Chapter 38

Did she run away? Just come home discover some new truth Now is always wrapped around you I'd ride or die with you walk the line if you asked me to

Sara

God, why was Ollie so goddamn stubborn? Why couldn't he see… talking to Laurel, dredging everything up again would only cause him pain at best and cause a serious relapse at worst. She didn't want him to go through that again, the pain, the guilt, the confusion he had felt, but most of all she didn't want him to have to relive the loss of his son, yet again. And even if he would leave that part out when talking to Laurel, he would still be reminded of it. Reminded of the loss he had grieved because of the betrayal and lie of the one woman he was supposed to be able to trust no matter what, his own mother. She didn't want him to be reminded of the years he had lost when it came to his son's life, the years he would never get back, and of the years he was still going to lose now, because William was not a part of his life. She didn't want him to have to relive all of that again. She just wanted to protect him from all of it.

Because he was doing so well!

She didn't want him to risk his progress for this. It wasn't worth it. Laurel got the answers she wanted. There was no reason for Ollie to talk to her too. He wouldn't tell Laurel anything she hadn't already told her. Sure, he was right, his reasons hadn't been her reasons, but in the end, it didn't matter. Laurel had the facts now. Everything else was just… it should be enough. Everything she had shared with her sister, every piece of herself she had given her that was never meant for anyone but Ollie to see, to know should've been enough. Laurel had had five years to demand answers from Ollie, yet she hadn't. So why now? Why now that he was seriously struggling, fighting his depression and trying so hard to get better. To get healthy for their baby girl and for himself. And he was. He was doing so good. Therapy was helping him, his choice to keep Mila was helping him.

Why would he risk all that for nothing?

She tried to get him to see, to understand. She tried to reason with him and convince him it was okay to be selfish, to put himself first. That he didn't owe her sister anything. But she could clearly see that even though she was getting through to him, he refused to budge.

"Fine, think about your daughter then. Is satisfying Laurel's need to know everything about the past worth risking the progress you have made and a relapse? How will you take care of Mila then? How do you plan on taking care of a baby while you're incapable of taking care of yourself because you are battling your depression?" His stubbornness in the matter frustrated her to no end, and she knew she crossed the line the moment she brought up Mila, but she just needed him to understand what he was putting on the line, what he was risking. She needed him to see that there was no reward in satisfying Laurel's need to know. What was either of them getting by him telling her sister the god honest truth? Nothing, neither Laurel nor Oliver would get anything out of it.

Having Laurel know that she had driven him away. That her actions had suffocated him. That her refusal to see him for who he was, was the reason he strayed. Laurel was currently doing the exact same thing she always had, and that had led to Ollie running from her. She was demanding he put her needs before his own. She was so blinded by her own pain that she couldn't see, couldn't understand, that now was not the time to have this conversation with Ollie. After all these years Laurel was still incapable of reading Ollie, of actually listening to what he was saying and accepting his answers and choices. She still couldn't understand how much their past was hurting him. How hard those one and a half years had been for him. For both of them. And yes, maybe it was important that Ollie had this conversation with Laurel, maybe it would help her understand, but now was not the time for it.

He was doing so well!

"… Well, I guess for you it probably would be, because then you won't have to deal with the consequences and won't be burdened with taking care of us. Because you'll be long gone by then. So, don't you fucking use Mila against me, not when you're apparently still unwilling to even try to stick around and help take care of her. I don't need you to try to protect me… we don't need you. Not when you don't actually want to be here." His words felt like a slap in the face.

God, it hurt. Everything he said, every accusation he threw at her. Being accused of looking at taking care of him as a burden, when it had never and would never be. But most of all, the fact that he was right. He didn't need her. Mila didn't need her, not when she had Ollie. He was right, they would be better off without her. She had been fooling herself the last couple of hours thinking that she could be here with them. Be a mom. Have a normal life. He didn't need her. They didn't…

"You're right. I overstepped my bounds. It's your life. Your choice. It wasn't my place to… I shouldn't have… I won't do it again. I promise. From now on, I'll stay out of your life, both of your lives." Those words hurt more than she thought was possible. Even more so now after… after she had let herself believe that they could do this together. That they could raise their daughter together. She turned around and walked towards her room, knowing that she was just seconds away from falling apart and not wanting to let Ollie know just how much his words had hurt her. Not wanting him to feel guilty about speaking the truth and helping her see…

"Sara…" She closed her eyes in pain when she heard the desperate plea that was her name. His words, his heartfelt words and the obvious agony in his voice made her stop and wait, listening intently to every single word he said, to the exact tone of his voice so she could detect every single emotion he was feeling.

