Yeah I know I'm so sorry this has taken so long! I've been trying to get it finished and then I got stuck on the first scene and it just didn't feel right.
BUT here it is! I hope you enjoy it and please, please! Let me know what you all think
Chapter 22 – How much can it hurt?
Oliver rushed towards the side of one of the men who had stormed into the club, crash tackling him to the ground, their bodies tangling as Oliver landed a thumping fist to the thug's face, knocking him unconscious while the gun rattle to the floor. He could hear the echoing of bullets through the empty club, Felicity crying out in the back of the bar, sending him into more of a rage as he fought against the attackers.
He rose instantly, finding his next target, hit after hit, he landed each of them precisely where he needed them to go, stopping the attach as they came. He found their weaknesses, knee's, shoulder's, elbows. Anything he could pick off from their attacks towards him, anything that would keep them all safe and away from the Felicity and Tommy.
This was what he did and what he did best. Oliver wasn't stupid, he knew that this was why Waller had recruited him from the island. He tracked his opponents, like a lion, he could reach their movements before they even made them. It made him dangerous and right now – knowing that Tommy and Felicity were in the club, knowing that could have been hurt or worse – it spurred him on, pushing him more and more.
He glanced up, finding Diggle working his own way through the thugs on the other side of the club, Oliver watched briefly as he kept his own through the fights, barely taking a blow but delivering them perfectly.
Reaching the bar, Oliver landed another blow to one of the thugs by his side, slamming his head into the countertop, now that the shooting had stopped, he could hear Felicity crying, praying that Tommy was keeping her close by.
And that's when he looked up, Diggle had missed someone to the side, a gun raised in his direction, Oliver reached for the first thing he could, the small knife sitting on the bar. Instantly, Oliver lined up the thug, sending the knife in the direction of the gun, hitting his shoulder – sending the gun and himself flying to the ground.
Diggle's head snapped up, movement at his side forcing his attention away from the thug at his finger tips and he watched as Oliver picked up what looked like a knife, a small sliver knife and he watched as it sailed through the air, connecting with the furthest assailant, knocking the gun from his hand. Diggle watched Oliver closely, scrutinizing how he moved, how he fought, how he could hold himself and if Diggle was being honest with himself and wasn't under his own fire – he would have
Diggle's had snapped up, watching the moment that Oliver reached for a small knife that the bar tenders use to cut the fruit for the drinks. He watched as Oliver instantly lined up the guy coming towards him, the knife sailed through the air, hitting the guy directly in the shoulder, sending him flying backwards.
Diggle watched a few moments more, watching the billionaire brat fight like a pro. Diggle watched as Oliver tracked the attackers, easily maneuvering around those coming at him, easily sending them crashing to the floor unconscious or in pain.
Perfect movements to take down the people around him, to protect himself and his friends. This was not a man who had spent his time partying his life away, nor was this a man who spend 3 years alone on an island.
Oliver Queen was a fighter.
Diggle rubbed his hands together, watching Oliver rub the back of his neck as he spoke to SCPD. He was waiting for his time to reach out, finding it as Detective Lance moved away. There was a space of about 15 minutes of the fight between the thugs and Oliver and Diggle, before the sounds of sirens were heard in the distance, the thugs that weren't unconscious fled, taking their wounded with them.
The SCPD had stormed in, their own guns drawn, calling out for those inside to get down. Diggle and Oliver did as they were told, resting on their knees with their hands up, the huffed-out breaths, the fight having taken energy they weren't expecting. It wasn't until the sound of Felicity squeaking out a cry did Oliver scramble to his feet, ignoring the calls of Detective Lance.
He had skidded behind the bar, resting on his knees, he looked over Felicity, making sure was ok. He let out a deep breath when he found her uninjured, glancing up at Tommy with thankful eyes.
The SCPD had separated them all, asking their questions before leaving them to check out the rest of the crime scene. Slowly Dig mad his way over, standing in front of Oliver. "You know…my sister in law and my nephew were jumped by a couple of thugs a few weeks ago." Oliver looked up at him, his eyes snapping from looking at Felicity who was still talking to an officer.
