Thea was muttering under her breath as she walked down the stairs into the basement below Verdant. When Oliver agreed for to to come along, and see their base, she imagined it be on the top floor of a skyscraper, with the view of the entire city, or possibly an underground bunker that was made during the Cold war. Something cool, and exciting.
Instead Oliver stopped the car at the never used parking lot behind Verdant and got out. At first she thought he was messing with her, but with something going on there was no time for him to play a prank on his younger sister. Right?
When Felicity got out too the young heiress realized it wasn't a joke. So she pushed open the car door and rushed to follow them. Two beeps told her Oliver locked the car after she got out, and for that she was grateful. She crashed he first car, she doesn't need to get her second one stolen. And behind her own club out of all places.
The lights were already on when they stepped in, Diggle beat them to the Foundry since he was in the area, and Felicity instantly moved to the computer system to get info about what was going on. She did a double take when a bag on the med table caught her attention, before she grinned at Dig.
The former soldier just shrugged, "What can a man do when his girl is pregnant? Keep his mouth shut and go buy what she craves."
"Shouldn't you be on your way to deliver her the goods?" the blonde asked, her fingers already moving on the keyboard, "What's in there anyway? It looks like Oreos and..." she took a quick glance towards the groceries bag, before she turned to look at the monitor, "...pudding, and sunflower seeds."
"Lyla's usual order. For your sake I will not tell you how she eats that." Diggle responded with a small smile. At first the food combinations freaked him out, he was certain some of them were potentially lethal, or would at lease give his partner heartburn. But two months into the craving frenzy and Lyla was still enjoying eating worst combinations of food possible.
"What came first, the chicken or the egg?" Thea suddenly asked, making everyone turn to look at her. Even Felicity who raised her hands from the keyboard to check on the young heiress who seemed to have gone off the rocker.
"What?" Oliver was equally confused by the question, trying to figure out what his sister was talking about.
"Did you open the club to hide this base, or did you made the base under the club cause it was convenient?" she rephrased her question, before moving towards the glass case that housed the green suit.
No one can say Thea Queen is shy or holds back, but right now she wasn't sure where to go and what not to touch. Well, she probably shouldn't touch anything. Like the glass stand with arrow she wanted to touch to see if they were as sharp as they looked, but it would have been pretty stupid if she cut herself on it and left blood evidence. She also wanted to get her hands on the bow her brother used, but at the same time she wasn't all too eager to hold the weapon that was used to kill people.
That thought was sobering. She just realized that her brother wasn't just the Arrow, he was also the man that used to be the Hood. The killer that ended lives without remorse.
She was vaguely aware Oliver was answering her question, explaining he made the lair in the old Queen factory basement, and then opened Verdant to explain his absence from home and presence in the Glades.
"You okay kid?" a voice startled her out of her thoughts and Thea saw John Diggle standing right in front of her, observing he with dark eyes that seemed to look right into her mind and know what was going on in her head right now.
"I just realized... what I didn't want to realize before. About who Ollie was after he got back from the island." she turned to look at her brother as she spoke, and saw him next to Felicity, looking over her shoulder at the computer monitors in front of her.
"When I first found out he just saved my life. I thought he completely lost his sanity on Lian Yu." Diggle admitted, "And then I stopped to think, and I couldn't deny he was making some progress in stopping all the bad things that were happening. Unlike the police he didn't chase the foot soldiers, he went straight after the generals. After those who were pulling the strings."
"He killed Malcolm Merlyn... Who turned out to be my father..."
Diggle nodded, that was the truth. But Merlyn was also the one who started the events that resulted with destruction of a good portion of Glades, and death of over five hundred people.
He wasn't sure if the young girl realized something else, but he just had to point it out, "Oliver was also shot and almost killed by your mother in QC. He went there to talk to her, to get answers, and even after that he refused to believe she was actually involved in the Undertaking. Only until it became impossible to deny it any longer, after Felicity got evidence she knew Walter would get kidnapped."
Thea rubbed her face with her hands, completely disregarding the fact she had makeup on, she suddenly felt so tired. And to think that half an hour ago she was enjoying a nice juicy burger. She looked at Diggle and sighed, "It took less than 12 hours for my family life to become completely messed up, Mr. Diggle."
