AN/ Thank you for all the continued love and support for this story. Note that time has passed in this chapter if you get confused.
It feels like they've been building to this moment for months and months, maybe even since they've met. It was by no means surprising but Felicity still felt terribly off guard when he went to kiss her for the first time. She'd had moments to change the atmosphere but she didn't feel the fear until he was breathing on her face. The scar on her neck tingled and she turned away from him, curling in on herself. When Felicity looked up all she could see was Oliver's hurt and confusion, he was being open, he'd been vulnerable and she'd rejected him.
Without even thinking she started speaking, he was pulling away, his walls were reappearing but she clutched his forearm tightly her own eyes wide.
"The last person who kissed me almost killed me," she said in a rush of words trying to somehow explain her unmentioned reaction. She pulled down the side of her shirt when his eyes twitched in emotion; they darkened as he spotted the familiar scar that peaked out of her clothes. It taunted him with the story he did not know. Like the scars she had yet to see and map with her own eyes on his body, he thought he knew every scar on her body.
He hoped he would someday. Felicity was, is colour to Oliver.
It was the only way he could describe it.
It was the only way to describe how twisted he felt when she was with him, when they touched, when she laughed. He felt like he was going to explode in the best possible way, like a firework, except he wasn't terrified like he was of those loud explosions.
She made him feel brave and strong…important.
Her Oliver.
He was someone beside a solider when he was with her, not his father's son, and a warrior. Not when she still tried to scare him even when he'd heard her creeping halfway down a hall. He let her jump onto his back anyway, she knew he could kill her but she laughed. Sometimes she'd cover his eyes and ask; 'guess who?' and sometimes she made it her mission to take him down with her in her jump.
She never did.
He still smiled.
He couldn't stop smiling though.
He didn't want to, but he wanted, no needed more. He couldn't watch anymore, not when he could have her. If he just had her…maybe the pressure would subside in his chest, maybe he could be…happy. Even in his life.
He wanted that, he wanted this, more than anything.
When she pulled away he felt something shatter in him he wasn't sure was still lingering around in his weary body. Hope maybe. But she wanted him, she wouldn't have reached for him, told him about her scar if she didn't but she wasn't ready.
They hadn't talked about relationships.
But this didn't seem like what she meant.
She was talking about an even more taboo subject; she was talking about the island. It was the only timeline that made sense with the scaring. It filled him with anger, but she was as fragile as the day he found her as she stared at him, like he'd been only moments ago with her. He took a deep breath instead as he chose his words with precision, not wanting to stuff them up.
He didn't speak at first, his silence said more though. Oliver leant forward to delicately trace the scar on her left side where her shoulder met her neck instead. Her breath hitched and she shuddered slightly her eyes shut tight. He waited for her to look at him and he rubbed the healing flesh lightly with his thumb as his blue eyes pierced her own.
"I shall wait to garner your trust then," he murmured not asking for any more.
It was a promise though.
Inevitability
That he would wait. She grinned at him slowly and he felt her colour wash over him again, like a calming wave and he bent further forward to rest his forehead against hers, he breathed deeply. He needed to touch her even if he couldn't have her yet.
It was enough.
And when he kissed her for the first time that scar was the first place he kissed.
-0-
"The bloody thing won't stop beeping," he muttered pushing random buttons on one of Felicity's techy phone things she'd made. It had been on her back in Starling when he'd knocked her out in the warehouse. She knew he had it but had yet to ask for it back, it was now driving him crazy and of course all the messages were in some kind of code. Damn Felicity.
He wanted to give it back, an olive branch of sorts. He was trying, trying to understand her pain and why she was so angry with him. Trying to be better, for her to look at him again like she used to but he was naturally suspicious and paranoid. It was a work hazard, so he was reluctant to give Felicity back her phone. But cutting off all her communication options seemed kind of controlling, even for him…He'd already taken her back to Nanda Parbat.
But in the end it was the noise that did him in.
She caught it easily when he threw it at her and smirked, "I was wondering when you'd cave, I've been hearing it for days." He glared at her realising he'd been played but was happy she was talking to him.
He sighed sitting on the side of the bed a foot away from her; he hoped she wouldn't move to spite him. He needn't worry though as her eyes scanned the electronic brick quickly typing furiously, then her lip went into her teeth.
That was never good, he frowned and waited for her to speak, but she didn't. It was odd when she'd normally tell him everything, asking his opinion. They just sat there in tense silence, both lost to their own thoughts. Felicity rubbed her belly absently in thought, it had begun rounding over the last two month's to his joy not that she ever let him get close enough to it. Well apart from the other night.
