Disclaimer: WB/DC own these characters. I'm only borrowing them for a while. I own the original ideas found in this. And part of this chapter takes some scenes and dialogue from Arrow episode 2 x 19 "The Man Under the Hood" written by Andrew Kreisberg, Keto Shimizu, Greg Berlanti and Geoff Johns.
AN: Thank you for returning to this story. A lot of angst and suffering, that's for sure. As always, thanks for all the reviews, favs and follows. Greatly appreciated!
Previously:
Looking at her phone, she realized the time was 11pm. Felicity knew she should head for bed, but as she looked at the doorway of her bedroom, all she could see and think about was Slade standing there smiling down at her. Beginning to cry, she laid down on the couch and let out all the fear, shame, and hurt she could before she fell into a restless sleep.
Even though it felt as though she had hardly slept, when she finally looked at her clock alarm after waking up for what felt like the hundredth time, Felicity knew she had managed to catch a few hours of sleep, at least. Seeing it was 10am, she sighed, thankful she had at least had the foresight to text Oliver last night so she could sleep in. Looking at her phone, she wasn't surprised, however, to see three texts already from the man in question. What can I do with that man? He certainly can't do without me, can he?
Reading the texts, she realized that all three were questions regarding his day, intermixed with apologies for having disturbed her while she was sick. At least he apologizes. Unfortunately, two texts were regarding his first two meetings, and so were void. She hoped he had gotten through them okay, but she had confidence in his BS abilities, at least, if not his business sense so she was sure he'd done okay on his own. She hoped.
The third text was about Oliver's 11am meeting, so she fired off a quick text explaining her note she had left him and rolled her eyes. Oliver may be handsome and quite skilled with fighting and using a bow and arrow, but his business sense and experience occasionally left much to be desired. It often appeared to her to be one area where he wasn't as quick to pick up as other areas in his life were. Even a most talented man like Oliver wasn't all perfect, Felicity thought. He was allowed to have a few areas of weakness, she supposed.
She also received a text from Stacy encouraging Felicity to call her, or text her if she could visit Felicity. Felicity sighed, looked around her messy house, then caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. However, she knew she needed to talk in order to heal, so she texted Stacy asking if she could come by in an hour then headed for a shower.
After Stacy left after her visit, Felicity was happy she had pushed herself to talk to the young woman, even though it truly was the most difficult thing she'd ever had to do in her life. Despite the horror she'd suffered, Felicity knew the talking helped her heal a little. Stacy even encouraged her to attend daily meetings at the assault center, and she herself would attempt to visit daily as well, if Felicity wanted it.
As she settled herself on the couch, Felicity couldn't decide if she'd go tomorrow to the center. Pulling up her Netflix menu, she blindly scrolled through her choices, but she couldn't decide what she wanted to watch. The only thing going through her mind was Slade and what he did to her.
Looking at her tablet, Felicity grabbed it and pulled up Office to get to Word. She decided she needed to do what they recommended at the Center to do…journal her feelings. Felicity had never been one to really be attracted to writing her feelings down, but she decided she needed to try. Anything to get her over what Slade did. She was determined not to allow that low-life slug to have any more control over her than he did that day. Also, he didn't deserve to get any revenge over Oliver either, and every day she allowed him to influence her actions, he won another battle over Oliver. She refused to allow that to happen.
As she got into the writing, Felicity felt better and better. Even though at times she couldn't see the screen through her tears, she continued to type. After an hour, she saved her work for the last time and shut off the tablet. Good start, she told herself.
Another thing the center had emphasized was receiving the proper nutrition, even if she wasn't hungry. She hadn't eaten anything since breakfast, so she decided to fix herself a bowl of soup and salad. Deciding she needed something else to occupy her thoughts, she decided to check out the public radio station to listen to some classical music while she ate.
At the center they also talked about doing things "mindfully", in order to combat troublesome thoughts. So she purposefully sat, ate her supper slowly, taking in each bite, and listening to the music. Afterwards, as she brought her dishes to the sink, she realized she was indeed feeling a little better.
Just when she thought about going for a walk, a friend from her MIT days who living on the West Coast skyped her. Since it had been several months since they had talked, given Felicity's hectic schedule between QC and the lair, Felicity looked forward to visiting with her. After they disconnected, Felicity was happy to feel tired, so she got ready for bed. As she crawled into her bed, Felicity felt a sense of accomplishment for getting through the day. But she knew she wasn't completely healed, and she decided to take the next two days off.