But Dig continued, "She'd tried to call me but I wasn't even close enough to help her." Dig eyed Oliver, watching for some sort of reaction but he never gave one, Oliver's face stoic and controlled.
He wanted to approach this in the best way possible, wanting to gauge Oliver's reactions. "And when I did get there, the thugs were bound and gagged waiting for SCPD to turn up. Now my nephew tells me this amazing story, a story of a man in green who saved them. Said that he was like a super hero." Oliver only blinked; hero was not the term he would have used for himself.
He blinked, did Dig know it was him under the hood? "There is some real good in a man that risks his life to save random strangers and I for one would love to say thank you to him." Dig turns his back, leaving Oliver with a slightly shocked look on his face. There wasn't a chance for Oliver to speak, Dig clearly wanting to leave him with the food for thought. His eyes follow Dig as he made his way to Tommy, who was still shaken from the incident.
Diggle wandered over to Tommy, finding him easily against the side of the bar. The SCPD had long since left him alone – already taken his statement. Diggle could see the anger in his eyes when he looked towards Oliver, deciding that it might be worth giving him some unsolicited advice. "You alright?" His deep voice seemed to pull Tommy out of his thoughts, his eyes flashing to the larger man by his side.
Tommy nodded, rubbing his hands together, "Yeah. I'm fine." He made a move towards the door, needing space for Oliver. The memory of the gunshots and Felicity's crying echoing in the back of his mind.
But Diggle reached out for him, his hand resting against his arm, "You know…fighting in a war is hard, not ever knowing if you are going to come home-" Tommy turned towards Diggle, eyeing him closely, "—never knowing if you'll ever see your family again. But there is one thing that give you hope, knowing that you family, the people you care about the most, they know what you are doing."
Tommy wasn't sure where Diggle was going with this conversation, he wasn't sure what to take from the man he had just met but who had saved his life and Felicity's. "What's hardest is fighting a war that no one knows about. The war that only you can fight. Those wars – those are the crucible that are fought in darkness. A darkness that takes over because it has to. To be able to survive, that darkness Those are the wars that take the most toll on the soldier. And those wars are the ones that the soldier needs his family the most."
With a short nod, Diggle moved away from Tommy, making a bee line for Oliver who was now standing with Felicity, his hands rubbing her arms. Tommy looked back at Oliver closely, he could see the tense standing of his body, how he would step in front of Felicity a little more when there was loud bang of the entrance door. He was protecting her; he was always protecting her.
Just like he was protecting Thea and his family and all the other families out there in Starling City. This fight he had taken up; he had heard the stories on the news "Arrow saves family from burning building," or "The Arrow has taken down a drug dealer – saving countless lives" or "The Arrow stops city bus from colliding with oncoming, putting himself in the middle." Tommy wasn't stupid, he knew that Oliver was doing good in the city but he also knew that he had dropped bodies in this fight.
But as he watched Felicity smile at Oliver, a small nod of her head before moving away, wrapping her arms around Diggle in a tight thank you hug, Tommy realized that the Ollie Queen he knew was still in there, the one that fiercely loved those around him and that would protect them with everything he had. He was just a little darker than Tommy was used to.
Dropping his head, Tommy moved to stand by Oliver, capturing his eyes for a moment before he nodded towards the office, Oliver understanding instantly. It hadn't taken long for the SCPD to move from the club, they had taken their photos, their statements collected, leaving just him and Oliver alone.
Felicity had long since 'left', whispering to Oliver that she was going downstairs, he could that she needed space, that she needed to find her safe place, Dig had also left, agreeing to be back the next night for his first shift of his new job. He and Oliver had held each other's gaze for a moment, something passing between the two men before Dig closed the door behind him.
Tommy found himself in front of Oliver, he wasn't sure what to say, instead he wanted to keep it simple. "Look…what you do, I don't really understand it but you saved my life tonight. And it's clear what you do is save people's lives."
Oliver nodded; he didn't want to accept that - Tommy was calling him a hero. But he did save lives, that what he was trying to do, taking out Count Vertigo and the drugs would save a lot of lives. "I know I can't do much…unless you need patching up again…but I want to help. Anyway, I can."