He'd been frowning at her from beside the bed as she sat up absently touching and watching her bump with unbreakable concentration. She'd given up trying to sleep in another room after the dinner with his father, she'd been wary of someone hurting her. Oliver wasn't sure it was warranted but was happy all the same. He'd never let anyone touch her or their baby and that was why she was still here, even though she was mad she still trusted him to keep them safe.
But she still wouldn't let him touch her; still barely talked to him. It was a civil but painful process as he tried to win back her affections. It wasn't going all that well honestly; he longed to be able to touch her stomach. To feel how it felt, was it firmer? Did she feel movement? She sometimes looked uncomfortable.
"Come here," she suddenly called out and he felt his feet move automatically but wearily. He sat on the bed and she motioned him closer grabbing his hand, he was silent not wanting to stop what she was doing.
"Here," she muttered, "It's yours to." She said in lieu of an answer for her actions. He grinned uncharacteristically wide as he moved his hand slightly. She let go of it, leaving him to his perusal, slightly uncomfortable by the scenario. But Oliver could see her soften a bit by his marvelling face as he lied beside her stomach stroking it in patterns. When she didn't tell him to move he began to talk quietly to her stomach, whispering mostly in Arabic, he didn't remember falling asleep.
She'd been actively avoiding him until now after that night. He had no idea what to make of it which only made him more frustrated and confused by his non progress.
"What is it?" he asked surprisingly softly without demand.
"Its Sarah," she replied shortly he stiffened.
"She needs me." She continued either ignoring his reaction or not seeing it.
"You're pregnant." He said immediately.
"I have noticed that Oliver." She was caught between irritation and amusement by his typical blunt statement.
"Good, so you see running into her trouble isn't feasible." Oliver told her nodding to himself like they just had a much larger conversation with more words and affirmations than they did.
"She's my best friend" Felicity told him watching him revert back to himself.
"You have friends here." He told her suddenly making eye contact that she held firmly from her spot on the bed, his eyes burned hot and angry… God she missed sex, this baby was making her crazy. The fact that Oliver came in every other night sweaty and allergic to shirts didn't help her either.
Her anger burned hotter though, it always did now, especially after the island, she could always see the bigger picture. She made herself, emotions got you killed. Except Oliver was….Oliver, he'd always been an anomaly. Her anomaly, he'd saved her to, made her feel human.
"It doesn't work that way Oliver." She said with a tired sigh, he was closer now passing beside her bed side.
"Not with her, I know" He looked away, his jaw locked and she knew he was thinking of that fight a year or two ago. The last time they fought over Sara.
"I don't hate your friends." Felicity said kindly not pointing out that all of his friends were assassins or his sister.
"I don't hate her that would require investment." Oliver told her with icy words and she held back rolling her eyes at his obviously forced apathy.
She huffed, "you've never liked her, even before you met her." she pointed out and Oliver nodded reluctantly because…well that was very true.
-0-
He gets there on a Tuesday, already fraught with anxiety. He hadn't left Felicity since he'd found her again, he wasn't worried per say… but he was, he was always worried about her and he'd done …things to be able to come back to Starling.
Promised things Felicity hadn't been ready for. Not now at least. All he could see was the disappointment and resignation in her eyes followed by acceptance. She told him he'd manipulated her again, Oliver preferred to look at it as seizing an opportunity. Felicity wouldn't put the baby in danger by going herself so she was left with little options but to agree.
She'd grudgingly told him not to die when he'd left. He was annoyed when she'd told him then that under no circumstances was he to kill any of her friends or family though.
"Or their friends, or their f…in fact don't kill anyone Sara's working on a new policy there, no…arrowing. Or any of the other 100 ways you know how to kill someone." She told him with an aggressive chest poke.
"Well someone's dying…and It's more like 200." He'd grinned watching her fight her lips as he left. It wasn't quite the goodbye kiss he'd wanted but it was enough.
"I called Felicity not you," she growled as Oliver fell to his feet with a scowl his hood up, he'd taken eight reinforcements and none of them were Felicity.
"I'm sorry but who are the men in black?" Someone cleared their throat anxiously. "Sorry… and woman-EN?" A scrawny kid amended nervously. He was their tech; Oliver tilted his head stepping forward to announce himself to the rest of her team.
"I am Al Sah Him heir to the demon," he declared firmly and the scrawny kid straightened with hardened eyes.
"Barry Allen, MIT, class of 2010." His lips twitched, he reminded Oliver very much of Felicity.
"My Felicity went to MIT," he told Barry who blinked in recognition of his connection to them and then frowned, less friendly like.
"Oh you're that guy." He muttered bitterly.
