Please don't hate me. I really am sorry guys. Despite thinking about this story A LOT, it's harder to find the time and energy to actually spit out some chapters. Turns out the little baby who inspired this story (who is almost three now) is CRAZY! She is straight up a tornado. No joke. We cannot keep up with her.

The song for this chapter is I The Last Song Ever by Secondhand Serenade.

Connect with me!
Twitter: teamdemonmonkey
Facebook: teamdemonmonkey fanfiction

Disclaimer: I, sadly, do not own Arrow or its characters.

Chapter Ten: Goodbye

Felicity was ninety nine percent sure that Oliver Queen wasn't human.

She watched as he helped Norah to her feet, holding her tiny hands tightly as he kneeled and guided her carefully towards him. He'd been trying to get her to walk for a month now. She'd started pulling herself up and cruising the furniture at a very early ten months and Oliver was determined to teach how to walk. He said it started with footsteps but that she'd be a parkour champion by the time she was one. Felicity knew he was being ridiculous but had to admit that Norah was startlingly intelligent. She would often laugh when they were having a conversation and Felicity made a witty joke. They were completely and irrevocably in love with this baby girl and Felicity knew that he was a permanent fixture in their lives.

The only shadow on their otherwise blissful domesticity was Oliver's mother. She still hadn't come around to the idea of the woman and child that Oliver boldly and loyally pledged his love to. She hadn't gone so far as to push him to estrangement but she still refused to meet Felicity and Norah and generally didn't have much to do with their little family. Felicity knew that Oliver was perturbed by his mother's judging and biases but he never really talked about it and Felicity had to admit that she was happier knowing that Norah didn't have anything to do with a woman who brought only heartache to the man she loved.

Yes, things with Oliver were good. He had practically moved in with them only a month after meeting Norah and Felicity knew that it was only going to get better from here. Her company was good; she still took the odd job from A.R.G.U.S. for the thrill of it and they had dinner with Lyla, Digg and Sara once a week. Thea came over at least as often with her boyfriend, Roy and Felicity was relieved that not all of the Queen women were completely opposed to the idea of Oliver being with her and Norah.

"Felicity." Oliver's deep voice broke through the haze of thoughts clouding her mind and she snapped her attention back to the handsome man as he handed a board book to Norah. "You okay," he asked, a slight furrow in his brow.

"I'm good. Just lost in my head," she said, waving a hand around vaguely. "Any success with solo steps?" He frowned comically.

"No. I feel like we're so close. She wants to do it; you can see it in her eyes," he said passionately and Felicity chuckled softly at the passion in his voice. "Just a little longer," he promised.

"Don't rush on my account," she teased. "As soon as she's mobile, she's going to be off like a rocket." He crawled over to her and kneeled in front of her, his arms caging her on the couch.

"There will be no living with her," he said teasingly, his face close to hers, eyes dancing playfully between her mouth and eyes. He finally leaned and pressed his lips to hers, fondly and familiarly. She kissed him back and then laughed when she felt tiny hands pressing on her legs. She broke away laughing and picked up Norah, who was grinning up at them.

"Looks like I have some competition," she teased and he laughed, setting Norah in Felicity's laugh and grinning broadly at her as she giggled happily. The moment was interrupted by a loud knock on the door. They looked at each other in confusion.

"Are you expecting someone," he asked Felicity. She shook her head and he stood up and went to the door, looking through the peephole and then relaxing and opening the door. "Lyla, Digg," he greeted. "What's up," he asked curiously at the serious and stiff way they held themselves.

"Can we come in," Lyla asked and Felicity stood, moving Norah to her hip. Oliver gestured them inside and closed the door behind them.

"What's going on," Felicity asked uncertainly. Lyla looked awkwardly between the two of them before sighing.

"Oliver, we've had word come in from Russia," she said and Felicity watched in confusion as Oliver immediately tensed, his face becoming stormy. "Our operative in the Bratva was discovered and… well, you know what they do to spies," she said, glancing at Norah. Oliver's jaw tensed.

"What does this have to do with Oliver," Felicity asked slowly. Oliver looked over at her and she could see his burning with anger and a touch of fear.

"Do you remember when I went 'off the grid'," Oliver asked referencing their first date and Felicity dimly remembered looking up Oliver and finding nothing but dead space for a five year stretch. She now remembered him casually telling that he had been in Russia during that period as he climbed out of the car.

"Sort of," she said, confusion still weighing her words like lead.

"Oliver was undercover within the heart of the Russian mafia, the Bratva," Diggle supplied quietly. Felicity's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Undercover for who," she asked but she already had the answer.

"For us," Lyla supplied. "He spent five years working his way up the ladder of the Bratva command to gather intel on illegal dealings but foreign branches of the organization. He eventually hit the status of Captain and managed to leave without suspicion when we had gained enough intel to shut down some of the network outside Russia."

"Okay, so I still don't understand what any of this has to do with him now," Felicity said heatedly and she noticed that Norah was becoming more fidgety in her arms. Oliver's shoulders slumped.