Oliver smiled, nodding slowly, "I would really like that Tommy. You know I trust you with my life." Oliver had his two best friends by his side. The alarm bells in his head echoed but he pushed them down. He could protect Felicity and he would protect Tommy. He would die doing it.
"Hey so I've been meaning to ask you..." Tommy and Felicity had been working away in the bar, setting up the new orders, logging new requests. It had been about a week since the shooting, Tommy was more relaxed around Oliver and had been watching them both when they were together. Felicity looked up from the counter with a raised eyebrow, Tommy was usually a lot more direct than he was being. Her raised eyebrow causing him to laugh a little, nodding to try and force himself
He stopped moving around the bottles, turning to face her, "I know we haven't really had much of a chance to talk about Ollie being back, it has been almost 8 months, but you and Ollie...I know you had feelings for him before he...disappeared...how are you dealing now?" Tommy watched as Felicity froze for a second before she continued working.
She wouldn't look up at Tommy, she kept her head down but she sighed, "Oliver is...I am so happy to have him back - regardless of everything that is happening now - I missed him so much. It's like he never left with us."
Tommy raised his eyebrow, he had long since learnt of how Felicity would try and get out of conversations with him. "That doesn't really answer my question though does it..."
Felicity sighed once more, finally looking up at him. "It's like he never left..." she stressed.
Tommy nodded, he was getting what she was saying, she still had feelings for him, probably more than what she did before he got on that boat. His voice dropped, coming to her side, "Why don't you tell him?"
Felicity laughed, "Yeah, no chance of that happening Tommy. Even now Tommy – people like Oliver Queen doesn't look twice at people like me." She went to move away, she needed to leave this conversation before Tommy could read her any more, she made her way towards the Foundry stairs, Oliver wasn't there and she knew Tommy would leave her alone.
"If it makes you feel any better...I think you are wrong and you really need to talk to him." He called after her, a small smirk on his face as he watched her shake her head. He was right, she needed to talk to him.
Oliver looked up to see Tommy walking through the Foundry, his eyes still shone in amazement as he did, taking in the world around him. But he was no longer angry with Oliver, he was no long hesitant, he looked at Oliver like the man he remembered, his best friend – just grown up.
"Hey do you have a sec?"
Oliver put down the small arrow head he was working on, giving Tommy his full attention. Felicity had long since left, ignoring Tommy since their conversation upstairs about her feeling for Oliver, but he hadn't heard Oliver arrive.
Tommy came to stand across the table, his fingers brushing over the made arrowheads. "You know, I never realised how good you were with your hands. I mean – you make all this stuff."
Oliver nodded, "Yeah well I didn't have a choice while I was away. I had to make do. Plus buying them leave a trail that the police can follow so…"
Tommy nodded in understanding. "I ah…I know we haven't had a chance to really talk after you came home…about the time you were gone. Obviously, Thea struggled, I know you know that and your mum and dad. But we missed you Ollie, I know that Felicity was there for me the whole time – she'd be there for every drunken phone call or break down."
It was hard for Oliver to hear this, he knew that his absence hurt people around him – but he honestly hoped that they would move on, he wasn't good for anyone. His relationship with Laurel was proof of that.
"But just so you know – Felicity, even before she met her ass of an ex – she struggled as well. Her smile, it was always a little less, a little less bright. We talked on night, sitting in the middle of the dance floor while we ate and drank and planned for the grand opening. She told me that she felt like she didn't have a right to mourn for you. Between your sister and your mother and then me who had known you for our whole lives – she felt like she hadn't been around long enough to be part of that."
Oh, that hurt to hear. How could she feel that way?
"But she put on a brave face for everyone Oliver. She took on so much, so much of our pain that we didn't stop to really ask her how she was coping and then, well, she met Cooper and she still hid her pain. She didn't want to seem weak, she felt like she needed to be strong for everyone else in her life."
Oliver sighed; he didn't really know what to say to Tommy but he knew he needed to see Felicity. Tommy continued, "I know you had feelings for her before you left. You were better for her. I know that you tried to be a better boyfriend to Laurel because you were scared of disappointing Felicity. She brought out the best in you and I know you had feelings for her."