Oliver blinked and turned back to Sarah who was still fuming as a large man, introduced as Diggle tried to calm her. All assassins flinched when they heard two pairs of feet thundering down the stairs. Oliver recognised the girl after a moment as the crying girl from the warehouse, he internally sighed, great; this was going well.
"YOU!" she shouted.
He had to act a certain way in front of his men but didn't want to have an aggressive encounter with Felicity's sister again. He told his soldier's firmly in Arabic to wait at their safe-house for further instructions. They left immediately scattering out and disappearing before them.
The tiny girl barrelled right to him barely being caught by the young man with her around the middle before she reached his still form. "He's the one who took her! Why are you all just standing there?" she shouted trying to get out of the boys grip.
Oliver stood stoically ignoring be he turned to Sara "Felicity received your message," she frowned.
"Then why isn't she here?" she snapped and he clenched his teeth, these people were impossible.
"She isn't able to leave the compound as of present." He said unyielding and Sara and Thea scoffed in unison. "I am here because she asked this of me, not out of obligation." He told her flatly trying to count down in his head like Felicity once taught him to after he'd vetoed her stress ball idea.
"I don't like you either Al Sa- what was it again?"
Oliver ignored Sara's taunt reaching inside his jacket pocket. Diggle and Sara moved for their weapons and he moved slower catching their eyes as he pulled out two letters.
"These are for you," he held an envelope out for Sara who snatched it before turning to Thea expecting the same reaction. "And you," she took the envelope gingerly though and quietly moved away.
Sarah read hers fiercely quick, she smiled at some points and then openly gaped at him once she reached the end. "You son of a bitch!" she lunged and Diggle held her back, Oliver didn't move a muscle having expected her reaction to what would have been Felicity's pregnancy.
"What? What's wrong?" Barry asked warily getting to his feet and moving towards Sara.
"She's pregnant! That's why she's not here!" she spat. Both men froze and Diggle released her. She stopped and thought for a moment putting the pieces together, "That's why she was going to stay with us! She always said she'd go back with you, no matter whatI said. That she didn't belong here then suddenly she wanted to stay. She liked it here, she was good here." It was unclear if Sara was just talking to herself now.
"Felicity is always good, no matter where she is." Oliver told her calmly.
"What in your team of assassins?" Sara asked snarkily sarcastic as she ignored the warning look her partner was giving her. The one who Oliver had deduced upon arrival had substantial military training.
"I don't care if she's an assassin," Thea said suddenly approaching him again with wide eyes. She hadn't opened her letter, "I'll still love her, I do still, I will, please give her back." He remained stoic as he appraised her silently. Oliver knew her pain, he loved Felicity and he couldn't imagine losing her. But he had Felicity now; he wasn't going to let her make him feel bad about it. She'd already caused enough problems between him and Felicity.
"Felicity is where she belongs. With family, I'm only here to-" Oliver began hoping to get back on course and see where they were at with their mission.
"She's MY family!" she shouted hysterically after he'd said the word and his eyes narrowed harshly in response.
"No she's mine and she's been mine for six years now. We would be fine if she didn't come back for you, you're nothing but a distraction. Someone she cries about sporadically, in a memory, when she sees yellow flowers or hears that song about the mountains, like your dead." Oliver spoke looking directly into her eyes, his eyes and voice piercing right through her, his words cutting; he saw it all there in her eyes. She was like an open book, like Felicity. He shook his head slightly to put the same wide eyes out of his mind; they were different in colour but not intent.
"I was dead." The blonde archer supplied dryly and he was thankful to direct his malice somewhere that wouldn't get him in trouble... Well less trouble.
"You should have stayed that way." He told her easily. Okay he wasn't trying all that hard but it wasn't like Felicity was here.
"Why are you here? I understand she wouldn't come to jeopardise her baby but why would you agree to…? If you hate us so much?" The blonde pressed opening and closing her fist, it was vaguely reminiscent of the action he used to mimic his bow.
"Felicity loves you," he told her without emotion, as if that explained everything. He looked from her to Thea who'd moved away to be consoled by the teenage boy in the red hooded jumper.
"I also relish in the opportunity to kill the man that hurt her." he told Sara with a steely gaze.
She looked surprised at that, "she told you about Slade?" it was almost a whisper and Oliver regarded the girls physical change upon hearing the information. It had somewhat validated his connection with Felicity to her as her eyes moved further away, lost how Felicity's sometimes went.
"Yes." Was all he allowed firmly and Sara eyed him suspiciously at his non elaboration.
"Where are you with this..Mirucle?" He asked rerouting the conversation.
