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Felicity glanced toward the door, looking at the time on her phone again it was twenty minutes after the set meeting time with Maria Waltkins and her daughter Gina.
She had allowed them to set the time and place. Hoping it would make Gina more comfortable. They had chosen a small diner in one of the more shopping populated areas of Starling City.
However, it was starting to look like Gina and Maria were running late or Gina decided against meeting with her after all. Felicity really hoped that wasn't the case.
"Are you sure this is the place they wanted to meet?"
She turned her eyes back to Oliver who sat beside her in the corner booth in the back of the diner. He had insisted on accompanying her to the meeting, stating that he didn't feel comfortable with her being alone. He worried that one of these meetings would result in her being found out that she was sheltering abused women.
He worried she would become a target for all the angry husbands and boyfriends. She had tried to dissuade him that she would be fine but he wasn't hearing it. That protective streak he had around her striking up. Not wanting to take the time to argue with him when she knew he was just trying to do his job she let the subject drop and left the shelter under Digg's supervision while she was out.
"I'm sure." Felicity murmured. "We'll wait a bit longer." She wasn't ready to leave in case they showed up.
"Have you screened the possible newbies?" Oliver questioned after a moment.
"You mean Dinah, Rene, Matthew, and David?" Felicity questioned and Oliver nodded. "I did. They all sound good on paper and all but I was thinking of having you and Diggle test their capabilities and if they pass I'd give them a trial run."
"That sounds reasonable enough. Maybe their trial run will work out as good as your last trial run." He gave a small smile with a playful glint in his eye.
"It did turn out pretty well." Felicity played along. Oliver had been her last trial run and it had worked out very well. Except he tended to be really protective of her. "Though the last thing I need is someone obsessing over my well being."
Oliver rolled his eyes. "I'm not that bad."
"Yeah, you are." Felicity gave a small laugh. "But I know it comes from a good place."
"I just want to keep you safe." He murmured lowly like a confession.
Felicity stared at him in surprise at his words and by the way, Oliver's eyes widened he was too and much to her surprise a blush fanned across his cheeks, to his ears, turning them red. "Oh." Felicity felt a fuzzy feeling settled in her stomach. "It's basically in your job description. Of course, you want to keep me safe." Felicity tried to look away from his eyes but found she couldn't.
Oliver stared at her for a long moment, the blue of his eyes so intense she swore they were the reason why she suddenly felt her heart beating faster than a moment ago. "Right. Because it's my job." Oliver nodded, his eyes never losing the intensity and the words lacking any conviction.
The sound of the diner's bell sounding finally giving Felicity the push she needed to look away from him and toward the door, watching as two women walked in, scanning the diner, appearing to be looking for someone. She sat up straighter waiting as they turned their eyes on her.
She had given Maria her description and that she would be wearing a green cropped leather jacket.
She watched as the older woman of the two women gaze zeroed in on her and grabbed the girl's arm, tugging her over to them with the younger woman reluctantly allowing herself to be pulled.
"Ms. Smoak?" The older woman asked.
Felicity moved to stand up but remembered they were in a corner booth with Oliver on the edge next to the aisle so instead she extended her hand. "Maria and Gina Waltkins?"
Maria nodded, shaking her hand as she slid in the booth across from Felicity, Gina cautiously slid in next to her but didn't reach to shake Felicity's hand when she extended it instead she stared at Oliver warily.
Felicity knew her wariness. "This is Oliver. He's a bodyguard and works security detail for me but he's not someone you need to fear." She wanted to reassure Gina that Oliver was not a danger to her.
"You have a security detail? Is that necessary?" Maria asked with a frown.
"When you run a secret women's shelter and want to keep the women there who seek somewhere safe? Somewhere they don't have to look over their shoulder every second of every day? Yes and Oliver is just one of the bodyguards in my security. I take the safety of those I shelter very seriously."
"A woman's shelter?" Gina looked at her mom in alarm. "I don't need to go to a battered woman's shelter. It's not that bad."
"The bruises on your neck say differently," Oliver said, motioning to her neck, where he saw that Gina was trying to use a turtleneck top to cover up the marks along her neck but he could see the edges of discolored purple and blue skin.