"It's Diggle, or Dig." he responded with a small smile, before placing a gentle hand on her shoulder in comfort, and then stated, "Your family life was a mess even before, you just didn't know it."
"I suppose it's true that ignorance is bliss." Thea muttered under her breath.
Oliver looked away from where Diggle was talking to his sister and focused back at the middle monitor in front of Felicity. She was grumbling something too low for him to hear, but then again he didn't have to. She was agitated, that much was obvious. The alert he got said there was an armed robbery in progress, but so far Felicity didn't find any signs anywhere that something of that nature was going on in the city.
So either the alert was a false alarm, which was unlikely since Felicity herself created the application that sent alerts from the Foundry computers directly to their phones, or the robbers were smart.
When Felicity sighed for the second time, before starting to click one key repeatedly for some reason, Oliver focused on her hands, her delicate fingers, and brightly painted fingernails.
And then on the keyboard she was using. And he had to stop himself from flinching.
"The keyboard..." he started to speak, but paused for a moment to collect his thoughts, "That's not the same one from... that night. Cause I know you cleaned the desk, and-"
"Of course it isn't. I switched it." Felicity responded without pausing her typing.
Oliver nodded in understanding, "With a new one." he presumed.
"With the one from your QC office." Felicity corrected him, and if she felt him freeze completely behind her she didn't show it in any way.
"You're not serious, are you?" he asked, mortified at the thought.
"She was your girlfriend, surely you touched her ass before. Using the keyboard is just secondary transfer."
"What happened?" Diggle suddenly asked, and Oliver turned to look at his friend. A friend who was watching him with hands crossed over his chest, and a stormy expression, "What did you do this time?"
Before he managed to answer Thea surprised him by jumping on the desk next to the left monitor and crossing her ankles. She turned to look at Felicity, who merely raised an eyebrow at her sudden action, and sweetly asked, "I can sit here, right?"
Felicity muttered something that sounded suspiciously like 'just keep your underwear on', before she punched a key forcefully and then fist-pumped. An action that startled Thea for a moment, before she laughed.
"I got a possible location, but something weird is going on." Felicity said as she turned on her chair to look at Oliver, "So be careful." she added gently.
"I will."
By mid-morning the next day the city was buzzing with the breaking news that were published on the cover of Starling Scandal, the most notorious tabloid in the city what is considered trash, but everyone is still reading it. Especially when the city's most famous playboy is featured in the main story.
But instead of a dumb choice, like getting drunk and peeing on the cop's car, the tabloid posted one story they have been waiting for for years. The money shot the main editor wanted since the heirs of Queen and Merlyn empires reached the age when they became interesting to the people of Starling.
It was made by accident, the photographer was actually waiting to catch the member of the city council leaving a very exclusive massage place that is rumored to offer happy endings for their clients who were willing to pay a bit extra.
Instead he caught Queen siblings leaving Big Belly Burger, with Oliver Queen's executive assistant in tow. Since CEO having dinner with his sister and EA wasn't such a big deal he was going to ignore them, but then a black speck caught his eyes, and he was fortunate enough to get a photo of it before the blonde put on her jacket and got in the passenger seat of a nice black Audi.
Only when he got back to the office, and checked out the shoots he got, did he realize he just earned himself a nice bonus with a single photo.
Instantly after informing the editor the story about the naughty council member was pushed to page 20, and the cover was now decorating a photography of a blonde woman walking away, a crown-shaped soulmate mark perfectly visible on her right shoulder. Next to it was a smaller photo of Oliver Queen, taken at a party some seven years ago, when he got drunk and took off his shirt, giving everyone an opportunity to learn what his mark looked like.
The bold letters below the photos said it all, "Mark of a Queen", and below that in smaller font, "Oliver Queen's soulmate revealed. What will the other women think?"
That was what Laurel Lance found on the desk in her office when she arrived for work that morning. She didn't know who put it there, but she had a good guess. She was successful at her job, won a case after a case against some of the best defended criminals, and that got her a position of the ADA.
A fact that didn't sit all to well with a few individuals who were aiming at the position, like it would bring them fortune and prestige, and not a overflowing schedule and potentially an ulcer.
She was about to throw the magazine into a trash bin next to her desk when the realization hit. Laurel was certain she had met this woman before, she was positively certain that was the blonde with glasses she met one evening in Verdant. The same blonde Oliver made his EA after returning from his trip and took over the company.
