Sorry this has taken so long to update.
Between working an insane amount and spending too much at the local vets, to finally get the good news my dog is Tumor free. Cue the happy dance !
Free time has been non existent.
please comment and enjoy!
So much has changed for this small little group that now sat around Thea's dining room table discussing the emails and the state of the company. For one the animosity that had lingered amongst the group was gone. Definitely not forgotten but for now pushed to the back burner, as they enjoy a brief moment of bonding and relaxation. However, 3 things still remained to be true.
1. Felicity had still run away and had stayed away from those who loved her for over 10 years.
2. Oliver still had fallen off the wagon and back into his playboy ways.
3. Malcolm was still going to do his utmost to destroy them all.
So with these things in mind the group made a pledge to stay completely honest with each other from here on out, to face whatever was coming together and above all else not run away when things got hard. Felicity had known this rule had been aimed solely at herself and she didn't care. So long as her friends loved her enough to give her a second chance, she loved them enough to try.
After a quick lunch and a bit more conversation, the conversation turned to Connor and Felicity's belief that he was working with Isobelle.
"So Felicity why do you think that the witch of Eastwick was working with your boy toy?" Roy asked noticing how she didn't even look up at him, not out of disagreement though she was clearly lost in thought.
"Hey, that's Oliver's girlfriend you're talking about!" Tommy said with a grin on his face.
Tommy's comment was greeted with a grunt, a glare and a tennis ball thrown more than a little too accurately for his liking. As it bounced off his head, he grumbled but was met by laughter from the others in the room.
Looking over at the girl in question who sat quietly staring, Oliver simply said. " Pretty sure, that if she's even half as culpable as Felicity thinks. It's definitely over. "
Felicity's world had changed, no to say it had changed was a kin to calling a tornado a summer breeze. In less than 3 days her world had turned on its ear, sure she had so much yet to discover so much more to do yet at least now she wasn't alone. It was arrogant to admit it but she'd always known that Oliver would be by her side when she needed him, though before these last few days she'd believed it would simply be as his friend now she didn't really know what to think. This was so much better and so much worse, here he was so kind and caring every bit the man she fell for and somehow she had to find a way to stay his friend. She couldn't lose him twice, she just couldn't.
Oliver was the man she remembered true yes, but it was also a complete lie. Gone was the playboy persona he used to wear as armor and here was the man she had always known, just as kind but now his kindness masked an inner strength much like her own. A steel created by pain and recovery, the mirror image to her herself. Just as the years had forced the changes in her that she was finally becoming comfortable with, she was no longer the weak girl who had fallen victim to a malicious lunatic who honestly believed that the only way to Oliver's heart had been by going through yours truly. She still mourned for the part of her she lost, her innocence that was murdered alongside her son on that October Day. She now had unequivocal proof that she had 2 souls to mourn for, when she left she couldn't see past her own pain to see Oliver's world splitting in two. The logical part of her had known that he too was in pain but back then logic wasn't exactly driving the bus. To be truthful, she wasn't even sure that it was even in a passenger seat- Anger and Self Pity were taking turns at the wheel and no-one else was getting a look in.
So it had taken 10 years but So What!
She'd found her family again and she was more than happy to spend the rest of her life putting them back together. He may not be her 'Oliver' anymore but perhaps he could still be in her life and that was the greatest gift of all. If she had to go to war with Malcolm over it all it then it would be worth it, she didn't care about the money. It was about her company and the thousands of people who needed their jobs. She'd once read that "Money is only important to those who don't have any." She'd scoffed and said that her step father was clearly an exception to that particular rule but then she realized for him it wasn't about money it was about power. She'd seen him throw away ridiculous amounts of money on hair brain schemes and blow incredible business opportunities just to simply take down a rival, she had managed to limit the damage done by him and his ego. Investing anonymously and saving many companies all without his knowledge, most of which had been incredibly profitable endeavors. His desire for power is exactly why she couldn't let him win, for him to have such power over so many lives would and could be devastating. He honestly believed that the world should bend to his will and as such was more than willing to push until this was achieved or his target had bent so far they had broken.