Gina's hand instinctively went to her collar and tried to tug it up further. "It was an accident. He didn't mean to."
Oliver looked at her sympathetically. "If he didn't mean to he would never have laid his hands on you in the first place and I gather it wasn't the first time and it will more than likely happen again. Your best option, your only option is to get away from him."
"And what do you know about it? Nothing. You have no idea what I'm going through." Gina glared. She didn't need people she didn't even know telling her what to do, acting like they knew her.
"Gina, it's okay, he's just trying to help you," Maria told her daughter, she reached out to touch her daughter's arm but Gina shook her hand off.
"No, you're right. I don't know what you're going through." Oliver hadn't meant to hit a nerve with Gina but he wanted her to realize how serious her situation was. "But I have a mother and I have a little sister not all that much younger than you and I would never want this for them. They deserve better and so do you. You don't deserve to be some guys punching bag. You deserve to be treated with respect and decency and what he is doing to you is wrong. You have to know that on some level."
Gina sucked in a harsh breath. "He wasn't always like this." She said so lowly it was more a whisper. "It wasn't always like this. We were good together once. We can be good together again. I just have to hang in there. It'll be good again."
"Do you really want to take the risk of him killing you?" Felicity asked. She had remained silent listening closely as Oliver tried to get through to Gina, surprised he had spoken up about the matter as much as he had.
"He wouldn't." Said Gina instantly.
"Just like he wouldn't hurt you on purpose?" Felicity shook her head. "You can't keep lying to yourself. If you don't get out he'll kill you and it'll be your mother, your family who are called to the morgue to identify your body." Felicity didn't want to sound harsh or brash but even more so she wanted Gina to see how serious this was.
Gina glanced at her mother whose eyes had filled with fear at just the thought of having to identify her daughter's body in a morgue. "You don't know what you're talking about!" She hissed, turning angry eyes to Felicity. "You don't know anything about it! You have no idea what -"
"Actually, I do." Felicity cut thought her rant somberly and Gina fell silent in surprise. "And I should have left the first time he ever hit me but I didn't. I stayed because I believed he hadn't meant to hurt me. I mean, how could he, he loved me, he would never do anything to hurt me intentionally." Felicity shook her head even as she felt Oliver's eyes on her. "But it was a lie I told myself every time he would hit me. And you know what it got me? Nothing but pain, bruises, a swollen jaw, black eyes, split lip, you name it and still I told myself he didn't mean to hurt me. But it was just a lie to make myself feel better. A false hope that he really hadn't meant it. That he loved me."
Gina's eyes had filled with tears and her mother grabbed her hand with her own, her grasp grounding her. Felicity's word hitting her hard because she knew exactly what she meant. She told herself the same thing, every single time he would hit her.
"But when the man who's supposed to love you hits you that is not love. When you love someone you're supposed to protect them. Not be someone they need protecting from." Felicity shook her head as she thought back to those dark days with Cooper. "It took me a long time to really learn that and it was a lesson that almost cost me my life."
Oliver's hand unconsciously clenched and he could feel a deep-seated anger bubbling up in his chest, hearing more about Felicity's own experience with an abusive man. He never even met the man but he wanted to tear Cooper apart with his bare hands, make him regret ever laying a hand on Felicity. Oliver wanted to destroy the man.
Felicity, however, was oblivious to the turmoil within Oliver or the anger he was trying to push back down.
Felicity leaned forward making sure she caught Gina's eye. "Don't make my mistake. Don't wait because it may be just too late. Don't be just another casualty at the hands of an abusive man. Don't make your mother bury her child. Don't let him win. You deserve to live your life to its fullest potential and you can't do that if you're dead. I'm not saying this to scare you, I'm just stating facts, if you don't leave, it'll get worse and one of these times it'll be too late. Don't let that happen."
Gina's eyes fluttered, a tear slid down her cheek, she quickly wiped it away with the back of her free hand. "I don't know what to do." Her voice cracked, and she instinctively gripped her mother's hand back. How do you leave the man you love? How did she stop loving him enough to leave?
