Author's Note: I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I do apologize since I know it takes me a bit of time in between updates. I try to do as much research as possible and aside from that I find it hard to do this kind of writing on demand.

My brain already knows how this story will go and this is Felicity's story, or at least how I would have liked her story to go.

This chapter is still part of the flashback and we still have a bit more to go before we go back to the present.

Aside from studying martial arts as an adolescent, I have no experience fighting or sparring but have tried my best to review, research and study them again with the time available to me.

Remember that is an AU so if it clashes with your memories or how the shows went, it is supposed to since it is how I want to see things.

Thanks again for reading and for being kind.

Disclaimers: I still don't own the characters from The Arrow, BTVS, The Flash, Angel, Roswell, Beauty And The Beast, etc., along with the songs used as backdrops for this story. Images used are taken from the net, except the edits or the collages I made using images found online.

Chapter 5 - Hitting The Ground Running

Cause he's stronger than you know. A heart of steel starts to grow. When you've been fighting for it all your life, you've been struggling to make things right, that's how a superhero learns how to fly. Every day, every hour, turn the pain into power. When you've been fighting for it all your life, you've been working every day and night, that's how a superhero learns how to fly. Every day, every hour, turn the pain into power. -Superheroes by The Script-

The weeks following their night at Mt. Auburn Cemetery proved to be both tiring and demanding, yet they showed no signs of wavering and were all filled with a renewed sense of purpose. None of them believed that they were part of Felicity's life because of coincidence. Just as it was sadly her destiny to be called as a Slayer, they felt that life had placed them in her life because they were meant to make a difference this way.

While no one was expected to stop living their own lives, Caitlin and Ronnie would still be getting married after they graduated, they would also be getting jobs in different companies and pursue their own dreams but despite all this, there was an underlying commitment among them, that no matter what they do decide or where they end up, they would all find a way to be there for her.

Felicity knew that she was very fortunate to have them all in her life. From her dreams, she knew that most slayers were expected to live lonely and solitary lives. Buffy, changed that. She truly lived her life, had a life out of slaying, fell in love, had relationships and she had friends. Though she saw that Willow and Xander had flaws and that Xander had a tendency to be extremely judgmental and narrow-minded when it came to who Buffy loved, there was friendship there as well as a degree of loyalty.

Despite how sadly their relationship had ended, Felicity also felt that Buffy and Angel truly loved one another and theirs was the real kind of love. Much like the love between Ronnie and Caitlin, as well as the one that seemed to be developing between Vincent and Cat, it was the kind of love that, if you were lucky enough to find it, you grab it, hold it close and never let it go.

Her friends, her love for Angel had allowed Buffy to keep fighting for as long as she did and Felicity vowed to follow her example, not in the letting her friends make her feel bad part, cause her friends who rule BTW, would never do that ever, but in having a life and wanting more than just slaying.

Her friends made the obligations of being a slayer a lot lighter just by being a part of her life and it is because of them that she knew that no matter what she faced, things would work out in the end, cause if not then at that point, it really was the end of the line, you know, the knocking on heaven's door type, asking St. Peter to check your name in the Book of Life type end.

They were on their way to the dojo for their advanced class with Sensei Sandra and she was looking forward to it, especially since it means she would get to spar and burn off some of her excess energy. One thing she quickly learned about being a Slayer was that she always had excess energy to burn that went hand in hand with a huge appetite for food as well as something else she would rather not openly discuss.

She looked fondly at her friends and she recognized how many changes they made to help her.

They had developed a schedule to help put them in a better position to be able to help her and defend themselves. They reasoned that she must be able to focus when they patrol and she wont be able to do that if she is too busy looking out for all of them.

Julie and Cat used their trust funds and purchased a 2 storey house at 28 Seven Star Lane, Concord, near Harvard Square, and they later convinced all of them to move in so that they could have a base of operations of sorts.

They converted the basement into a workout room where they could spar and practice and turned the library into what Cisco referred to as operation central, with books on the occult and computers.

