A/N: Takes place directly after 2x13. Just to warn you, it is very dramatic, tragic, and has – what I'd call – a bittersweet ending. It is a bit Olicity oriented, but mostly focuses on Felicity individually. I felt like I needed to be true to Felicity instead of Olicity as a couple (I felt like Felicity deserved more and should get her own happy ending). Also, this focuses a lot on Oliver growing as a person and what should be asked of him. So, this may not be what some of you are hoping for. With that said, I hope you guys don't hate me; I wanted to keep things as logical and realistic as possible. Please, read and review (I love hearing from you guys), but be sure to give constructive criticism (good/negative…I'm good with both). Thank you and I hope you enjoy reading this one-shot as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Also, this particular one-shot was very long so I decided to split it into two parts. Enjoy!

X: The Beginning Is the End Is the Beginning

Part One…

"Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, then it's not the end."

Felicity sat alone in her small apartment, her body still and cold – like a statue – her face empty and devoid of emotion. Her eyes were fixed on the wall across from her. She was still dressed in the clothes she had worn the day before.

Empty. That was how she felt. As if everything about her personality and character had been sucked out of her body and been replaced with something stony and dark.

Felicity didn't know how she had made it home the night before; she had been working on auto pilot after what she had witnessed down in the Foundry. She had returned to the Lair to check on some computer scans she had left running, when she had felt her heart being ripped from her chest, her voice clogged in her throat, and her breath had stopped. The sight of Oliver kissing Sara so passionately had frozen something inside of her, something that she hadn't realized had kept her going for the last year and a half.

Hope.

She didn't understand how or why it ended up this way.

Why?

Her thoughts turned to when she had first met Oliver, how he had sauntered into her closet sized office asking for her help with a bullet riddled laptop. He had flirted with her from the very beginning. Now, looking back maybe that had been his intention all along, to flirt with her in order to get her to help him though he hadn't needed to. Was that all she was even now? Just someone who he charmed in order to ensure her loyalty, friendship, and obedience? It hurt that such an idea could be true.

Then there were other things that he had said to her that still convinced her of his secret love for her; things that convinced her that his feelings were real and that it wasn't just a figment of her imagination.

"Should you ever need to tell someone about your day, you can tell me."

"Because of the life I lead, I could never be with someone that I could truly care about."

"No, you're not my employee. You're my partner."

"Love is the most powerful emotion."

Oliver had looked her right in the eyes when he'd said each and every one of these things to her. She had seen the emotion in his eyes. The way he had looked at her, so intensely and without reserve. So…why? Why did he sleep with Sara? Felicity knew that she and Oliver were not a couple. They weren't seeing each other. She had no claim and no reason to be heartbroken…but, didn't she? Oliver had made her believe that he wasn't ready to commit to someone that he could really love right now, and that his life was too dangerous for him to allow himself to feel that way for her. But, everything he did, everything he said had led her to believe that someday…one day…they could be...

Did that mean that he would parade random lovers before her until that day would come, while she stayed irrevocably loyal and faithful to him? Was that truly fair of him, to ask her to wait while he screwed around and got his act together? Would he ever be ready?

Then there was the question of his past and the baggage he carried. First she had to deal with his past with Laurel – and even now that was still not completely resolved. After that, and most recently, was his past with Laurel's sister, Sara. Would she always be living in the shadow of the Lance sisters? Would he always be living in the past, forever forsaking his future? The future he could have with her.

Her eyes stuck and stung when she blinked, which made her think that she'd been sitting there on her couch for a while without having done so in a while. She blinked her eyes again before she turned her head to glance around her. Felicity was not aware of how she had made it home or that she had indeed been sitting in the same position all night. She watched as the first rays of sunlight broke across the cloudless sky over Starling City – a new dawn was approaching, and with it a new day.

There truly was nothing more devastating in life then when someone gave up on you. That's what Oliver had so clearly done last night. He had given up on them before they had even begun. The shuttering gasp that was ripped from her throat hurt her ears, which had grown accustomed to the silence. Her hand shot up to cover her mouth as her body began to jerk and twitch with silent dry sobs. She didn't even hear her apartment door open until John Diggle placed his large hand on her shoulders and spun her to face him. John lived in the apartment across from hers with Lyla, and every morning he'd pick her up before getting Oliver, and the three of them would drive to work together.

"Felicity?" John's voice was deep and filled with concern. She must have looked like a horror show if his shocked and worried expression was anything to go my. "What happened? Are you all right?" That was all she needed…she broke and the flood gates were wrenched open.

Digg lead Felicity over to the small window seat near her front window that over looked the entire city and sat her down. His arms wrapped around her protectively. He whispered comforting nonsensical words to her as he rocked her body backward and forward. Felicity was the closest thing he had to a little sister, and right now his big brother duties were demanding he find out what was wrong with her and fix it. It wouldn't be that easy, though. When Felicity was calmed down enough she finally told him…everything.

"I'm going to kill him," said Digg, and Felicity just shook her head against his chest. "I am so sorry."

"I can't…I can't…" Felicity brought her head up from Digg's comforting chest and whipped furiously at the tears that were still falling from her eyes. "I can't do this anymore, Digg. I'm a decent person and deserve better then…whatever this is turning into." She didn't seem to need to elaborate anymore. She could tell by the resigned look in Digg's eyes that he understood what she was saying.

"Go, get what you need. I'll drop you off wherever you need me to." Felicity nodded in thanks before she made her way slowly to her room and pulled out a small suitcase from beneath her bed and went to her closet. She filled it with just her essentials – a few pieces of clothing, her favorite shoes, and a couple of books, her toiletries, and every electronic gadget she owned – before focusing on herself. Digg didn't comment on her choice of clothing; a small black cocktail dress with a pair of dark purple heels. As they made their way out of their apartment building, Digg took in Felicity's person and noted with great sadness that something had died inside of her – the light that always seemed to radiate off of her had gone out.

They sat in the car in silence as Digg drove her to the airport. They had stopped at a bank so Felicity could grab some cash. When they had reached a stop light, the tension in the car was finally noticeable with their stillness and Digg took a small glance at her from the corner of his eye. "Felicity…you will…well, will you ever…" Would she ever come back?

"I don't know, Digg. I need time. A weak? A month? Maybe a year? All I know is that I can't stay here. I can't sit back and watch as my world gets turned around."

John let Felicity out at the curb of the shuttle lane in front of the airport. He took her in his arms and gave her his best bear hug. "Take all the time you need. I sure will."

