Here's a new chapter! No beta yet, so I take responsibility for all the mistakes...I hope you enjoy! The reviews are not required but are welcome:)
While waiting for Slade's men, Felicity contemplated the House where Oliver had grown. Imagining a small Oliver, running for all those hallways, up the stairs and down the stairs, made her think about her baby. Would it be a quiet child as she had been as a child? Always silent or hidden behind the couch with her toys or would be like Oliver and never stop quiet?
When she climbed to the top floor of the mansion, saw down the hall Oliver's room. Felicity only had entered there two times and the temptation of being able to observe all that he had in the room was big, but something pulled her into the room that was across Oliver's room.
Yielding to temptation, she came into the room and saw that it was a spacious room, painted with a cream color. Despite all the furniture being covered with white sheets, she could distinguish an armchair and two dressers. That would be a perfect children room, she thought, imagining that room full of toys.
When her father was still living with them, sometimes he bought her new dolls but then when her father left them, her mother began to work twice and it was difficult spend money on new dolls, Felicity began to entertain themselves by creating things with papers or boxes that her mother brought from work. This caused her to start taking an interest in inventions and later in technology. Despite not having everything she wanted, Felicity considered that her childhood, after all, was happy and with good memories.
'I have to protect you', she whispered placing a hand protectively on her belly. Turning, Felicity has decided that the risk of getting caught by Slade was too large and not justified her baby's life. She decided to leave through the kitchen door, which was mostly hidden, but at the bottom of the stairs, she heard the sound of glasses being broken and was grabbed from behind, losing consciousness.
~o~
Bringing up her hands to her head, trying to ease the headache, Felicity opened her eyes. She was in a place that looked like the engine room of any factory. Crawling, Felicity tried to get up but her legs did not cooperate.
'Grab her', she heard someone screaming and then felt a pair of hands in her arms.
'I don't see what he can see in you', Slade appeared in front of her. 'You're beautiful, that I can prove'. He ran a finger down her face. Repulsed by the man who put her life and the people she loved at risk, Felicity quickly turned her face. 'Let's call our friend, shall we?'.
'You've been busy, kid'. Felicity couldn't hear what Oliver replied.
'And I pity them, but once again you miss the point. I have the one you love. You're going to meet me wherever I say otherwise I will kill her'.
'You done, when I say you're done', Slade shouted.
'How I was surprise, I thought you had a thing for stronger women, but now that I meet her, I can see the appeal, she is quite lovely.. .your Felicity!'. She felt the sword on her neck.
When Slade hung up the call, Felicity heard the voice of another woman. Her face must have shown confusion because Slade hastened to say. 'Ah, the other ...'. He laughed, maliciously. 'You see, your dear Oliver is a very indecisive man. Although he tell you he loves you, I know that during the five years he's been on that island, the only precious thing he had was a picture of his beloved Laurel. That's why I couldn't leave her out of this. No hard feelings, right?'.
Felicity merely looked at him, not saying a word.
'Don't worry, I have fifty percent sure he will choose you!'.
Listening to Laurel screaming, Felicity could not be quiet. 'Don't hurt her!', stunned she could speak.
'Oh, she speaks'. Slade then laughed and shouted to the man who was holding her. 'Take her back, when I say, bring her again'.
~o~
'Do you remember?'.
'I do. I remember the exactly feeling of my blade against your neck just like my blade is against the neck of you beloved. If only I killed you then, everything would be different'.
Armed with a bow and arrow, Oliver followed the voice and saw Slade with the sword on Felicity's neck. 'Drop the bow, kid'. Slade's eyes were hard as steel.
Felicity was terrified. 'Do it', said Slade.
Without taking his eyes of Felicity, Oliver ducked and let the bow down. At that moment, one of Slade's men came with Laurel.
'I've been dreaming with this. Taking from you what you took from me', Slade said, furious.