Probably the only good thing about the incident was that it occurred on a Tuesday. She called in sick on Thursday and Friday to both jobs again, but texted Oliver she would come to the lair on Saturday. He agreed she should stay home and rest and "get well". Felicity grimaced at that, but did tell herself she was indeed getting "well" by her talks with Stacy and visits to the assault center.
When Saturday arrived, Felicity rolled out of bed and told herself she could do it, she could face Oliver and Dig and pretend her life hadn't changed drastically almost a week ago. Since she had slept in, she felt well-rested, and took her time with her morning hygiene. Most of the bruises were faded, the hickey almost healed, but the black eye still was apparent. However, with makeup it was hardly noticeable. She knew she could explain that away, if she had to, with her habitual clumsiness. If she had to.
When she arrived Saturday afternoon, Oliver, Dig and Sara were up in Verdant having a beer. Upon her arrival, all three gave her huge smiles.
"Hey, guys, what's up?" Felicity asked, trying to be nonchalant. To her own ears it sounded a little forced, but hopefully the three wouldn't notice.
"Just having a drink in honor of you returning to work," Digg teased with a smile and a wink. "Seriously, though, we have missed you."
"Yeah, Felicity, Ollie made me work the computers because he's scared you'd get mad at him for touching them," Sara said, also with a smile and a wink.
"Hey!" Oliver protested. "I didn't say that."
"Well, you practically did."
Oliver scowled at Sara then turned to Felicity and gave her one of his 'special' smiles he reserved for her. I wonder if he'd ever smile at me like that ever again if he ever learned the truth. "Good to see you, Felicity." His eyes then obtained a concerned look. "Are you feeling better?"
"Yes, I do."
"Not to sound rushed, but let's get to work then," Oliver said, guzzling the last of his beer in the bottle. Sara and Dig also did the same.
Felicity took the lead, because she was in the front. She didn't want to, but she also didn't want to draw attention to her sudden reluctance to face the lair. Oliver followed her, with Dig and Sara behind them. Oliver said as they walked down the stairs, "We have to get ahead of this. Somehow we have to figure out Slade's next move."
"Too bad I beat you again, Kid." A vision of black and orange were in the middle of the Lair, pointing a gun at them.
Before she could react, Felicity heard bullets ricocheting around them. Suddenly she was airborne, with the next moment her feet were back on the ground, and Oliver in front of her pushing her under the stairs.
"Stay here!" Oliver told her, and then he was gone. Without conscious thought or smart thinking, she took several steps to peer out from behind the stairs and couldn't breathe. Not only was her rapist in their own Lair, he was battling Oliver with swords, while Oliver only had Sara's bo-staffs which he must have grabbed from the nearby table. She watched as the swords glittered in the half-light and the bo-staffs flew to match them. Suddenly, however, as Felicity watched with widened eyes, Slade's blade was able to find a vulnerable spot and sliced into Oliver's side. Oliver fell to the ground, with an uncharacteristic cry of pain escaping his lips. Felicity stifled a gasp as she realized Oliver wasn't moving.
Slade leaned over Oliver's still body and delivered a blow to the back of Oliver's head, apparently knocking him out. "Don't forget who taught you how to fight, kid."
Felicity frantically searched for Sara and Diggle, only to find them both bloody, bruised and unconscious. Sara was lying by the salmon ladder while Diggle appeared to have been thrown into Oliver's glass costume display case, splinters of glass covered him from head to toe.
The voice she'd been hearing every night in her nightmares called up the stairs, "Men, you can come down now!"
Felicity watched in horror as four more men, dressed similarly to Slade in black armor with black and orange masks covering their faces, marched down the steps. She remained frozen in place, under the stairs, as she watched Slade's solders approach each member of Team Arrow in pairs and dragged them to the office chairs. Slade handed them rope, and they proceeded to tie them all to the chairs, binding their wrists to the armrests, their ankles to the chair legs.
Suddenly, Felicity felt a pair of eyes on her, and without moving, she knew who was watching her. Swallowing the bile suddenly rising up her throat, she slowly lifted her head defiantly and turned to look at Slade as he was approaching her. With everything inside of her, Felicity ignored her mind's cry within her to run away from the criminal and instead stood her ground.
"Oh, my sweet Felicity, how wonderful to see you again so soon," Slade slowly purred.
Trying not to react to the cold feeling of fear snaking down her spine, Felicity continued to stare at him, refusing to rise to his bait. However, she knew her breathing was increasing, her attempts to remain calm beginning to fail as he stepped closer.
"Oh, my dear, I've been counting the hours until we were together again," Slade said as he reached out to caress her cheek.
Felicity pulled away from his reach. "What are you doing here, Slade?" meeting his steely cold gaze.
"I've missed you, my dear. Have you missed me?" the slimeball in front of her asked with a small smile playing around his lips.
