"It's good to see you, my boy!" Anatoli grasped Oliver's hand before he pulled him in for a tight hug. "Second time in a year, life is very good…" His face radiated with pride as he turned to Felicity next, "Hello! Ah, dorogaya, you're even more beautiful than I remember." He clasped Oliver on the back, "You sly devil!" He scoffed, "Just this once I forgive you for making me find out from the tabloids that you're expanding your family." Walking with them toward the car, he waggled one finger before turning and barking orders at the two gigantic bodyguards stepping off the plane with several valises in tow.

Oliver kept his arm around Felicity. Anatoli was a vortex, a force of nature that man feared and respected. Yet Oliver knew Anatoli was a man of honor; there was no possible scenario in which he'd harm a woman, let alone one who was pregnant. "I've secured us a reservation at a very exclusive restaurant. You haven't lived until you've tried their calamari." He put on his most charming smile, "Only the best for you, paren'."

Turning coolly, he shook his head. "No, no, there are rules to be followed. Business first," Anatoli replied without missing a single beat. "Once I have Slade Wilson in chains, then we can celebrate." He clasped his hands. "Let us go, then! The night grows stale."

Felicity cleared her throat, shifting uncomfortably. Time was not on their side and with Joseph's presence, they needed of it they could get. She had no choice; she had to play the preggo card. Rubbing her belly gently, she accentuated the growth that had occurred here. "We haven't eaten yet. Surely you can break the rules just this once?" At first she thought he might deny her, after all she was simply an outsider. The mood shifted immediately as he capitulated without another word of discussion. His bags were sent on to the suite he'd rented and Anatoli graciously opened the door for her and she slid in. Shooting Oliver a sly smile, she said a silent prayer that she'd given Slade and Sara to finish what they'd started.

On the other side of Starling City, Sara tossed a dish in front of Joseph, "Eat." She plopped down next to him, watching him staring down at the messy assortment of food she'd managed to salvage from earlier. "It's not poisoned." She grabbed a fork and speared a noodle, taking a bite. "Okay the pasta is a little underdone but the meatballs are fine. Felicity's the cook, not me." She was in a hurry to get him fed and then move him to a safe house before Anatoli rolled in. Joseph was being an absolute terror and had refused to move one single inch until he was fed.

Joseph poked at the noodles, chuckling to himself. "Missed cooking day at woman training?" He sipped the water he'd been given and tried a meatball which was surprisingly good (considering that it was ice cold). While avoiding the pasta she'd mutilated, he mopped up some sauce with bread, hungrily eating whatever was edible. He couldn't remember the last time he had a semi-hot meal that hadn't come from a prison line. This meal might have been dismal but it wasn't the worst he'd ever had.

"You want me to catch, gut, and roast a pheasant? I would be happy to." She replied hotly, "But when I was first mate on the SS Shitstorm and then marooned on Lian Yu, they didn't have much pasta for me to cook. It's not in my skill set." Sara really wished that Slade was here right now to chastise his son. Instead, he was trying to find housing for the boy. "Just eat your damn food and be grateful."

Joseph dragged a hand through his dark hair, "Touchy." He pushed the dinner plate aside before tossing his napkin over the top. "So, you're another one of my dad's bunkmates from the island then?" He gazed at her appreciatively, "This place doesn't sound as bad as you people say. Hot girls, beaches, and adventure; what more could a man ask for?"

Sara counted to ten…then to twenty…it almost wasn't enough. "You're really looking for free dental work, aren't you? I'm this close to rearranging that pretty face of yours." Gritting her teeth, she stabbed him in the chest with her finger. "Your dad and I have an understanding. We're not friends and we were never bunkmates. I understand where he's coming from because I was there too. It wasn't fun or exciting or sexy, it was hell on earth." Crossing her legs, she stared him down hard, "You got that?"

