Hey, guys. Same rules apply as the last chapter. Sorry that it took so long.
Today is still MY BIRTHDAY! WHOOP! Top five for today will be:
Top 5 things on my mind right now:
5. John Cusack at my window (with a boom box!)
4. Becoming Mrs. Javier Esposito
3. Finding a unicorn.. Whatever happened to Charlie the unicorn?
2. Babysitting is a weird profession.
1. Flowers. Goddamn! No one bought me any!
Disclaimer: I don't intend any infringement of any kind.
Sorry for any mistakes.
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To say that Castiel was angry would be an understatement. He'd known. Hell, even Crowley knew what would happen when they saw the damsel. "Bloody hell," he'd groaned. "We're screwed harder than a whore for hire!"
When they all reappeared Cas stared glaringly at Dean the same way that Sam was. His entire team was seething with anger. It radiated through every pore of Castiel's body.
"Well, well, well. Dean, you've seen worse torture than that. Hell, you've done worse to others. Yet you went off the rails for one blue-eyed doe," Metatron mocked.
Everyone was staring at Dean holding Felicity who was in very real pain. The wounds were still there, gaping and seeping blood. Bright red dripping down her body onto the floor and soaking it's way through his clothes. She was vibrating with the pain. Oliver, Diggle and the Detective all made their way across to them.
"I swear to god, Metatron, as soon as I get my hands on the first blade I will end you so painfully slow. After all, I have tortured in Hell," Dean replied in his most venomous voice. He wouldn't allow anyone to take Felicity from his arms. At this point she was whimpering in pain. He turned to Castiel, "Cas, please".
Although Castiel was oozing anger, he couldn't allow her to suffer. It wasn't her fault. He was already walking toward them from across the room.
"Too bad God left then, isn't it?" Metatron answered back as Cas reached the forming group. It took a minute to push Oliver out of the way, but he raised his hand to Felicity's forehead once he did.
It took a lot of concentration and he basically drained his battery, but Felicity was cured. There was a collective gasp from the crowd. Although she was healed Dean held her close for another minute. "You okay?" He whispered. She only nodded in reply.
"Touching as this has been, you failed boys. You killed the Count. Which means team Savior has won by default. Get ready for your kill round in two hours," Pan stated. They disappeared into smoke as the mass of bodies was returned to the hotel.
"Meeting. Now."
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No sooner had Dean placed Felicity on the floor, than she was scooped up by her team and taken back to their suite.
"Let me look at you. I'm just going to check you over, okay?" Diggle said asking permission to touch her. He didn't want to frighten her.
"Yeah, that's fine," she whispered nodding her head slightly. Diggle preceded to look her over. Raising her arms to examine before moving on to her neck.
"I can't believe they did that to you," Lance said. "Is that what happened at QC? When he fell through the window?"
"No. I shot him full of arrows before he physically harmed her," Oliver was sitting next to Felicity trying to figure out a way to comfort her. After Diggle finished his exam he pulled her into his arms. But she refused to cry. They had taken so much from her tonight that she vowed not to let them have her tears. No one said anything. What could they say?
Close to ten minutes later, it felt like a year, Felicity pulled away from Diggle. "I need some air. I'll be back soon. Promise," she said giving them each a hug before retreating to the door.
She needed to find a quiet place to cry, because she couldn't hold it in anymore.
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"What the bloody hell were you thinking!?" Crowley scowled from the privacy of their room. It has been silently agreed that they would wait until they reached the room to attack Dean's actions. So as soon as the door clicked closed Crowley burst. "You've screwed us so bad I might as well change my name to Bambi and start charging twenties!"
"Twenties?" Sam asked confusion marring his brow.
"I'm not cheap, moose! Look at me!" He said smug gesturing up the length of his body. Then winked at Sam for emphasis.
"Disturbing as that is, Crowleys right. You fucked us Dean. Not only did you make us lose, but now Cas is drained because he healed her injuries"
Dean looked indignantly at his little brother. "So he shouldn't have healed her? She's not used to that pain! Sammy! She's not like us and I'm surprised that you would suggest that!"
