Author's note: Sorry this is a bit late... life got in the way... there are 3 chapters today then we start to dive into the bag guys and all... I promise you will love it... also there is a full chapter of SmoaknLance for those who have been asking for it
so enjoy and review
As always thanks to my incredible beta warehouseluver13 for all the insight and help
Disclosure: I own nothing of Arrow but loved the Constantine episode
"He's here sir." One of the ghosts announced to Damien before quickly moving out of the room. Damien turned to find a figure in the shadows, studying him.
"Good." Damien smiled as he stepped towards the man. "It seems that our friends on Team Arrow have not been motivated enough to get me what is rightfully mine. They have had two months and no progress has been made. I even gave them extra time but I don't think they believed my terms to be real. I need you to send a message and properly motivate them again. This needs to be done safely and quietly. And soon. Merlyn is starting to build up his army and if he gets it powerful enough, they won't be able to stop him. I need that ring so that I can move forward with my plans for our friends at HIVE." he snarled as stared down the man in front of him.
The man stood motionless, unphased by the words spoken by his leader. "Any specific way you would like this message to be delivered?"
Damien's lips curled in a devilish grin. "They all seem to be drawn to protecting one another. More than anyone else, they seem to hover around the blonde IT specialist that is now called Mrs. Queen. I believe she will do nicely for our message, don't you?"
"It will be done sir." the mysterious man replied from his perch in the shadows then nodded and left.
"Now we will see what you really will do for family, Mr. Queen." Damien chuckled darkly.
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"I swear that man does stuff like this just to annoy me. He knows how important being on time is to me. Not everyone can smile and wink and charm their way through life like him. I mean, yes he has an amazing smile and I swear I could feel my knee melt when he used to use it at me. Just like any other girl did. God! That man could melt snow with his eyes. And don't get me started on his body. I spent way too many nights in that underground cave trying not to stare as he flexed and worked up a sweat, shirtless as always, with those jaw-dropping, fantasy-inducing abs of his. But his eyes. I have been lost in them way too many times to remember. Looking at him is way too dangerous and listening to him is too. And smelling him. Seriously? Who always smells that good? He has been covered in dirt and grime, dripping sweat, but still made me push down the desire to toss him against the closest flat surface and jump him. Ugh! Now I'm not only late but I'm all worked up too. Man, today is going to suck." Felicity groaned as she moved around in their walk around closet, throwing on clothes as quickly as possible.
She had woken sweetly to an empty bed and a room filled in sunlight. When she finally positioned her glasses in place and grabbed at her phone, she realized it was well after 9 am and she was late for work. She glanced at her alarm to find that it had been turned off at some point. She had growled his name and started to contemplate the different ways she would get her revenge on Oliver as she rushed through a shower and putting on her makeup. She had struggled with her hair and decided that a low ponytail was the fastest way to manage the unruly curls today. Now she was slipping on her cream and black leather flats, which had a cute rose embellishment on them she loved, as she finished closing her black slacks. She had a cream satin top on that had short capped sleeves and a soft bow that tied around her and sat just above her growing belly. The twins had been very active and wiggled as they listened to her gripe about their dad.
"Sorry babies. Mommy loves Daddy. Just a little annoyed with him right now. That man can just… Ugh!"
A snicker came from the doorway behind her and she jumped as she spun to see who had intruded on her private conversation.
"You know, you keep talking like that and people will really start to think you only married me for my body." Oliver laughed as he leaned on the door jam, arms crossed and body so relaxed one could say he resembled the Cheshire cat, watching as she struggled to finish getting ready.
"Oh frack! Oliver! I swear you're going to give me a heart attack one of these days." Oliver smiled as he slipped into the closet and to her side. "And right now my need for your body is one of the reasons you are still breathing. Why did you turn off my alarm? You knew I would sleep like the dead if it didn't go off. Especially since these two have their dad's sleep schedule. You know, 3 or 4 hours a night. I can't survive off that."
"And that's why I turned it off. I wanted you to get some good sleep. You looked so peaceful when I got up. My alarm went off and you growled at it, adorably I might add, and turned over. When I came out of the shower, you looked so content and you haven't had a full night's rest in weeks so I had Jerry, Duncan and Victoria cover for you today and reschedule anything they couldn't cover. You needed a day off."
"Oliver, I've only been back a week and a half. I can't be taking days off yet. I'm only going to be there a few more weeks before you and the board force me to take my maternity leave and I'm stuck here at the house full time. I have a lot that needs to be done before then. I need to be at work."
"Sweetheart, your team can handle one day without you. They are well trained. In fact, they were doing great when I left. Victoria had all the projects going well and was meeting with a few of the leaders to discuss ways to improve the productivity levels over the upcoming weeks. Jerry was discussing the projects and other ways our investors can help as well. And Duncan had them all moving smoothly and was able to reschedule all your appointments within an hour of me arriving alone. You have amazing people around you, to help you. You just need to trust them to do that."
"Wow! Coming from you that is just too funny. I mean pot meet kettle." Felicity laughed as she pointed between them.