"Coming in loud and clear, love," He looked smug as he laced his finger behind his head. "Pretty face, eh? I knew you liked me." He had a grin a mile wide when Slade came thundering back into the room, glaring between him and Sara. Slade's timing saved Joseph's life, for sure. Just another minute and Sara would've permanently rendered him infertile or worse. "What's the good word?"

"I've found secure housing in Gotham where you can stay until we get you a permanent placement. We need to move now." He grabbed his keys and tossed them to Sara. "Take the van. My contact will meet you off highway twenty-six." She nodded and he gently clasped her shoulder. "Be careful and if anything goes wrong, I'll be there in five minutes flat." He turned to Joseph, "Get your things, you're going."

The younger man stood but made no further move. His arms were folded over his chest. "While that sounds like a blast, I'm not going to Gotham. That wasn't the deal I made." That was the only thing required of him, stay in Starling City. Besides, it's not like there was a lack of space for him. The house was enormous and he found the company infinitely preferable. "I've got to stay in Starling City and as it turns out my father's got quite the spread." He smirked, "I'd rather not be hunted down and killed in the street if it's all the same to you."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, why didn't you mention that before?" Sara scoffed, "The little shit can't leave!" She looked up at the clock, her nails digging into her palms. "We are running out of time. Felicity can only eat so slowly! Anatoli is going to figure out that we're stalling him if they don't move soon." She grabbed Joseph by the arm, "How do you like abandoned meatpacking plants?" She didn't wait for his response, "Well, we're going to find out!"

Slade was skating on the razor's edge of madness right now. His phone buzzed and his eyes slammed close for half a second as he drank in the words. Felicity and Oliver were on their way with Anatoli. "Sara…" He let out a rumbling sigh, "We're out of time." Gripping Joseph by the shoulder, he peered at him, "This isn't over. Go upstairs and stay up there no matter what you hear."

Joseph stared Slade down, malice laced his words. "Are you sending me to my room, papa?" When the unspoken answer was yes, he snorted, "What the hell am I going to hear anyway?" No one answered him. Before he was relegated to the upstairs like the evil stepchild he was, he shot out his flirtiest look, "Sure you don't want to join me, love?" He called to Sara.

"NOW!" Slade thundered. Muttering the entire way, Joseph traipsed up the stairs, leaving Sara and Slade fuming in his wake. Slade turned, disbelieving of Sara who was laughing behind her hand. "What exactly is so funny?" He was frustrated beyond belief. It wasn't just Joseph's attitude, though he was definitely trying to get on Slade's nerve, but everything about the way he operated. Still, he didn't want his son to get caught in the crossfire if anything happened with Anatoli. He'd lost his son once; he wasn't going to let it happen again.

"He doesn't remind you of anyone?" Sara picked up the dinner plate and brought it into the kitchen, dogging the much larger man. She was still smirking as he stood there, gaping at her with a blank stare. "No? Let me spell it out for you. That boy right there? That's Oliver Queen before the island." Laughing harder, she shook her head, "Karma is such a bitch."

There was a full minute where Slade just stood there trying to come up with an argument as to why she was dead wrong. It damned on him suddenly and terrifyingly that she was right. "Damn!"Joseph Wilson was Oliver Queen Light. Perhaps it was a punishment for his sins or maybe it was an opportunity to help the boy grow into a man that he could be proud of. Either way, he didn't have much time to dwell on it. The car pulled up a moment later and he was forced to choke down the bitterness rising in his throat.

A gust of wind blew through the foyer as the door slammed open. The Bratva leader stood between Oliver and Felicity with a grin on his face a mile wide. His gait was crooked as he strode into the house, drinking in the sight of the mansion Slade now owned. Humming softly to himself, it was like he was rooted in his own little world.

Felicity kept her eyes trained on Slade's as they met in the center of the floor. Collectively, they were holding their breaths. Every single person present was teetering on the edge, like explosives poised to blow at any moment. One false move and they would all be casualties of war.