"Let me help you," Felicity told her. "My shelter is always guarded and with just a bit of time when your boyfriend is no longer a threat to your safety I can set you up for a better life. You'll be safe and you won't have to suffer at any man's hand again."
"I don't know.." Gina trailed off hesitantly. She couldn't imagine leaving, not being with him. It was a rough patch. She just had to get through it and everything would be good again.
"Gina, sweetie, please." Maria grasped her daughter's hand, getting her daughter's attention, her eyes feeling with tears. "I can't lose you. I can't, I need my daughter. I won't survive if he took you from me."
Seeing the fear written as plain as day in her mother's features, hearing the plea in her voice, the tears in her eyes had Gina nodding her head slowly. "Okay. Okay. I just need a few days." She would try for her mother.
Felicity nodded even though she was hesitant to agree. She much rather Gina got away from her boyfriend as soon as she could. "Is two days enough?"
"I..give me three." Said Gina. "I have some things I need to take care of and I need enough time to do so."
Felicity nodded in agreement. "I'll meet you here in three days then and I'll take you to the shelter but until then I'd like to put a security detail on you. Just to keep you safe while you sort things out that you need to."
"Will it be Oliver?" Gina asked glancing at the man in question.
"I'm currently Felicity's personal detail so no it won't be me." He felt Felicity subtly kick his leg, but he kept a straight face. He had a feeling she was going to assign him to Gina's detail but he was adamant about making sure she was safe. "But we have lots of men who are just as capable of keeping you safe as I am."
"Okay." Gina nodded. "As long as it won't be obvious that I'm being followed. I don't want Mike to catch on."
"All of my men know how to blend and not be seen." Felicity smiled tightly. She had been planning on having Oliver be the one to detail Gina but now she would have to consider someone else since he basically volunteered himself to be her personal bodyguard. "You probably won't even know he's there but just remember he's there for your safety."
Gina nodded, standing up. "I'll meet you here in three days. Say three o'clock."
"I'll be here," Felicity told her.
Maria reached across the table, taking Felicity's hand. "Thank you. Thank you so much for all your doing. It means so much." She said gratefully.
"Of course." Felicity smiled shaking her hand. Maria stood and followed her daughter out of the diner door.
As soon as they were gone Felicity turned to Oliver with a glare. "I could have used you as her detail. I am more than capable of protecting myself."
Oliver wasn't going to let her glare bother him. "I didn't say you couldn't protect yourself but I would feel better knowing I was watching your back. I wouldn't be able to focus on keeping Gina safe if I'm worried about you."
Felicity gave a grumble. "I think I've decided you're worse than John when it comes to worrying about my safety."
"I can live with that." Oliver stood and Felicity followed. "Who are you going to sign to her detail?"
Felicity thought about that for a moment as they exited the diner and walked to her car. "Roy and I'll have Nyssa cover his shift with Sara."
Oliver nodded. "We should head back, the new recruits are coming in today. They're going to need to meet the boss." They reached her car and Oliver opened the back door for her before getting behind the wheel.
"I also need to check in with Slade about Amelia and Henry," Felicity informed him.
Oliver nodded, as he pulled the car out of the parking lot and onto the road, starting the drive back to the shelter.
They were barely a few blocks away from the diner when he noticed a dark sedan following them. "We have someone tailing us."
Felicity's head snapped up from her phone where she was going through a few emails for her freelance work. "What?" She glanced back at the back window trying and failing to get a good look at the driver. "Are you sure?"
"They've been following us for the past ten minutes so yes I'm sure."
"What do you think their goal is? Why follow us?"
"I don't know could be someone found out you run the shelter and are either trying to learn where you live or where the shelter is located." Oliver hated each of those possibilities.
"We can't let the location of the shelter be found if it's one of the ex's," Felicity said worriedly.
Oliver shot her a frown noticing she didn't seem the least concern about if they found out where she lived or if she was in danger. They really needed to talk about her lack of concern for her own well being. "Just hang on, I'll lose them."