Blinking, Oliver wasn't sure where Tommy was going with this conversation, granted at this point, it was all one sided. "I just think that you might want to look back to how happy you were with her. Maybe you need some of that happiness again. Maybe those feelings never really went away."
Oh, they never really went away, they only got stronger. Oliver may have had feeling for Felicity before the island but he is pretty sure he loved her now.
Tommy moved away the from the table, placing his hand on Oliver's shoulder as he went. Did he have a point? Are those feelings something he could entertain?
Looking around, Oliver's eyes landed on his suit and his shoulders straightened, no, he couldn't let himself think about those feelings, he had to keep Felicity safe.
Oliver stood outside Felicity's door, the ice cream tub under his arm making the rest of his arm cold, it was strange though that he couldn't feel it, he was nervous. He was too nervous, his conversation with Tommy was enough to set him on edge. He told himself that he couldn't entertain his feeling for Felicity but was the one person he wanted in his whole life, she had kept him going all those years on the island and then in Russia and now she was here again, in front of him.
Tommy has mentioned how much she'd struggled without him; how much she'd tried to keep her head up even when it was like her whole world was falling apart. Oliver hate the knowledge that she had tried to hold herself together and he wasn't there.
Then there was the knowledge of her ex-boyfriend.
Oliver has promised Felicity that he wouldn't go after him - granted if Felicity couldn't find him, neither could Oliver – but after finding out about her ex and what had happened Oliver hated himself even more for not coming home when he should have. Maybe if he had been home, he could have helped her. He felt like he hadn't been there for her when she needed it the most. And she had been pushing away any conversation about it now and so he wanted to reach out to her.
Mint Chip ice cream was the way to do it.
Knocking heavily on her door - he wanted a few moments until she opened the door, shocked for a moment before her smile widened. "Hey Oliver...what brings you by?"
Oliver rocked back on his heels, producing the ice cream with a smirk on his face. "I thought we could hang out?" He wanted it to be casual, casually bring up the conversation of her ex and what had happened.
She sighed, rolling her eyes before stepping aside. Oliver had been trying to talk to her more about Cooper since finding out but her had pushed him away, ignoring all desire to want to talk. "Oliver if you wanted to talk about what happened you didn't have to bring me ice cream-" but she reached for the tub, snatching it from him, "-however I appreciate you trying to butter me up."
Oliver laughed a little, moving further into the apartment before taking a seat on her couch, it was always so comfortable being around her.
He watched as she moved around, heading to the kitchen to get spoons for sure. Sitting in that space, her space, Oliver let his mind wander for a moment, thinking of what it could have been like to be with her, to hold her but then he remembered what had happened over the last few years.
All the pain he'd caused, he'd killed people to survive, killed because he had to, killed to save others but he'd also tortured people, he'd allowed that darkness to take hold and there was part of him, a large part, that felt like that darkness had never let go.
He heard her coming back, he blinked realising that having her was the never going to happen but as long as she was in his life - he would be happy. He couldn't bring any more of his darkness into her life, she'd had enough pain and he wouldn't be the one to cause her more pain.
They sat in silence, Oliver had long since slipped to sit on the floor, his arm resting against the couch as he looked up at her. Felicity had curled up on the couch, her feet tucked under her, sharing the tub of ice cream between the two of them in silence.
But that silence was broken when Oliver sighed, he needed to talk to her about this. "I'm so sorry Felicity. I wasn't there for you when you needed me the most." Felicity looked down at Oliver, a spoon sitting in her mouth.
Handing him the tub, Felicity pulled the spoon from her mouth, "It's not like you ignored me Oliver. You were stuck on an island. In the middle of nowhere. I think that gives you a pass." But he just watched her, taking his own dig of the tub.
After another moment of silence, she sighed, "You know...I thought about you every day you were gone. I missed you...your friendship, your smile, your happiness."
He grinned brightly at Felicity, it was nice to hear that she missed him, that it was a two way street, "I thought about you all the time as well, the photo of you, me and Tommy was the one thing that survived with me that whole time I was away. I kept it close and I kept it safe." He laughed a little, watching as she made grabby hands for the tub of ice cream.