"Wait. No! Digg, you have to stay with him. He needs you!" Felicity had pulled out of the hug and looked up at Digg desperately.

"I'm starting to wonder if he wants or needs anyone."

"He does, John. He needs you. Promise me, Digg." Felicity begged him with her eyes and didn't release his gaze until he gave her a jerk of his head in answer. "Thank you. Make…make him better, Digg. Don't let him destroy himself."

"Don't worry. I'll knock some sense into him, for both our sakes." Felicity let out a choked laugh. She gave him one last hug before she left him alone on the curb. She didn't look back.

"Love when you're ready, not when you're lonely."

Oliver sat in the chair that was usually occupied by Felicity. After his sexual encounter with Sara last night in the Lair beneath Verdant, it wasn't until he'd dressed himself and glanced over to Felicity's Spot when it all seemed to hit him like a freight train. What had he done? He'd screwed up…again. So, there he sat, with his arms bent, elbows resting on his knees and his face buried in his hands, dreading facing the consequences of his actions. He barely heard the click of the bathroom door opening as Sara emerged fully dressed once again.

"Um…Ollie. About last night, I think it was…"

"A mistake." Oliver interrupted Sara before she could finish her awkward speech.

"Oh, thank God. I was gonna try to break that to you gently but I wasn't really sure how. Although, I may agree that what we did was not the smartest thing, but you do look more…burdened than usual. What's wrong?" Sara's voice held an air of concern that was typical of a friend and nothing more.

"Felicity." Oliver whispered; his voice cracked with resigned emotion.

"What are you…oh. Oh, I…didn't even think about…"

"Yeah." Oliver's face was still buried in his hands. He couldn't even look at Sara. Shame and guilt washed over his body more than usual.

"She doesn't have to know, Ollie. I'm gonna go live with my mom in Coast City for a while; get some sense of normalcy back into my life. I don't want to hurt her anymore then you do." Sara looked on Oliver with a deep understanding. Felicity was his light, a flickering flame amongst his ocean of darkness; Sara could only hope that one day, she too would find her own light.

"She can't know. She must never know about this." Oliver's voice was strained.

"It's a bit late for that." Digg's sharp voice drew both Sara and Oliver's attention.

"Digg, I…"

"Save your excuses for someone who believes them, Oliver." Digg's vice kept its cold seriousness.

"Um…I'll just let you two…" Sara made her way to the side entrance/exit of the Lair.

"Stay, please. I have few things I would like to say…to both of you." Digg's eyes never left Oliver's. "First off, did you really think you could've kept this a secret? She knows you, Oliver, better than anyone. She knows how you feel, how you think, what to say to comfort you, and what to do to make life easier for you. She knows you. Second…why? Of all the people and places you could've screwed up with it had to be here with Sara. Of all the places and people?! This was our sanctuary. The one place the three of us could call home, and now it's tainted." Oliver flinched at Digg's harsh words. "Felicity…she's the only one who stuck up for you. The one who stayed up till dawn three/four days a week just to make sure you were safe, to talk to you, comfort you. It's her heart that flutters when you text her, you were the one who brought that smile to her face – you know, the one that you can't help but smile back at."

"Digg, please…I know what we did…what I did was wrong, but…"

"No, Oliver. You don't get to excuse yourself from this, Oliver. You know when you left for those five months to exile yourself back on Lian Yau, it was Felicity that made this place home for you, that waited for you to come back, the one who missed you the most. She's the one that constantly fought for you. But, by the time you get your head out of your ass, and realize that she's the girl for you…she'll already be with the guy who figured it out." Digg knew his last words had hit a cord in Oliver given how the other man literally flinched and lurched backwards at the very thought of Felicity with someone else.

Meanwhile, Sara looked on in shame as every word Digg said was true. She didn't love Ollie. They were friends and they had faced a lot of horrors together back on the island, but they were too dark for each other. They each needed a light to draw them out of the darkness. They'd just drown each other in said darkness if they kept things up – stuck in the mistakes of their past. She was drawn out of her musings when Digg turned his condemnation onto her.

"I expected better of you. I would have thought that you'd learned from your mistakes." Digg looked at her with such disappointment that Sara was forced to look away. She respected John Diggle and the fact that she had earned his contempt made her feel even worse. "Felicity welcomed you into our Lair, our lives; she offered her friendship without any judgment or disdain for the things you've done. This is how you repay that kindness."

Digg turned to look at anything other than the two people who had betrayed the kindest soul he'd ever known; the most forgiving person he'd ever known. "She once said you deserved better then something meaningless like this." Oliver's eyes went from ashamed, guilty, hurt, to panic in the next few moments. "She was wrong. She deserves better than either of you. So, no…you don't get to keep this a secret."

"What? No, Digg…please, you can't…" Oliver's voice was desperate as he pleaded with Digg.

"Can't what, Oliver? Tell her the truth? I don't have to. She already knows." Digg's revelation made Oliver and Sara freeze. All thoughts of secrecy vanished and now only guilt remained –guilt and shame.

Oliver jerked forward. He grabbed the keys to his bike and his jacket before practically bolting towards the stairs of the Foundry. Digg caught him before he could leap up the stairs. "Digg, I have to go. I have to explain things to her…to…to do something. I have to fix this!" Oliver tried to yank his arm free of Digg's grip, but his friend was relentless.

"You're too late, Oliver. She's gone." Oliver's body went limp at Digg's words, his head jerking from side to side in denial. "She left an hour ago." Digg looked on as Sara raised her hand to rub at her face, as if she thought it would wipe away all of her mistakes. Oliver gave Digg a pleading look, silently begging him to tell him that it wasn't true, that Felicity hadn't left him.

The clatter of car keys against the hard cement of the floor brought everyone to their senses as they all turned to the side entrance/exit of the Lair. There stood Roy Harper, the newest member of their team, his face filled with shock – as if someone had just told him his favorite song had been written about a sandwich. "Um…sorry. I just came by to…you know. I'm gonna go see what Thea's up to." Roy practically ran out of the Lair and to the safety of his girlfriend. Sara was quick to follow. She'd over stayed her welcome.

Digg turned his attention back to Oliver, releasing the other man's arm before he made his way to the Lair's exit. He turned back to look Oliver in the eye. "The only reason I'm not following Felicity's example, leaving you here and taking Roy with me is because she wanted me to stay here with you. Because that girl still believes in you. She still hopes that one day, you'll be better than this…this thing you're turning yourself into. I'm staying, Oliver, but I'm not doing it for you. Because as of right now…you're not my friend." With that said, Digg made his way slowly and wearily up the Foundry stairs.