Felicity settled back in her seat biting her bottom lip as he sped up, taking sharp turns here and there, she glanced back a few minutes later and no longer saw the car that had been following them. "I think we've lost them."
Oliver nodded as he slowed the car back down to the proper speed. "It'll take us a bit longer to get back to the shelter."
"It's fine." Felicity dismissed. "I just glad you noticed we were being followed. The last thing we need is the location of the shelter getting out. That'll be a target being placed on all our backs." And that was the last thing they needed.
"Opposed to the target you paint on your back," Oliver replied warily, his hands unknowingly tightening on the wheel.
"Have you and Digg been talking to Lance because it sounds like he's shared his concerns about my safety with you? And with the way you two have been harping me the past few days about my own personal security."
"Is it really such a bad thing that we want you safe?" Oliver asked, in a deep timber, his concern shining through.
Felicity couldn't remember the last time she had so many people in her life so insistent on her well being. "No." And it really wasn't. Before she met Digg and opened the shelter it had just been her mother and her and no one else. But having as many people in her life as she did now made her feel cared for in a way she hadn't felt since before her own experience in an abusive relationship.
It was one of the many reasons why she didn't truly mind Oliver and Diggle being protective of her. Sure she complained every now and then but it didn't really bother her because she knew their protectiveness came from a good place.
Felicity was answering a few emails when Slade entered with a brief knock before striding right on in.
"Heard we have so new recruits coming in. Any chance I can get a crack at them? Test how capable they are?"
Felicity looked up as he took a seat across from her. "As long as you don't seriously injure them. Go on, right ahead. It'll be good to know how good they are in the field."
"In that case, I'll be sure to really let them have it." Slade gave a crooked grin.
"I'm sure you will," Felicity said before decidedly getting down to why she asked to see him. "Have you seen anyone lurking around Amelia or Henry when they weren't here?"
Felicity never felt comfortable telling the women who came here for help that they could no longer go out and did not forbid them from doing so when they wanted to get out for a bit, her only rule was that they take one of the guards with them as a precaution. But since she had Slade specifically on Amelia's detail she was sure he would have noticed anyone following Amelia while she was out.
"No. Not anyone out of the ordinary from what I can tell. Amelia's been a bit on edge and hasn't let her son out of her sights for more than a moment."
"Well, it's understandable with what she's going through." Felicity knew how it couldn't have been easy especially with Darren still out there.
"Any word from Lance?" Slade wondered.
Felicity frowned recalling the disappointment she felt when Lance had called that morning before she left for her meeting and found that Daren's threats sent through emails were being ignored and weren't enough to have him hauled in. "They can't do anything. The same old song when it comes to this kind of thing. It's never really taken seriously until there's someone being hospitalized or laying on a morgue table."
And while it was discouraging Felicity was not about to give up. She would find something incriminating on him and if she didn't then she would just have to create some false past charges, a fake warrant or something, anything to get the man arrested and off the streets. "But if it comes down to it. I'm going to do what I have to."
"I expect no less," Slade smirked. "Your one of the most resilient women I know." Slade had met his fair share of strong women and Felicity was definitely one of the stronger ones with a spine of steel, refusing to back down when it mattered.
"Hey, the new recruits are here." Oliver pushed his way into her office.
Felicity sighed, she didn't know why she bothered telling him to knock anymore. He never listened to her. "Alright, go ahead and test them with Diggle. I'll meet with them in a little bit." Felicity glanced at Slade. "And Slade will be joining you."
Oliver looked at Slade. "Not going to go easy on them are you?" Though he seriously doubted Slade would.
"Not a chance, Kid." Grinned Slade, standing up.
"Get someone to cover for you with Amelia and Henry while you're testing the recruits," Felicity called after Slade as he left with Oliver.
"You got it, Smoak."
Felicity's hand reached out for her phone, scrolling through her contacts before finding the number she wanted and pressing the call icon. The phone rang several moments before it was answered. "Roy." She greeted. "How do you feel about taking on an extra job?"
"I'm listening." Roy's voice filtered over the line.
"We have a new girl coming in but she needs a few days to get things in order, You would be trailing her, making sure she's safe during that time. If you come in I'll give you all the details."
