He watched her until she was completely out of his view and then continued to wait to give her enough time. Despite her wearing men's clothes, her walk was still distinctly Felicity-like. He studied her most of the time, as he did most of the people he cared deeply about. Oliver feared for her, along with his mother and sister. After his mother shooting him the year before, Oliver no longer worried as much about his mother, and Roy had been thoroughly vetted. He knew the reckless youth would be able to protect his little sister. It was Felicity he worried for most. She knew the truth, the secret behind the hood and she had no one else other than Oliver and Diggle.

She had to remain safe at all costs and if these home invaders wanted the Queen Heir for their games then he should be able to convince them that Felicity was not even in the house anymore.

"Looking for me, guys?" He stepped around the corner and spread his arms wide, plastering the fake, large smile he reserved for moments like this. From the overheard conversation, Oliver had decided that these men were not here for The Vigilante, The Hood, or The Arrow; they were here for the Queen family. And so he presented himself, the plain and basic Oliver Queen, not entirely dependable, or entirely always on time, but incredibly loyal, no special powers, no talents or gifts other than the ability to party all night and still look good the next day.

Sitting around the large family dining table were his mother, bound and gagged, Thea next to her also bound and gagged. Both were conscious and looked at him with abject fear. Oliver still did a double take whenever his mother looked at him like that, after he saw her shoot him as The Vigilante. How could she have been so incredibly strong in the face of an enemy with such a killer track record as he, but then have such care, fear and compassion for her son? Perhaps his ability to have two personas within him came from Moira Queen.

"Mr Queen," the guy seemingly in charge greeted him. He wore a mask, a plastic, cheap mask that was supposed to look like a previous President; Oliver thought it was nothing compared to his new Barry Allen created mask. "Well, we have a full house now. Please, sit." Gesturing to a chair for Oliver, he then nodded at one of the other henchmen who approached with some rope.

"Is that really needed?" Oliver smiled. "Contrary to popular belief, I'm not so much into the bondage scene, guys."

Moira and Thea both rolled their eyes as the henchman pulled the ropes around Oliver's wrists behind the chair even tighter. Oliver faked a wince; he had been hurt far worse in the past and he had to give the impression that he was just a guy. Glancing to his left, Oliver saw Diggle slumped forward, unconscious and tied to the chair. There was no sign of the rest of their staff.

"That's alright, we'll save the bondage for this one." A fourth home invader entered the room from the opposite door by which Oliver had entered. He had Felicity by the upper arm, gripping her tightly through Oliver's shirt and she had a painful wince on her face.

Oliver pulled his arms, pulling at the rope restraining his wrists to see how much give they had. She was supposed to be safe. Flashbacks of her at Queen Consolidated, the Count holding a gun to her head, ran through his mind. He had killed for her. He had broken his promise to Tommy for her. He would do it again, for all of the people in the room currently. There was not much give in the ropes, but enough if the time truly called for it.

"Shall I put her with the other staff?" He pushed Felicity forward harshly and she winced again.

"Does she look like staff to you?" The masked man asked as he walked around to Felicity. "Wet hair," he glanced over at Oliver and chuckled slightly, "Men's clothing and a damp top." He stroked her chest, slightly above her breasts, but on the dampness caused by Felicity's wet bra. Felicity flinched away from his touch, the henchmen all chuckled, too, and Oliver visibly squirmed and his muscles tensed. The masked man noted his reaction. "Yep, this pretty little thing isn't staff. She's sleeping with a player."

Felicity was not going to like that, Oliver knew and he would probably have to answer for it all later.

"Tie her to the chair," be commanded as one henchman did. "Remove the other pretty ladies' gags. It's game time."

ARROW-HOOD-QUEEN

Felicity had been sneaking up the stairs as stealthy as possible when she had come face to face with an ugly looking masked man who smiled as soon as he saw her. There had only been two options for her: try and get passed him or turn and try and out run him down the stairs. Neither option seemed like an option so she had given in and simply held her hands up. She felt foolish being tied up in a chair next to Oliver; he had taught her better than that. He had taught her some basic self-defence, was still training her, but he had sent her back to be safe and now she was just another victim. Just like when the Count had taken her. She had questioned her allegiance to Oliver that night. The Count had only preyed on her because of Oliver The Arrow. But then The Arrow had killed for her. At first guilt had consumed her over Oliver's actions, but then Felicity had grown to realise that she could not walk away from either Oliver or The Arrow. Not even for Barry.

Oliver looked at her once the men turned their attention to ungagging the other women and his eyes asked her if she was okay. She gave a small smile. She was not hurt just embarrassed and a bit scared. She trusted Oliver with her life, one hundred percent, but there were two other women present that Oliver cared for far more. Closing her eyes, Felicity bowed her head; she was the least valuable person in the room, the most expendable and last on everyone's list. She doubted that Mrs Queen and Thea even knew who she was.

"Now, apologies," the gang leader said looking at Felicity. "I've been told how to play this game with the Queens. The bodyguard here is out cold, I was instructed that he did not need to play. I can let you join him, but you might prove more useful as a piece in the game. An expendable piece." He moved to the head of the table, in between Felicity and Moira who sat opposite. "Actually, I'll reveal a little secret rule. I've been ordered to not harm, in a lasting way, any Queen, but you," he looked at Felicity again, "You, I have no such rules for." He stroked her face, the cheek nearest him and Felicity tried to flinch away, but the ropes prevented her from moving far enough.

"Leave her alone," Oliver growled as Felicity wished once more that day that people would stop believing her to be his girlfriend. He fought against his restraints, but did not manage to get free and Felicity wondered whether it was out of choice right now.

"Cool it, billionaire heir. I can't do anything yet, the game hasn't even started!" He moved away from Felicity, who began breathing normally again, and looked at the entire table.

"What do you want?" Mrs Moira Queen asked in a cool and collected tone. Her ability to stay cool in any situation still surprised Felicity despite the fact that she had seen Mrs Queen be exactly the same throughout her trial that had been clearly leading to her death. Mama Queen seemed to have some of Oliver's ability to walk away from everything g unscathed.

"First question, where's daddy?"

"Dead," Mrs Queen answered with a hard face and voice.

"Where is he?"

"The bottom of the ocean," Oliver answered.

"Wrong!" The masked man said gleefully and cracked Felicity around the jaw with back of his hand. She felt the splintering pain before she could even begin to register what had actually happened. Her scream came a millisecond after, Oliver's curse a second after that and finally Moira's wince and Thea's sob. "I'll ask again: Where's Daddy?"

No one answered and Felicity never saw the movement that caused her pain. She felt the shock and pressure rattle in her wrists as her world turned upside down and her head snapped backwards, hitting something rock solid and hard. Her vision blurred, but she heard a whispering voice as everything went distantly quiet and then silent.

"Stay down."

It was Oliver and she had no choice as she passed out.