Felicity risked a cautious look to the place, beside her, she saw Laurel trying to loosen the grip of the man who was holding her, but without success. Felicity was petrified, besides, she knew that no matter how much strength she did, Slade wouldn't loose it easily.
'By killing the woman I love', Oliver's eyes narrowed with challenge.
'Yes'.
'Like you loved Shado?' he asked hoarsely, forcing himself to look to Slade.
'Yes'.
'You see her, don't you?', Oliver asked, leaving Slade briefly confused. 'How she look like, in your madness, Slade?'. Felicity felt the floor on her knees when Slade forced her to kneel.
'What she say to you? I remember her being beautiful, young, and kind' Oliver added. 'She would be horrified whit what you've done in her name!'
'What I've done?', Slade yelled, furious. 'What you should have done for her!'. Gaining composure, Slade continued. 'So, when her body lean on your feet', he approached the sword to Felicity's neck. 'and her blood wide against your skin. Then you will know how I feel! '.
'I already know what you feel. I know what's to hate, to want revenge and now I know what feels to see my enemy so distracted that he can't see the real danger is right in front of him'.
Aware that Oliver's gaze was fixed on her, Felicity visualized in that moment all they could have been, if the circumstances were others, if they had known in another time, if Oliver wasn't in love with another woman ... all these 'if' along with the adrenaline that pumped on her veins, made her gain the courage and taking advantage of the distraction, she stuck the syringe with the cure in his neck.
Momentarily stunned, Slade fell to his knees on the floor while Oliver yelled to Sara, who appeared, to take Laurel and Felicity away from there.
Slade tried to stand, but Oliver, who still had Mirakuru running through his veins, punched him knocking him unconscious. At this time, A.R.G.U. S men entered and took Slade.
Oliver answered the phone on the first ring. 'Oliver, now I will deal with Slade'.
'I want to know where you are taking him, Amanda'.
'I'll take him to a place you both know very well ...'.
~o~
After a very restless sleep, Felicity awoke in the morning when someone broke into her room. At first she thought she was dreaming and that Slade had died, but then she remembered Diggle on her doorstep promising to spend the night on her couch.
'Good morning', mumbled Felicity, sitting up and stretching. 'I thought you'd gone. Lyla okay?'.
'Yeah, sleeping quietly. I called her hours ago', muttered Diggle.
Wearing a heavy coat and showing a tired aspect, he approached the bed with a steaming cup in hand.
'Here ... drink'.
Felicity obeyed, watching Diggle sit on the edge of the mattress. That was nothing usual.
'What?' she asked, feeling a shiver down her spine.
'It can wait until you're more awake'.
It was too early to be more bad news, Felicity thought. It might not have anything to do with Oliver. Maybe Diggle just wanted to tell you that the city was destroyed. She already know that.
After drinking some tea and have eaten some crackers for the nausea that fortunately today she hadn't felt, Felicity bowed to put the cup on the nightstand and turned her attention to Diggle.
'Today I won't be more awake than this' she said. 'You can say now'.
Diggle cleared his throat, without much result, and said in a husky voice:
'Lyla is pregnant'.
'What?!', Felicity looked Diggle, amazed. 'Why didn't you tell me sooner?'
'I just found out yesterday. And after all that's happened, I didn't think it's was a good idea to call and tell you... '.
Felicity shook her head. 'No. Sorry, I'm explaining myself badly ... I am very happy for both of you. I hope she doesn't suffer the same nausea that I do, that is, the worst. Seriously' she smiled at her friend.
'You want to know the rest I have to tell you?', Diggle asked.
'I already know that the city are destroyed. I don't know anything about Oliver...' she said.
'Yes. Well, Slade was captured, he's trapped in one of the prisons in Lian Yu. While you were sleeping, Oliver called me and asked me for us to go with him to the island, he wants to ensure that Slade's won't be able to hurt anyone else. I told him I didn't know if you wanted to go...'.
Slade is arrested. She repeated the words to herself, but seemed so impossible to interpret as if they were spoken in a language long forgotten. Making an effort to compose herself, she asked, 'Oliver took the cure?'.