"… I'd fucking ask you to marry me if I thought it might change your mind. Fuck! I might just do it anyway, so I won't have to wonder if maybe it would've worked and made you stay…" she turned around in utter and complete shock and disbelieve at his very unexpected words. She knew that her eyes must be huge while staring at him, letting him say everything he needed to before saying something herself. She was trying to process his words and the emotions that came with them while not missing a single one of them.

She needed him to know... she needed to make sure... it was so very important that he knew... she wasn't going to walk away again. She thought he knew... if they were going to do this together; they needed to... she hadn't meant it like that. She hadn't meant that she wasn't going to be here, that he'd do it alone... she just meant... she couldn't take care of him and their daughter at the same time. She needed... she wasn't sure that she could be the strong one, the one to keep them together.

And she didn't know how giving birth would be. There were the possibilities of a lot of things that could go wrong... unforeseen complications. She just needed him to be… she needed him to be okay. Because she didn't know how to do this if he wasn't. She was still struggling with her decision. Still not sure it was the right one. Part of her still believed that Mila would be better off, safer without her in her life... but she wasn't sure she could let her go, let them both go. She had walked out on Ollie so many times, every time had hurt more than the one before. She wasn't sure she could do it again. That walking away not only from Ollie but from their daughter too wouldn't destroy her.

"… you're the only person, the only person who doesn't make me feel like I'm damaged, like I'm not enough. You're the only one, the only one who knows me, who loves me for who I am, the only one who loves every fucked up little piece of me. The only time I ever feel normal, when I don't feel I have to pretend is when I'm with you…" his heartfelt words hit her hard, she hadn't known this was how he felt. That everyone in his life made him feel like he was inadequate and not good enough the way he was. He had come such a long way… he had made so much progress… how could they not see? How could they make him feel like this? His words broke her heart and she could feel herself choke and tear up.

God, how could she… she knew she couldn't walk away, not now, not knowing that she was the only person who made him feel normal, who didn't remind him of his trauma. She couldn't leave him. She couldn't abandon him. Not now, not now that she knew that he felt the exact same way that she did. Ollie was the only one, the only person who made her feel comfortable, like her actions and reactions were normal. She never knew that he felt the same way about her.

Wait, had he said… no, she couldn't have heard right, could she?

"You want to marry me?" She needed to make sure that she had heard right, that she understood him correctly. Ollie had the tendency to say a lot of things impulsively while being angry or hurt that he might not actually mean or that he had not yet figured out himself before that very moment and therefore needed to process and mull over first. So, she really needed to make sure that it was actually something he meant and not something that just spilled out of him as a desperate attempt to keep her from leaving. A strange one, given his knowledge about her opinion on marriage, but still… not out of the question.

Oliver

"You want to marry me?" his Pretty Bird sounded astonished and confused. Those were not the words he had expected. That was the part she got out of his rant? He opened his mouth to reply, but no words came out. How was he… he hadn't even been aware of that piece of information himself until it had just spilled out of him. What was he supposed to say? What did she want him to say? Sara always did that. He made a statement as to what he wanted when it came to them, and she would turn it into a question and request a clarification. She had done the exact same thing three years ago when he had asked her to move in with him. Well, sort of. He decided to go with the truth, instead of avoiding the question by trying to distract her, like he had done in that hotel room. Not that that tactic was currently an option, anyway. They weren't naked in bed and it wasn't the answer. It would lead to nothing. Except maybe him getting decked by her, given the current mood and situation.

"Of course I do. I told you, I want us to be a family. You, Mila, and me. I want to raise our daughter with you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, grow old with you. There's nothing that would make me happier." He hoped he was reading her right. Sara had never been a big supporter of marriage. She didn't really see the point in it and wasn't sure lifelong monogamy was part of the human nature. He knew her views on marriage were unique and mixed. Yet, he was pretty sure that just being honest was the right way to go. He hoped.

"Okay." Her voice was soft, almost a whisper and slightly chocked.

"Okay?" Oliver felt his heart stop. What was she saying? He thought he knew what she was saying, but he needed to be sure, this time around he needed her to be the one to clarify the meaning behind her statement.