Since they refused to let any of them pay rent, they all pooled the money they would normally spend on rent to buy equipment to make patrol easier and more efficient. Steel toed boots, kick ass clothing, tricked out cameras, monitors and comms were just the beginning.

Early in the morning they would jog along Harvard Square to build endurance.

Recognizing that the things they would be up against would be a lot stronger than any of them, they started weight training. While they knew it would take time before it made a difference they decided to start doing it anyway since it would help them in the long run.

They also took up a mixed martial arts class for krav maga and jeet kune do at the dojo with Felicity. They picked krav maga because their research indicated that not only is it said to be the most lethal form of martial art, it is also relatively easy to learn, and they added jeet kune do since it teaches a fighter to be unpredictable and adapt to an opponent's fighting style.

Their lunch breaks between classes were now split between actual eating and sparring so that they could all learn faster.

Arriving at the dojo, they headed directly to the locker rooms to change into their uniforms and prepare for class with Sensei Carolyn little knowing that tonight would open yet another avenue for their group.

All their hard work seemed to have paid off since it brought them to the attention of Carolyn Wu-San, one of the two owners of the dojo where they took their classes. She co-owned the dojo. Both sisters were undeniably beautiful, they had an ethereal quality to them with porcelain like skin and silky black hair.

Both sisters were renowned martial arts practitioners but Sandra was considered a protege because of her ability to learn and master martial arts quickly.

Carolyn, their Sensei, taught most of the students of the dojo while Sandra only took on students when she encounters individuals or groups that she feels have the talent, skill and perseverance to actually survive class with her.

Heading onto the mats where class is conducted, they were surprised and more than a little intimidated seeing Sandra Wu-San there.

-8-

Carolyn had noticed how hard they all worked during her class. While not all of them had the capacity to become masters, they all showed the willingness and determination required of a true martial arts practitioner.

Feeling that they would benefit more from her sister's tutelage, she invited Sandra to sit in and observe them during class to see if she would be willing to take them on as students.

Class was conducted in its usual manner. Sensei Carolyn paired them off, Ronnie and Cisco, being the only guys in their group were paired together, Liz with Fred, Cat with Julie and Felicity with Caitlin and they sparred using the things they learned the previous classes, followed by a demonstration from their Sensei on the punches, kicks, blocks and combinations they were learning that day before they were again paired off to practice and spar while Sensei observed and gave corrections or praise.

Throughout the class, Sandra observed all of them, especially Felicity. She noted that out of the group, Robbie, Cat, Julie and Felicity showed the most promise. She also noticed that Felicity was holding back, she did spar well, brilliantly even , but she was conscious enough to control the force behind her punches, hits and kicks.

Sandra had an inkling that there must be a story behind it, a seemingly innocent and petite girl, capable of wielding enough strength to make the moves devastatingly lethal. She then motioned to Carolyn and asked her to spar with all of them individually so she can properly evaluate their skill levels.

Sensei Carolyn gave the group a few more minutes to spar and then called their attention, asking them to form a large circle and sit down on the mats. She then called them one by one to take their turns and spar with her using the moves that they had already learned.

Cisco was called first. Carolyn moved really quickly and while Cisco was able to block most of her hits, he was unfortunately unable to go on the offensive and as a result Sensei Carolyn was finally able to get through his defense and caught him in a chokehold.

Liz was next. She was able to block most of Sensei's hits as well as try and land a few kicks and punches before she miscalculated on one of her jabs allowing Sensei to make a grab for her arm and twist it against her back.

Fred blocked Sensei's hits and managed to land a jabs but she was unable to land critical hits. She was trying to break through Sensei's defense when Sensei managed to block one of her kicks and send a jab making her lose her balance and fall to the mat where Sensei was able to lock her in a grapple hold.

Caitlin was able to land a lot of hits that would have been critical but she lacked the power or force necessary to slow down Sensei who kept on going on the offensive and was inevitably able to land several hits that forced her to the edge of the mat.