Sara made her way to Slade's side, though something that he had never expected. Anatoli's expression twisted as he peered between them, the concern and confusion written all over. "This is something I never thought I would see." He raised an eyebrow, "You stand with him now, dotchka? Have you fallen so far?"

Deciding that was a question best left for never, Sara threw her arms around him. "I've missed you, Anatoli." Kissing his cheek, she caught sight of Oliver giving her the signal. Everything was set up. "We'll have plenty of time for that later. Why don't we all sit down? You must be exhausted from your trip. Come and sit by me," She linked arms with him as they meandered their way into the dining room.

Drinks were passed out immediately. Booze was the only currency that meant anything to the collection of Lian Yu survivors. Tensions ran high as they took their seats at the table. Felicity was nestled between Slade and Oliver, which clearly made Anatoli uncomfortable. His fingers twitched as he sat beside Sara, a frown marred his bearded face. His feet were tapping under the table until finally he spoke, "You are ready to make a deal, yes?" He stared Slade down hard. "I take care of the problem with Moira."

"Then you take me to Russia in a million pieces, is that it?" Slade replied hotly, slamming his palm down on the table. "It's not going to happen."

"Slade," Felicity gently offered her comfort, her hand gently resting on top of his. She knew he was angry but her touch grounded him; he composed himself quickly. In truth, she felt greatly out of place in this. She didn't dare say a word as negotiations begun. After all, she was the only one here who hadn't been on that island and while she certainly had empathy, she didn't know the depth of what they'd suffered. The only reason that she'd even been invited to the table was that she was the only person who could get through to Slade if he started to lose control.

Anatoli laughed bitterly, "Is it not what you deserve for everything you have done?" He leaned in menacingly, "An eye for an eye, yes?"

Oliver knew what he had to do but that didn't mean he liked it. Helping protect Slade went against everything he stood for. Swallowing down the rest of the alcohol in his glass, he exhaled sharply. "My mother tried to kill this baby. I ended up drinking the poison instead and had Felicity not acted so quickly, I would be the one who died." He could see how angry that made the Bratva leader; he saw Oliver as the son he'd never had and anyone putting him in danger burned him to the core. "Then she tried to hire Slade to kill Felicity and the child, offering him a million dollars to complete the task. My mother's a desperate woman, Anatoli, and she won't stop there. We need to take action now."

Concern speared through him. "How are you sure he did not take the money!" Anatoli hollered, "He sits there now, ready to strike at any moment! He plays nice to get close and when you least expect-" He made a violent cutting motion and a sickening noise that could only be the sound of blood gurgling in a dying man's throat. He knew the sound well enough to replicate it perfectly.

"That would never happen!" Sara tried to soothe the Russian as best she could. He was distressed and it wasn't doing any of them any good. "Slade is on our side. He's—"

"You cannot be sure! You cannot trust this monster!" Anatoli talked over Sara, ignoring Oliver as he tried to calm them both down. Little by little, the noise rose to ear-shattering levels until the entire room was vibrating with violent negative energy. Glass shattered as the decanter was accidentally knocked off the table. Arguments flew this way and that as festering old wounds were ripped open and leached their poison into the air.

"STOP!" Felicity cried, "Everyone stop, please!" She'd been silent long enough. But It was no use. Once she stood up, it had broken the unspoken agreement that everyone needed to remain in their seats. Chaos erupted. She wasn't even sure who was yelling at whom now. Head spinning, she felt someone wrap their arm gently around her waist. At first she thought it was Slade but given that he was hollering straight at Anatoli, it was impossible. She realized, with some surprise, that it was Joseph. "What are you doing? You can't be here."

Joseph gingerly tugged her back against him. There was no malevolence in his touch as he expertly extracted her from between Oliver and Slade. It was only a matter of time before she caught an elbow to the face or, god forbid, the abdomen. He had to get her out of there. "You're going to get caught in the crossfire. You may not be my mother but you're kind of family and I won't stand around and watch you get hurt." He gave her a gentle smile, "Let me take care of this, yeah?"