"Okay, I'll marry you. If you really meant what you said, and this is really what you want." Her voice was still soft, but there was a conviction in it. She bit her lip at the end of her clarification, looking at him almost shyly. It took him a moment to register what she said and even more importantly what it meant. She was going to stay.

She wasn't leaving.

They were going to raise Mila together as a family.

They were going to be a family.

He could feel the smile stretch across his face when the thought and her words sunk in. They were going to be a family. His Pretty Bird was going to stay and help him raise their little Hummingbird.

He reached her side in record time, bending down to capture her lips with his in a searing kiss, putting all of his emotions and love into it. Sara wasn't going to leave. He hadn't broken them for good. He hadn't caused irreparable damage to their relationship. They were okay.

They were going to raise their daughter together.

Sara

"Okay." Ollie wanted for them to be a family? A traditional family? If he needed a piece of paper to assure him she wasn't going anywhere, that she wasn't going to abandon him and Mila, then a piece of paper he would get. She didn't see the point in marriage, but if it was important to Ollie, it was important to her. And if it was something he really wanted, she'd do it. It made no difference to her. She could sign a piece of paper and possibly change her last name if it meant so much to him. She was already fully committed and willing to spend the rest of her life with him. She didn't need a piece of paper telling her they belonged together, that they were a family, but if he did, that was fine, and she could easily understand where he was coming from and why it was so important to him. He needed proof, proof that she was really sticking around this time.

"Okay?" His voice was disbelieving and questioning at the same time. He was looking at her as if he had heard wrong. Understandably, he knew her opinion on marriage and the patriarchy behind it.

"Okay, I'll marry you. If you really meant what you said, and this is really what you want." She clarified her answer for him. Hoping it was enough, enough for him to believe her. To believe that she would stay. That they were in this together. That they'd face parenthood together. Just like they had every other major event in their lives.

Ollie crossed the distance between them in the blink of an eye, leaning down and capturing her lips in a passionate kiss that took her breath away. She vaguely registered him picking her up and walking them out of the living room, but was mostly distracted by his lips on hers and the onslaught of feelings she was dealing with.

And the realization that hit her somewhere between the living room and Ollie's bedroom.

She had just agreed to marry him.

She was going to be his wife. They were going to get married. He had semi proposed to her during an argument about Laurel, no less, that had mostly resulted out of a misunderstanding and she had agreed. The moment the absurdity of her current situation registered in her head she laughed, her lips were still locked with Ollie's until he removed his from hers looking confused and a little insulted.

"What's so funny?" He wondered, raising a brow in question.

"This…" she managed to get out between bursts of laughter. Waving her hand between them. He just cocked his head to the side as a sign for her to explain further.

"We just got engaged… during a major argument…" she tried to pull it together but the absurdity of it all made it really hard. Ollie looked at her for a moment, contemplating, before joining in in her laughter. Recognizing how absurd and unexpected it was. It was just so THEM. They've never done anything in their lives the usual way, why should this be any different. Ollie walked them all the way to his bed and sat down on it with her still in his arms. Both of them were still laughing. It took them a while to calm down, but once they did they just sat there quietly, her sideways on his lap, her head on his shoulder, one arm wound under his and the other around his neck. One of his arms was supporting her and holding her close, the hand of his other arm was on her thigh.

"Let's do it now." She wasn't sure if she had said it out loud until Ollie turned his head to her lightning quick in order to look her in the eyes.

"What?" The look in his eyes was a perfect match to the confused tone in his voice.

"Let's get married now. Let's go down to City Hall and sign the papers. Just you and me. They must have someone there to act as a witness." She pushed on, making him understand what she was saying.

"Are you sure? Don't you want a couple of days to think about it?" Leave it to Ollie, to always want to make sure that she was not going to regret her impulse decisions.

"Are you sure marrying me is what you want?" She answered his questions with one of her own. She didn't need to think about it, not if his answer to her question was yes.

"Yes, without a doubt in my heart. More than anything." He looked her straight in her eyes and sounded so honest and sure that it left no doubt in her mind that this really was what he wanted.

"So, let's go down to City Hall and get married. There's no reason for us to wait." She took his face into her hands and smiled at him encouragingly. She wanted to take all of his doubts whether she was staying or not away. She wanted to make sure that he wouldn't spend another second wondering if she would change her mind.

"Okay. Let's go." He lifted her from his lap and set her on her feet before getting up himself and taking her hand into his, leading her out of his room and towards the front door and their new life together, smiling that infectious smile of his the entire time.