"Digg…" Oliver's voice was raspy with unexpressed emotions. "Is she – is she coming back?" The last bit of hope Oliver had for himself shone in his eyes.

"I don't know, Oliver. I doubt even Felicity knows." With those final words, Digg left Oliver alone to bask in his own darkness, with no light to guide him back.

Roy Harper

Roy had woken up that morning with a new purpose, just like he had every morning since he'd joined Team Arrow, as Felicity put it, a month ago. This was every kid's dream, working every day and being trained with their hero. The role model they looked up to more than anything in the world.

Felicity would make that sarcastic comment about how much of a fan-boy he was when it came to Oliver – the Green Arrow, but he didn't mind. It simply showed how much she cared about him, cared enough to tease him, to teach him some hacking skills, and to always side with him whenever he made the unfortunate decision to side against Oliver in an argument.

Felicity Meghan Smoak was truly a magnificent human being.

So, when Thea asked him later that night what was bothering him so much, he didn't hold back. Felicity had been Oliver's light and he'd messed things up so much that he didn't think there'd ever be an end to this coldness that had enveloped their team. Thea was Roy's light and he'd be damned before he'd drive her away like Oliver had. So he told her – he told her everything, every secret he'd been keeping from her for the last couple of months. He wasn't going to make the same mistake Oliver did.

Moira Queen

Moira Queen was furious. She had counted on Felicity's emotions for Oliver to keep her from telling him the truth about her relationship with Malcom Merlyn; the affair that had resulted in Thea's birth. But, instead those feelings had led her to be painfully honest about the truth, and now because of Felicity Smoak, Moira had lost her son's trust, faith, love, and respect.

So, she made a call to an old friend. She'd warned Felicity that she'd regret it if she told Oliver Moira's secret. Now, she'd find out just how much.

The phone rang and she waited until she could hear the distinct click of the phone being answered on the other end.

"Hello?"

"I'd like to speak to Rhas Al Ghul, please."

The Fall of the League

A month had passed since Felicity left the team – if it could even be called a team anymore. None of them seemed to realize just how much Felicity meant, not just individually, but as a whole as well. The air in the Lair was tense and distant, the lack of emotions and warmth noticeable. No one smiled. No one cracked a joke. They didn't eat fast food together late at night anymore and they didn't share anything personal about their lives outside of vigilantism.

Felicity had not just been their tech support. She'd been the heart and soul of their team. She patched them up, cared for them, and soothed their egos when they would return from a patrol injured and hurting. She made their moods lighter and gave them purpose to keep doing things the right way.

Their team…

They weren't a team anymore. They were nothing more than colleagues working towards the same goal.

When one night the three men made their way into the Lair only to find a very distressed Sara, things were beyond awkward. Oliver did not jump forward to comfort her, that was a blessing at least, but he did look at her in friendly concern. "Sara, what are you doing here? Has something happened? Your family…"

"No. No, it's nothing like that it's just…the League." Sara paced the space of the Lair, her arms crossed over her chest, and a deep frown crinkled her brow.

"Is the League back for you or something?" Digg's question held no sympathy just curiosity.

"No. The League of Assassins has been destroyed."

"What?"

"How?"

"When?"

"I don't know, really. When I left here after…" Sara turned away from them as they all wore dark looks at the reminder of why Felicity was gone in the first place. "I had decided to go and make things right with Nyssa. When I arrived at the League's headquarters in the mountains of northern china, everything had been destroyed. Everyone was…I found Nyssa…she was dead. But, that's not the reason I came here. The thing is no one other than members of the League knew where our location was. Whoever destroyed and killed off the entire League, was someone who…it had to have been a member of the League."

Oliver, Diggle, and Roy looked on in shock. The mere fact that one lone person could have destroyed a group as deadly and as powerful as the League of Assassins was very worrisome.

"How long ago was this?" Digg asked, but Sara did not mistake his concern for her on a personal level. It was clear that all of their concerns – and rightly so – were focused on the possible threat that one person could take out so many trained fighters that were a part of the League.

"It had to have been almost right after Nyssa left Starling. From the state of all of their bodies, or what was left of them, I'd guess about three weeks, maybe four." Sara's voice was distant as she remembered stumbling through the ruins of the monastery that the League called headquarters. Her emotions had been fairly mixed on the whole situation. She had not made any lasting friends in the League other than Nyssa, and that had been more love than friendship. She had feared and respected Rhas Al Ghul, but that was as far as her attachments went.

The loss of Nyssa had been a blessing and heartache all rolled into one. Her heart ached at the destruction of her lover. Nyssa had been her lifeline and her only link to human emotion while she had been welcomed into the League two years earlier and because of her she'd had a small link to civilization – the one thing that had been separate from all the death and killing that had come with joining up with them. Her head was more realistic and knew that she had a hand in her relationship with Nyssa falling so out of control. What she had done to Nyssa – her one and only true and honest love – was unthinkable. She had snuck off in the middle of the night and run back to Starling, desperate to reunite with her family after leading them all to believe that she'd been dead for the last six and a half years. Nyssa had come for her after giving her four months of peace, than she'd come to bring her home. At the time, Sara had not wanted to admit it – she'd forced herself to believe that her family and Starling City was her home – but the League and Nyssa had been her true family. She'd felt welcomed and loved, and while she knew her family loved her, she still feared them ever finding out all the things she'd done in the past few years. So, she had returned to the League a few days after her indiscretions with Oliver and had sought out Nyssa specifically in the hopes that they could both have the goodbye and forgiveness they both so desperately needed.

It had been too late.

When Sara had found the destruction of the Monastery, she had counted everybody in the hopes of finding just one alive. She knew all the members by heart. With each scorched body and unrecognizable face, it became more and more clear that they were all dead…including Nyssa. Her body had been thrown into a wall and towards a large opening that allowed the cold frozen air, snow, and ice to freeze her forever into perfection. Sara had held her to her chest as she cried tears of…acceptance. Nyssa had been a hope for her throughout all her time separated from her family. Now, that hope was gone.

The realization that before Nyssa's death Sara had spent the night with Oliver had been her breaking point. The guilt and shame flooding her heart and soul. While Nyssa had been dying in the cold, she had been with Oliver – that hurt her more than the actual loss of her lover.

