"Mysterious Smoak"
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters; those belong to their original creators. The way it's all stringed together is of my making. No profit is being made out of this (*sigh* unfortunately).
Manipulations of the cover art/image are mine though.
While the chapters in this story can be seen as separate entries, they all have the same backstory in common. Think of it as each chapter being a "what if" moment for the characters yet with all chapters sharing the same backstory.
Backstory:
- Felicity meets the Winchesters in 2012 (reality; 2011-2012 / verse; 2012-2013) = S9 (verse; 2015-2016)
- Timeline of "Arrow" is pushed forward by 2 years so the ages are the same (therefore Oliver was shipwrecked in 2009 and saved in 2014) = S2 (2015-2016)
Ages: (see first chapter)
REASON why this is listed under "Arrow" only: because of Felicity.
Chapter Summary: My version of Slade re-enacting the island ultimatum to Oliver. When Oliver's nightmare comes true, one person offers themselves up to take the fall but they have one request…to make one last phone call.
Inspiration: Since it was revealed what drove Oliver/Slade apart on the island, I had an idea of history repeating yet this didn't truly form until many weeks later.
Spoiler(s): everything up to ep. 9x16 ("Blade Runners") for Supernatural and everything up to ep. 2x17 ("Birds of Prey") for Arrow
Time Frame: This happens a few weeks after the above mentioned spoiler episodes (some of 2x19 was included when it came to Laurel).
A/N: At the end to avoid additional spoilers. Not beta-ed.
NOTE: This chapter is no way connected to the previous chapters.
*SPN*Arrow*SPN*Arrow*SPN*
"A Twisted Ultimatum (Part 1)"
Everything was all wrong.
The notion was repeating itself in Felicity's mind as she took the scene before her. A scene she truly didn't understand how it came to be.
One minute she was making a quick run to grab her take out and then next she woke up and found herself tied up in an abandoned warehouse.
And she wasn't alone.
Aside from the fact that both her hands and ankles were chained to the ground (there was no way she could escape), it didn't take her long to realize that another unconscious figure was chained up like she was. It was only after Felicity's sight cleared up more did she realize that it was Laurel Lance that was in the same predicament as she was.
She tried not to panic. Logic proved that it was unproductive to do so and yet a part of her couldn't help the panic when it finally clicked to her why she was there and what could possibly come from it.
And that's where she was now.
Instead of being the only one conscious in the abandoned warehouse, there were many figures surrounding her. And they all weren't figures that comforted her.
Laurel was finally awake but she had uncontrollable tears streaming down her face as she tried to make sense of the situation. It was clear that she tried to maintain a strong front yet her emotions weren't allowing her to keep it intact for long.
And then there was the team, who were all geared up in their vigilante outfits as they formed a semi-circle around Laurel and Felicity. But they couldn't get too close to the hostages because of the maniac puppet master who stood between his hostages with a gun alternating between them.
Slade Wilson had brought Oliver's nightmare to life. The man with the Mirakuru had recreated that awful moment that changed everything between Oliver and Slade when they were on the island together.
And just like on the island, Oliver's team was surrounded by the men of his enemy. And they were all hyped up on Mirakuru like Slade…and the Arrow team knew it and yet they still came to the scene like they did after they realized who Slade had taken.
Threats were made, weapons were drawn, arguments were made between the original island alumni and yet throughout all of that Felicity remained silent.
The moment she woke up and took in the situation, she knew how it would all play out.
With someone leaving in a body bag.
"So what's it going to be kid? Who are you going to save?" Slade repeated to Oliver as he shifted the gun between Laurel and Felicity. He was standing behind them, leaving the terrified women to face the man that had their fate in his hands.
"Please, don't do this Slade. You have a problem with me, not them." Oliver pleaded as he looked between the two women. One had been his salvation when he was on the island and she had been the love of his life for a huge chuck of it. And the other had grown to become his friend, his confidant, his partner in practically all aspects of his life since he revealed his secret to her. And they were both being held at gun point because of him.