Oliver

Oliver looked at the sleeping woman in his arms. She looked so peaceful. For the first time in months the look on Sara's face was happy, content even in sleep. He drew her a little closer, which was not that easy given the size of her stomach and their daughter inside. God, he loved her. He loved her so fucking much had for years, at least since Lian Yu probably even longer. He still couldn't believe they had this. That this was real, that she was real, and not just a figment of his imagination. There were still moments when he wondered if maybe he had finally lost it and he was held prisoner somewhere or Thea had put him in an institution or he was back on the Dominator's spaceship or something and all of this was only in his mind.

He focused on Sara's beautiful face, on the way she felt in his arms, the way their daughter was pressed into his side and he could feel their little Hummingbird's movements every once in a while, the weight of Sara's arm thrown over his chest and her leg thrown over his thigh. This… this is what he's wanted for years, what he wouldn't let himself think about or wish for, for years. This is what he thought he would never have. No matter how much he wanted it. Not since… not since the night Sara had broken his heart when she had walked out of his life, just a short while after he had asked her to move in with him. He had been thinking about the two of them moving in together for a while and had just waited for the right moment to bring it up. He had not planned on asking her that night; it had just slipped out because that evening, that moment, everything had been perfect until… until Felicity had called them and turned their lives upside down, cementing their fate.

No, that wasn't true. There had still been moments, nights that he had let himself hope that Sara would come back, that there was a way that Ra's al Ghul would let her leave again. After Sara had come back with Nyssa, after he had learnt that she had left to get help, to save their home, that she had exchanged her life for theirs, that she had given up her freedom and gone back to the place she had been willing to die for in order to escape, just to give him an army to help him defeat Slade. The moment she had shown up with Nyssa and members of the League had been the moment he had realized that Sara's reasons for breaking up with him were a lie. A lie, that was just close enough to the truth that she was able to fool him. Because his Pretty Bird had known that he would never make her stay if she wanted to leave. He would never cage her. She used that knowledge against him, knowing full well that he would fall for it and that he wouldn't let her trade her life for his if she had told him her plan. That he wouldn't have let her leave.

He had stopped hoping and dreaming the moment he set eyes on her broken body in the Foundry. He would never forget that sight, he would never forget the way he had felt. The agony and despair of knowing that he had lost her forever had inflicted on him.

He softly brushed some stray hair from Sara's face, running his fingers over her cheeks. His thumb tracing the small smile on it. She was amazing. His Pretty Bird was by far the strongest person who he knew. All the pain and horror she had faced, the obstacles she's had to overcome and the sacrifices she had made in order to keep their families safe, to stay alive… and yet, here she was. Strong as always, kind, loving and happy. How could anyone not love her?

Sara was the strongest person he knew.

His Pretty Bird, his beautiful wife, the mother of his daughter. She was everything to him. His wife. It was still hard for him to wrap his head around that fact. Sara was his wife. They had gotten married only a few short hours ago. Just the two of them at City Hall. Both of them had been wearing casual clothes. Sara, dressed in a pair of maternity leggings and one of his button-down shirts and a leather jacket. He had been wearing jeans and a sweater and also a leather jacket. And it had been perfect. They had stopped at Patty Shacks on the way home. And decided to turn off their phones as soon as they stepped foot into their home and spend the next couple of days in bed. Just the two of them, with no connection to the outside world.

Have their own little honeymoon right at home.

He had texted the team to let them know that he was not going to be coming to the bunker and putting on his suit for the next couple of days. That everything was alright, but that he needed some time to himself and appreciated everyone leaving him and Sara be for the time being. And that they would contact them when they were ready to socialize again. He turned his phone off right after and Sara did the same, expecting the onslaught of messages a text like that would receive. He'd worry about that after their honeymoon.

But for now, and the foreseeable future, his wife was the only one who deserved and therefore received his full, undivided attention.

Oliver took her happy and content face in for one last time before kissing her forehead and closing his eyes. The look on his wife's face was reflected on his.

Yeah, he was okay today. Life was good right now.

Sara

Why were they having this conversation? She had a serious déjà vu, but unlike the last time she was not going to give in. They had agreed on this. Why was he such a sucker when it came to her mom? Seriously!