A bold plan no doubt, particularly considering all that Felicity had discovered in the last 72 hrs. Where she'd spent so much effort trying to minimize the damage he had done to others lives, she had been completely blind to the games he'd been playing with her own. Yes, she felt like the world's biggest fool. How could she a god damn computer expert have not noticed the little discrepancies in the emails but the truth was it was that they never said anything she wasn't anticipating. So yes she was a blind fool and she had a lot to make up for but she couldn't regret the last 10 years either. She'd changed and grown into the woman who was now willing to stand toe to toe with the devil and she had every intention to win. Her friends were going to be by her side, so she knew she had to try. She thought smiling to herself.
"Earth to Felicity." She could hear Thea in the background but lost in her own thoughts she didn't acknowledge her, that was until an apple came flying at her head. Not close enough to actually hit her but definitely close enough to grab her attention. Looking up to see Thea grinning wildly, a mixture of mocking and joy.
"What?"
"you really do zone out don't you?"
"only when I'm here, apparently" the truth is she had always been hyper aware of her surroundings back in England. Grinning, it really shouldn't make her so happy "What did I miss?"
"Ollie was telling you that Diggs on his way. When he realized you were off with the fairies he grinned, shook his head and left grinning like a fool. Why isn't he so happy when I ignore him?"
A heady mix of embarrassment and surprise overtook Felicity. She couldn't believe she was slipping into old habits so easily and these days the only time she ever zones out was while she was coding and she always made sure she did that in a locked room. Then of course she realized what Thea had actually said,
" Wait Digg's on his way?"
"Now she listens" Oliver said from behind her "Maybe I need to carry some apples around with me."
"I'd rather you not. If memory serves me right you're a better shot than Thea. So Digg's on his way." Felicity said grinning.
Leaning down in front of Felicity with the biggest smile on his face, both his large hands on her slender knees, he looked into her eyes and answered her question " Yes, John is on his way here. Like me he also believes that 10 yrs radio silence is long enough. I hope it's ok that he coming. I figured that you'd want to see him."
Felicity found herself lost in his eyes trying to fight the sudden sensation of falling and god help her but she didn't care if anyone caught her. This was what her life had been missing and she was going to fight like hell to keep it. Finally realizing that once again he had rendered her speechless, so with great effort and maybe a little too much vigor she spoke "No, it's great. I can't believe he's so close. Where is he? What's he been doing? Is he happy I'm back? Will he ever forgive me? I mean I don't have any right to ask for forgiveness but you know I want it. I really am sorry you know." She stopped talking when Oliver placed his forefinger on her lips and smiled.
"First let me say calm down love." She found her breath catching in her throat as he stared into her eye's. "Digg is about an hour away, he lives about 6 hrs away. He's living with Lyla and he's happy and engaged. Of course he misses you and like the rest of us will forgive you. We know you are sorry, just as we are sorry for everything that has happened but clinging onto the past will only keep us from our future. So just enjoy the rest of the day, because I've got some bad news."
"Bad news?"
"Tommy just got a phone call from a friend in London, Malcolm got on a plane 2 hours ago, he'll be here by tomorrow."
"Good!" She said and Oliver who was still kneeling at her feet gave her a confused look but smiling she continued " I may not be ready for war but I'm done backing down from a fight."
"I know, I can tell and I'm so proud of you." Oliver said, encasing her small hands in his "and 'You Are Not Alone', so it looks like he'll face us all." Felicity's erratic heart rate was offset by the sense of calm that had come over her as he spoke. His words and the sentiment behind them warmed her heart in a way that nothing had come close in years and though she knew she shouldn't feel this way. It was already too late, this man in front of her had owned heart when she left and hell he still did. It wasn't like falling in love, it was the simple realization that she never stopped being in love.
Saved by the bell her phone beeped and looking down she spotted the message on the screen.
'Hey Luv, guess what I've followed you home.'
A few back and forth messages and Iris was on her way. All her worlds were coming together and it should have freaked her out but today she was simply grateful. Even though Iris never said why she was coming Felicity knew that it would only be one of 2 things. Either she was here to help with Malcolm or she was running from the man but she expected it was probably an unhealthy mix of the two.
A clearing of a throat let her know that the rest of the group were trying to figure out what was going on.
"Oh, sorry. Iris is on her way. She'll be here in 5" It was Tommy who spoke up "You mean Dad's Secretary?"
"No I mean my friend who doesn't really like your father but has worked for him longer than anyone should."