Slade shook his head. "You are right about that kid but you see, they are a part of this and by the end of the night, you will have blood of one of them on your hands. So you just have to decide whose blood that is." He continued to shift the gun between the two until he landed it on Laurel.
The moment Laurel felt the gun pressed against her head, she started to plead for her life. She tried to make bargains, she tried to bring reason into the situation yet her fear grew when she saw the fear in Oliver and Sara's eyes. Now that she knew that they were the Arrow and the Canary, she could easily see her loved ones behind their masks. And to see the fear in their eyes, it caused her to panic even more as she pleaded.
Felicity closed her eyes as she listened to Laurel's rambles for the IT genius knew that it wasn't going to matter if Laurel pleaded to Slade for her freedom. The man wasn't going to give it unless it was part of his plan. And Felicity knew that the same could be said for her. But she knew that wasn't going to happen.
She exhaled deeply before she made a move that she knew she shouldn't make. A move that she hoped would change the game...somehow. "If that's the case, can I say something?"
When Laurel's pleas stopped, Felicity took a chance and looked over her shoulder to the man with the gun. When she noticed the tilt of his head, a small sign of his curiosity, she took it as a sign for her to continue.
"It's obvious who he's going to choose, so can I make one final phone call?" Felicity asked and she was proud that her voice hadn't wavered one bit even though she felt like her insides were shaking with fear.
After the request left her mouth, Felicity could feel all eyes were on her and yet she only focused on Slade. He was the threat and she wanted him to know that she was serious with her request. Because of her focus being on Slade, she never noticed the shocked expressions that the Arrow team were giving her. She never noticed how Oliver's shoulders tensed or how Diggle flinched for his service weapon. She never noticed how Roy was trying to reign in his rage or how Sara had gasped at her request.
However, Slade did notice the reactions and he couldn't help but be amused by the gumption that Felicity had to even ask such a thing of him. It was definitely a first for him.
"You're not arrested Ms. Smoak so you don't have that privilege." Slade pointed out while the gun was still trained on Laurel.
Felicity sighed, "With all due respect Mr. Wilson-" she hated the formality and yet she stuck with it, "- we both know who he is going to save. I mean I don't even need to know the whole origin story for this setup you've got us in to know how it's going to end. And I've learned that begging in these situations gets you absolutely nothing. Usually it's a good stalling technique however there is no point to that here. So I just want to say goodbye to someone before you lodge a bullet into me." Even though she rambled, it was very clear where Felicity's head was.
She knew she wasn't going to leave the warehouse alive.
And while she had insinuated it when she made the request, hearing her say that she knew that she won't live through this confrontation tore through the Arrow team, especially Oliver and Diggle.
Slade scoffed, "And risk you calling in backup, nice try sweetheart."
"Look around you Mr. Wilson, anyone I could utter the truth to about this situation is already in this room." Felicity reminded everyone with a huff. "And the person I want to call is all the way on the East Coast. Or at least he was this morning so he's probably still over there since he hates flying. And I mean he really hates it. So there you go, he can't save me from you." She finished with a shrug of her shoulders.
He can't save me from you.
Her words rang loudly in Oliver's ears. He still couldn't believe what he was hearing. Had she given up? Does she not believe in him or the team anymore?
Slade chuckled as his free hand dug into his suit jacket for his phone, "You've peeked my curiosity here, but the call is going on speaker."
"Felicity, don't do this. Please." Diggle pleaded to Felicity, forcing her to quickly whip her head around to face him. She only gave him a small smile before she turned her attention back to Slade.
"Do something." Roy hissed at Oliver when it became clear that the hooded vigilante wasn't going to say anything. Apparently, he was shocked beyond belief by his IT partner.
When Slade pulled his phone out, Felicity cleared her throat, "You would have to call from my cell. Specific numbers are programed into my speed dial. Plus I doubt he'd pick up from an unknown number." She quickly explained before he could get angry. Instead he only huffed and ordered one of his men to approach him with the items they had confiscated from her earlier. Once the device was retrieved, she gave him the pin to grant him access.