Felicity nodded, moving to the far side of the room just as he instructed. The fight was only getting more heated. She startled as Slade kicked a chair back and it crumbled against the wall. He truly didn't know his own strength sometimes. She grasped Joseph's hand, squeezing it tight, "Be careful, okay?"

Nodding, he took two easy steps before catapulting himself onto the table between them. "HEY!" Putting himself between the angered parties, the height difference and the shock of seeing him were enough to momentarily halt the ruckus. Staring between all of them, his gaze lingered on Anatoli. The KGBeast…the man from the prison…he furrowed his eyebrows, "You…what are you doing here?"

Slade just knew that this was going to happen. It was why he wanted Joseph far away from Starling City and safely tucked away. "Joseph, I told you to stay upstairs!" He reached for Joseph but he was shrugged off. Damn it.

Anatoli let out a cackling laugh as he watched the emotion linger in Slade's gaze. "I see you've met my bargaining chip." He reached out a hand, "You think I came here with no plan?" His eyes burned with anger and hatred, "I promised my revenge and that is what I shall have either from your death or the death of your son."

Stunned, Slade stared hard at the son he'd really just met. This man-child was his flesh and blood and he'd never let anything happen to him. Before Slade had a chance to express that sentiment, Joseph was flapping his gums without pausing to breathe. "That's not even a decision. That man hasn't seen me in years. You might as well just kill me and get it over with, I'm nothing to him. He left me once and he'll do it again."

"Is that what you think?" Slade snarled, "You're my son, my flesh and blood, and I'll be damned if I let anyone harm you!" His heart thundered in his chest. Reaching for his son's arm, he clasped tightly as he helped him down off the table. "You may not believe a single word of it but I left you to give you a chance at a better life, Joseph!" Grasping Joseph's face in hand, his inky black eyes locked on the identical ones that belonged to his child. "I won't have made that sacrifice in vain."

"What kind of life am I looking at anyway?" Joseph replied hotly, "You're so willing to throw yourself on the pyre and for what? If not for the Beast here, I'd be rotting in prison forever. He did me a damn favor. I met my father. I had a drink, eaten a pretty shitty meal, and now I've a chance to atone for my sins…what more can I possibly ask for?" He snapped, tugging away from Slade. "You've got a life here and you deserve to live it. Let me do this."

Slade let out a bitter laugh at the irony of that statement. "You've got your life ahead of you, Joseph. You're young, you're free…" He exhaled sharply. He would not choose one child over another. Turning to Felicity, his gaze fell to the swell of her belly. If he were not around, Oliver would step in and protect her and the baby. She'd have the chance to live a happy life with a man who truly deserved her. Forcing Joseph back, he straightened his spine. "You win, Anatoli."

"NO!" Joseph yelled, "Fuck no!" He was beginning to understand these 'changes' that his father had been talking about. He tried to pull Slade back but he was as solid as a brick wall. He aimed a blow at his chest but only ended up with pain radiating up his arm. Pleading with him, he wasn't backing down. "You are not leaving another kid to grow up without a father. Not this time."

"When you are a father someday, you will understand." Slade replied, his voice was hoarse with emotion. "Until then, take it on my word that I am doing this because I love you. You're my son and you deserve the world. Do me a favor and look after Felicity and the baby, yeah? They're going to need you as a friend and as a brother."

Anatoli stood expressionless, watching the exchange between father and son. His eyebrows furrowed watching them argue like wolves in the wild. Joseph refused to accept the arrangement and was being half-dragged by Slade as he strode forward to meet his fate. Turning to peer at Felicity, the weight of what had been revealed suddenly crashed over him. He could see that the girl struggled against her baser instincts, her hands clutched over her belly as she longingly peering at Slade with tears in her eyes. He finally put his foot down. "Enough!" He snapped, "I feel like I am in episode of Bednaya Nastya!" Closing the gap between them, Anatoli gingerly grasped Felicity's hand. "You love this man?" He pointed straight at Slade, no hesitation. His voice was not harsh, but probing and inquisitive. "Answer me, dorogaya."