Oliver's first response was a deep, anguished groan showing his annoyance at her teasing. "Yeah. Yeah. I know but I am willing to learn to relax and let go of some of the things going on around us. Let the team take on more responsibilities if you are too. Lyla and Sara are working on the whole Darhk issue and Nyssa and Tatsu are talking over strategies for taking on Malcolm. Diggle and Darren have Connor at school. Thea and your mom are at the club, safe with Rob and Manny. Raisa and Yesenia are cleaning the house and cooking dinner. So there is nothing for us to do but relax and enjoy a rare quiet afternoon together."
"Us?"
"Yes us. I took the afternoon off so that I could be home with my brilliant but exhausted wife. You need to relax and rest so I am here to help you do just that." Oliver stepped around her and stood behind her. He reached around and loosened the tie of her wine red trench coat she had pulled one that morning to knock off the chill in the air outside. He slipped it down her shoulders as his lips meet her neck softly, his breath tickling her skin. "Whether it be through cuddling in our spacious and warm bed or foot rubs that last for hours as you watch tv or… something else." Oliver gave a mischievous grin when a quiet but delicious sounding moan escaped his wife as he wrapped her up in his arms.
"Is that right? Anything I need to relax? Anything I want, Mr. Queen?"
"I will give you anything you ever want. That's what I'm supposed to do as your husband. But also something I have always wanted to do for you. As I told you once, in what feels like a long time ago, if it's you asking I'll do anything."
"Well there are a few things that could help me relax. I mean I do have a few ideas. But I think I'm a bit overdressed." Felicity giggled seductively.
"Well then, Mrs. Queen. Let's get you out of those clothes."
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"Okay so we know that a direct attack is pointless and with how the palace is set, any surprise attacks are out. So how do we infiltrate the palace and get to Malcolm without dying in the process?" Sara asked. She had left Lyla to dig a bit more into Darhk and his connections to HIVE, an organization that had come up in several searches they were running. Seemed that they were assisting Darhk but no one knew how. Lyla had heard of the organization back in her A.R.G.U.S. days and was reaching out to a few fellow agents that she had ties to for help. She was also trying to gain access and get the files that Team Flash had located opened to her so that she could read the notes in them. They were still redacted and she knew that waller wouldn't give up that information easily. She was willing to pull whatever strings necessary to find the bastard and end him.
"Distraction is always a useful tool." Nyssa noted.
"You mean send Thea in, as bait, to lure her father out. Never! He would see that coming a mile away and Ollie would never let that happen." Sara barked back, disappointed that their plans could all rely on a young girl being served up to her psychotic father.
"What if there was another?" Tatsu questioned.
"Another? Who?"
"During my dealings with some of Merlyn men, I heard one speak of another who was taking claim of the mantle of Demon's Head. One that was not involved with our previous dealings. It seems she had been in hiding for quite some time after an unfortunate event with the previous Ra's. Maseo had spoken of her once."
"Her?" Sara pondered who it could be. She knew all too well of the past of the League but had never heard of someone else who could claim the right to be Ra's' heir.
Nyssa was quiet for a bit as she realized who Tatsu was speaking of. She had not heard from her in years but if Maseo and Tatsu knew of her then she must have been in touch with someone within the League's levels. To know that it was time for her to come forward and claim her birthright now. "She speaks of my sister. My older half sister, Talia al Ghul." Nyssa whispered, as if saying the name would bring death upon her.
"You never said you had a sister. Where has she been?"
Nyssa glanced down in shame. She had let her father's wrath and hatred strip her of a sister and close companion years ago. "Talia was my father's first daughter, beloved. She was nearly 12 years old when he met my mother. He fell passionately for my mother but was still tied to her mother so he moved my mother into the palace and she was given every comfort she wished for. She became his concubine. He had taken lovers before but none had ever been selected by him to live amongst the palace like my mother was. His visits to her chambers became more frequent over time and even Talia began to notice the distance between him and her mother. Soon her mother could not ignore the obvious anymore. She shunned Talia and left the young girl in a strange place alone. When my mother became pregnant with me, Ra's made his intentions to dissolve his connection to her mother clear so her mother left. There were whispers that she was given a choice to either leave freely or die at his hand. She was not ever allowed back and Talia was pushed aside. When I was old enough, Talia and I grew close. We were left to ourselves and would enjoy a lot of time together each day. Soon it came time for my training to begin. Ra's had neglected Talia and denied her training but I still helped her learn just as I was. She was a natural at most forms and took to the faster than I did. Soon 2 years had passed, she was in her twenties and wanted desperately to serve the League and her father proudly. Unfortunately Ra's still did not claim her. He never acknowledged her presence when she was near him. Eventually she found herself drawn to a recruit my father had brought in. They would sneak around and do anything just to see one another. After a few weeks of these rendezvous, they were caught. Father was furious but she pledged her love and devotion to the man and he to her. My father was not one to be under minded in any way, especially in his own home and by his own blood or the man he had been considering to be his best soldier. He commanded the man be locked away in the dungeon and tortured for his disloyalty. As for Talia, she was banished. Forced to leave and live in exile, never to see the only place she had ever known. We were instructed to never speak of her or the recruit again or suffer a similar fate. I have not seen my sister since I was around 8 years old. She is a stranger to me now."
The room was silent as the other 3 women took in the story. Nyssa felt the prick and sting of tears in her eyes. Tears for the sister and love she had lost years prior.