They fell into easy conversation, the comfortableness settling over them. They talked about how his mother was wanting him to get involved in QC, talked about what direction they would try to go in to find out more about Count Vertigo, Oliver even talked about how Diggle had approached him, basically telling him he knew that Oliver was the hood.
That shocked Felicity for a moment, unsure on how to take the information but then she spoke, "Maybe it'd be good to have a partner out there with you. I mean someone to have you back."
Oliver smiled, his hand reaching out to touch her knee, "You have my back Felicity. Every night that I am out there, you talk me into locations and you keep me safe."
But she huffed, "Oliver, I am a tech girl, Oliver Queen's personal internet researcher if you will…" She leaned forward, placing her hand over his, her voice dropping, "Oliver, you fell down 3 story's the other day because you didn't see the guy behind you. Maybe having someone like Diggle out there, watching your back…it would mean you came home to me…to us…a lot safer than what you are now. Just think about it."
He nodded, he'd be lying if he said he hadn't thought about what it would be like it have a partner out there, someone he could fight with but for obvious reasons he never thought that would happen.
It was late when Oliver left, he wanted to do a late patrol and Felicity had to work in the morning. With a brief kiss on her cheek, Oliver was out the door and headed to the Foundry. Felicity had felt all of that kiss on the cheek, it had lingered for a moment, his hand on her shoulder, hers on his hip. She wanted to take more from him, wanted him to give more.
"We have a new problem…well I don't know if it is a problem per se, a setback maybe? Or a speed bump? Maybe a-"
"Felicity!" Oliver called her attention back to the original comment.
She nodded, "Right so I found out who those guys were…the ones that went all Scarface on the club…" Felicity had all but stormed into the Foundry down stairs, swinging her seat around to sit by her computer. Oliver and Diggle – who had been sparring on the mats and Tommy who had been enjoying watching Oliver get put down a few times – had made their way over to her computer.
Dig had made his way down the stairs one afternoon, Felicity staring at him in complete shock but it wasn't until Oliver stood toe to toe with the darker man, eyeing each other off. It was a moment, Felicity honestly thought Diggle had called the SCPD but he held out his hand for Oliver to take.
The men had done their sizing up, their testosterone flying before it settled, Oliver grasped Diggle's hand tightly, smiling at him. They moved silently towards the training mats, settling into a routine of training, sparring, grunting and sweating.
It was in the back of her mind that Felicity realized that Oliver was standing behind her, shirtless again, always shirtless but she pushed it away, "They work for Adam Hunt or should I say they actually work for The Count but they were contracted to do whatever Adam Hunt wanted." She typed away, bringing up a few searched and told them all the crazy details she had found out.
Like how they had tracked Oliver t the club, how apparently the Count had gone on a rampage when he had found out that the cops had also tracked down Adam Hunt, "Apparently, the Count was counting on Hunt being hidden…ha get it? He was counting on it?" Diggle and Tommy smirked at her tongue in cheek joke, Oliver just blinked, unamused on the outside, rolling his eyes on the inside.
He could not find the funny in the situation, someone had come after him, almost killing Tommy and her, there was no funny in that.
"So why is this a problem? It means we can track them down." He crossed his arms over his chest. Oh Lord, those muscles.
Felicity shook her head, she could see his reflection in her computer screen, she pushed forward, "It's a problem because Adam Hunt…and his cronies…are dead. All 6 of them were found, OD'd on Vertigo, in a warehouse last night."
Oliver groaned, rubbing his hand over his face. "I don't understand, why would the Count kill the man who was running his whole operation. With Hunt around, it meant the heat was off the Count, there was nothing tying him to the Vertigo." Diggle wasn't sure what to make of this new information.
Oliver turned his back, trying to process this information. Without Hunt, it put them at square one again with finding the Count. "Because the death of a billionaire scion who seemingly has no connection to the drug Vertigo but is killed by the thugs of a Vertigo dealer would bring too much attention." Felicity had already stood from her seat, forcing Oliver to turn to face her, "Hey…we will find him Oliver. I promise." She placed her hand on his forearm, feeling the warmth of his skin under hers.