Swatting at the thick tears burning in her eyes, Felicity nodded. "Yes, Slade Wilson is the man I love." She peered at him, "He's the father of my child." There was a great sense of relief as the truth tumbled from her lips. "When an attempt was made on this our lives, we weren't sure what we could do. We suspected that whoever tried to hurt this baby thought Oliver was the father. We needed to flush them out and the fake engagement gave him the opportunity to lend me his protection publicly." Gently, she slipped the ring from her finger and set it down on the table. "Finding out Moira Queen was behind all this has been a lot to stomach and I know she's dangerous." Gripping his hand tighter, she shook her head, "But if you think for one second that I'm going to give up my love or his son for a shot at getting Moira out of our lives, you're dead wrong." Coldly, she released her grasp on Anatoli before she swiftly moved to Slade's side.

"Felicity…" Slade wrapped her in his arm. Gently, he nuzzled her neck as he stole a tender kiss. "There is no way around this. Moira is too powerful an enemy to simply do nothing."

"Well choosing between the man I love and your son isn't an option either, Slade!" She snapped, "Let her come. I'm not afraid." She held him tighter. "As long as we have each other, it'll be okay."

"We'll find some other way to protect you," Sara cut in; she nudged Oliver in the side, "Alright?" She peered at him with a look that made it clear if he didn't stand with them, he'd be on the shit-list for life. Thankfully, she could tell that he was on her side.

Oliver winced slightly at the sharpness of her elbow. He knew what was right without her putting pressure on him. Slade might not be his friend but as of late, they exactly weren't enemies either. "Anatoli, thank you for coming but it seems we can't reach an agreement. I will make sure that you're compensated for taking the time out of your busy schedule to come here."

"I intend to get my pound of flesh," Anatoli replied coldly, glaring between them. "But I will not stand and watch one person do so much destruction on people I care for." Facing Oliver again, he frowned, "I will take care of Moira." There was no hesitation. "This makes us even, a life for a life." Grasping Oliver's hand tightly, he shook it. Glaring at Slade and Joseph, he took several steps back. He would see Slade Wilson suffer the way he had on Lian Yu. "I will see you later…count on that."

Anatoli stalked out of the house, leaving destruction and pain in his wake. Sara set about putting the chairs back in place and adjusting the tablecloth. Oliver grabbed the ring Felicity tugged off, pocketing it so it wouldn't lost. "I'll let your security know to be on high alert on our way out." He said nothing more to Slade. "Sara, let's go." It felt like this night dragged on for years. He was mentally exhausted. Wrapping his arm around her, he was thankful to be out of that house and away from the Wilson family drama.

Joseph edged his way toward the living room but found himself face to face with Felicity, "Where do you think you're going?" Pushing him toward the living room, she shook her head as he groaned, "Sit down." Grabbing Slade by the hand, she glared as she settled him down on the couch, plopping down beside him. "Do you have anything to say for yourselves?"

"What do you want to hear?" Joseph smirked, "After that performance, I'll say just about anything you want. You saved my ass, beautiful, and nobody died." He licked his lips, "That's a win in my book."

"Watch it," Slade warned. Over the last few months, he'd come to better understand what made Felicity tick. Her family life had been far from ideal. Her father had abandoned them when she was barely seven years old and her mother had never been equipped to deal with a bright, vibrant little girl like Felicity. For so long, she'd closed herself off to the possibility of finding her happy ending. That was until she'd found a new family in Oliver Queen and his friends; she started to see what possibilities were out there. Then Slade came in and she'd opened her heart. He was the luckiest damn man who ever lived. He rubbed her back gently, trying and failing to come up with something to say. "What is it you want to hear, Felicity?"

"That's the same damn thing I just said!" Joseph accused.

