Her journey south had been amazing. She had never traveled this far by car. The feelling of total freedom was exhilarating. She always thought she wasn't that kind of free spirit but now she wasn't sure. Driving without time constraints was a wonderful experience.
She had considered a lot of places to settle in along the way but Coast City was winning her over. The nice weather, the sea breeze. She was sitting on the sand watching the waves and there was peace, she longed for peace.
There were some companies based there that would appreciate a good IT expert and there were direct flights out of the US with less rigid border controls, just in case.
Money was low, even with the boost she had given it with the Casino earnings. Travelling by car was not as cheap as she expected.
And she thought to herself that, all things considered, it was the time and the place to stop and get settled.
The real state agent was a very nice lady named Danielle. She understood Felicity's need for privacy. "You know they are always looking for beautifull girls". Felicity didn't quite get who were the "they" she was speaking of but she went with it, she just needed privacy and, if at all possible, not far from the beach.
Danielle had just the thing, a small cottage house in need of a little work but with living possibilities, right by the beach a bit isolated. On the downside a lot of work was needed and she had to drive to town everytime she needed supplies.
While visiting the cottage, more like a shack really, Felicity thought both constraints a plus. For one it would keep her occupied, would allow her to implement all the security features she deem necessary without raise too much gossip and it was definitely secluded enough and poor enough not to draw any attention to it.
Danielle was truly very pleased when Felicity decided to take it, and not the usual real estate agent way but more of a relief way, which was a sign that she had the cottage on the market for a long time and no one wanted it.
Immediately she was busy making the cottage her home and making it safe and secure; she typed her resumé and managed to register it on the local employment office. The employment office lady was sure she would get work fast, which was good for money was becoming scarce. The lady was right, by the next day she had an interview schedule for Ferris Airlines.
And before she knew it she was working. The schedule was crazy but she was used to work many hours a day and it was system's control so just up her alley. Megan's life was lining up smoothly in front of Felicity.
She didn't have TV at home, the internet connection was enough for her needs. Felicity didn't want even to hear the news. Oliver marriage would still be top news so she shield herself from the pain.
All settled in, it was time to contact Donna. Felicity needed to hear her mother's voice to know she was okay, a written message over a server wasn't enough. She was sure Diggle or Cooper or both would have caught up with her Vegas stop and they would have contacted Donna and, if so, by now her mother would be anxious to know she was safe.
Making the online connection through the phone company server she called Donna's home.
"Hi Mom"
"Felicity. Where are you?"
"Some place safe."
"Oliver Queen himself was here looking for you."
Oliver, was in Vegas? He was supposed to be honeymooning with Laurel on some Island Paradise.
"Oh?"
"That man is in love with you, honey."
"Mom his married now. He loves his wife."
"No, he's not. Where the hell have you been, under a rock? Every world knows her fiancée left him just days before the wedding. Which I think it's a lie, I'm quite sure it was the other way around and he broke up the wedding himself. Sweety, he just couldn't marry her loving you like he does."
Felicity could tell Donna was smitten by Oliver. Her judgment was clouded.
"Mom, you just fell for Oliver didn't you?"
"Of course I did, I'm a woman and I'm not blind, but that has nothing to do with it. Oliver Queen loves you, baby. He only asked about you and where you could have gone to. He is going to find you, Felicity, even if it takes him years, he told me that himself and asked me to tell you too. The man that sat across from me isn't going to stop and I do so wish you would let him find you, sweetheart. I want you to be happy, baby, he would be good for you."
For Donna that translated in to "he's not going to leave you like your father did me". But against Felicity's better judgement there was a spark of hope building up deep inside her. She knew Donna was a romantic soul and saw romance in everything and anything but she was rarely wrong, and, when it came to people she loved, Felicity never saw her mother being wrong. She only failed picking for herself.
"He asked me call him when I heard from you. I will call him back, if you allow me to, if you don't I won't call him. But I wish you let me."