Curiosity won and Laurel found herself turning the pages until the same photo as the one on the cover took over almost half the page. Next to it was a smaller one, zoomed in photo, that clearly showed the shape of the mark the blonde had on her right shoulder. Laurel knew it was identical to Oliver's. How could she not? She had seen it plenty of times during those three years they were dating.
But she was absolutely certain his was placed on his left shoulder.
Despite believing it was a waste of time, and that she would be better off not reading the article, she just couldn't help herself.
And instantly certain lines popped out.
"The rare occurrence is refereed to as 'Mirror marks' and, considering what several scientific papers have to say about how they effect those who have them, they might as well be considered a curse. Miss Smoak may have bagged a billionaire, but let's not forget the previous flings of Starling city playboy Ollie Queen. His relationship with the older Lance sister was as stable as a chair with a missing leg, a proof of that were numerous parties Queen left with a new girl on his arm. Meaningless flings that continued after Oliver Queen's miraculous return from the dead."
The several photos they published with the article showed different women that Oliver was with. And somehow they got their hands on a photo of Laurel and Sara hugging, only it was edited to appear divided in half, with each sister on one side. The text below was even worse.
"Every single one of these 'other women' have done a huge disfavor to Miss Smoak. Because the 'Mirror marks' are unique in a way that those who have them feel the burn every time their designated partner cheats on them. Last in the long line of Queen's bedpartners was no other than the younger Lance sister. The same one that went on the disastrous boat trip, when he was still officially dating her sister, and has only months ago returned to Starling. Since then she had continued her relationship with Queen and was frequently seen in his company. But that is more important she was also seen in Miss Smoak's company."
With a shaking hand Laurel took the phone out of her purse and dialed her sister's number. She hadn't seen Sara in days, and wanted to give her a heads-up about the article.
But instead of her sister's voice an automated voice calmly said, "This number has been disconnected."
She tried again, but with the same result. Sara wasn't just ignoring her, something bigger is going on. Laurel was just about to call her father when the ending of the text caught her attention.
"Who knew the whole truth in this love triangle: the soulmate, the cheater, or the fuckbuddy?
Did Oliver Queen knowingly ignored his intended, and returned to his pre-island playboy days?
What is the estimated amount of times Felicity Smoak felt her mark burn? (a college says the number could easily go pass a hundred)
Will Sara Lance still act like a good friend now that the truth is out?
And which women, from the long list of meaningless weekend-relationships and one-night stands, will face the one they wronged and apologize?"
Laurel was fuming. She was ready to call the editor of that waste of paper, and shout at him, perhaps threaten with a lawsuit if they didn't retract their article. Instead she forcefully threw it in the trash bin and dialed her father's number.
"I can't get Sara on the phone, I tried calling but it keeps saying her number has been disconnected." she said before Quentin Lance even managed to greet her.
He sighed. His younger asked him for a favor, one he was reluctant to agree to do. Still, he did as she asked and now had to face the music.
"Sara left, she returned to the League of Assassins."
"She what?!" Laurel stood up and started to pace her office. A few people turned to look at her, wondering what caused her to freak out, but no one wanted to walk in and check if everything was alright. Not when the ADA looked particularly agitated.
"She went to that place... what did she call it? Nana Parrot, or something?"
"Why would she do that? She just got back. We just got her back after six years."
Detective Lance sighed. He wished Sara went to talk to her sister when she returned to Starling, with the members of the League, to return Felicity Smoak home. But she didn't even come to see him, he only leaned what happened to his younger daughter when Felicity came to see him in the station, and give a statement regarding her disappearance. And he couldn't help but wonder if the fight that happened between two sisters was a cause of that.
He didn't supposed to know about that. But Laurel's neighbor stopped him in the hallway, when he went to see her one day, and informed him of a argument he overheard. Apparently it got so loud he considered calling the building manager, or even the police, and report the disturbance.
And even though he didn't know what was said that day, Lance knew when it happened and what the probable cause for it was, or rather who. And he also knew Sara moved out of her sister's apartment after that and lived in the basement below Verdant; also known as the Arrow's base, one he knew nothing about of course.