"Mirukuru," Barry supplied and Oliver nodded in affirmation ignoring the strange look Sara was giving him as Barry started to prattle on their position.
"Will I need this cure to be able to kill him?" he asked Barry candidly his face pensive as he took in the information. The boy's face twisted looking to Sara, "we're not-"
"We're not killing Slade," Sara told him firmly and he repressed an eye roll, another Felicity habit especially as of late where she mainly hummed at his questions and when she demanded he make her a sandwich last week at two in the morning.
"That's the only reason I'm here." He told her point blank.
"Fe-"
"I just need his head; you can keep the rest of him." Oliver supplied in what he thought was a negotiation.
"Dear lord," Diggle muttered with a sigh followed by a; "I don't even want to know."
"We don't kill people here," Sara told him firmly.
"Do you require my assistance or not?" He said sharply as she sneered ready to tell him to go to hell when Diggle clasped her shoulder and gave her a beseeching look.
"We're NOT doing that Digg he's clearly insane. My best friend who insisted we let the spiders go when we caught them in the garden is shacked up with a murdering psychopath and is having his baby!" Sara whispered harshly.
"We're engaged now actually, it's why I need the head." Oliver explained but they still just stared at him. Sara had called Felicity for backup; she needed trained muscle not her crazy not boyfriend.
"Also I'm not a psychopath. I just kill people for a living." He corrected as an afterthought.
"Why don't we just put that on the backburner for now?" Barry suggested with twisted lips and a waned smile to which Sara scowled at.
"Decapitation is NOT something we negotiate Barry."
-0-
"You want to what?" Felicity stuttered confused, "repeat that sentence."
"You want to help your friends and I can't go to Starling without consent again, especially now." Oliver explained as he paced in front of the couch she was currently lying on, she kept moving though uncomfortably. Her stomach was really starting to be there to Oliver's delight and her fear. She couldn't stop worrying about Ra's and his looks. She worried she wouldn't be able to defend herself, she also worried she couldn't if Oliver left.
But she needed to save her friends to. If Slade was back he'd be out for blood, Sara's, probably hers if he knew where she was, maybe even her families to…
She sighed tiredly, "yes I got that, I'd like for you to explain Oliver, why it is you need to cut off the man's head? He's not a vampire." She added and Oliver blinked without understanding like he always did with pop culture before he moved on.
He faced her blankly, "besides what he did to you?" she flinched at that, barely but he still saw it. He tried to still himself and be more tactful before he spoke again, and then he sighed stalling.
"Because I have an idea." He looked at her seriously and she frowned.
"Well you haven't looked at me like that since we were arguing in Starling city, I'm gonna go ahead and vote 'no' to whatever it is your planning." Felicity told him flatly with a glare.
"You don't even know what the plan is," he argued.
"Well? Is it as stupid as the last one?" she goaded not backing down from his stare.
"Marrying me wouldn't be stupid." Oliver said it like he wasn't even aware it was coming out of his mouth.
Felicity blinked sitting straight up in surprise at his answer as she grit out an incredulous "Debatable….ow." she touched the back of her palm to her head, she'd moved to fast.
Oliver was on her in seconds, "are you alright? What happened? Is it the baby?" he touched her face, her shoulders and cradled her head before she shook him off.
"I'm fine, we're fine. And by that I mean me and the baby, you're out of your damn mind." She told him through narrowed eyes as she cradled her stomach. "Especially if you're idea of a marriage proposal is bringing me someone's head." She hissed and he sat back on his heels from where he'd kneeled before her.
"In league tradition I may bring my betrothed the head of their enemy as a token of good will. That way, I can go help your friends in Starling city and be granted permission to take people with me." Oliver explained quietly his hands itching to rest on her knees as she sat in front of him.
"There wouldn't even be a ring?" she asked stuck in her own head as she looked past him, his plan was ridiculous.
"Are you saying yes?" his lips twitched as he caught her swinging foot coming to kick him in his hand, he could get her a ring. It wasn't traditional but… "You didn't even ask me anything and I don't know if you've noticed Oliver but I'm still kind of completely mad at you." Her fiery eyes turned to him and he sighed still holding her foot, he stared at the slightly swollen flesh with a soft smile despite his tight chest.
He'd imagine spending his whole life with her for years, but never like this.
"I know," he began quietly, "I just don't know how else to help you."
"You do Oliver, you just don't want to." Felicity told him sadly pulling her foot from his grasp to tuck them under her legs. He sat in front of her silently on the ground until she'd finished reading and eventually fallen asleep against the arm of the couch.
-0-
He returned to her on a Thursday.