Felicity laughed suddenly, breaking the tension in the room. "To be perfectly honest, I don't know." She snuggled against Slade. "This is our big Dr. Phil moment, everything should just fall into place." She read the look on Slade's face, "Listen, if you didn't leave me holed up in Merlyn Mansion while you were out causing mayhem throughout the city, I wouldn't have had to watch so much stupid daytime television! We might be better off if you'd left me alone at night," She teased, cradling the roundness of her belly gently.

Slade threw his head back and laughed. "I deserved that and I'm sorry for leaving you unattended." Kissing her gently, he ignored Joseph rolling his eyes. "Joseph, you're my son. I don't know you from Adam but…I'd like to. You're part of this family, whether you like it or not."

Joseph laced his fingers, thoughtfully watching the two of them with a critical eye. "I don't know you either. I'm not sure I even like you all that much…" He replied, "But you're my father. There's nothing left for me where I came from. It's about time I started over. Seems Starling City has a lot it can offer me." He smirked, "Besides, I think that Sara Lance has the hots for me. I'd stay for that alone!"

"Not a snowball's chance in hell." Felicity and Slade spoke in unison. "It's never going to happen."

Joseph just kept smiling, undeterred. "That settles it. We're one big dysfunctional family." Standing up, he shook Slade's hand with a firm grasp. Afterward, he leaned in and kissed Felicity on the cheek. "You know if you ever want to trade up for a newer Wilson model, I'm right upstairs…" Catching the look on Slade's face, he laughed as he jogged toward the stairs and out of arm's reach, "Goodnight!"

Felicity laughed until her ribs hurt and tears burned down her cheeks. Slade definitely wasn't amused but he adored her and seeing her laughing in the midst of all this was a blessing. Leaning against his chest as she finally caught her breath, she was truly happy. "I like him. He's a good kid." Exhaling softly, her fingers slid over his chest. "It's going to be alright, Slade. Anatoli's strong but our family is stronger." Kissing him gently, she patted his shoulder as she gazed back into the dining room. Thankfully, the house was still standing after that fight. "You can fix the door and the chair tomorrow. Right now, I need you more than ever."

Slade did not have to be told twice. Lifting her into his arms, he carried her to their bedroom with ease. As he made love to her, he was ever vigilant of the child within her womb. Their lives were a tangled mess at the moment but as long as he had her, their child, and now his son, everything could be worked out. Kissing her softly, his thumb gently grazed over her finger that was now devoid of the Queen's heirloom ring. Just as soon as he could, he'd fill that void and make Felicity his wife once and for all. "I love you," He murmured as she cuddled against his body.

No reservation, no hesitation, Felicity pressed her lips to the pulse at this wrist, "I love you too."

Thanks for those of you continuing to read and review. It really helps when I can get some feedback! Lots of upheaval in this chapter and definitely some more to come, but I'm going to be wrapping up this story pretty soon! I still have some curve balls to throw. Keep reading and reviewing and I'll keep writing!

Also, please be so quick to judge Joseph. The man was abandoned by his father whom he thought was dead. He has the right to be a bit of a jerk! Also to answer one reviewer's question, Jericho is Joseph Wilson's code name in the DC comics (just like Deathstroke is Slade Wilson's code name, Green Arrow is Oliver's code name, Black Canary is Sara's code name, et al). Arrow is based on the DC comic series and many of these characters are either based off or ARE DC canons. I am using that in my story, that's why I brought the KGBeast in. Anatoli is really fun to write for.

Now that Arrow has aired in all time zones, how about that last episode? Holy. Fing. Shit. I am such a Deathstroke fan and they killed it in this last episode. Everything is so deliciously wicked and planned out so perfectly. Much of what happened in that episode isn't going to feature in this story (most especially hallucinating an evil version of Shado). Still, I absolutely loved it start to finish. Slade is the best and just the depth of what we learned about him in this episode leads me to believe that his story line is far from over. I love it all. I really hope that perhaps next week Slade and Felicity get some airtime. I think it would be amazing.

Anywho, happy Saturday and please review! It'll really help my muse!