'Yes. Last night, before I came here, I went to foundry and brought him his cure. I saw him take it '
'He's all right, then'. Felicity said automatically, and your heart starts beating like an animal in prison. 'I will go with you to the island. It will be our last trip together. When we get back I'll go to Central City '.
'Felicity, I don't know what happened yesterday, but are you sure that the best is to go to Central City?', Diggle asked.
'Yes, I have' she said as her blue eyes filled with tears. 'At this moment' she continued with effort. ' .. the best for me and my baby is out of here'.
Felicity's legs moved under the clothes of bed and she shrank her knees up to her chin, as if her body wanted to occupy the smallest space possible, dodging to pain.
How strange, she thought, she wasn't crying ...She felt a hot pressure behind the eyes. But it seemed that their tears were waiting for some thought or word that triggers their release.
'I'm really happy for you. Maybe someday our children could be friends like us!' she tried to smile.
'Yes, you're right.' Diggle bowed to involve Felicity in his arms, as if to protect her from all evil 'I love you, Felicity'.
'I love you to', said Felicity, in a low voice, with dry eyes. 'I'll get dressed, give me twenty minutes and we can go'.
~o~
'Where am I?', Slade awoke disoriented. When he opened his eyes, he saw that he was in a cell and Oliver was on the other side of the bars.
'The far away of the world I could get you. You can't hurt anyone again'.
'That's your weakness, kid. You don't have the guts to kill me'.
'No, I have the strength to let you live'.
'Oh, you're a killer. I know. I created you'.
'You help me turn into a killer when I needed to become one and I am alive today because of you. I made it home because of you an got to see my family again ... but over the past year I needed to be more and I stopped you without killing'.
'You helped me become a hero, Slade. Thank you'. Oliver got up and stopped neat the door.
'You think I'm going to stay here? Oh, you don't know ...I have people out there, people that you don't know, people that you know and you don't have idea they work for me. You're going to be surprise!'. Slade roared. 'Send my regards to Ms. Smoak, tells her that I will see her soon'.
'You're not going to see anything. Unless the purgatory'. Oliver shut the door and climbed the stairs to the surface.
~o~
'I didn't notice but it's kind of beautiful here, don't get me wrong I don't want to spend my vacations in here', Felicity said.
'You think this will be enough to hold him, A.R.G.U.S super max?' Diggle asked turning to Oliver.
'Him and everyone that we sent here, this battle may be over but it will be others' replied Oliver.
'But I will not be here', added Felicity. It was time for her to tell him her plan.
'Hey, Why don't I give you two a second?', Diggle said, moving away. Felicity looked at him and tried to show a conciliator smile but without success.
'What do you mean you're not going to be here?', Oliver asked.
'You did it' she smiled. 'It was really smart and unthinkable you and me. ..I mean ... and... '.
'And?', Oliver asked, starting to lose control.
'And showed me that I am constantly in danger, and I don't want and I can't be in constant danger'.
'You never mind be in danger in our missions. Always wanted to participate ... I thought you'd understand, when you told me that I needed to outthink Slade, I really thought you'd understand ...'.
'I know, but at the moment I don't need danger in my life. I understand you, seriously'. Felicity tried to explain but could not explain herself better without admitting the truth. And the truth was that she had been used, and the worse is that she really understood the Oliver's reasons but it couldn't take the pain. She needed a safe place for her child, and that place wasn't in Starling City. 'I'll go to Central City'.
'So this is all for Barry?' Oliver asked, perplexed.
'No', she replied quickly.
'If you want to go to him, go'. He said, hurt.
'Don't be stupid. I'm not going to be with Barry, I mean, I'll be with Barry but I'm not leaving because of him'.
'Then why are you going?'.
'It's hard to explain. Tomorrow I will leave my resignation letter on HR'.
'That's all you have to say?', Oliver asked.