"Number," He called out and while his focus was on the request, his men all raised their weapons and aimed them at the Arrow team so that they wouldn't try anything against him.
Felicity sighed, "666."
Slade gave her a bemused look.
She sighed again,"He's got a…really long number and the tag suits him, trust me on that. Besides he's not the one I want to talk to but I know he'll be with the one I do want to talk to. Although I wish he wouldn't be. Nothing truly good ever comes out of it." She mumbled the last part to herself.
The ringing echoed throughout the room until the call was finally picked up after the third ring.
"Well, well, well Ms. Smoak, I do believe it's a pleasure hearing from you." A smug, male, British voice greeted her. Slade watched as every person on the Arrow team looked at one another with a confused expression on their faces.
Interesting, Slade thought, only she knows the person she's calling.
Oblivious to the observations made around her, Felicity sighed as her focus was on her caller and she was both peeved and relieved to hear this particular voice. "I didn't call for you Crowley, I know that Dean's with you." She knew that she should be pleasant to the King of Hell yet desperate times and all. She didn't have time for pleasantries…whether she liked this particular king or not.
Crowley chuckled, "Now that just hurts darling. But if you wanted Squirrel, why not just call him yourself?"
Felicity huffed when she really wanted to pinch the bridge of her nose because of her annoyance, "Because the last time I talked to him, he was calling from a payphone because you smashed his phone up."
"Oh I didn't smash his phone." Crowley quickly clarified, "He did that all on his own. I think his temper flares up when he's near the Blade. It's quite a sight really."
"Ever think that his temper flares up because you're still alive?" Felicity snapped back, surprising many of the occupants in the room. She didn't pay attention to them though.
Crowley clicked his tongue at her, "Now, now Ms. Smoak, better the devil you know than, well…the psychotic ice queen that we're trying to ice."
"I get it." Felicity grumbled, "You don't like that your Queen is challenging you for your throne. Like I give a damn Crowley!" Her voiced was raised by this point, once again surprising those around her, "Can I talk to Dean or not? It's kind of important and I'm a little pressed for time right now." She finished through gritted teeth.
"Is Mr. Queen making you do all the legwork again darling, because I got to say, between your day job and that nightly one as well, even a special lady like you needs some down time every now and then." Crowley wondered while not realizing that he just informed a room of people that he knew of what exactly she was involved in.
Felicity's eyes widened, "I never-"
"Oh don't bother." Crowley quickly interrupted, "Nothing truly stays hidden from me and you know it. Just like how I know you tried to-"
"I get it okay." Felicity quickly cut in before he revealed too much. She didn't want that moment to be brought up to anyone. It was a moment of weakness for her. "You know everything. And since it's clear that you aren't giving the phone to Dean…"
"Oh I will." The King of Hell clarified once more, "He's just occupied at the moment. Another physical test if you will. I'll pass the call along if he succeeds." She could hear the amusement in his voice. It irked her.
Felicity sighed as she looked up at Slade, "How long?" She feared that Slade would end the call before she got the chance to talk to Dean.
But what Felicity didn't know was that Slade wanted to see this call through. He wanted to know who Felicity wanted to call in her final moments and it looked like he wasn't the only one that wanted to know either. Throughout her talk with Crowley, Oliver couldn't take his eyes off of Felicity even when everyone else (including Laurel) was trying to get his attention. To get him to do something. Anything. Yet the emerald archer just couldn't turn his attention away from the woman who was basically having her 'final phone call' because of him. Who was sacrificing herself to save Laurel because she thought Oliver would be destroyed if Laurel died. Little did Felicity know...
"Just a few moments,"Crowley sighed, somehow sensing her urgency, before he perked back up, "Enough to ask that question you've been wrestling to ask me. So go on? Ask away." He decided on a distraction.
Felicity's brow furrowed, "How'd you…"
"I don't need to see you to know that you're dying to ask me something Ms. Smoak." He interrupted with frustration lacing his voice; she could only assume that he was tired of explaining himself to her, "You should know how I operate by now."