"I can be there in an hour," Roy told her.
Felicity spoke to him for a few more minutes before hanging up and finding Nyssa's number in her contacts. "Nyssa, do you have a moment?"
"For my second favorite blonde? Of course, I do."
"Good, I need you to cover Roy's shift with Sara for a couple nights," Felicity informed her. "Of course, you'll be compensated for the sudden change in your schedule and the extra hours."
"Working with Sara is more than enough compensation."
Felicity could practically hear the sly smirk coming from Nyssa. "I'm sure," Felicity replied. She didn't forbid her employees from getting involved with one another. If they wanted to mix their personal lives with their business ones that was their choice. Not something she would recommend for herself though. "Just be sure to keep it professional until your off the clock."
"Of course." Nyssa agreed easily.
"When do you need me to come in?"
Felicity was on the phone with Nyssa a few more moments, giving her details before hanging up and glancing at the clock. Roy would be there in 45 minutes.
She stood from her desk, decided she would go check in with everyone see how they all were doing.
And that was where Roy found her when he got there, sitting around a group of the children who were being sheltered with their mothers, reading to them. It was story time among the little kids that consisted of Henry, Amelia's young son, Alexis, the young daughter of Senna who had been at the shelter two months now, Jennice, another little girl, her mother Brenda, had been at the shelter just 7 weeks, twin boys Keith and Daniel, and their mother, Bevin, had been at the shelter almost as long as Jennice, there was James, the young son of, Sharon, who has been there for 9 weeks.
While there were several mothers they were sheltering there were even more who weren't mother's, who had nowhere else to go.
Felicity knew with as many women that they had coming in they would need to move to an even bigger location if they were going to house everyone, it was getting cramped for everyone as it was.
Felicity looked up from the book she was reading to the children when she heard a throat clearing and saw Roy, standing with his arms crossed, a brow raised in amusement as the kids seemed captivated and enthralled in her storytelling. "Do you think I can steal you away from your adoring public?"
"Can't it wait?" Alexis looked at Felicity with expectant eyes. "Can't you finish the story, 'City?"
Felicity smiled at the nickname the kids had given her. "I'm afraid it can't." She said apologetically.
"I can take over for you, Felicity."
Felicity smiled at the blonde who stood off to the side with an easy smile. "Thank you, Annabeth."
Annabeth was one of the youngest women there at only 23. And was one of the first to come in. She had been there for over a year but not because of an abusive ex. He had been out of the picture for more than half a year.
She had stuck around wanting to give back to the shelter that had saved her life. She now helped out around the shelter, she was a reassuring ear to the new residents, she gave the mother's a hand with the children when they needed it, she ran errands and occasionally acted as Felicity's personal assistant on the days when she was really busy. Felicity was grateful for all the time Annabeth dedicated to the shelter. She was always such a big help, especially with the little kids.
Annabeth smiled. "Anytime." She told her easily situating herself between the kids. "Alright, so where did Felicity leave off?"
Felicity started walking with Roy the sounds of the children and Annabeth, drifting away.
"Thanks for coming in on short notice." She told him as they made their way to her office.
Roy nodded settling into the chair across from her desk as she rounded it. "What's the job?"
Felicity sat in her seat and launched into Gina's story, telling Roy the details in case they would be significant to him keeping an eye on her. "I need you to tail her for the next few days. I was able to compile data you might need to ensure you do your job well." She picked up a folder and held it out to him.
Roy opened it skimming through the information, seeing a picture of his charge, Gina, with written details, description, address, where she worked, he shifted the page and next was a picture of her boyfriend and with a list of priors which were a mile long, domestic disturbance, assault charges, a countless number of DUI's, possession of illegal substances, possession of unlicensed weapon, solicitation.
Roy blew out a breath between his teeth. "Talk about a rap sheet."
"If you see him near her I want you to get here ASAP." Felicity directed. "It didn't take me long to gather that information but it has me more worried than before."
"I'm on it." Roy gave her a nod, standing up and walking out of her office without another word.
