I know, I know: big cliffhanger. My hubby says I must be sadistic because I torture them AND you. ….Maybe….
The song for this chapter is Silhouettes by Of Monsters and Men.
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Chapter Fourteen: Silhouettes
"Princess Norah coming in for a landing," Barry announced as he carried Norah precariously through the air like an airplane. She laughed delightedly and that just spurred Barry to laugh harder and swing her higher. Felicity watched happily as her best friend entertained her daughter.
"Bayee," she giggled and Felicity couldn't help the automatic smile that grew on her lips at Norah's little voice saying her name for Barry. They were thick as thieves and Felicity worried that she might have to worry about just what Barry was teaching her daughter.
It felt like Norah had just sprouted in the last three months. She was walking -running -and chattering up a storm although only a few of the words were recognizable. It had nearly broken Felicity's heart when she heard Norah utter her first word. She was holding a picture of Oliver and held it up to Felicity with a grin. "Dada," she had said happily. Felicity could only imagine how Oliver would have reacted to such a milestone. He'd have crowed about it proudly to anyone who would listen and spent a good deal of time trying to get her to say it as much as possible, even resorting to bribery.
Felicity tried not to spend too much time thinking about what the man she loved was missing. The ache of their separation hadn't lessened over the months of his absence; if anything it was worse. She tossed and turned at night, nightmares filled with menacing Russians taking him away from her. Her new routine involved being up around four thirty in the morning and practicing her routines from Lyla's training or working on whatever project she had on hand. Her Russian had improved by leaps and bounds and she could hold more than just a simple conversation in the language. She didn't think any of this would ever be utilized but it helped abate the dark thoughts that idly made an appearance in her head that consisted solely full of worst case scenarios.
"Felicity, are we ready for cake," Barry asked with a smile, pulling Felicity from her dark thoughts. She grinned at Norah and pulled her from Barry's arms to set her in her high chair that was decked out in bright pink streamers and decorations.
"Is everybody ready," she asked the room in general as she lit the single candle in the small cake. They'd kept it a smaller gathering. Thea and Roy were there along with Caitlyn and her fiance, Barry and his girlfriend, Kara, and Lyla and Sarah. Everyone began to sing happy birthday to Norah as she stared mesmerized at the candle's flame while Felicity held her hands to stop her from grabbing it. Once they finished, she blew the candle out and pulled the candle out to toss it in the sink. "Dig in, Norah," she prompted and Norah reached a tentative hand towards the brightly frosted cake before smashing her hand in it and pulling it away in wonder. She stuck it in her mouth and her eyes widened as she realized what sweet utopia lay before her. It didn't take long after that for her dig both hands in eagerly until she was covered head to toe in pink and yellow frosting. Felicity snapped pictures of the entire process, laughing at the mess that was now her daughter.
"I can't believe she's one," Barry said, coming up next to her and placing an arm around her shoulders. She rested her head against his shoulder.
"Me neither. Do you remember what a mess I was the day that they brought her to me?"
"I distinctly remember you worrying about her changing her name to Diamond Princess," he said fondly and she laughed.
"Hey, I spent most of my childhood in casinos: I still worry she will change her name to Diamond Princess." They laughed together and Felicity turned to Barry, eyes earnest. "Thank you for being here for us, Flash. I don't think I could have done this without you." His lips quirked into a half smile.
"Sure you could. Besides, who else is going to teach her all the cool stuff like chemistry?" She rolled her eyes at him and turned to Caitlyn, who was ready to leave and wanted to say goodbye. After that, everyone trickled out until only Barry, Lyla and Sarah were left. Lyla had been around a lot lately, taking her promise of Felicity and Norah's safety seriously. Norah loved that she had a friend to play with but Felicity felt like a lot of her and Lyla's conversations were awkward, filled with elephant sized blanks as they avoided the subject of where Oliver was and who had put him there.
"Oh, this is for Norah," Lyla said, reaching into her diaper bag and pulling out smallish box. Felicity took it in confusion. Norah had already opened all her gifts and one had been from the Diggles. She showed it to Norah who took it and pulled at the paper. Felicity pulled the lift off for her and pulled out a book.
"Daddy Loves You," she read slowly, uncomprehendingly, until Norah pulled the cover open.
Hey, sweetheart. Happy birthday, Norah. I just want you to know that I love you so much," Oliver's voice filled the room and Barry froze in his clean up duties to stare at Felicity. She was frozen in shock as Norah turned another page and Oliver's recorded voice read the story aloud. She looked at Lyla questioningly and she shrugged.
"John arranged it. One of their drops. He knew it would be hard for him to miss this." Felicity felt tears clouding her vision and she blinked them away furiously as she heard Oliver's voice for the first time in months. Norah passed out soon after, worn out by the excitement of the day. Felicity placed her gently in her crib, brushing her short blonde curls from her face and kissing her softly.
When she came back out, Lyla was nowhere to be seen. Barry was relaxing on the couch, waiting for her as Sarah snored from the loveseat.
"Where's Lyla," she asked quietly.
"She got a phone call and stepped outside to take it," he answered. "You okay," he asked in concern and she shrugged.
"A little shaken but I'll be fine." She settled next to him on the couch and yawned. "Who knew that a party for a one year old could be so exhausting?" He chuckled and she threw an arm around her shoulders. She could feel herself relaxing into sleep when Lyla came back inside. Felicity glanced up at her and sat up at the tense posturing. "What's wrong," she demanded.
"Oliver's been taken," Lyla said quietly and Felicity felt herself go cold. "John saw him get nabbed by some higher up and it wasn't in a friendly way."
"Okay," Felicity said slowly. "Um… what are we… what are we going to do about it?"
"I've called in a specialty team. We'll get it taken care of." Felicity felt her resolve harden.
"Okay, when do we leave," she asked and Barry made a noise of disagreement only to be silenced by the steely look in her eyes.
"Felicity, I'm not going to send you in there," Lyla started but Felicity cut her off.
"This is what I've been training for. To be there when Oliver needs help and he does. So I'm not going to argue with about going or not. I'm going. It's done. When do we leave?" Lyla studied her seriously before nodding.
"As soon as possible," she said tersely. Felicity nodded.
"Barry, I need you to stay with Norah," she said as she walked into her room to grab the bag that she'd under her bed, ready to go at a moment's notice but that she didn't want to think about having to use.
"Lis, this is a bad idea," he said but she just turned on him and grabbed his arms.
"I know it is," she said, eyes shining brightly with tears. "This whole thing has been nothing but a bad idea built into a nightmare. But I need you to take care of Norah. If something happens, I left a copy of my will in my desk. I have to do this, Barry. If I can save him or even help get him out of danger, I have to do it." Her grip was incredibly tight on his biceps and he sighed and kissed her forehead.
"Promise you'll come back," he said fiercely.
"I promise," she said but even as the words came out, they sounded hollow to her ears. He released her and she grabbed her bag before slipping into Norah's room and lifting her from her crib. She moaned and twitched at being disturbed but didn't wake up. "I love you so much, baby girl. I'm going to get Daddy. And then the three of us are going to leave all this behind and be together." She pressed a kiss to her small head before handing her to Barry.
"Be careful," he cautioned and Felicity nodded before turning to follow Lyla out the door, her face set in determination as she headed to bring her love back home.