So, now here she stood in front of Oliver (he still couldn't seem to meet her eyes and she understood that, she could barely look at him without thinking of their betrayal to both Nyssa and Felicity), Digg (his gaze hard and distant, uninterested in anything about her personally), and Roy (who seemed to have lost the awe of respect that he had for both her and Oliver; his heroes had fallen from grace).

"I just thought you all should know. I mean, if my theory is correct that it was a member…or if it was just one person who destroyed the League, then that gives us all a very good reason to be very worried. Perhaps this…person is one of the good guys, but if they're not then…" She watched as realization reached all their faces.

"Thank you for letting us know," said Oliver, his voice friendly but still distant.

"It's the least I can do." Sara took a look around and noticed how clean and reorganized everything was. As Roy and Digg moved towards the practice mats to start training. Speaking of the practice mats, they were new. As were a lot of things about the Lair, everything except for Felicity's corner of computers and other advanced technology. She had a feeling that Oliver, Digg, and Roy had done all they could to change the Lair in the hopes of erasing the events of that night a month ago. She couldn't blame them. After Nyssa's death, she'd wanted to forget about that night as well. As she continued to reflect on that night and Felicity, she took another look around and noticed Felicity's absence. "Felicity…she's still not back?" Oliver flinched at the mention of her name and nodded his head in resignation. "Find her Oliver. I went back to fix things with Nyssa. To end things the right way, but I never got that chance to do the right thing by her. You still have a chance. Find Felicity and make things right. You may not get the chance to if you continue to wait."

"I will. I have to. I can't…I can't do this without her. I can't be without her. Everything I am calls out to her. I did everything I could to push her away so that I wouldn't hurt her. Only it turns out that in doing so I hurt her anyway. I have to make it right." Oliver's voice was strong and solid with his words, meaning every single one of them.

Sara gave him one last fleeting smile before sending a respectful nod to both Roy and Digg as she made her way out of the Lair and back to her mother's home in Coast City.

"I've dreamt in my life dreams that have stayed with me forever and changed my ideas: they've gone through and through me like wine through water, and altered the color of my mind." – Wuthering Heights.

Felicity sat by herself outside a small café in a Podunk town somewhere just outside of New Orleans. It was her favorite vacation spot and she had come here to think, to heal, and to start over. However, things had not worked out so well. For the last few weeks she had the strange feeling that she was being followed. At first she hadn't been sure whether said person was friend or foe, at least not until she had narrowly escaped her possible murder two nights ago. It had only been by luck and chance. The few basic skills in self-defense that Digg had taught had helped, but it had only been by sheer chance that she had been able to trip her dressed-in-black-and-masked-attacker and spray his eyes with mace and get away. She'd spent the rest of the night erasing any trace of her there was in the world.

The attempt on her life – as mysterious as it was – made her realize that there were certain things in her life that she needed to put behind her. Some temporarily and some permanently. So, there she sat with a small stack of stationary she'd picked up from one of the many shops lining the streets of the old town she was staying in. She wrote and wrote until everything she had felt about so many things had been documented on the paper before her. She did not use a traditional envelope, for she was not going to mail it, but deliver it personally.

That is how she found herself hacking into the security footage of Verdant and the Lair to ensure that no one was there. It was 4:30AM a day later when she had returned to Starling City and made her way through the empty Lair. She felt a shiver of despair as she walked through what had once been so familiar, and while she could see the changes in it, the Lair was no longer a place of peace and sanctuary for her.

Felicity placed the small letter on top of the metal counter that held Oliver's bow and placed it right in front of it. It seemed like an ideal place to put it, somewhere that Oliver would notice. She gave one last fleetingly look around her before she made her escape. She didn't know where she would go from here, all she did know was that she still needed time away, time to think and time to heal.

When Oliver made his way into the Lair beneath Verdant the last thing he expected to see was a small letter in a bright red envelope lying in front of his bow with his name written on it, in writing that he recognized all too well – Felicity's hand writing.

That was how Roy and Digg found him ten minutes later, standing in front of his bow in a state of speechless shock. Once Roy and Digg got a good look at the writing on the envelope they had a good feeling who it was from. It was Digg who broke the silence as he picked the envelope up and handed it to Oliver.

"You'll never know what she has to say to you until you open it and read it." Digg ushered Roy back up the steps and into Verdant for a drink while Oliver had some time to put himself together and face the consequences of his actions.

Oliver's hands shook – honest to God shook, something that rarely happened now a day, he was usually in such good control over his emotions – as he sat in Felicity's chair and opened her letter. He dreaded and longed to read what she wanted him to know.

Dearest Oliver,

These last few weeks have been hard for me, and I suspect for our team as well. That was not my intention. The night that I caught you and Sara…well, it was one of great reflection. I thought about all the reasons I should stay and all the reasons I needed to leave. Ironically enough, they both had an equal number involving you.

First and foremost, I'd like to share some things about my past with you. Something we both have never been to open about with each other. Over the last year and a half you have let slip a few pieces of information here and there that has allowed me to draw my own conclusions about your time during the five years you were stuck on that island of Purgatory. I wish that you had trusted me and had felt comfortable enough with me to share more of your experiences, good or bad. But, alas that was something you struggled with and I truly understand that you may never feel comfortable about sharing those dreadful years with anyone. I hope you do – I think it would be good for you to share that burden with someone…anyone.

While I know that my own tragic past could never measure up in comparison to yours, I'd like to at least extend my trust – just for this small moment – and share with you what made me who I am.

As I told you that day before I left, I barely knew my father. I was very young when he left – only five years old – and had not understood that when I saw him that fateful day that it would be the last. My mother was not a particularly strong woman and she took my father's abandonment very hard. So hard that five years later I would come home to her lying lifeless in the bathtub surrounded by red water; a small razor protruding from each of her wrists.

Oliver paused as he read the last line of that paragraph again and again. The idea…the mere thought that someone as innocent as Felicity witnessed her own mother's suicide was…gut wrenching for him. He had always assumed that her innocence was a part of her due to her lack of experience with the darker side of life, but this new revelation was making him see and respect Felicity in more ways then one.

I would spend the next two years being thrown about from foster home to foster home until I was adopted into a wonderful family – Jewish, like my own – in Gotham City. My new father, Jim Gordon, was a kind man and he treated me with the greatest love and care that a scared and scarred child could hope for. His wife was everything my mother had not been. Strong and beautiful. She and Jim had been trying for years to have children of their own but were unable to do so, so they adopted. I was not the only one. Years later they would adopt a young boy and eventually another little girl. James (or Jim Jr. as I call him) and Maddie. Both sweet children that like me have a troubled past but were able to move past it with the healing power of a loving family. We gave each other strength where before there had been nothing but Darkness.