"Hey. You've been doing good, you've been doing really good during the last couple of social events." Ollie kissed her forehead and pulled her even closer, which was almost impossible. She had one leg thrown over his and was already partially lying on top of his chest, as well as it was possible given the fact that Mila was in between them and not too fond of her mother snuggling on her father's chest. So, it was always a challenge and trying to see what their daughter would be okay with and when that she complained, usually with a series of some pretty powerful kicks to her stomach. So far, so good. They had found a position or two, in the snuggling department, during the last three days that seemed to work for all three of them.

"We're not doing Christmas, Ollie. Isn't that why we did Thanksgiving? To get out of hosting Christmas?" She wasn't going to give in to that. Her husband had agreed to a quiet day at home during the holidays, just the two of them. She had even agreed to let him buy her a Christmas and birthday present, under the condition that he would not make a big deal out of it and they would not celebrate those events with anyone.

Her husband, Jesus, her husband, Ollie, was her husband now. It was still hard to believe that this was her life now, that those events had really happened. She'd thought it would take her longer to get used to that fact, but she guessed she had been wrong, given that they've only been married for three days and she was already referring to him as her husband… in her own mind none the less. She grudgingly had to admit that she like the sound of it. Just like she got warm fuzzy feelings whenever he called her his wife... not that she would ever admit that to anyone, least of all Ollie, he would never let her live it down, given all the times she used to remind him of the origin of marriage and the patriarchy and gender inequality that came with it and the fact that women used to be treated like property and marriage was the sale and purchase agreement, which was why she could never agree to it and why she was never, ever going to get married, back when they were kids. Yeah, he would never let her live it down if she let him know that she actually liked it when he called her his wife and probably make some "girly-girl" comments, nope not worth it.

"Yes, we did, and I'm not saying we should host a Christmas party here. All I'm saying is that I can understand that your family wants to celebrate and spend time with you on December 25th and that maybe we could just stop by at Laurel's for a cup of tea or your mother's famous hot chocolate and maybe some Christmas cookies or a birthday cake. Just for an hour." She hated it when he made sense and was right. She really didn't want to make a big deal out of it. She didn't want to spend her birthday with anyone besides Ollie. She knew it was selfish, but wasn't that part of the birthday tradition? That you were allowed to do whatever you wanted? Then again, she knew how much it would mean to her family to spend time with her on her birthday. She sighed.

"Fine, one hour, we can do one hour at Laurel's with my parents and Thea. But that's it. Just family, anyone else, and I walk." She put a lot of weight in her voice to make sure that he knew she meant business while staring him down.

"One hour just with our family. I promise." He smiled at her gratefully before bending down to capture her lips with his. She sighed again. But it was an entirely different kind this time. God, this was the life, just Ollie and her spending the entire day in bed… this was heaven. And quiet literally the only thing they've done the last couple of days, ever since she had decided to stay and raise Mila with him and they got hitched only hours after that. It was their own little honeymoon at home. And it was perfect, all of it had been perfect. Just the two of them. Enjoying each other's company, snuggling, eating, occasionally watching some cheesy rom-com and making fun of it and sex, lots of great sex, using a very limited palette of positions, not what they were used to but there wasn't anything that could be done about that, given the size of her stomach. They had also spent a lot of time just talking about their life, their future together, actually making plans. It was strange, but the good kind. She couldn't even remember the last time she had made plans, the last time she had believed to have a future. Even less one worth planning for.

No one knew that they had gotten married. And they didn't plan on telling anyone. It was no one's business, and it wasn't… they didn't want to make a big deal out of it. It had been a choice to cement the fact that they were a family. It was a personal decision. It was a commitment to each other. And they didn't want to make a specter out of it. It was something deeply personal for them and they didn't want it to be ruined, tainted by anyone. They wouldn't understand… they couldn't understand… Ollie and she hadn't gotten married for all the reasons people got married, they didn't do it for a big wedding and gifts and attention, neither one of them wanted any of that. They did it because it felt right. Because she wanted to make sure that he knew that she was never going to leave him again, not by choice, not because of anything less than death itself. She wasn't going to abandon him and Mila. Marrying him was the proof he needed. The piece of paper with their names next to each other, well his name and her new one was the physical representation of their new life, of their own little family.