"You know how your sister is, stubborn beyond and doing whatever she wants." Lance chose not to share the complete story with Laurel, not to tell her about the deal Sara made, about the exchange. In his mind he was doing it for her own good, and he hoped, if she ever learned the truth, she will not hold it against him for lying to her.
"But she hated the League. She hated being forced to kill." Laurel pointed out. Sara rarely talked about her time with the assassins, but a few times she mentioned it she claimed it was the worst thing that ever happened to her. So for her to go back willingly, it just didn't make any sense. And that made her consider another opinion, "They threatened her, didn't they? They forced her to return."
"It's possible, honey. I don't really know. Last time she mentioned it, a week ago or so, she said..."
"Dad?"
Lance sighed again, "She was questioning her choice to return to Starling, said she did less damage there. And that those she harmed while in the League actually deserved it, unlike what she did after coming home. I think she meant... she learned about that mirror mark thing mentioned in the Scandal. Detective Perez mentioned it this-"
Laurel didn't wait for her father to finish what he wanted to say, instead she disconnected and sat on the small couch she had in the office. Her mind was going a mile a minute, trying to process everything she just learned.
She just couldn't wrap her hear around the fact Sara went back to that damn place. Not when she heard her sister saying she wasn't going back under any circumstances. She even muttered she would rather die, something Laurel didn't suppose to hear but did anyway.
A knock on her door made Laurel look up to see who it was. A part of her hoped it was Oliver, that maybe he had seen the dribble that was published, and came to talk to her. But instead it was one of the interns that worked in the DA office.
"Sorry to disturb you, Miss Lance, but DA Donner wants to speak to you. He's waiting for you in his office."
"Thank you, Carrie. I'll go see what he needs right away." Laurel responded and instantly stood up. She wasn't going to waste her time thinking about some idiotic tabloid, she had more important things she needed to focus on.
Felicity felt extremely self-conscious when she entered the full elevator. She had a feeling everyone was looking at her, and she looked down for a moment to check if perhaps she arrived to work without her pants on. When she got confirmation that her worst nightmare didn't in fact happen, she came to a conclusion that the damn story spread through QC like wildfire.
The only reason she knew about it was because she programed her tablet to inform her if Oliver's or hers name appears in an article. And this morning her tablet pinged twice.
Few people smiled at her before exiting the elevator, a young intern in the IT department even gave her a thumbs-up. That one made Felicity laugh, which earned her a curious look from the head of HR.
The man was efficient and serious, but a bit old-fashioned. The elevator doors just closed, leaving only two of them in the metal box, when he spoke.
"I will be making preparations for Mr. Jones to be permanently moved to the position of Mr. Queen's Executive assistant."
Felicity turned to look at the older man, not sure what he meant by that, "Do you know something I don't, Mr. Doyle?"
With a small laugh he answered, "Why, you are Mr. Queen's soulmate. It would be absurd to think you will continue working."
"Has Mr. Queen contacted the HR department and discussed with you my future as the employee of QC? Until he does I will continue coming to work, and sit at my desk, and make sure the paperwork is done, and that the coffeemaker on the executive floor continues malfunctioning for no apparent reason. I might be Oliver Queen's soulmate, but I'm not his girlfriend, or fiance, or a wife. And even if I was I would continue working in QC, and not be a kept woman, despite my mother being thrilled if I chose that particular path... I believe this is your floor, Mr. Doyle."
The older man was confused for a moment, long enough for the elevator doors to start closing before he exited. Felicity reached out and stopped them from doing so, giving him enough time to just nod at the blonde before he rushed in the direction of his office.
Felicity huffed after the doors closed. The preposterous old man, thinking she'll turn into a high society woman and attend tea parties, or whatever they do, and live of Queen's fortune. Like hell she'll do that. She didn't go to MIT to sit at home and plan what to wear to the next gala she was obligated to attend.
Nope. Not her.
The elevator dinged and the doors opened on the executive floor. Felicity exited the metal box and instantly heard voices coming from the office. Diggle wasn't on his usual post outside of the door, instead he was inside discussing things with Oliver.
Felicity stepped to the doorway, and observed them closely.
Diggle was facing away from the doorway, his feet wide and his hands crossed over his chest. He was tense, and it made her wonder what they were discussing that caused that.
A quick glimpse around the taller man and she saw Oliver standing behind his desk, his posture matching Diggle's.