Witnessing one's own parent commit suicide is not something you forget, and to this day I am still haunted with terrors that I wake screaming in a cold sweat at night. Yet, as much as the Darkness has reached out to me for the last twelve years, I have never let it take hold of me. I live by my adoptive mother's philosophy that just because something has Darkness in it, does not mean that their pure heart has been taken from them or their innocence. I believe that, Oliver.

You have a Darkness inside of you that you feel that you must fight against. Stop fighting. Give into that Darkness. Except it. Once you have done that, only then can you learn to control it and use it to your advantage.

For the last few months you have made it very clear that something has changed between us. There is a deeper connection. Something that binds us together. I have a feeling that all those times you've pushed me away; you have been trying to protect me from the Darkness that plagues your soul. You never needed to protect me from it. I too have Darkness in me but I have learned to manage it. But you, you fight against it, are ashamed of it, and try so hard to get rid of it by trying to save an entire city in the hopes that it will purify you.

Oliver, you can't destroy your Darkness. It is a part of you. So, let it go. Use it to your advantage, but never deny it. Otherwise, it will use you. Everyone has Darkness and light in them, Oliver. What matters is the side that you choose to act on.

In spite of my new family, I still felt very alone in the world. People who knew of my past either pitied me or thought low of me, as if I was going to make the same mistakes my parents did. Those who didn't know of my past took my silence as arrogance or stupidity. I was alone in this world until I had met you.

I was intelligent and a hard worker. My Darkness drove my ambition to succeed and allowed me to find the energy to graduate from high school at 16 before moving off to MIT on a scholarship. Yet, I never really fit in anywhere. You did that Oliver; you took me in and gave me a purpose. Over time, I imagined us fighting the big fight together, alongside each other. Now I'm not so sure where I belong.

What was the point of it all, Oliver?

Was any of it real?

Was I your friend…partner…love?

Or…

Was I nothing more than another means to an end?

Was I just something convenient?

Nothing more than an IT genius that you wanted to wield like any other weapon in order to help along your own crusade against the City?

Oliver flinched as he read those last few lines. The harsh truth was that he had used her…at the beginning. He knew from the start that she cared for him, had a crush on him and he used her feelings against her to ensure her loyalty. It wasn't until later, over time, that he felt himself falling for her in return and just as he realized just how deep her feelings went for him – that she was in love with him – he fell in love with her.

Before I would have said that I was someone you could picture spending the rest of your life with. You certainly gave me a good enough reason to believe that. The things you'd say to me, the things you'd do for me and only me. Yet, you would use my trust, friendship, and loyalty and turn to someone else for comfort.

When I discovered the truth about Thea's parentage, I knew immediately what I had to do. I confronted your mother and gave her the chance to tell you herself. Perhaps if she had listened to me, things would have worked out better between the two of you. However, instead she threatened me and used my own feelings for you against me. She told me that if I revealed to you the truth, that you would– of course hate her – but, you would also hate me and associate the harsh truth with me. That I would lose you. I took that chance; that leap of faith. Much like I did when I decided to stay as a member of your little team after we had rescued Walter. I decided to tell you the truth anyway, knowing very well that she could be right.

It seems she was right after all.

Oliver seemed to freeze as he read the line about his mother threatening her. Anger and hate bubbled in his blood, but then sadness took hold of him as he realized that in essence he had lead Felicity to believe that his mother's threat was true. That he was trying to punish her and a new kind of guilt took hold of him. not only had he hurt and betrayed her with his actions – betrayed both their love – but he had also given her reason to doubt his sincerity in the words he had told her as she struggled to tell him his mother's secret. That she would never lose him.

Was that why you slept with Sara? Was that my punishment for telling you the truth? Do you hate me, now knowing the truth about Thea's birth? Or perhaps it was something else, something similar to what happened between you and Isabel in Russia. Was it simply for comfort after having learned such a horrible truth about your family? I hope it's not true, that you do not hate me.

All I can hope for no is that you can grow from your mistakes and become the man I always saw you as. The hero.

Now, while this letter has been very cathartic for me, I still am unsure of what to do. Things have been irreparably damaged between us…at least for now. I do not wish to lead you on or give you any kind of false hope. So, I will tell you out right that I am unsure as to whether I will ever come back.

I need time.

A few more weeks…months…

Maybe longer.

All I know is that I need to rediscover who I am, because you have changed me Oliver and I am not sure what to do with myself anymore.

One more thing. Tell Thea the truth. She deserves to know. I am giving you the same chance that I gave your mother. Tell her the truth yourself, because a secret like this does not stay buried for long and she will find out eventually. If she learns that you knew the truth and did not tell her, she may never forgive you. You've already lost so much, do not let your pride and overprotective nature drag you down into a lie that you know you cannot keep covered up. It will simply destroy you. Tell her and offer her the support she will surely need. Make things right.

Yours,

Felicity

P.S. – I know that there is a lot standing between us right now. Issues that still have to be resolved. Questions to be answered. But, I feel that I should tell you – for I fear that I may never get the chance to tell you – that…I have loved you for a very long time, Oliver Queen. I hope that you are able to work things out and perhaps one day things will be right between us once more.

Oliver read the three page letter again and again until his eyes grew blurry. He wasn't sure what to think. The things that Felicity had revealed to him were shocking to say the least. While her own darkness could nowhere near measure up to what haunted him, it was something that he could not fathom someone so bright and colorful facing…and all alone, too. She had faced darkness and yet still had remained so bright and hopeful for the world around her. For that, Oliver was in awe over her sheer will and power to see the good around her. When he had first met her he believed that innocence would be a great weakness on her part, but now he realized that it was her strength. It was what drove her to be as intelligent and as moving as she was. It made him love her all the more.

At that thought, Oliver's head snapped up in shock. It shouldn't be so shocking. He knew what his feelings for her but he had spent so long trying to bury them and ignore them that it was what had hurt her most. Now, he was forced to acknowledge them and it enraptured him. His body burst into motion as he texted Digg that he and Roy could return to the Lair. He was going to need their help with what he had planned.