Ronnie started out strong, landing hits and getting Sensei to yield some ground. At some point though, he might have gotten a bit overconfident and underestimated Sensei's strength, allowing her to keep him on the floor in a hold that proved unbreakable for him.

Julie landed more than a few critical hits but took too many. risks so she also got hit a few times. Throughout the exercise I know that Sensei is holding back testing our mastery of the past lessons. Julie showed that she understood and had a good grasp of what we had learned so far. It was only when Sensei started adding new elements that Julie faltered and was unable to completely adjust in time, allowing Sensei to push her off the mat.

Cat, like Julie, showed that she had a good grasp of our previous lessons. Unlike Julie though she was a bit more careful so she took fewer hits and landed more critical hits against Sensei. She was however taken down to the mat and put in a hold when Sensei added a few combinations and not just new kicks or jabs since, taken by surprise much like Julie, she found herself unable to fully adapt and hit back.

It was finally my turn. I started just blocking and studying how Sensei moved. I also made a mental note to watch how much force or power I used. Finally seeing an opening I blocked Sensei's uppercut and landed an oblique side kick, then hung back, waiting for Sensei to strike so I could block and counter just like we had been taught. As good as Sensei was, the vampires I fought were a lot faster and stronger, lacking any artistry. It is thus easier for me to study and counter a human opponent, no matter how skilled, I think.

When Sensei started switching her moves and adding combinations, I knew enough to stay calm, block, counter and try adding elements coming from moves I knew by instinct and from watching tv or even movies.

While watching Sensei, I noticed that Sensei dropped her shoulder, which allowed me to predict where her moves would come from, leaving her vulnerable to more hits, allowing me to kick her off the mat, winning the match.

Sensei got up and bowed towards me so I bowed back in response and then we all moved back to our positions on the mat thinking we would be getting a new lesson.

Sensei started moving to the front "You have made me very proud. You all showed that you have at the very least a working knowledge of the lessons I have given you and some of you have even shown a level of mastery not normally seen in relatively new students. I invited my sister, Sandra, to observe and evaluate your skills today. Sister, would you be so kind as to give my students your evaluation."

Sandra then started walking and looking at each of them before speaking. "When my sister told me about this class, I was thinking that she may have been exaggerating. But having had the chance to observe you against her, I can see that she was telling the truth. While not all of you have a natural affinity toward martial arts, I see in your group the determination and discipline needed to become true practitioners. Krav maga and jeet kune do have one thing in common, they both require dynamism and adaptability. Jeet kune do is even described as a style with no style for that reason. To be effective, you must be like coursing water, able to assume and take on the shape or color required to adapt and respond to the moves of an opponent. Cisco, you need to keep practicing until your body can defend itself through instinct, until every movement becomes natural. Liz, Caitlin and Fred, you both need to work on building more upper and lower body strength to give more force and power to your moves. Ronnie, you must learn not to underestimate your opponent. There is no place for hubris in martial arts, gender matters not. Julie, you must learn to be less reckless and take only calculated risks. You must learn to view fights holistically so you can properly evaluate how to proceed. Cat, you must learn to keep your composure and become dynamic. You must learn to read your opponents so that you are never again taken totally by surprise. Felicity, you are capable of much more and beginning today we will teach you a more intensive course from more disciplines if you are willing to learn. If you are all willing both my sister and I will be your Senseis and I will be primarily in charge of teaching you Felicity. Make no mistake, I am a harsh taskmaster, but if you all keep displaying the same perseverance and determination I have seen today, we will ensure that you all learn more and become effective martial arts practitioners, able to defend yourselves and those you love. The question is, are you willing to rise to this challenge?"

Taking the time to look at each of my friends to make sure we were all on the same page, I took a deep breath and addressed both of our Senseis. "We are deeply honored and accept your challenge." Things were bound to get more interesting for sure.