With the last comment, Felicity turned and started back at her work, she was trying to get into the medical examiner's report, hoping that the autopsy reports and the police reports might give them some information. Tommy had already headed upstairs, he needed to get the bar started for the night. Oliver and Dig went back to sparring. Oliver's frustrations showing.
It was a long few hours, Dig had long since called it a night, Oliver had headed out for a patrol, already headed back after a few hours, the city was quiet, he wanted to take the night off. When he made his back into the Foundry, he found Felicity standing by his weapon's case, a small smile on her face, she was beautiful. He moved to stand besides, her, his bow resting in his place, his green leather hood pushed back.
Maybe it was the memory of her almost getting hurt a few weeks before when the gunmen had stormed into Verdant.
Maybe it was the fact that he had fallen three stories down an abandoned building the week before and it was her voice that called his focus and got him out.
Maybe it was that she had been patching him up once again after a rough fight, her fingers against his chest, his ribs and shoulder. He could feel her breath against his skin as she worked, bandaging and placing ice packs against his body. Her laughter and concern filling the air as she chatted away with Tommy and Dig.
She amazing him, she astounded him, she was light and happiness and goodness.
She was everything that he missed on the island, everything that he fought to come home to. But she was everything that he couldn't have, he couldn't let his darkness touch her, couldn't let that light she gave off diminish at all. He couldn't bring her down.
He smiled, thanked for her all her work, thanked her for giving up her time for him and thanked her for always being there for him.
"Oh Oliver, you don't have to thank me." She looked up at him, from under her lashes, a small smile on her lips, "You've always been there for me so I'm sure I can handle playing doctor with you." She slapped her forehead, groaning as she turned away from him, her face burning brightly.
Oliver reached out, touching shoulders gently, turning her to face him. Felicity tilted her head as she watched him closely, unsure of what he was doing. But as the silence stretched between them as she leaned up, her lips touching his gently.
He knew the instant it happened, his eyes had long since slipped closed, relishing in the feeling of having her so close, of being able to touch her the way he had dreamed, the way he had fantasized all those nights on the island. She had reached up to him, she had initiated the kiss, she had brought him down to her level so she could take the next step.
His hands had slipped up to her cheeks, holding her gentle, cradling her face in his palms. A sudden feeling of coming home, the first time he had had that feeling in the 8 months since he had returned from the island. She felt like home.
After a moment, their lips came together like they needed the other to breath, he pulled away, the sharp memory of the damage his hands had done a stark reminder of what he did, what his life had become, how much the darkness had touched him, right into his soul. The darkness he couldn't let touch her.
"Felicity…" Oliver sighed, dropping his hands from her face to her hands, he held them tightly, feeling the pain in his own heart that he knew was going to break hers. He shook his head, he shouldn't have let her kiss him, should never have kissed her back, shouldn't have led her on.
"I'm sorry…Because of the life that I lead, I just think it's better to not be with someone that I could really care about." Instantly, her face dropped, two steps back from him her whole world fell apart. "I can't be with anyone." He was now trying to cover himself, he needed to convince himself.
Felicity's whole body changed, her eyes hardening as she watched him, she had been so sure that together they would be taking the next steps but he decided that he was going to pull the rug out from under her once again. Straightening her back, Felicity stared at him, "Well I think you deserve more than no one Oliver."
She moved around him, her shoulder brushing roughly with his as she moved away, silently thankful that they had gotten the inner club door working, the one that led straight up the stairs to Verdant. The minute she was up the stairs, the breath she was holding was released and so were the tears that she had been holding in.
She didn't see Tommy staring at her, worry filling his eyes as she moved across the side wall of Verdant, trying to stay away from the party goers, her shoulders were pulled back into an angry stance, the tears still falling. Tommy wanted to call out to her, he wanted to reach for her but it was clear that she needed air, she didn't want to talk. And so, he made a beeline for the basement, he was going to tear Oliver a new one for upsetting her.
But the minute he was down the stairs and into the landing he stopped, his whole body freezing. Oliver was sitting on the floor against a far pillar, his head down and his hands covering her eyes. "Ollie?" his voice carried, echoing in the silence.
Oliver didn't move, but he was breathing deeply, trying to hold his own emotions. "What happened?" Tommy tried again, moving closer to Oliver's side.