When Roy and Digg stumbled down the stairs in a hurry, desperate to see what had commenced between Oliver and Felicity's letter, they had not expected to see a near frantic Oliver typing furiously on the many computers.

"Oliver…" Digg's voice held the many questions they were all wondering.

"The letter's next to my bow." Oliver was clearly giving Digg permission to read it. Once
Digg had, he turned to Oliver.

"What does this mean for you?"

"I'm going to find her. I know she wants time and I'll gladly give it to her, but I still want to find her. I will make this right. Roy, whatever Felicity taught you I need you to put it to good use and get every system running to find her." Oliver's voice held the authority it usually did when giving orders.

"Um…ok, but I am going to have to leave soon. It's mine and Thea's first anniversary and I was going to spend the evening with her."

Oliver turned to give Roy a calculating look before it turned contemplative. "Right…ok. In that case, could you…could you bring her here? After your…date…could you bring Thea here?"

"You're seriously going to tell Thea the truth…about everything?" Digg's voice held the shock that was clearly shown on Roy's face.

"It's what Felicity wanted me to do." That was answer enough for all of them.

Roy nodded his head before he moved towards the row of computers. He worked what little magic that Felicity had been able to teach him before her departure and set the system to scan for her location before taking off to meet Thea for diner.

Three hours later Thea followed Roy down into the Lair, a look of pure fascination and surprise written all over her face.

"Oh, My God! Everything about you makes so much sense now!" Thea's voice rang out clearly through the walls of the Lair.

"Why does everyone say that?" Oliver bristled.

"Cause it's the truth." were Digg and Roy's chorused reply.

The rest of the night was very emotional as Oliver revealed everything he could handle telling Thea. They were both very emotional by the end of the experience, but it had somehow brought them closer together. Thea's only real response was that she wanted to meet Felicity officially, so she could thank her for bringing her brother back from the edge of darkness that he had so clearly been standing on for the last few years. Oliver could only hope that he'd get the chance.

The tragedy of Life is not Death but what we let die inside of us while we live." – Norman Cousins

Six months. That was how long she had been absent from his life, his world, and Oliver hated it. But, it was not to be. All the searching and all the planning of how he'd win back her trust, secure her heart…it wasn't going to happen.

Digg received the mystery call on a typical Friday morning just after he had dropped Oliver off to spend some quality time with Thea and Roy down in the Lair. Thea had inserted herself onto the team in a way that Felicity had once done. Sure, she couldn't fight or hack, but her sarcastic remarks and jokes seemed to bring light into the dark abyss of the Lair once more. It made Oliver wish for Felicity even more.

So, Digg sat at his kitchen table, reading the newspaper. Lyla had just gone out to run some errands when his cell phone began to vibrate on the table in front of him. Felicity had installed a small app onto each other their phones so that not only would the numbers in their contact lists have caller id, but so did any number coming in unless it was blocked. That was why he was so surprised by who was calling him when he got a glance at the caller id that was lit up on his screen.

Digg did not quite understand the reason why he'd be receiving a call from someone called GGH. He answered his phone none the less and what he heard made his blood freeze.

"Hello?"

"Is this Mr. John Diggle?" The voice was emotionless and reminded him of a computer automated message, but he could tell it was an actual person do to the steady breathing that came from the other end of the phone.

"Yes, may I ask who is calling?"

"This is Dr. Fell from Gotham General Hospital. Do you know a Felicity Meghan Smoak."

"Yes," Digg said as his entire body went on high alert. Felicity…hospital. This wasn't going to be good.

"It is my understanding that you were listed as Ms. Smoak's contact. The reason I am calling is to inform you, that I am very sorry, but Ms. Smoak has passed on."

Digg could not believe what he was hearing. He blinked his eyes in a sad attempt to block the oncoming tears that plagued them. "Are…are you certain." He cleared his throat in the hopes of blocking the emotions that threatened to burst through.

"Yes, sir. We are very sorry for your loss. I have informed Ms. Smoak's remaining family and they wanted me to inform you that her funeral would be in three days in Gotham City." There was silence on both ends before the doctor clearly did not know what else to say. "Well, I am truly sorry for your loss, sir. Good day."

"Wait! Wait, please…how…how did she die?" Digg could barely get the words out without choking.

"A car accident. A drunk driver hit her and…well, it was very hard to make any identification. We had to use DNA and Dental records to be sure it was Ms. Smoak. Her remaining family was unable to make any identification due to that severe damage done to her…"

Digg didn't wait to listen to the rest. The doctor's monotone voice grating on his nerves.

She was gone.

Truly…gone…

What was he going to tell Oliver? That thought had him practically crumbling as he thought of Oliver and what his reaction would be. He'd been in a rough place since that night all those months ago. Desperate to find Felicity and make things right with her. Now, he'd never get the chance.

It was a good three hours later when Lyla finally drove him to the Lair to tell Oliver the news. Digg didn't trust himself to drive in that moment. Lyla had at least been a comfort and support that he'd been able to lean on.

Digg's steps were slow and heavy as he made his way down into the Lair. He stopped as he saw Oliver laughing at something Thea had said, and considering the annoyed look on Roy's face, he'd been the one that her teasing remark had been meant for. Seeing Oliver act so carefree for the first time in months made Digg pause in his movements, knowing that that smile would never again be on Oliver's face when he gave him the news. It didn't matter though, because Oliver chose that precise moment to look over at him. The concern and sadness must have been too clear on his face, because the moment Oliver spotted him, his smile vanished as a worried frown took its place.

Digg wasn't sure just how he'd told Oliver, only that the end result was much worse than he had feared. First came the rage and anger as Oliver destroyed everything in sight and Thea, Roy, and Digg were forced to watch in painful understanding as he smashed everything in sight. But, when Oliver raised his bow and fist to the computers that Felicity loved so much, the anger vanished and in its place was cold grief as he collapsed to the ground in complete and utter defeat.

The next three days were a blur and Digg could hardly remember anything about them. They'd made their way to Gotham City and found the funeral sight. It had been one of the most painful experiences any of them had ever faced. It was natural for Oliver and Digg to attend the funeral since they had been the closest to Felicity. Roy went out of respect. He hadn't known felicity very long, but he'd come to immediately respect her from the moment they had met. Thea went as support to each of them. She had only met Felicity once, when she'd kindly come by the hospital when Walter had returned home, and after that only briefly when she'd seen her working with Oliver and at Queen Consolidated formal gatherings/functions. She went to the funeral anyway.

