"Well, I think we can all agree that Felicity has taken a turn for the dark side." Thea said with a slight chuckle. "I think Mom would be proud of her!"
"Thea, this isn't like her at all. You all have no idea where her head is." Diggle said disapprovingly.
"John, her head is in Slabside with her husband. She is tired of playing by the rules, the rules that have put her husband in prison and ruined her life. She is seeing the world can be gray and is reacting accordingly." Lyla said, showing her support for the new Felicity.
"Well, I haven't been around much, but Blondie has certainly changed, but her loud voice hasn't. I wish I was there when she gets a chance to rip those teachers to shreds!" Roy said chuckling.
"She is out for blood now, guys. I am worried what this rage will do to her." John said.
"She is still our Felicity, John. She is just getting tired of being the underdog. She is a wife and Mother now and she isn't going to risk her family again. She wants her son happy and safe and her husband out of prison. Can you blame her?" Lyla said. She understood better than most how the world could make you see things differently. She lived in the shades of gray that Felicity was making her way through. Personally, she liked the way Felicity was going after those who wronged her.
"Oliver isn't going to like this at all. He never wanted Felicity to have to fight." John said worriedly.
"Then he should have never spoken to her. The second he brought her into this life, she became a fighter. She didn't give up in the middle of all the fighting, she didn't give up on Oliver or the team, so why do you all expect her to stop fighting now?" Lyla said.
"Lyla, Felicity is strong, but she wasn't supposed to have to fight." John said.
"Didn't she hit Isabel with the van? Isn't she the one who took Slade down? Didn't she stop the Clock King? Her own father? Didn't she stand up to a NAZI last year to protect a friend?" Lyla said loudly, startling everyone at the table. She has been a fighter since before this mess started and she wanted them to finally see it. "Felicity is not a weak child, she is a woman who has fought just as hard as you and Oliver to save this city."
She got up and walked away, calling her Argus agent tasked with protecting Felicity and William. While she knew how strong Felicity was, she didn't want to take the chance of them getting ambushed. She knew that Felicity would protect William to the bitter end, but if she could stop the threat first, it would be better for everyone.
Felicity and William walked quickly into the principal's office, the only sound down the quiet hallway is the clicking of Felicity's heels. She kept her hand on Williams arm, watching for danger behind every closed door. The Argus agents, Rob and Mike had surveilled the school and detected no threats, but she didn't trust Diaz not to have planted someone inside. The Argus agents stayed right on their heels, not letting them enter the office, until they had checked it out.
She swung the door hard, walking past the secretary and straight into the inner office of Mrs. O'Neil, former supporter of Mayor Oliver Queen, now outspoken detractor of The Green Arrow.
"Excuse me, what are you doing just walking in here!" The uptight woman shouted.
"Hello, Mrs. O'Neil, long time no see. Do you remember me?" Felicity asked smartly. "Of course you do, both my husband and I made LARGE donations to your school and we even had an assembly right? The big ass check we each wrote for you?"
"Ms. Smoak! Of course I know who you are, what can I do for you?" The skinny woman stammered. She knew the staff and some of the kids had been rude to William, but what can they expect? His father was a cold blooded killer!
"I want to know what the hell you and your staff think you are doing, gossiping like a bunch of stupid people about my son, in full view of my son and allowing his classmates to touch him, call him names and insult his family?" Felicity said leaning over the desk and growling menacingly at the principal.
William was shocked that Felicity had called him her son and had attacked the principal this way. He knew she had a loud voice, but this was almost the Green Arrow voice his Dad used when someone threatened him.
"Ms. Smoak you can't expect people to not be curious about this situation… And William should be able to ignore the chatter!" Mrs. O'Neil said, leaning back to distance herself from Felicity. She was actually nervous right now. Could she be as bad as the Father was?
"Are you freaking kidding me? William is a BOY! Your staff are adults! If they can't shut their mouths then I swear to God, you had better shut them down. If I hear one more word, sound, whisper anything coming from this school talking bad about my husband or my son, I swear to God, I will not stop before you are working at Big Belly Burger with no school, no license, nothing, DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME? You may think my husband deserves to be in jail and that is fine, even though I know for a fact that on May 1, 2015 The Green Arrow stopped a madman with a gun from killing you and your family. I actually think I have footage of that rescue and you crying and thanking him profusely for killing the man. My husband stops the threat in anyway necessary and saves lives. As for the students, you had better make it clear my son is off limits, because if one hair on his head is harmed, I am coming for you. And let me assure you, Ms. O'Neil, my husband isn't the only one to fear here. I will do ANYTHING to protect my family. Are we understood?"
Ms. O'Neil was shaking with fear. She didn't know if anything this tiny woman said was true, but the look in her eyes scared her. The two guards with her were impressive enough, but this tiny thing in a pink wrinkled dress and sky high heels, with her hair falling down from her ponytail made her wish she wasn't the principal here. "I will speak to the staff before classes start today and we will watch them very closely. The kids will be disciplined appropriately too." She agreed quietly.
"Thank you, I am sure that you and I both understand each other then!" Felicity said smartly, "Have a great day!" As she held her head high and ushered William out of the room.
He hugged her tightly in the hallway and she held him for a moment. When he pulled away, he said, "Thank you Felicity. I am so sorry you had to do that. I shouldn't have said anything."
"No, Will, you always have to tell me what is going on. I can't help, stop or fix it if you don't tell me. Honesty is the only way we are going to get through this, okay?" Felicity said, eyeing him intently. "I am sorry I embarrassed you, I didn't mean to. I am just so mad at these hypocrites acting like a few months ago they weren't cheering for your Dad to save them."
"Don't be sorry Felicity! I am so proud of you for that. Dad left us together and I was worried you wouldn't want to stay with me. I was worried about where I would end up." William confessed softly.
"WILLIAM CLAYTON! I may not be your biological mother, but YOU ARE MY SON NOW. I will never abandon you, I will never want you to go away, and I will do anything I can to protect you." Felicity said fiercely, her eyes wet with tears. "I want you to hear this and remember it, You and I are a team. When your Dad is free again, we are going to be a family again and no one is going to stop that. I didn't just get a husband when Oliver and I got married, I got you too! So don't ever think for a single moment I don't want and need you with me."
"Felicity, I am so sorry. I just didn't know if you really wanted me. Dad didn't talk to either of us about what he wanted you to do with me… William said hugging her tightly, trying desperately not to cry. He had not been sure how Felicity felt about him until right now.
"Your Dad isn't a big talker, Will, you know that. However, we did talk a long time ago about what his wishes are regarding you. I have always known, no matter what happens with Oliver, your home is going to be with me. I am so lucky to have you in my life. I know I can't replace your Mom, I wouldn't even try, but you are my son too. I will get Dad out of prison, get Diaz put away and we can have our life back! I swear!" Felicity said, squeezing him tightly.
William hugged her tightly, so grateful to have Felicity in his life. He had thought losing his Mom meant he was alone in the world, but Felicity made sure he felt loved and protected every single day. Hearing the warning bell, he pulled away and said, "I guess I had better go."
"William, have a good day, DO NOT wander away from Rob. And please, if there are any issues, call me immediately. I love you." Felicity said, ruffling his hair to make him smile.
He nodded and fixed his hair as he started down the hallway. Rob stopped next to her. "Now that we know about these teachers and kids, don't worry ma'am. They won't get near him today. Mr. Diggle will be here in a bit and I will be on Mr. Williams heels until then. No harm will come to your boy."
"Felicity, please Rob. And I know Will would love you to call him Will too. Thank you for protecting my son. I know I can trust you and your team." Felicity said softly.