She closed her eyes and shook her head, "Crowley, I don't know you that well to know how you operate."
"True but the boys must have told you stories about us, enough for you to have your own assessment about me. So like I said, ask away." The demon goaded her once again.
"Fine," She looked back at Slade Wilson and decided to take a chance, "Any advice for taking on Slade Wilson, since you seem to know…things you aren't supposed to." She asked and she watched as the man in question tilted his head to the side as he gave her another curious look. She could tell that he wanted to know what this British foreigner could know about him with just a name to go off of.
Crowley sighed; unknown to Felicity, the demon had brushed his hand over his face, "Must you face him?"
"Kind of have no choice right now."Her tone was flat but it was enough to tell the demon that her previous urgency to get to Dean could be tied to Mr. Wilson.
"Best of luck then Ms. Smoak," His sentiment was genuine which surprised the IT genius, "Just know that I have a very special place for him downstairs when his time comes, and it will come. I can assure you that your souls will never cross paths again." He remained firm and confident in his proclamation. It was like he was trying to give the human some sense of peace if something were to happen.
Before Felicity could truly respond to Crowley's indirect confirmation of her afterlife destination, another voice was picked up by the cellular device.
"DAMN IT CROWLEY! How many more of these tests do I have to do?"The new male voice shouted with an irritated huff, "You wanted me to kill the bitch and I will gladly do so but I won't do another one of these tests!" The voice finished and due to its new intensity, Felicity and the others in the warehouse could only conclude that the shouter had gotten closer to Crowley. But unlike the others, Felicity instantly knew that the shouter was none other than Dean Winchester and he really didn't seem pleased with the King of Hell.
"Oh look, Squirrel lives." Crowley declared with a chuckle before he turned away from the phone, "Phone call for you."
Dean scoffed, "I'm not talking to one of your minions."
"Like they would listen to you," Crowley quipped back before he tried to give the hunter an innocent smile,"It's your dear Ms. Smoak."
Dean growled, "She's off limits Crowley." Ever since Crowley found out about Felicity, Dean has had to constantly remind the demon that Felicity was meant to be untouchable to the demonic community if they didn't want either Winchester to focus all their extra attention onto his species (well more so than what the Winchesters usually give the demonic community).
"I'm well aware of that but she called me to get in touch with you." Crowley was smug when he pointed that fact out to the hunter. "Don't keep her waiting. She sounded like she was in a hurry."
There was a brief pause on the other line before the sounds of the phone switching hands could be heard.
When a subtle cough was heard loud and clear, Felicity couldn't help the exhale she released as the moment of truth had finally arrived for her.
*SPN*Arrow*SPN*Arrow*SPN*
In this verse:
- Laurel found out that Sara was the Canary after spending time with her in the events of 2x17 (shortly after that discovery, she came to the conclusion about Oliver a week later)
- Thea was never kidnapped (2x18) and Moira wasn't ever killed (2x20)
- Slade did make more men like him (2x19)
- Instead of Crowley disappearing with the First Blade like he did in 9x16, he stayed and decided to continuously test Dean to see if he was ready to take on Abaddon (like the little test he did in 9x17)
A/N #1: When this idea first came to me, I thought it was a bit 'wacky' but I really liked the idea enough to write it and I wanted to see what you guys think of it. It's mostly Felicity-centric but I hope that in part 2 I'll get some of Oliver's thoughts into it. With that said, what did you think? Did it work for you guys? Did you like it/hate it? Believable/Ridiculous? Please leave a review!
A/N #2: Once again, thank you so much for all the hits and reviews! The positive response is just lightening up my spirits very much!
A/N #3: Don't forget to watch the Arrow season finale this Wednesday (May 14th) and it looks like the person closest to Oliver's heart that Slade takes is...Felicity (I saw photos of it)! The season finale of Supernatural is next Tuesday (May 20th)!
Originally Published: May 11, 2014