It was a quiet affair with only a small handful of people attending. However, it was a bit on the strange side. For instance the few people that did attend her funeral were rather important to say the least. So, to say that Oliver and Digg were a bit shocked to see Bruce Wayne and his company's acting CEO, Lucius Fox at Felicity's funeral was an understatement. On top of that, Bruce Wayne personal butler, Alfred Pennyworth was there as well. Then of course there was Felicity's adoptive father, Jim Gordon; a young detective by the name of John Blake. It was a mystery. But one that none of them felt like solving at that particular moment.

It was the location of the funeral that was the biggest mystery of all; Wayne Manor, at least what had been newly built so far. Wayne Manor had been burnt to the ground by its owner two months prior to their arrival during his thirtieth birthday party.

From what Digg had read about Bruce Wayne he was an even worse playboy the Oliver. The mere fact that he had obviously known Felicity was…worrisome.

So, there they all stood as the Jewish Rabi proceeded over the funeral service. For the first time in six months Digg showed Oliver a mere gesture of friendship that had been missing since Felicity had walked out of their lives, he placed his hand on Oliver shoulder and gave a comforting squeeze. They were all frozen as time stilled and everything that had once been pure and honest in the world was gone, fleeing the world as Felicity's coffin was lowered into the ground.

The people who were present seemed to immediately gravitate to Commissioner Jim Gordon and his wife, giving their condolences. It wasn't until they were walking away from the gravesite when Digg and Oliver seemed to glimpse at the same time a lone figure walking along the edge of the Wayne property. That walk…that stance…it was so familiar. When they caught a glimpse of dark hair, their shoulders dropped in resignation. It was not who they had hoped it would be. She was gone, now…forever. But, neither of them could shake the feeling that that lone prone figure was no stranger to them.

Their musing was interrupted by the voice of Bruce Wayne.

"Well, Oliver Queen. Fancy seeing you here. I must say I'm surprised. I would have thought you'd be too busy to show your face." Bruce's voice was hard and held and edge that could rival that of Oliver's Arrow voice. The only disturbing thing was that Wayne was doing it without a voice modifier.

"Felicity was a very close friend, to all of us." Diggle's voice held a note of finality, but Mr. Wayne persisted.

"Really? Well, at least Mr. Queen here didn't bring his date along for the ride. Who is it you're dating now? Laurel Lance? Or have you switched back to her sister, Sara? Must be so tiresome juggling a love life between two sisters."

Oliver flinched visibly as Thea choked on her resounding gasp. She looked towards her brother in shock. She had a feeling that something had happened for Felicity to run away from her brother and she had figured that it had something to do with her brother pretty much chasing her off, but she hadn't thought it had been because of those blasted Lance sisters.

"Felicity told me everything about you. And what you did."

"Is there something of value you needed to say or did you…" Digg was interrupted when Mr. Wayne turned his hard gaze to him.

"Yes. Felicity wanted me to give this to you should anything…suspicious happen to her." Mr. Wayne handed Oliver a thick manila envelope. "And given how she died, I figured this was the perfect time."

"How she died? I thought it was a car accident?" Digg's voice held suspicion and worry.

"An accident. Is that what they call it when someone takes out a hit on another human being?" Mr. Wayne's voice held disbelief as he continued to stare down Oliver. "No. Felicity Smoak was murdered." With those final shocking words Mr. Wayne sauntered off towards the lone figure that was still wandering around the edge of the Wayne property and escorted whoever it was to a nice looking charcoal colored Lamborghini and drive off.

Oliver was shell shocked that Felicity had been murdered. His entire posture was stiff and filled with rage. Rage at the one who had killed her and rage at himself for not being there to protect her – to save her.

It wasn't until they were sitting in silence on the Queen Consolidated company jet on their way home to Starling City that Oliver finally opened the folder that Bruce Wayne had shoved into his hands. With just a quick glance at it Oliver went from simple rage to furious in a matter of seconds as the folder dropped from his shaking hands. The look in his eyes turned murderous.

"Oliver? What's wrong?" Thea's worried voice rang through the open space of the Queen's private jet.

"Moira." Said Oliver, his voice rasped with barely controlled anger.

Digg whipped the file off the floor and read it for himself and was quickly able to see why Oliver was so livid. Moira Queen was the one who ordered the hit on Felicity's life. Moira Queen was the one who had made the final and ultimate betrayal to both her children. Moira Queen was the reason Felicity was…dead.

It took Oliver a little less than three months to bring down Moira Queen…as the Arrow of course. He exposed her for what she truly was. A monster! However, Moira had escaped conviction. She had run far away to some unknown location and now lived out the rest of the days alone and unloved by anyone, including her family.

Gone was the carefree, playboy, billionaire Oliver he once was. Perhaps that side of him had died long ago, on the day that Felicity had first been brought into his life…his world. And now she was gone, and she took everything good in their world with her. Now there was only Oliver Queen – the Green Arrow.

It was another three months before Sara returned once more. Digg had never quite forgiven her for the part she played in Felicity's now permanent absence. Sure, Oliver was equally to blame for Felicity's departure from Team Arrow and in essence Starling City, but fifty percent of that blame lay on the shoulders of one Sara Lance. So, there John Diggle sat one night in the Lair working on the comm link while Roy and Oliver went out on their annual patrol. Thea was working upstairs in the club that night, so it was just him. He had just disconnected the comm's – Oliver and Roy were just finishing up and on their way back – when he heard a slight shift behind him. Digg grabbed for his gun and spun around to aim at who ever had the misfortune of finding their way into the Arrow's Lair.

Sara stood still with her hands up and arms out in a posture of surrender. A small smile playing at her lips. It had been a whole year since Felicity had left because of her and Oliver's indiscretions.

"Whoa! Easy there buddy. I'm just here as a friendly favor." Sara said.

Digg placed his gun back on the table of computers that once belonged to Felicity. "What do you want, Lance."

"Ok, I guess there's still no love lost between us. How's Oliver doing? And the rest of your…little…team?" Sara's voice held a sigh of resignation. She knew she wasn't welcome in their lives anymore. Just then Thea Queen walked down the stairs and into the Lair. To say Sara was shocked to see that Thea was no longer in the dark about Oliver and Roy's nightly activities was a bit of an understatement.

"Digg, are they back yet? I brought some food for them if…" Thea trailed off as she came into the view of Sara Lance. "What are you doing here?" Thea's voice carried and edge of harshness and was very accusatory. Sara flinched. By the judgmental looks that Thea was sending her way, she had a feeling that the younger Queen knew about Felicity and why she had left.