"And how is this any different from all the other times when you were in a spotlight and the whole city followed your every movement?" Diggle asked.
"It's different." Oliver almost growled back, "Before I was watched because of my dumb choices."
Dig snorted, "From where I'm standing it still looks like you are watched because of your dumb choices."
"You're not helping."
"I have no intention to help, you need to do this on your own."
"If I mess up, and hurt Felicity again, there will be an angry mob demanding my head!" Oliver snapped.
"If you mess up, and hurt Felicity again, I will give the angry mob your head!" Diggle snapped back.
"Whoa! Whoa! Hold it!" Felicity chose this was a good time to announce her presence, and she did so by walking into the office and waving her hands, "No one is decapitating anyone!"
Oliver instantly focused on Felicity, on her hair in the usual ponytail, her brightly painted lips, colorful shirt and white slacks. She was so bright, even on the darkest of days.
Reluctantly he looked away from her, and back on Diggle. His friend was watching him closely, and Oliver sighed.
"If I mess, up, and hurt her again, I won't even fight you." he added to their previous argument.
Felicity huffed, "What did I just say? No one is making anyone a head shorter, do I make myself clear?
"Just looking out for you." Dig said with a small smile, but got a frown in response.
"I don't need you, or the people of Starling, looking out for me when it comes to Oliver." she told him before facing her soulmate.
"Felicity." he called her name, in a way only he did, and her insides twisted into a knot. He had that effect on her since their first meeting, and she took a deep breath to calm down. There were things that needed to be said, and now was the perfect opportunity.
"I read the article, and I hated it, for one simple reason. They went about shaming your former partners. But who holds more blame for my pain, a hundred women who fucked Oliver Queen or Oliver Queen for fucking a hundred women? That number is provisional, of course, cause I didn't cut notches in my bedpost every time my mark burned, and even if I did it wouldn't be correct cause you must have been with some women several times, after all you were in a quasi-serious relationship with Laurel Lance, and..."
"Breathe, Felicity." Diggle placed a hand on her shoulder and earned himself a smile.
"And there is a better, and more efficient punishment for you if you ever hurt me again in the same way."
"Felicity, I won't repeat my mistakes. If your mark burns ever again it will be because I died... I will never again betray you."
Felicity closed her eyes and sighed. She wanted so badly to trust him, she was certain that she could, but at the same time she was too afraid to do so. She straightened her posture, proudly lifted her head, and locked her eyes with Oliver's.
"Good, because there is only one thing I can do to , apart from leaving Starling city. And that thing involves copious amount of alcohol, a hotel room, and a random guy. And if you really mess up that random guy just might be Max Fuller, who I'm guessing will jump at the opportunity to-"
Before Felicity even managed to blink Oliver was standing in front of her, his hands closet to her shoulders, but be stopped himself from touching her in the last moment. Instead he lowered his hands and sighed.
"If I ever hurt you... leave... and don't look back. Leave, find someone who will love you the way you deserve, and hurt me with him. I will gladly endure the pain I deserve. But please... don't taint yourself with someone who is just like me."
Felicity reached up and wiped away a single tear that escaped Oliver's eyes. She remained silent, not knowing what to say after hearing his words.
Diggle, who watched them silently, shook his head. The nature doesn't make mistakes, people do. The intended soulmates are always a perfect match for each other, but unfortunately sometimes personal choices destroy a perfect match.
The pair in front of him was a perfect example of that.
But Felicity was forgiving and patient, and Oliver was regretful and determinant. It might take time, but they will eventually heal, and come out of this mess stronger than ever.
And if someone tries to come between them they will have to answer to him. And it won't be pretty.
Laurel got behind the wheel of her car, and turned it on. This was a waste of time, something she didn't expect. Moira was always a big fan of hers, always supportive and helpful. Today the Queen matriarch was polite, but not willing to involve herself any further into the issue.
The brunette only allowed herself a quick glance in the rear-view mirror, one last look at the mansion she once believed would be her home before it was out of her sight, hidden by the trees that grew on the giant property.
She reached the highway in a few minutes and took a turn towards Iron Heights, the max security prison a few miles outside of the city limits. The file Adam Donner gave her this morning was in her briefcase on the passenger seat. The case might not be as strong as initially believed, but the DA had the final say in the manner. And he had made his decision.