'Yes, I have nothing more to add'. His attention remained on her for a long moment, as if he was trying to decipher anything he had seen in her eyes. Abruptly looked away and turned to go with Diggle. Felicity continued 'and you don't have anything else to say to me?'.
'No. Let's go'. Oliver said very seriously and, turning, he went to Diggle.
Feeling tears in her eyes, Felicity wiped them quickly and followed Oliver.
'Digg, what was the news about you and Lyla?', he asked Diggle.
Seeing the hurt look on Felicity, Diggle said. 'It can wait'.
'I'm flying', Oliver entered in the plane, furious.
'Be my guest' Diggle told him. While helping Felicity to get on the plane, he asked softly 'Is everything okay?'.
'Yes. I told him I was leaving. That's all'. Felicity moved away and sat on the farthest place of Oliver.
'Diggle are you coming or staying?'. Oliver shouted, before putting the headphones and turning the airplane.
'That explains his bad temper'. Diggle commented before he enters.
~o~
'Have you got any job offer in Central City?', Jessica asked while separating Felicity's clothes in three different suitcases.
Two days ago, Felicity had gone to Queen Consolidation to deliver her letter of resignation. When she came to Oliver's office, to pack her things, he wasn't there. What did she expect? Oliver waiting and as a romance, he kneels and asks her to stay? Probably he would be with Laurel. When she just took the few things she had, Felicity saw an intern who immediately sat in her old secretary leaving her momentarily paralyzed.
'Caitlin told me about a job at Central Industries. I have an interview scheduled tomorrow'. Felicity said while putting some old clothes in a box to donate later.
'Which department?'.
'IT department. I need a job where I'm comfortable and the level of stress is minimal. I dominate computers, you know...'.
Jessica started throwing the clothes without care. 'Jess, please relax! My clothes don't have fault!'.
'I'm going to be traded. I know!' she continued throwing the clothes 'you're going to get there new friends, and your son will call them aunts, and I'll be just 'Jessica' to him, a stranger ... ', Jessica complained.
'I knew that Central Industries are recruiting more people ... If I get the job, you could come to work there! We could work together and so my son would no longer have a bunch of aunts ... he was going to have you, your favorite aunt!'. Felicity laughed.
'Seriously? If you get me an interview, I promise never to let yougo'. Jessica dropped what she was doing and grabbed her friend. 'I'm going to grab you like a limpet'. The two laughed imagining.
'I promise I'll try to score you an interview'.
'Great ... but in the meantime, since we'll be separated, for a short period of time, of course' Jessica took a dark blue shirt with white spots 'could you give me this shirt, it would be like a going-away present, for a short time ... a few more months and you won't be able to use it'.
'Jessica!' Felicity shouted. 'That was really mean!'.
'It's true!' her friend took her hand to her chest 'I promise to return it when this little bundle of joy is out!'.
'Okay, stay with her blouse!', she conceded. 'Probably I will never use that again'.
Two hours later, the girls had packed almost everything and feeling tired, they decided to sit.
That's how Diggle and Roy found them, when they played at the door.
'What do you want us to take to the car?' Roy asked and grabbed the first box he saw.
'I want in my car all the boxes that have a red tape'.
'And the rest?'. Diggle asked.
'Tomorrow a team of changes are coming for the rest'. She replied.
Jessica gave a pat on Felicity's shoulder 'What?'.
'Is he single?', Jessica asked, pointing to Roy.
'Jess, he is much younger than you. He's like a brother to me!'.
'And your point is?', Jessica asked amazed.
'You don't change! He is compromised. Quite compromised', Felicity told her.
'The best are always taken'. Jessica took in the last box and almost ran to get to Roy.
Diggle entered while Felicity watched Jessica hitting on Roy.
'I promise that this will be the last time I'll ask. But are you sure that it is best idea?'.
'Yes, I have'.
'Oliver spoke to you, will he come to say goodbye?'.