"Well, since I'm not on the greatest terms with anyone around here, I guess I'll just say what I have to and go. Although, I was hoping to say what I had to say with Oliver present."

"Why? So you can sink your claws into him again?" Thea said with no remorse.

Sara ignored the comment and decided that Digg was going to simply pass what she had to say along to Oliver. She understood why. "I was just stopping by to tell you guys that if you're still looking for Felicity you guys can stop. I found her. Or rather I ran into her…"

"You bitch!" Thea's gasp drew Sara's attention immediately.

"Um… excuse me?" Sara new they disliked her, but was the name calling really necessary?!

"You have more shame then I gave you credit for Lance," said Digg as he made sure that the comm link was securely off so that Oliver wouldn't have to witness this cruel farce, before ripping his own comm from his ear and standing to face Sara Lance head on.

Sara hadn't felt this much judgment and hate since the night that Laurel learned of her return from…well, death; and while she and Laurel had come to terms with each other and could now be somewhat friendly, Sara was still a bit shocked by the cold and furious reception she was receiving. After all, she had just given them all some really good news. "Ok, listen. I get that you guys don't like me but I figured you'd at least be happy about this! What's going on?"

"If this is a joke, then you are more sick in the head then I could ever imagine!" Digg's words were slightly over come by Thea's furious voice.

"Get out!"

"What the hell is wrong with you all? I thought that…"

"Felicity is dead, Lance. We buried her. Six months ago." Digg's words did not have the desired effect on Sara that they had hoped. She did not move in her spot where she stood, now rock still.

"What? No that's not possible because I can promise you I just saw her! Two days ago in Florence, Italy." Sara's voice was strong and sure. While Thea ranted behind her, she could see the uncertainty in Digg's eyes as he continued to look her in the eye. Their gazes never wavered. Digg could tell she wasn't lying. So, either she was telling the truth about Felicity – which seemed very unlikely – or she was simply mistaken and had thought she'd seen her.

"Are you certain?" Digg's question seemed to give both Sara and Thea pause.

"I stood not ten feet away from her. She looked a bit different. She'd change her hair color and she wasn't wearing her glasses, but it was her. I'm certain of it!"

"Do you have…proof? A picture or something?" Digg's words seemed to give pause anything Thea would have said at that moment.

"I don't have anything like a picture to show you, but…I spoke with her John."

Two Days Earlier…

Sara was visiting Florence, Italy with her mother, Dinah Laurel Lance – a professor of Law at the local University in Coast City – when she spotted the two handsome figures sitting a few tables from them. They had been standing in a short line at a small café near a beautiful cathedral and when the hostess came over to seat them Sara walked right passed someone whom she had not had the pleasure of seeing for quite some time. So, there she sat, her mother chatting away about something or other, gazing at the radiant Ms. Felicity Smoak. The woman that sat before her but ten feet away had changed.

Dark auburn hair – the color of red wine – flowed down from the top of her head and towards her waist. Creamy skin peaked out through a beautiful blue sundress. Adorable brown sandals covered her dainty feet. Her posture was relaxed as she talked with a handsome man, laughing every few minutes. Bright dark blue eyes sparkled in happiness and joy.

Sara had only ever seen Felicity like that once. When she had first returned to Starling City. She had caught Oliver and Digg speaking with Felicity alone at one point – all of them looking so happy. Sara knew that she had ruined that for Felicity, she and Oliver, but now seeing Felicity just as happy – if not more so – with some unknown man. It shocked Sara, and not for the first time she was struck with a sense of jealousy. Felicity had found happiness – there was no one more deserving of happiness then the elusive Ms. Smoak – but Sara could not help wonder if she would ever find something even close to what Felicity was having in that single moment.

The younger Lance glance from Felicity to the man she was with and was stunned by the very obvious good looking male. He seemed a bit older then Felicity, but just as carefree. Sara continued to stare at the obvious couple until the man glanced up and met her gaze with a hard one of his own before he spoke lowly to Felicity. Sara wasn't sure why she didn't bolt then, but when Felicity turned to glance her way she was struck with a new sense of guilt and shame at having been the reason that Felicity had left the only home the poor girl had ever truly known.

Sara watched as the happy joyful look on Felicity's face was replaced by a small frown before Ms. Smoak turned to her dinning partner and spoke a few words to him. His face turned dark as anger rolled in the depth of his dark eyes when he glanced back at Sara before he turned back t Felicity and nodded in what seemed to be understanding.

Felicity rose from her chair and gave the man a light but passionate kiss on the lips before she sauntered off towards the ancient cathedral across the street. Sara was briefly aware that she gave her mother some lame excuse about needing to use the restroom before she too got up and practically jogged after Felicity Smoak.

They were the only ones in the church. It was a beautiful place with stucco paintings and religious statues, but none of that mattered as Sara made her way towards the uplifted alter where Felicity was standing. Sara stopped a few feet behind her with bated breath, afraid of what this confrontation would bring her. More guilt and shame? She was so tired of feeling as if she had let down everyone that was or could've been close to her, especially someone as kind and understanding as Felicity.

"Hello, Sara." Said Felicity, her back still towards the other woman.

"Felicity, I…" Sara was at a loss. For the last year she had longed to apologize and now that she could it was as if those two words 'I'm sorry' were not enough. But…she had to say them. "I'm sorry.

Felicity turned then, her back straight, but not rigid, her stance sure but not harsh, and her face serious but with no sign of judgment. She was just…there. "For what?"

"For what I…for what we did…to you of all people."

"It was wrong no matter who it was done to, Sara. To me or to Laurel, it makes no difference, but it was done, and you are sorry…and that…that is enough for me."

"But, I thought…"

"That I would be angry, and I was but I found something that took away that anger." Felicity's voice was full of understanding as she looked upon the broken woman before her.

"I know…I know I don't have the right to ask but, could you ever…" Forgive me?

"I have forgiven you, Sara. Your conscience is clean." Felicity's words seemed to lift and invisible weight off of Sara's shoulders. Felicity gave her a kind but tired smile before she moved forward and passed her, a small brush of her hand against Sara's shoulder in silent resolution before leaving.

However, Sara gave her pause when her next question left her lips. "Wait, umm. Felicity? That man you were with, who is he?"

Felicity gave a truly genuine smile then. "Bruce Wayne of course."

A/N: Part Two…Coming Soon!