It was too much. Felicity was struggling to process this drastic turn of events. She longed to see Oliver but she still couldn't believe what her mother was telling her. Donna could be just romanticizing Oliver's behaviour and presence. Felicity knew, first hand, many brighter and less romantic women had fallen in that particular "battlefield".
"Mom… I don't know."
"Baby, he's in pain. He needs you."
This was so messed up. Her brain just couldn't function, her heart was just pounding away like it was about to burst. Felicity just wanted to finish this conversation and disconnect.
"Call him. Say I'm OK."
"And where are you?"
"Let me process all this mom. Please?"
"Okay honey, okay. But call me back real soon."
A simple online search was enough to know Donna was telling her the truth even if it was a surprising one.
Oliver hadn't marry Laurel. The news were gruesome about Oliver. Laurel had hit him head on with full force and the tabloids hadn't spare on low blow's and trashy headlines. Oliver's pictures pained Felicity to the extreme. She was behind all that devastation.
She looked at Oliver's picture on her screen. She missed him so much. Oh God this was just such a mess...
The night had pass and not even the sound of the waves help her get peace has Oliver's devastated face came back to haunt her everytime she closed her eyes.
After a poorly sleeped night Felicity dragged herself out of bed. Following the daily routines, in a semi-conscious state, she check her tablet. There was a warning sign on the main screen and she knew her day just gotten worse. Cooper was moving, he would be in Coast City by lunch time.
Felicity looked around recapping to herself all the entry points he could use and what security measures she had install in each and everyone of them. The door, the windows, the trap door to the attic. The cottage, luckily, didn't have a basement.
Before she left she doubled check if everything was armed.
The first part of her shift was over and she was in desperate need of a coffee. Along the day's work she had been checking everything she wrote over and over. She knew her brain was struggling with lack of sleep and the probability to incur in error was exponentially higher every hour that went by. She hoped a generous dose of caffeine would help.
Her co-worker Charlie always went for a coffee on his morning break and since her first day he wanted to drag her with him, Felicity decided today was the day. He beamed, which would have made Felicity smile if it wasn't for his cocky look to the rest of the guys. What a girl would do for a good coffee.
The coffee shop was packing but Charlie was a regular and he went straight to the fastest waiter.
"Two coffee's please. One black the other..."
He looked at Felicity
"... also black."
She needed all the caffeine she could get. She took out her purse.
"No, no, no. This time it's on me." He figure there was going to be a next time. Felicity was sure it wouldn't.
Charlie payed and they found a table space enough for both of them.
Charlie started chatting. Felicity struggled to keep her attention focused on him but she was having a hard time doing it. Her eyes scanned the people behind him just for the sake of preventing her from dozing off.
A table, right in back, was fully occupied by what looked like a family. The four kids were babbling and running all over the place. Felicity smiled when the woman tried to keep them still. The man's voice was heard and they immediately stop on their tracks, just like Felicity did.
That bastard... he was here, he was right there. She couldn't believe it. Her day was going bad enough as it was she didn't need this.
Like someone had pinched him he turned and caught her staring. She felt the anger spilling out of her like heat waves. He looked her in the eye and after a moment turned to the woman, said something and started walking towards Felicity.
She needed to go away. She needed to get out of this place right now.
"Charlie we should get back."
"Can you just wait a bit? I promised I would take one to David."
No, she really couldn't but she didn't have a choice. Has Charlie walked back to the counter Felicity braced herself.
He stop just there by her side. Barely respecting her personal space. She refuse to engage or even look at him.
"Don't you dare touch me."
Her own voice surprised her. It was dripping with spite in a way she never even thought possible. This wasn't her it couldn't be.
"Megan... Please."
Her mother wanted Felicity he wanted Megan, Donna won but he always called her Megan.
"Walk away. I was nothing to you when you left. Let's keep it that way."
Charlie was on his way back. "I'm ready."
"Let's go"
She didn't look back.
"Who was that guy?"
"Don't know."
And she really didn't. That man was a stranger to her even if, many years ago, Felicity had called him Dad.
