Author's note: sorry it has been a while... holidays are busy with three families to visit (technically 4 visits because my family get us twice)... anyway I am getting close to the end of this story and have decided there will be a short story after it for our little ones arrivals... so I have 6 chapters for you now and next time I post will be the end of this one and possible the full short story... not sure yet
As always a big thanks to my beta warehouseluver13 for all your hard work
Please review and check out my polyvore for this story... I try to message back on reviews but I may not get all of them... I do read and love each one
Disclosure: I own nothing of Arrow or it would never go off for any hiatus... missing it terribly right now.
Raisa moved through the house, humming to herself as she cleaned. The house had been a stir of activity and people when she awoke that morning. It seemed that the team had been busy all night planning their next move. Raisa still did not know about Oliver's alter ego or night activities but she had learned at one point that there was a darkness within him. She had seen the scars and markings on his skin. She knew in that moment that she would never again see the sweet boy he once was. Recently a new lightness had entered his being and life. It seemed that it surrounded Oliver's acceptance of Felicity and her place in his life and heart. By letting her spirit into his world, her light and hope came too and awoke a side of Oliver he thought long forgotten. Not that he would say so.
Now Raisa spent her days tending to a more mature and gleeful household. Thea and Oliver seemed at peace with their lives. Oliver was settled and awaiting the arrival of his second and third children while raising his first. Thea had begun to find her way in life and what Raisa hoped was a way to personal happiness.
"Love, do you have any stronger coffee? Not that I'm complaining but this is a bit weaker than I normally drink and tastes a lot like dirt." Constantine asked as he passed Raisa in the hall heading towards the kitchen. The team had finished their breakfasts and most were gone now. Felicity was somewhere in the house but besides her, the house was only occupied by Raisa and the newest visitor to the home.
"Of course Mr. Constantine. I will start a new pot right after I bring this tea to Mrs. Felicity. She needs it for the babies. Should help her relax."
"Please call me John and I can do that for ya. She headed upstairs a bit ago. Think she needed a minute of quiet."
"Thank you Mr. John." Raisa passed him the tray she was carrying that held not only a small pot of tea but also some cookies and sweets for Felicity. She turned and headed back into the kitchen, stopping right before entering and called over her shoulder, "You might find her in the nursery. It's the third door on the left atop of the stairs."
Constantine nodded then quietly turned and moved towards the room.
"It'll be okay hunnies. Daddy will bring your brother and Bubbe home, safe and sound. They'll all be here when you come out so be ready to be loved and spoiled like no one ever has been." Felicity whispered as she guided her hands softly over her bump, through her sweater and the throw blanket she laid across her lap. She laid her head back and rocked gently in the rocking chair in the corner of the nursery, her eyes looking out at the sky. The sun was just beginning to dip behind the buildings and the crisp autumn sky was showered in waves of vibrant water colors and clouds. It was just a moment but she allowed her eyes to drop closed and whisper a silent prayer up to anyone out there listening that all would go well tonight and her family would return to her safely.
"They'll be fine, Love." Constantine smiled as he eased into the room, tray in hand.
"I really hate that word now. I used to love it but it has been overused or misused so much in the last few years that I now dread it. Don't get me wrong. We have said that and been right but now that I think about it, fine has never been a good way to describe anything that was involved with Oliver and our night job. And by night job, I mean the vigilante one. I'm not calling him a prostitute although he has slept with a lot of women in his life. And I mean a lot. But not since he got back from the island. The first time. I just think we use the word fine too much. That was my point and I am going to stop talking. I promise. Now." Felicity blushed as she laid her arm across her eyes, hiding into the crook of her elbow.
A soft chuckle came from Constantine as he sat the tray on the ottoman near her and took the seat behind it. "Now I see the appeal."
"Appeal?" Felicity asked as she dropped her arm back down. She moved to grab her tea cup but Constantine leaned forward and handed it to her.
"Well you didn't strike me as one of the little lasses that would be chased around by someone like my mate. Too brainy. But I see it now."
"And what's that?"
"Oliver keeps you around not just for the big brain in there but that mouth. Cute, pouty, and amusing. Killer combination. Add in those legs and I am sure you could have any man melting for ya, Love." Constantine grinned and winked at her as he sat back. Felicity huffed and rolled her eyes, causing him to laugh at the fact that he ruffled her feathers a bit.
"Leave Mrs. Felicity to her peace." Raisa casted him as she came in. "Your coffee is ready, Mr. John." Raisa held her hand out and cut through the air to try to get him to leave the room.
He stood and ducked out of the room. "Perfect timing. Need to get back to working on how to bring down Darhk anyhow."
Raisa watched him move out of the room and back down the stairs, heading to the kitchen to get some coffee before heading back into the study where he had been working most of the day. "Forget what he said Mrs. Felicity. Mr. Oliver loves you for more than just your legs and lips. He loves you for your heart and light and spirit. Believe me. I never saw him act the way he does with you ever. No other women has made him change like you did. He had so much darkness in him when he came back. Darkness and sadness. You have given him light and happiness and helped him find it in himself too. I know you know about his darkness and I know some as well." Felicity gasped as she started to put together what the older woman was saying. "I have seen his scars and marks. I know my sweet boy is gone. Only men with pain in their past and shadows in the heart can wear that mark on his chest." Raisa raised her hand to lay just above her right breast, indicating the same spot that Felicity knew Oliver had his Bratva tattoo on his chest. Felicity's jaw fell open as she prepared to explain but her voice failed her. "I don't want to know how he got it or anything about that side of him. He is still that sweet lost boy who was a bit rambunctious and zealous in his younger days. I see him when he smiles at you. I see the same boy that would play with Miss Thea and Mr. Tommy in these halls and that yard. You brought that boy home and gave him peace. So that is what you do for Mr. Oliver and why he loves you. Me too."