'No, and I don't think he'll come. I don't even know if he knows I'm going to leave today'.
At this point Roy and Jessica came in and her friend was the first to hold her. 'Bon voyage. Call me when you arrive'.
After embracing Diggle and Roy, promising to call them all the time, Felicity got into her car and headed to Central City.
~o~
A month later
'Jess, leave Roy alone'. Felicity spoke to the phone as she walked into her new office in Central Industries. 'He called me and told me that you are always calling him and hitting on him', she laughed when she remembered the call that Roy had done last night asking her to stop Jessica.
'I just want to get a cup of coffee with him. Is it too much to ask for!?' was the reaction of Jessica. 'I'll let him go! I Promise!'.
'Thank you', Felicity was relieved.
'So how was the appointment?' she asked.
Felicity had an appointment that morning in her obstetrician of Central City. When she reached the clinic, she was informed that the doctor was low due to an illness and the nurse referred her to another doctor. Despite being young, the doctor seems very efficient and responded to all the doubts she had.
'Dr. Annabelle is sick, I was attended by Dr. Swift. He told me that the baby has the normal size for a 14-week fetus'. She had also discovered that she had gained a few pounds, but omitted that part to her friend.
'Dr. Swift?' asked Jessica with a surprised smile.
'Jess, please don't start. He help me a lot. He prescribed me some pills for my nausea. My next appointment will be in two weeks, I'm going to do another ultrasound'.
'Great. I'll go with you'. The enthusiasm of Jessica's voice was evident.
'What do you mean?', Felicity sat back in her chair and turned on the computer. Her office was not very big but she loved it. The coworkers were nice as well as her boss.
'I was going to surprise you. In two weeks I'm coming to pay you a visit'.
'You know I don't care to go alone. I always got me pretty well alone'.
'I know. But I want to go with you!'.
'Thank you', said Felicity with her voice suddenly trembling.
'I can see that the doctor failed to do anything to your mood swings. Don't cry, please'.
'I'm not crying', Felicity straightened on the chair 'I have to go, tomorrow we talk'.
When unplugged the phone, her boss walked into the office. 'Good morning, Felicity. How are you?'.
'Hello, Marcus. I'm fine, thank you'.
'I'm glad'. Marcus handed her a folder. 'I need you to study these protocols. Next week we will have a meeting with some investors. And I thought, who better to have innovative ideas than our new acquisition in the IT Department?'.
'Oh! Of course, and I'll start thinking about new ideas'. Felicity was suddenly excited.
'Felicity, you've probably heard around that I'll retire. I thought that if you manage to these investors to invest in our company, the post of head of the Department is your'. Marcus had some age and the truth is that Felicity had already heard some rumors that he was going to retire. But she never thought he wanted her to take his place.
'Seriously?'.
'Seriously! This Department needs someone new, promising, with new ideas. I think that someone is you! Captive the investors and the place it's yours!'.
'Thank you', Felicity said, picking up the folder and starting to think about things that could change in computer systems that the company invested.
When the phone rang, signaling the arrival of a message, Felicity was surprised when she noticed that it was already five o'clock. Bundling the drafts she had made, with ideas to present, she took the bag and went to the coffee shop which was two streets down from Central Industries.
The Pastels coffee was always overcrowded, Felicity didn't know if it was because of their delicious coffee or due to different pies that were part of the menu. Sitting in a place that had recently vacated, Felicity noticed Iris. As if she had feeling, Iris turned and went to Felicity.
'Hi, Felicity!', she greeted her. 'You want the usual?'.
'Yes, please'.
When Iris returned with a cup of tea and a big slice of pie, Felicity thanked the heavens that Iris worked on that coffee. Placing the pie in front of Felicity, Iris asked her. 'Do you have any news of Barry?'.