Where there was a god damn ritual about to take place where people were going to see him give her the damn head. Felicity wasn't so sure she wouldn't throw up at the sight of dead person despite how good her morning sickness had been lately.
She stood with a chipper Ra's and members of the league. She was dressed in a ceremonial robe; if that wasn't an omen she didn't know what was. Probably how content Ra's looked. Felicity couldn't figure him out, he didn't like this, them, her, she knew that so why was he-?
"Are you excited my dear?" Ra's asked her getting her attention with a raised brow.
She grit her teeth and hoped it was more smile than grimace. Ra's thought they had fully reconciled, she wasn't sure whether he actually bought that but the charade was important to her protection.
"Oh yeah, definitely, this is all super romantic."
Well she hadn't to say it like that; stupid filter was still broken after all these years.
Ra's let out a short genuine laugh, "yes well I did warn you my son was quite the traditionalist. I knew it wouldn't be long before he'd made you his permanently. Don't worry dear we will find some robes to fit you."
Felicity mentally pictured stabbing every inch of his skin and dipping him in battery acid as she nodded again with her own forced amusement. He should not be poking the pregnant bear right now no matter who he was.
"Ah look they've arrived." Ra's stood taller, stepping forward when Oliver's party approached parting the sea of members. The party all knelled before him on the open stone as he addressed the league.
Before she knew it Oliver was presenting her a large ornate box. Oh god this was really happening...
She was NOT opening that, her stomach was already rolling. She made eye contact with Oliver to tell him just that with her eyes. He looked apologetic as he opened the box and she tried very hard not to recoil, the smell alone…He snapped it shut quickly and she grimaced through another smile, Oliver eyed her wearily before he continued on with his required speech. She didn't blame him; he got up close and personal with her morning sickness just last month.
She'd bolted from their bed and barely made it to the bathroom before she was heaving slumped over the sink. Oliver, the super ninja had thought someone was attacking them briefly before he stumbled in after her. He blinked sleepily at the situation getting his bearings.
She was about to weakly tell him to go away, or maybe shout something dramatic like 'you did this to me' but she felt another wave and turned back to the sink. Felicity felt his familiar hands run through her hair pulling it off her face, soothing circles on her back when she whimpered from more nausea. She hadn't been nauseous too much during her pregnancy and was feeling dizzy and a sharp pain to her head from its unexpected force. He kept his hands on her as she continued to get sick again, rubbing his hand constantly on her back and holding her hair in another fist, managing to sooth her scalp in the process.
He quietly asked her if she thought she was finished ten minutes and a false heave later. She only managed to nod weakly and accept his arms as he lifted her to the counter. Oliver had then wordlessly wiped her face with a wash cloth and rummaged for her tooth brush. He asked her if she would fall and then left silently when she grumbled a 'no' leaning on the wall to her left before she could stomach brushing her teeth.
Felicity remembered sluggishly going through the motions before Oliver presented her with a glass of water that she drank and spat from. He filled it again and urged her to drink more.
"No," she muttered her eyes scrunched up, still in pain.
"You have to drink Habeeb." He told her nudging the glass at her again.
Her eyes flew open at his words and they both paused staring at each other, remembering the same moment when they had met. It was the exact same words. Her eyes filled with tears without her permission and she slid off the counter avoiding his gaze as she took the water from his grasp. She muttered to herself about pregnancy hormones before she composed herself to speak again.
"I'll drink it," she told him quietly as she slowly moved past him out the door. Oliver remembered hiding in the bathroom for twenty minutes so he wouldn't hear her crying.
-0-
After Oliver said the most unromantic words one could hear after being offered a head instead of an engagement ring and Ra's said his piece it was time for her to make a formal acceptance. Felicity said the required words that she had memorised; telling herself it was what was best for now. Ra's wouldn't kill her if she became the heir's bride, even though Oliver denied his worries they both knew why he'd pushed for this and why she had accepted. Felicity zoned out afterward, did they really need an audience for this super weird thing?
She realised it then. The room they were in was different than normal, Ra's expression. She caught Talia's eye then but she looked away from her. Felicity's stomach dropped and she placed her hands protectively on her bump. She assessed the room again, more, like how Oliver taught her to…What was missing? What was wrong? What was happening?
Ra's eyes caught hers as he began to talk about her offering to her betrothed.
It clicked to her before it did to Oliver.
Felicity's arms were seized by the closest members, Ra's favourites before she could react.
Her offering would be to be Oliver's completely; she saw the recognition in Oliver's eyes as soon as Ra's said, "to bare his mark." The mark she used to trace so many times before she fell asleep, kissing the old raised flesh softly.
She was going to be branded with Oliver's arrow.