Felicity sniffled back a few tears that had come with Raisa's words. She smiled sweetly up at the older woman. "Thank you Raisa."
"Now you enjoy your tea and relax. Help those sweet babies get bigger and healthy so we can treat them like the prince and princess they are." Raisa said as she moved out of the room.
"Yes Raisa." Felicity smiled as she sipped at her tea again before looking back to the night's sky, Raisa's words replaying in her ears.
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Felicity gazed out over the backyard, seeing the trees beginning to really change colors. The dusty fall colors of the leaves reminded her of the flowers from her wedding day just weeks prior. How could everything go so wrong so fast? She had left the nursery and come down the stairs hours ago, awaiting the return of her entire family. She paced as the hour became later, knowing that the team should have made it back already. Lyla was at the Bunker running comms and would call as soon as it was done. Felicity had instructed her on how to run the programs she created and what programs to run once the team was safely away from Darhk. It would not only put him on every no fly list and terrorist watch list but also wipe out his fortunes, including the overseas accounts she had dug up, and make it so that every communication he sent out would be traced. She was planning on sending him back into the dark ages. If he couldn't contact his support or pay for new ones, then giving him the ring wouldn't mean anything right now because he wouldn't have the power to really use it.
She glanced down at her phone for the time. 11:23pm. The team had been gone for 6 hours. She knew they would meet at the Bunker and dress then go over the plan one more time before heading out but she expected them back by now. She hadn't heard a word yet which worried her more than anything. She was just about to call Lyla for a check in when the front door slammed open and made her jump. She bolted to the foyer to see the team starting to file in. All still in their suits. Her mom and a very upset Connor were being helped inside by Thea and Laurel. Behind them she could see Diggle and Roy hauling Oliver into the house. He looked worse off than when he left. Connor was crying and reaching out for her but all Felicity could focus on was the limp way her husband's head hung.
"Take him into our room." Felicity commanded as Roy and Diggle headed upstairs. She turned back in time for her mom to wrap her arms around her neck and hug her. "It's okay, Mom. You're safe." Felicity patted her mom, trying to soothe and calm her. She saw Connor on the floor crying again.
"Sweetie, it's okay. Everything's gonna be fine. You're safe and at home now."
"Mommy, what's wrong with Dad? Is he going be okay?"
"Connor your dad is a tough guy and a fighter. He will fight hard to get back to you and your brother and sister and your Mommy. Believe that. He loves you all so much and wants to be here always." Thea stated as she knelt down next to him and raised her hand to wipe away a few stray tears.
"How about you and Bubbe go up to your room and get you ready for bed? It has been a very long day and I know you need some sleep." Felicity offered, wanting to find out just what happened.
"But I don't want to go to bed until Dad is better." Connor pouted.
"Well then go get into your pj's and the second your dad is better we will all pile up in the bed together. I know I would like to get some sleep and I'm sure he will need it too. How does that sound?"
"Okay Mommy." Connor smiled as he leaned in carefully and hugged Felicity. Then he kissed her belly twice and whispered, "Love you Tommy. Love you Harper." Then he took Donna's hand and walked upstairs with her.
As soon as they were out of hearing distance, Felicity turned to Laurel and Thea ready to ask about the mission and Oliver's condition when Sara and Nyssa entered the house. Thea looked back at them and Sara smiled, "All locked up and nowhere to go. We have both of them knocked out and doped up so they can't wake up until we are ready for them to."
"And the containment pod?"
"When we left the Bunker, Ray and Cisco were finishing it up and ready to test it out. I told them to keep an eye on them and once we knew that Oliver was good we would go back to help out."
"Good. I'll call Barry and see if he can come get a sample of blood and test it to see what Darhk has him on. If we can figure that out, maybe we can get him off it." Laurel mentioned as she pulled out her phone and stepped away to make the call.
"What happened out there? Who is in the Bunker with Ray and Cisco? What blood sample? And what happened to Oliver?"
Thea saw how worked up Felicity was becoming and knew it wasn't good for her. She needed to calm her down and easily deliver the information to Felicity. "Sis, how about you and I go sit and I will tell you everything."
"But-"
"No buts!" Thea interrupted. "We have enough to worry up with Oliver. We don't need a health scare out of you too. Now come on." Thea lead her back into the sitting room and helped her perch down on one of the sofas there. Thea took the seat next to her and began to explain. "Malcolm and Tommy are both at the Bunker." Felicity gasped and was about to say something when Thea held up her hand. "Before you say anything, we have both heavily sedated so they aren't going anywhere and Ray and Cisco are working on containment pods to hold them in at a small size so we can store them until we are ready to manage them. Oliver should be fine as well. Diggle and Roy are looking at him as we speak. We came here instead of the Bunker because Oliver got whammied by Darhk and we didn't know if Constantine would be needed to fix him."
"Whammied? Thea please tell me what happened out there? What happened to my husband?"