Donna. But if she ever regained her memory back wouldn't she be hurt? We can't stop her from getting her memory back, Donna."
"But, if she never regains her memory isn't it unfair that we hurt her with truth? Isn't it unfair that we force their deaths on her? Isn't it unfair that she should mourn for someone she doesn't even remember?"
Donna was not going to see her baby girl hurting again. She saw her going through that too much.
When her husband left her Donna saw how that hurt her daughter. Felicity was waiting for her father to return for months.
When finally she got over the fact that her dad will never come back, she accepted it with complete change of herself. She was not the vibrant bubbly girl anymore. She was not the fire filled child anymore. She withdrew from everything she loved, including Donna. It was her way of mourning for her loss. She had lost her dad.
Then she went to college and met Cooper. Donna again saw some of her fire back. Felicity had turned herself into a Goth. But she was more open. She was more active. It was as if finally she was letting go the pain she endured through her child hood. Donna was happy, more relieved. Even though Felicity was still reluctant to open her hands towards Donna at least she was opening up to someone.
Then Cooper died.
Donna didn't exactly know what happened. One day Felicity came home and ran straight into her arms. She cried for a long time without telling anything to Donna. She was at home for one week. Donna didn't ask her what happened. Then at one night Felicity told her that Cooper was dead. They both cried for loss holding each other.
Felicity went back to college after two weeks. This time she changed herself again. She dyed her hair blond. And she turned her wardrobe back to colors. She mourned for Cooper, yet she was not gloomy. She was taking things slowly.
After college Felicity went to Starling city. She got a job and met Ray. He was someone who could make her smile. Ray shared her enthusiasm for computers and technology, in which Donna completely failed. When Donna first met Ray, she was happy beyond limits that her little girl was having a life again. When Ray proposed Felicity, it was her that Felicity called first to tell.
She couldn't be with Felicity for most of her engaged time, but their relationship had took a turn. They were no more strangers to each other. When Donna moved to starling city and started dating Quentin it was Felicity who supported her.
After Felicity's marriage, they moved to Coast city. Ray had started a new company there. Donna visited them often and sometimes they visited Donna in Starling city.
Their lives were perfect.
Like fairytale perfect.
Now her baby girl had lost everything and Donna couldn't let her go through that pain again.
She deserved more than that from life.
"Can I talk to you for a minute?" Donna came back from her painful memories to see a petite brunette staring at her expectantly.
Thea Queen.
She knew Thea Queen. Everyone in Starling city knew her. The last Queen woman alive. One of the two Queen heirs who built back the Queen Legacy from rubbles. Sister of Oliver Queen.
Donna knew that Felicity knew Thea. Felicity knew Oliver Queen. He was a friend of her once. She remembered that her daughter talked about him very fondly over the phone when she chatted with her. Then something happened and Felicity stopped talking about him altogether. She didn't like even mentioning his name.
Donna has met him once. He felt as a good man to her.
Donna even suspected that he was in love with Felicity that time, and when she mentioned it to her daughter later she had brushed that off saying it's unthinkable even.
Quentin said that it was his car which crashed Felicity's mini cooper. He was injured as well.
That explains Thea's presence in the hospital.
"Um… Donna.. Can I talk to you for a minute?" Thea asked again.
"Yeah. Come Thea, sit here."
Donna suddenly felt pity for the young girl. She had lost her parents at young age. Then their family company collapsed. She and her brother have worked so hard to bring it back to its glory. Now her brother is injured and in a hospital. She figured that Thea Queen must hate hospitals.
The girl sat beside Donna.
"I'm really sorry for Ray and your grandchild, Donna." Thea whispered. Donna nodded in acknowledgement.
They sat there silently for a few moments.
"How is Felicity?" it was Thea who broke the silence.
Quentin stood from his seat and came towards them. Donna looked at him.
"I'm going to the café down there. Do you need anything to eat or drink?" he asked. Donna shook her head in refusal. Quentin looked at Thea questioningly.
"I'm fine. Thank you." Thea replied.
After Quentin disappeared from the door at the corner of the corridor, Donna sighed.
"Felicity awoke just a few minutes ago. But doctors are still keeping her sedate. They say she has amnesia." Donna's voice broke at the last words.
Thea's eyes widened at her words.
"She has lost her memory. She doesn't remember her name, her family or anything else for that matter. Sad thing is that I don't know whether it is a good thing or not, she forgetting us, forgetting what she lost." Donna continued.
"I… I don't know what to say." Finally Thea said.
"Me neither, sweety." Donna returned.
They waited for another few minutes.
"How is Oliver?" Donna suddenly remembered that her daughter is not the only one who was injured.
"He kept surfacing and losing it. But he awoke and talked with us nearly an hour ago. His leg is broken. There are a few bruised ribs and a mild concussion. He had lost so much blood. But, he is stable now."
Thea replied.
"Sara has gone to a coma." Donna supplied.
"Ollie kept asking about Felicity. He is utterly miserable. I feel like it is unfortunate that he hadn't lost his memory. I know it is selfish of me to ask you this Donna, after Felicity's state. But, please don't hate my brother. He never intended to hurt her. He will die before hurting her intentionally."
"They were friends." Donna said.
"He loved her." Thea returned.
Donna looked at Thea, surprise evident in her eyes.
"He still loves her. He never stopped loving her. That's why this is too hard for him." Thea said.
Donna didn't know what to say. She was silently processing what she heard. So that's why Felicity was so nervous when she mentioned Oliver. Did she have any feelings about him too? Donna didn't know.
"We have to think about what to do next." Thea said.
"Felicity needs to rest for at least for two months. Doctor said so. I'm thinking about taking her back to Vegas. I don't think it would be good for her to be here or in Coast city. She doesn't remember anything. It feels like a blessing considering what she has to face here. Media and reporters won't let her live in peace here."
Donna said.
"If there is anything we could do…" Thea supplied.
"I don't think so, Thea. I have to arrange things here too. I can't exactly leave Quentin when Sara is in a coma stage. We called Laurel. She is on the way. I have to discuss this with Quentin and Laurel and then arrange our leave." Donna said.
"Umm.. Donna, That's what I came here to talk you about. I talked with Laurel and Sara's doctors. We are taking her to Russia, for further treatments. If you like you and Felicity can join us. There are good medical facilities. And it will be easy for Captain Lance if you are there with Sara. A change of surrounding will be good for Felicity too. John and Ollie too will be going. Ollie also needs a few weeks to be able to walk again." Thea said.
Donna thought for a bit.
"I don't know Thea. Thank you for your offer though. I have to talk with Felicity's doctors and our family first. And do you think it will be okay for Oliver if Felicity was there?" Donna asked.
"He will be happy to do anything if it helps Felicity to heal quickly. Honestly I think both of them need time away from media and business. It won't be easy for them to recover when reporters are following and sniffing for news around them constantly."
"You are right. I will think about it, Thea." Donna said.
"Thank you Donna. I'll leave you to it then. Please consider it carefully." Thea said as she rose to leave.
"I will, dear."
Donna watched the little brunette leaving. Thea had a point. The media won't leave Felicity alone. They will try to make this a full tragedy.
And she thought about Thea's reveal that Oliver loved Felicity. if media got even a hunch about this they will turn it to a bloody mess. She couldn't let that happen. She has to take her baby girl away. And it would be better if it's a place where nobody knows her. she will be left in peace.
She will see her baby once they let her go to her and then decide whether to accept Thea's offer or not.