"They want me to go back undercover," he said quietly and it wasn't a question. Felicity shook her head, refusing to comprehend what was happening.

"No because that's ridiculous," she said, waiting for Lyla or Diggle to agree with her but they remained tense and silent in her living room. "Oliver is not a spy," she practically shouted and Norah jumped in her arms and Felicity noticed her lip trembling. She tried to calm down, soothing her daughter more for her own nerves.

"You know I wouldn't ask if it weren't imperative," Lyla said gently to Oliver and he signed in resignation.

"Why me," he asked. Felicity felt like she wasn't quite attached to her body: like she was watching all of this play out from some other perspective.

"The little intel we got indicates that there are some big, destructive plans for Starling City," Lyla said grimly and Felicity drew in a sharp breath. Lyla looked at her and Norah sympathetically. "You can get back in with them in far less time than what it would take to plant a new agent in their organization. You and Anatoly are still on good terms." Felicity watched in horror as Oliver gazed at her and Norah, pain coloring his features until darkened with resolve.

"Fine. But you have to assure the safety of my family," he said to Lyla. "Nothing happens to them or I'm out," he said and Felicity didn't recognize the hardness in his voice. Lyla nodded.

"I will personally ensure that no harm comes to them." Felicity felt cold, numb. She wanted to scream that none of this was real but her voice was trapped in her chest, making it tight.

"When do we leave," he asked.

"Tonight. We need you in Russia yesterday," Lyla said, throwing an apologetic look at Felicity who was having a hard time seeing anything through the haze that was taking over her vision.

"Fine. Send a car and I'll be ready," Oliver promised and he opened the door curtly for Diggle and his wife. They exited without any arguments and when the door closed behind them, Oliver clutched the handle tightly before striding over to Felicity and pulling her and Norah into his arms, holding them tightly and placing soft kisses onto the tops of their heads. Felicity felt grounded enough to speak.

"Oliver, you don't have to do this," she said lowly. "You are a civilian; you aren't an agent of A.R.G.U.S. or anybody else." He looked down at her sadly but she noticed the new and unfamiliar steel in his gaze wasn't gone.

"I do, Felicity. If you and Norah are in danger, I have to do what I can to stop that. I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe," he promised darkly and Felicity frowned further, tears forming in her eyes.

"Please, Oliver. Don't leave. I have this horrible feeling that if you go, we won't ever see you again. We need you, Oliver. Norah and I need you." She realized her voice was becoming hysterical as tears began to spill down her cheeks and repressed sobs tore at her throat. His arms around her tightened.

"I'm coming back," he swore to her. "There is no force on Earth that can stop me from being with you and Norah." She sobbed and buried her head in his chest. His words felt confident but she understood the danger associated with this mission and knew that he couldn't make any promises.

A few hours later, Oliver had packed a duffle bag with clothes and shoes. He left behind his personal items except for a single picture of the two of them which was tucked safely in his pocket. He and Felicity were sitting on the floor, Norah seated in his lap as she chatted happily while turning the pages of a book. Oliver's arm was around Felicity's waist and her fingers were interlocked with his tightly. A knock on the door made her jump even though she'd been half expecting it for hours. Oliver's gaze met hers and she pulled Norah out of his lap and they made their way slowly to the door, hands still connected. Oliver opened it and Diggle was on the other side.

"It's time," he said gently. Felicity felt like she was crumbling inside but she straightened her spine, determined not to let Oliver's memory of their parting to be her falling to pieces on him. He pulled Norah from her arms and held her closely to him, murmuring in her ear. He placed a gentle kiss to her head and then offered to Diggle so he could say goodbye to Felicity unimpeded. He pulled her over to him, holding his hands to either side of her face as he placed a firm kiss to her forehead.

"I love you," he murmured. "Nothing can change that," he promised.

"I love you, too," she said, voice breaking slightly. "Be safe," she practically growled before pressing her lips to his roughly. He kissed her back with fervor before pulling away. Diggle handed Norah to her and they watched as Oliver and Diggle walked briskly to a black, unmarked SUV parked on the street. He looked back before climbing in smiled halfheartedly. She waved a hand and then too soon, he was in the car and it was speeding down the street. She walked back into the apartment and set Norah on the floor before sitting on the couch and putting her face in her hands. She wiped her eyes, feeling like she was on the edge of a precipice about to fall swiftly into the heartache of this sudden separation. She watched Norah, trying to focus on the little girl instead of her own pain.

Norah pushed herself to her feet like she had been for weeks now and slowly, uncertainly took a wobbly step towards Felicity. Felicity held her breath and watched as Norah moved determinedly in her direction, each step careful but slightly unsteady before she was at Felicity's knees, grinning up at her. And just like that, Felicity felt her heart break completely and she began to sob uncontrollably, curling in on herself. Norah sensed the distress her mother was experiencing and her sad wails joined in. Felicity clutched at the side table before her hand closed around her cell phone. She pulled up her contacts and hit the call button.

The phone rang once.

Twice.

Three times.

"Hello," the familiar voice said in confusion on the other end.

"Help," she sobbed out before holding the phone to her chest and losing herself in the all consuming grief.