When she came to town, Felicity knew that Barry had been moved to the S.T.A.R Labs, sometimes she would visit him or Caitlin would call her and tell how he was. It was in one of those calls that Felicity discovered that Iris West was Barry's friend. Felicity decided then to find the workplace of Iris and introduce herself. They became immediately friends. Although she liked Caitlin, it'd be nice to have more friends in this town and Iris had been a good listener. Sometimes, Iris told her funny episodes of Barry when he was younger, making her laugh.
'Yesterday I talked to Caitlin and she said he was in the same'.
The expression of Iris was of sadness and Felicity realized she should really miss the friend. 'I'm sure he's going to wake up, when you least expect it, Barry will... 'Felicity looked out the front door of the coffee that was behind Iris. 'Barry?', she almost screamed.
Iris turned and saw his friend there at the door. She stood there for a few seconds but then ran and hugged him. Felicity was confused. When she had talked with Caitlin, Barry was still in a coma. How could he be here?.
Felicity's thoughts were interrupted when she heard Iris ask. 'What are you doing here? I didn't know you were awake!'.
'I woke up today. I came straight here!', Barry's voice was equal, but Felicity felt something different about him.
'Barry?', she said, approaching him.
'Felicity? What are you doing here?', the joy with which he said her name left her glad to see him. He hugged her quickly. She looked at Iris and back to Barry.
'I'm living in Central City!', she said. 'I'm working on Central Industries'.
'Great. This is great. I never thought I'd see you here. I thought you could come and visit me. Or you could come over and see the museums, or you could come with somebody here's…' Barry began to babble. Felicity loved that about him. 'I'm really glad to see you here'. She noticed that he was very agitated, it was as if he was having a peak of adrenaline, his hands were shaking.
She frowned ' are you all right? Yesterday you were in a coma. Maybe you should be resting'.
'I'm fine. I woke up and it was like I was waking up from a normal sleep. I feel great. I ran over here'.
When Felicity touched his arm, a waitress that was passing by his side, stumbled around the tray. She looked away for a second, and when she looked again, the waitress was with the tray in her hands and nothing on the ground.
Barry seemed distracted but recovered quickly. 'I have to go'. When he was near the door, he turned and said. 'Felicity, I call you'.
'Okay', Felicity said and looked at Iris that also featured an expression confused and a little hurt. Looking at the door she felt a stream of air and Barry disappeared. How could he have been so fast?, she thought.
A/N: In the previous chapter I said that Oliver would discover that Felicity is pregnant in this chapter, but if I kept writing, I would only be able to post this chapter next week. So I decided to post this now and next week I'll post the continuation... I think is better this way
Souzap: Thank you;)
Guest: Thanks for the warning! The dictionary on my computer does not accept Laurel's name! (Seriously!) As you may have noticed, is not yet in this chapter that Oliver will know about the pregnancy! It will be in the next chapter, I promise!
Lililovingreading:Thanks for the ideas, as I will always take them into consideration (sometimes helps me a lot). Thanks for the review, you are very nice;)
Koolsmilesarekool:Thanks for the review! I think you got it my goal:) I tried to stay true to the plot, but that will not be possible in the next chapter (or else you guys would have to wait until October for the next chapter...it will not happen, I promise) .
100 chapters? No! What pressure;)
Zvi: If ully agree with you! That sentence was horrible, I found it ridiculous! Laurel didn't know Oliver was the Arrow, it was Slade who told her! How could she know so well Oliver? I wish there was more discontent with that phrase, so I decided to use it! Felicity, Sara&Laurel BFF? Bah, Never!
SamanthaFreitas3: Thanks for the review! Next chapter: he will find out!
Sara o: I have much to thank you! You gave met he best idea! Next chapter will be dedicated to you (can't say more)
Guest:Thank you! I apologize, but I can't do updates sooner.L ife gets in the way ...I hope you like this chapter! I'll try to post the next as soon as possible
Guest: Thank you!
SisterRose94: Thanks for the ideas! I'm trying to get non-rushed chapters! As you read, Lyla is pregnant in this story, I thought it would make sense and more over she and Felicity can help each other. What do you think of the chapter?