"I'm not saying that he shouldn't have healed her, but he could have healed her after we saved her. You didn't have to kill that guy! Especially when we agreed not ten minutes prior: NO KILL SHOTS!"
"If I didn't kill him, which he completely deserved, she'd have to do the same thing over again with the other team! They would strap her back into that seat! Probably wouldn't heal her first and have the asshole cut her up more! She doesn't deserve that! Cas and Crowley can handle the next one. I need some air," he tried to get past Sam who blocked his path with his ridiculously giant body.
Sam caught his arm to stop him, "I get it. You like her. We can all see it, but have you considered that maybe she's using you? That she is playing this like the game that it is?"
Dean wrenched his arm away from his little brothers grasp. He stormed out of the room without another word.
"In his defense," Castiel said from his position on his bed leaning against the headboard. He'd decided he was too tired to fight Dean now. That could be done later. He left his eyes closed as he continued, "I would have healed her either way. I like her too,".
"Well, Dr. Quinn, what're we to do now?" Crowley asked.
XXXXX
A blank room. He and Rumpelstiltskin had been sent to a blank room to await their turn at this 'Count'. That turn never came. He was instantly confused when they were sent to what Emma had called, 'the theater', only to see the lass in the hunters arms broken and bleeding.
The poor thing was shaking and whimpering. He'd seen others the same way. Before Emma came into his life he'd have scowled at the display of weakness. But now, now he was saddened by it. He didn't want to see such a sweet creature so broken down.
Not only had he read all of her story, but he'd met the blonde before. She was a conundrum. A mixture of courage, strength, and genius mixed with shyness and low self-esteem.
Swan had filled them both in when they returned. Hook decided to go for a walk to his quiet rooftop. This way he could think about a new strategy. That was the key to any game. And he had to win this game if only for Swan to return to her family.
He rounded the last stair to the roof noticing that the door leading out was ajar. Tentatively walking out, sword drawn he noticed a small form. Knees pulled up to her chest like armour to protect her from the vices of the world. Her head was resting on her joined arms laying around her knees. Her slight frame was shaking with her mostly quiet sobs.
Sheathing his sword he walked closer, slowly, as if approaching a frightened animal. "Lass, are you alright?"
Her head shot up and she backed away slightly until she reached the edge of the roof. She leaned her back against the lip of the edge adopting her previous stance. "I'm fine," she sniffed trying to wipe the tears from her eyes.
Hook took a seat in front of her. "I know what it's like to feel defenseless," he said softly. The strategy would have to wait. A crying lass was always his weakness. If she felt more inclined to align herself with him for aiding her, well then he was in luck.
"The famous bloodthirsty pirate captain felt defenseless?" She said doubting. "You don't have to do this,"
"What kind of gentleman would I be if I didn't aid a distressed madam?"
"Your a gentleman?" She smirked.
"Aye, lass. I'm always a gentleman," he winked. "But I wasn't always a fierce captain. Pan turned me into this, actually. My brother became ill when he took an herb from Neverland. Pam gave him the cure. And it worked like magic. But all magic comes with a price. Once we left Neverland he collapsed, lifeless on the floor. There was nothing I could do," he looked to his hands, then back to the blonde. "I mourned his death for quite some time in a similar fashion. But he was all that I had. I was alone after that, so I became Captain of our crew and took to pirating"
Felicity began to tear again at his tale. She didn't usually cry this much but it was like a flood gate was opened. "I'm so sorry to hear that," she sniffed. "All I have are those men out there. My family is gone, too..." She began to cry again.
Hook sighed lowly and shuffled around closer to her. Then he pulled her in closer. Hook held Felicity as she cried away her pain. His mind wandered for the hour he spent with her in his arms.
He knew two things tonight:
1. Felicity was the hunter's kryptonite (he'd learned the term watching movies with Henry)
And 2. The Arrow team was Felicity's.
Notes:I did it! Another chapter as semi-promised! Go shorty it's your birthday, we're gonna party like it's your birthday, drink Bacardi like it's your birthday and we don't give a duck if it's your birthday!