Trying to ignore the bile about to fly out of her mouth, Felicity glared at him. "What do you want? Aren't you getting tired of these games?"
"Such bravado. I almost thought you'd still be hiding under your covers in your bed. What a nice bed it is. So comfortable, so perfect for such…lovemaking."
To cover the retching she wanted to do, Felicity spit at Slade's face instead. Catching her by surprise, Slade grabbed her arm and yanked her over to the others. Throwing her into the empty chair in between Oliver and Sara he asked in a tightly controlled voice. "Please place your arms on the armrests." Before she could react, Slade grabbed her left arm, tied her wrist tightly to the arm rest. By the time he was ready to tie her right wrist, Felicity had placed it on the rest. She didn't move while Slade tied it and her ankles to the chair. Straightening up, Slade wiped his hands against each other and said, "What a sight to behold. Oliver and his team tied up and at my mercy."
Oliver chose that moment to wake up. True to form, he awoke with a start, almost tipping his chair over. His memory immediately flashed, and his eyes flew around the lair, taking in the mess caused by their fight with Slade, and his comrades unconscious and bound to chairs next to him. His eyes landed on Felicity, and was immediately concerned with the fear he could see on her face.
Lips pursed, Oliver considered his enemy standing in front of him with a satisfied smile on his face. Even though he doubted it would work, Oliver still had to ask, "Slade, why don't you release everyone else? You and me, we can settle this once and for all outside. Like gentlemen, even though I seriously doubt you have the integrity worthy of one."
"Don't worry, Kid, we will fight. But only after I take care of your friends and loved ones. Remember, I said I was going to make you feel total despair. And believe me, you will."
"That so-called promise is getting old, Slade."
Slade cackled. "Not for me. I enjoy every frustration you are experiencing, Kid. And every one you will experience. Every. Single. One." Walking behind Sara, Slade placed a gag into her mouth and tied it tightly behind her. He then slapped her on both cheeks and walked away as she began to wake up. Then he walked behind Diggle and gagged him as well. Diggle was struggling to wake up, and startled in his chair as he realized they were all bound in chairs. He fought against the gag in vain, moving his head back and forth, glaring at Slade as he finished tying it.
Going behind Oliver, Slade shook his head. "I'm sorry, Kid, but it's also necessary to gag you for a short time. This next part is quite sensitive." He roughly placed the gag into Oliver's mouth, even as Oliver struggled fruitlessly. However, Slade was able to tie the gag and backhanded him for good measure. "I'd advise you to behave, Oliver. Or I will take more out of your Felicity than I already have."
Oliver's eyes widened in confusion and he looked at Felicity, who had tears silently falling down her cheeks in response to Slade's words. Oliver's eyes went from her to Slade, and back again, silently asking Felicity what Slade meant. Slade laughed. "Don't worry, Kid. You'll have an explanation soon."
Walking to Felicity's main computer, Slade slid a thumbdrive into it. "Don't worry, Felicity. I hacked into your network and made sure this will be compatible to your computer." Turning to the group, he pulled out a revolver. "Now, I hope," waving the gun at Dig and Sara, "you two are awake enough to understand this. I have a little video to show you, and this part is very important." Glancing at Felicity and giving her a small, sly smile and a wiggle of his eyebrows, he returned his attention to Dig and Sara. "Everyone's attention is to be on the monitors at all times while the tape plays. No one is to look away and no one is to close their eyes. Or I will shoot Felicity." At her gasp, Slade turned to her. "And Felicity, even though you know what's on the tape," her eyebrows arched, and more tears appeared in her eyes as she realized what he meant, "you turn away or shut your eyes I will put a bullet into Oliver. Or two. Non-life threatening, of course, but they will hurt like hell anyway."
Oliver struggled to say something through his gag, but Slade pointed the gun at him. "Now, Oliver, I will allow you some time to speak. Just not now. You understand?"
Turning back to the computer Slade hit several keys. "Now, on with the show." He leaned back against a table and began to observe the others. He caught Felicity begin to close her eyes. She jumped as Slade cocked a gun. "Now Felicity, remember what I said." Felicity swallowed and reluctantly turned her attention to the computer screen and shuttered as she immediately recognized the room on the screen to be...her bedroom. And her…on her bed….
AN: Thanks for reading, I really appreciate it. A more serious story of mine than I usually write, that's for sure. Any encouraging words of wisdom or happy critiques are always welcome. And please return when I post the next chapter as well. I do apologize for leaving this one on a cliff. Well, actually not. We writers just say that, ha. Seriously, though, hope you will tune in next time for the continuation of the story.