They both knew that people would probably get mad at them for not telling anyone or letting them be a part of it, once they found out, which they eventually would, they were both sure of that. But that was alright. They both just weren't ready yet to share this with anyone. So many of their private moments had been taken from them already, taken and turned into something ugly, just because Ollie had loved two women at the same time… everyone telling them, telling her that her time, her memories with Ollie before the Gambit were bad, and wrong, and something she should be ashamed of simply because of Laurel. Yet, no one told Laurel that her memories and time with Ollie before Lian Yu were bad and wrong, and there were so many reasons why they should. How was it that her loving Ollie had been wrong, yet Laurel loving him was not?

"Stop, whatever you're thinking about, stop. We agreed this is our honeymoon, and our bed is a happy zone where only happy thoughts are allowed." Ollie's joking voice interrupted her dark thoughts. He was right, he was absolutely right.

"Sorry! You're right. Only happy thoughts from this moment on. Thank you for reminding me." She stretched so she could capture his lips with hers. Smiling at him when they parted, a look he returned.

"Anytime, wifey." He smirked at her cheekily and looked like the mischievous little boy he used to be. She cocked her head in amused incredulity.

"Wifey? Seriously?" Yet, she felt giddy and happy and… she had missed this, the two of them, just being happy and playful and joking and simply having fun and enjoying life. Feeling free, unburdened. And she knew, as did he, that it was fleeting, just a moment that won't last but that was alright. This, well the last three days, had been the first carefree moments they had shared in years, and she was certain, it was only the beginning and they would share more of them in the future. Even if they may be rare and far in between.

"Yes, wifey. Mrs. Queen." He replied, still smirking, but his eyes were sparkling with happiness. It was a good look on him. One she cherished, and she unfortunately didn't get to see often enough.

"You're such an idiot sometimes." She playfully rolled her eyes at him, hitting his chest half-heartedly with the back of her hand while shaking her head and chuckling.

"True, but I'm your idiot." His words made her snort in amusement.

For now, they were happy, and that was all that mattered, she decided while looking at the twinkle of humor in Ollie's eyes, a look she had missed dearly.

"And don't you forget it, hubby!" She smirked at Ollie who started to laugh right before he raised his eyebrows and began to tickle her until she took hold of his head and drew his face to hers, so she could kiss him passionately.

"I love you, Pretty Bird." Ollie's words were partially lost between their kisses. She softly pushed him back a little to get some air and catch his eyes. She shook her head when he was pushing back a little against the hand on his chest, trying to get to her lips again. He looked at her confused for a moment, trying to figure out what just happened. And why she was denying him.

"I love you too, Oliver Jonas Queen." She could've sworn the sun had just risen inside their bedroom, the way Ollie's face lit up once those words had left her lips for the first time ever. He tried to reach her lips again and this time she let him. She could still feel the gigantic smile on his face while he was kissing her.

Yeah, they were alright for tonight and that was all that mattered.

Notes:

Okay, ahm, Oliver and Sara are very impulsive people.
I hope this chapter was believable. Seriously! And that I made it clear that things aren't perfect and this doesn't mean they're magically healed, they just had a good couple of days, which they've earned, I'm sure you guys agree on that? But it came with the price of them completely blocking out the outside world and everything that wasn't just the two of them in this very moment. And that was a deliberate choice. They decided to create their own little sanctuary for their „honeymoon". Being very aware that it was not reality, which is why they went so far as to purposely declare their bed a „happy zone".

yeah, I'm kind of hammering the point how amazing Oliver thinks Sara is home but I to this day do not understand why the f... Oliver would claim that Felicity was the strongest one of them all…wtf? What has she done, faced, endured that would make anyone, even less Oliver think that. Like he knows what Sara has been through and how she's still standing and being a hero. Or you know Laurel, who lost her boyfriend and sister, lost Tommy overcame her alcoholism, lost Sara again…and yet, she's still standing and helping people. Or Thea who lost her bro, overcame her drug addiction, learnt that her father wasn't her father, watched her mom be murdered, lost Roy, ended up killing a family friend against her will and yet, she's still fighting and kind. And yeah, I have issues with both Laurel and Thea because of some of the things they did but that doesn't change the fact that they have been extremely strong in a lot of situations, they've made mistakes but I don't see how anything Felicity did or has been through would lead to a comment like that. I'm not saying she isn't strong, she is or was but not stronger than the rest of the women in Oliver's life. And definitely none of them are stronger than Sara, both emotionally and physically. Sorry for my rant.

Chapter title is from the songs "Guiding Light" by Mumford and Sons, "Where's my Love" by SYML and "They just don't know you" by Little Mix.