Finally, he looked up, his eyes were dry but there was a sadness there he hadn't seen before. "I am…I told Felicity the truth. That I can't be with her. That I can't be with anyone." He stood quickly, moving past Tommy towards the training dummy that was waiting for him. Tommy watched as Oliver started on his combo of blocks and punches, harder and faster as the memory of his words replayed.
He had been right, he knew he was right when he told her that he couldn't be with her, he needed to believe those words because they were the words that would keep her safe. Keep her light shining brightly away from the pain and the agony of his life and the darkness that had taken over him. But that didn't mean he wanted them to be true. He wanted to chase after her, he wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her once more but he couldn't. He had to hold steady.
Tommy had yet to say anything, just watching his friend punish himself brutally on the dummy. After a few minutes of the only sound was Oliver's thumping and grunting, Tommy spoke, "Maybe it should be her choice Oliver. She loves you." He turned on his heels, heading back the way he came, up the stairs, only pausing when Oliver's voice found his ears.
"It can't be her choice Tommy. Not this time." He went on to continue hitting the dummy, needing to forget about the pain he had just caused.
It had taken a day or two, a day or two of quietness from Felicity and uneasiness from Oliver after their kiss but they both knew they had work to do. She had been able to get into the medical examiners reports and the police reports, Felicity had been able to track some of the evidence to a second location, a second warehouse on the other side of the Glades. It was where Adam Hunt and the goons had been dosed.
It didn't take long before Oliver was suiting up, calling out a few orders to Felicity and Dig to follow, while he jumped on his bike, the other three hearing it revving in the back of the Foundry before it took off. Oliver was ready to have this finished, once and for all.
The Arrow rushed through the warehouse – standard Wednesday night if he was being honest with himself but the only thing that was different about tonight was that the warehouse, he was in held a large stash of Vertigo. Felicity had informed him on his trip there that she had been able to get a better view of what was inside. He'd informed Felicity to give him 20 minutes before calling SCPD, they could deal with the drugs after he dealt with the thugs.
It wasn't The Count or even a manufacturing warehouse but it was a large quantity of Vertigo and it was going to be off the streets for good plus it might give him the direction he needed to find the Count. He had taken out the first two guards, Diggle set up on the back entrance, it was the first time he and Dig were out in the field together and so far – Oliver was quite happy with how it was going.
"I've got two down on the front entrance." He spoke quietly into his comms.
"I've got two more down on the back entrance." Dig knew what he was doing, he had the back entrance covered.
He moved slowly through the warehouse, picking off targets from behind as he approached them. "Oliver – you've got two more coming up to your right." Oh Felicity, always in his ear, even after everything that had happened, she was still there.
He nodded, she couldn't see him but he nodded, moving slowly to his right, eyeing the two guards he was waiting for. But they had noticed him first, turning they aimed their guns and fired, Oliver dodged the bullets easily, two quick steps and Oliver launched himself at the gunmen, knocking them back before he was able to knock them out.
It didn't take him long to take out the rest of the guards, a few bruises and cuts but he had gotten away without too many issues. He'd also found drums of pills, lining the back wall of the warehouse, he'd called for Felicity to call the SCPD, to which they were already almost there. "Dig head out, I'll be following you!"
The siren's started in the distance, he had to move and move fast.
But as he rushed from the building, he could hear the sirens coming closer – it would be moment before the SCPD would be at the building and he was almost free, almost to his bike when he noticed the dirty blonde hair poking out from behind some crates.
He wanted to leave, wanted to ignore it but there was something about it and against his better judgement, the Arrow rushed to the blonde, finding a young girl laying on her side, her face covered.
There was thumping of boots on the ground, calls of the police echoing in the building. Thankfully they were covered by the crates, enough that he could take the moment to look down at the girl, turning her slightly so her head lolled to the side.
He sucked in a deep and shocked breath. He knew that face, recognised those lips and those features. Images flashing back to him, rushing back instantly, memories and words and smiles and laughter. Pain and anger and disgust mixed into those feelings. He knew her, he just thought she was dead.
Brushing his gloved her over her face gently, he let out his breath, shaking as the only word he could think of fell from his lips, confused and shocked.
"Sara?"
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