Half an hour later Felicity was pushing her way into the training room of the shelter, pausing in the doorway at the sight of Oliver taking on all four new recruits alone, he wore only a pair of army pants, leaving his upper body exposed and she could see the scars that littered his body, scars inflicted from his time serving his country.
She found herself unable to tear her eyes away from his form, how graceful every moved he made was whether he was blocking, attacking, countering or was straight up lashing out with an attack of his own.
She watched as he effortlessly incapacitated all four of the new recruits, slamming them, taking their legs out from underneath them and flipping them over, pinning one man's arm behind his back, his knee embedded in his spine.
The man made a pain noise, groaning and Oliver released him, pushing off him and looked up as if he knew she was watching.
Felicity swallowed as he turned, the muscles of his back shifting as he motioned Dig and Slade over. "Take over for me."
She stood up straighter, reminding herself that Oliver was a friend and employee and she should not be ogling him simply because he was shirtless and was walking over to her and she could see the sweat glistening off his skin. "Um, I see you're all very hard."
Oliver paused in front of her, his lips turning up in amusement. "I'm sorry?"
Felicity to her horror realized too late what she had said. "I meant you all seemed to be working the new recruits hard. Not that you're hard because of course your not hard. Like at all."
Oliver's eyes lit up with mirth as she continued and he crossed his arms with a grin. He did love her little innuendos'.
Felicity's eyes widened further. "I didn't mean that either. I mean, I know your hard." Her eyes widened. "Your muscles! I know your muscles are hard!" She exclaimed, wishing she could shut up already. "I mean just look at you." To her horror her hand reached out, gripping his bicep, squeezing. "Like wow." She murmured.
Oliver's smiled faltered at the touch of her hand, it was such a simple touch but he felt it like a live wire, his eyes darkened as he instinctively took a step toward her.
Felicity swallowed quickly retracting her hand hastily as if it burned her. "Sorry." She squeaked. Oh god, she was just feeling up one of her employees. He should file harassment claims.
Oliver forced out a chuckle. "I wouldn't call it harassment." And he definitely wouldn't complain if she touched him again. He was teetering on a fine line with his attraction to her.
"Right." Felicity cleared her throat. "I came to see how the new recruits are fairing."
Oliver took a step back, trying to push away his attraction and keep it professional. "They definitely know how to take a hit." He walked back toward the center of the room where the four new recruits were now standing with Slade and Digg, winded and trying to catch their breath. "But they know how to get up when knocked down, they put up one hell of a fight regardless and I think that really speaks for itself."
Digg noticed her approach with Oliver. "Here's your chance to meet who you'll be working for." He came to stand on her other side.
"Felicity Smoak." Felicity introduced holding her hand out, shaking hands with the only other woman in the room first. "You must be Dinah Drake."
"I am." Dinah reached out, shaking her hand briefly. "It's great to meet you, Ms. Smoak."
"David Sawyer, ma'am." A man who was broad shoulder 6'4 with sandy blonde hair and green eyes, he offered his hand. Felicity shook his hand with a nod.
"Matthew Collins." The other man introduced he was even taller than Oliver at 6'7, towering over Felicity and was extremely fit, he looked like he hit the gym almost every day. He had dark hair olive skin, dark eyes, and a stubble jaw.
"Rene Remirez." The last of them introduced.
Felicity shook hands with each of them. "It's nice to meet you all. First I want to be upfront and tell you I ran a thorough background check on all of you. You all checked out. You'll each be on a trial basis and if everything works out we'll talk about bringing you in on a more permanent basis." Felicity looked at each of them. "Does that sound good?"
"It does, Ma'am." David nodded.
"Great." Felicity smiled. "I'm going to let Dig, Oliver and Slade get back to work with testing you're capabilities though you all seem more than capable for the job. I haven't met many people to get back up after being taken down by Oliver in the time I've known him. Find me later when everyone is done here and we'll get started on your shift schedules, introduce you to everyone and give you a tour of the place."
They each nodded at her in acknowledgment and Felicity turned with a nod to Slade, Diggle, and Oliver, turning on her heel, she could hear Slade, telling them to step up to the mat for another round this time with him and he wouldn't be nearly as gentle as the kid.
She snorted, if Slade thought Oliver was being gentle with them, she would hate to see what Slade consider going all out was.
"Ready to go?" Oliver walked into Felicity's office.
"No, you head on out." Felicity didn't bother looking up from her work. "I have a few things I still need to take care of."
Oliver frowned he wanted to argue or wait for her but he was supposed to meet with Thea for Dinner. He gave a sigh, maybe he should text Thea that he had to work late.
"Oliver." He was pulled from his thoughts and saw Felicity looking at him like she knew what he was thinking. "Oliver, go home, go have dinner with your sister. I have more than enough guards here to make sure I get home safe." Diggle had already left and Nyssa had shown up with Sara to cover Roy's shift, Slade was working overtime and Ryan and Ethan, two other guards who kept the night shift were all on duty tonight.
"Right," Oliver replied reluctantly, he turned to head out but paused in the doorway looking back at her. "Just call me if something happens."
"I will," Felicity told him.
"I don't care how small it is." Oliver insisted. "Call me if-"
"Oliver, go already. If something happens that you need to know about I will call you until then go have dinner with your sister." She gave him one of her looks. "Go on."
Oliver sighed but nodded, finally disappearing out the door.
Felicity shook her head half exasperated with him and half amused at how concern he was about her safety. However, amusement quickly flew out the window when Ryan seemed to appear out of nowhere as she left her office assisting in walking her to her car because of the late hour.
"This is a first," Felicity commented. "Did Dig ask you to walk me to my car?"
"No, Queen did. And he didn't so much as ask but demanded I make sure you get to your car safely."
Felicity heaved a long drawn out sign. She had half the mind to call Oliver just to yell at him with her loud voice. He needed to learn to relax a bit when it came to her so-called safety. She got that he cared but she liked to think she was more than capable of protecting herself without having him guarding her 24/7.
Felicity made a small detour after leaving the shelter, stopping by her favorite diner, BBB. She ordered her meal, stopping to talk with Jessi a server who never failed to flirt with her every chance he got.
She never took his flirting seriously, he flirted with everyone, including Digg and was always friendly with everyone. He was one of those people you couldn't help but like and talk with, one of those people who could cheer you up with a smile and a few simple words.
"Do you want me to walk you to your car?" Jessi wondered, looking over her shoulder after handing over her order to go.
Felicity followed his gaze and saw a man sitting in a booth watching her, he had dark curly hair and a five o'clock shadow and dark eyes. She recognized him from the information she gathered on Gina. He was Gina's boyfriend, Mike.
"No, I'll be alright." She turned back to Jessi, not wanting to get him mixed up in anything, she had a Taser in her purse along with Peper spray ready to use it if she had to. "But thank you, I'll see you around, Jessi."
Jessi looked like he wanted to insist but instead, he nodded, respecting her decision. "Be careful, Felicity."
Felicity walked toward the exit, avoiding the man the best she could but as she went to pass his booth he stood blocking her path. "Can I help you with something?" Felicity glared up at him.
"Actually you can." The man, Mike, glared at her. "You can stay away from my girlfriend."
Felicity scoffed, she wasn't going to back off just because some asshole tried to intimidate her. "I don't know what you're talking about." She pushed past him, heading for the exit but was suddenly whirled around, a hand gripping tightly to her wrist.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about. I saw you with her today." Mike's grip tightened on her wrist to the point it was painful and she knew it was going to leave a mark.
"I don't know who the fuck you are but you better stay away from her. I know her bitch mother is up to something. She's been trying to get rid of me for a long time. But it's not going to happen." He yanked her forward, towering over her and Felicity glared up at him defiantly, trying to wrench her wrist out of his grasp. "And if you think for a second you're going to help her with that your just as stupid as Gina's mother is. I will bre-"
Suddenly the man was shoved back from her, losing his grip on her and Jessi was there. "Keep your fucking hands off my friend or I will break your damn hand. And get the hell out of my diner before I lay your ass out." He warned darkly, placing himself firmly in between Felicity and Mike, Gina's boyfriend.
Felicity didn't know why she was surprised by the sudden protective side of Jessi. She knew he worked two jobs, one of them being here, the other one he was a bouncer at a nightclub here in the glades but this was the first time seeing his bouncer side only ever have seen him as friendly and a total flirt.
She peered around him to see the two men having a stare down but seconds ticked by until finally, Mike shot him a glare, his eyes zeroing in on her and she glared back defiantly at the anger she saw in his eyes. "If you know what's good for you, you'll listen to what I said or else it won't end well for you." He turned heading out the exit.
Her shoulders deflated as Jessi turned around, looking at her concerned. "Are you alright?" He took her wrist examining it, seeing the mark of a handprint circling her wrist. "I'm no doctor but you're gonna wanna ice this and maybe get it looked at."
"Yeah, I'm fine." She said as he let go of her wrist. "Thank you for that."
"Who was that guy?"
"I don't know." She lied. It wasn't the first time she had to deal with one of the abusive men who been involved with the women she was sheltering. It definitely wasn't a first for her dealing with a violent man.
Jessi frowned further in concern. "Should I call Digg or Oliver?" He wondered, Felicity tended to come in with a lot of people and they all seemed to work together, but it was Digg and Oliver she was in here the most with.
"No, that's okay. I was just gonna head home. There's no need to bother either of them."
Jessi shook his head, his frown getting deeper if that were possible. "Than at least let me walk you to your car in case that creep is still lurking somewhere outside." He turned his hand on her back ushering her forward.
Felicity conceded knowing that after what happened he wasn't going to be talked out of it. Thankfully though the man was gone. She climbed into her car, shutting the door and look at Jessi through the window. "Thank you, Jessi." She told him sincerely.
"Your welcome." His friendly smile was back. "Stay safe."
She nodded, sending him another grateful smile before pulling out of the parking lot.
As she drove home she decided against calling Oliver or Digg telling them about what happened. It happened, it was done and over with and she was fine. If she told them they would just be more protective and they were protective enough as it was in her opinion. Especially Oliver.
The sound of glass breaking had Felicity jolting up in bed, heart pounding against her ribcage. She quickly sat up, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed and as quiet as possible opened her bedside drawer and retrieved the gun she kept hidden there, checking the chamber and clicking the safety off.
She padded slowly across the floor, her hand tight around the gun, breathing harshly, fear coursing through her system. She took a deep breath steadying her breathing, straightening her shoulders, before opening the bedroom door, trying to be as quiet as humanly possible, she looked down the hall not seeing anyone and crept through the entire second floor of her home but saw no one before quietly making her way to the First floor. Heart pounding in her chest she made her way through the First floor.
A sharp stinging sensation cutting into her foot had her letting out a curse and she glanced down to see glass shards all over her living room floor.
She raised the gun quickly and looked around the room but it was silent and empty, she cursed under her breath as she looked to the window, finding it broken, she looked down and just at her feet with more broken shards of glass was a red brick wrapped in what looked like paper.
Felicity stepped back careful of the glass and turned on the light, trying her best to avoid stepping on any more glass.
She looked around again and realized she was the only one in the house. She clicked the safety back on her gun, setting it on the table and lifted her foot, cringing at the sharp medium-sized piece of glass in her foot, she gritted her teeth and pulled it out, blood coating the glass and escaping the cut.
She cursed walking around the living room, avoiding the glass the best she could. She could feel the bottom of her foot grow wet with blood and stinging from the cut, she reached for the brick amongst the glass and unwrapped the note around it.
I don't care what I have to do to get what's mine. Even if I have to go through you. You should be more careful. You never know when someone is watching and I can promise you I am watching your every move, Felicity Smoak.
Felicity let out a string of curses as she read the note and the thinly veiled threat, her earlier fear turning into a wave of anger.
This wasn't good. Not at all. She needed to resolve this before it escalated but she had no idea which ex of the sheltered women could be behind this. She had her suspicions of course but there was no way of knowing for sure.
Fuck, this wasn't good at all.
A/N: Reviews are encouraged. Thanks for reading.