New Developments

She awoke to throbbing in her wrist and a very dry mouth. She sat up and realized she was in her bedroom of the house at Tater Hill, a hose most people didn't know existed. She looked over and slipped on her glasses, there on the nightstand was a water bottle. She sipped as she walked to the attached bathroom. A few minutes later she emerged with an empty bladder, teeth brushed and her blonde waves in a messy bun. She found one of her cardigans and slipped it on as she ran down the stairs.

"Hope Dearden Queen, how many times do I have to tell no running in the house?"

"Good morning to you too mom," she said kissing her mother on the cheek. "So, Tater Hill? Was that your idea or daddy's?"

"Daddy's, you hungry?"

"Yes, please. Where is he?"

"Training with the men in the barn."

"Oh, I'll bring them a basket if that's okay?"

"They'd appreciate it. I'll make you pancakes."

"Chocolate chip?"

"Is there any other kind?"

Hope grabbed the basket and filled it with water bottles, protein bars and some fruit and made her way to the training area. She spotted the men in a circle on the mats. She began to walk down the stairs when she tried to spot Nick. She did noticing he was shirtless but, she misplaced her step dropping the basket, to save herself from falling too hard, she put out her right hand, the injured one. She whimpered as the hot fire shot through her arm. Two large hands stood her up and she blinked away the tears.

"Hope are you okay?" Nick asked.

"Yes," she said shakily.

"Look at me," he said tilting her chin up.

"Let's get you upstairs."

"The basket."

"Fuck the basket, let's go."

It wasn't until he put his arm around her waist, she remembered he was shirtless. She swallowed, back upstairs and in the kitchen area he took her brace off gently and put an icepack on it. Felicity handed him a water bottle and placed the pancake in front of her and gave a wry smile. Nick slipped a t-shirt on and then began to cut up the pancakes for her.

"You don't have to do that," she said.

"I do, you're hurt."

"Thank you," she said realizing the two of them were alone. "So, I guess we're getting married?" he froze at her words.

"Yes."

"Are you-you okay with that?" she stuttered.

"I'd love to marry for love but if it keeps you safe and the Pahkan safe, that's all that matters."

"You really do love my family."

"More than you know. Are you okay with this?"

"Truthfully?" he nodded. "I'm not ready. I've only had one boyfriend and he was a jerk."
"Di he hurt you?" he said anger in his voice.

"No, I hurt him. I just don't think I'll ever be ready."

"Hey, we can do this together okay?" She smiled at him. "I need to go back to training, keep that ice pack on there. I'll see you later."

"Okay."

She ate her breakfast and slowly the pain in her wrist ebbed away. She placed the dish in the sink and decided to go find her mom, who was sitting on the swing on the front porch with a book. She looked up at the sound of the screen door opening. She patted the seat next to her.

"Mom, tell me the real story of you and dad."

Almost an hour later, she had learned so much from her mom and respected her so much more. She decided after that conversation that she would do like her mother did before her, but there would be ground rules. If they were going to do this it was going to be a partnership not a one sided marriage. This was not how she imagined how her year was going to go.

As the days went by she realized it was time for her to go back to Boston to finish her degree. Before she could remind her parents her father told her she would be going back to Boston with Sara, Roy, Nick and Tony. Her father made her new living arrangements and that Sara and Roy were in charge. She didn't argue, she knew this was for her safety and for the others. Her father and Nick had made all the arrangements. Her mother began plan a "vow renewal" which really would be their wedding after graduation.

Nick had to swear to everyone his allegiance to the family and that he would always put Hope first. Felicity had a much longer conversation, leaving him promising to get know Hope more. She also forewarned him that she was a stubborn woman but to not let her walk over him.

They were on their way to Boston, secretly. The Bratva was informed that she would be going away for a while. Hopefully the mole would let whoever know she was going off the grid for a while. She had fallen asleep about an hour into the flight, her booking in her hand her glasses barely staying on her nose. Nick thought she would be uncomfortable so he removed them, leaned her seat back and placed a blanket over her. Sara motioned for him to come over.

"You're going to be fine," she said.

"I don't want to hurt her."

"God, you sound just like Oliver all those years ago. Listen, I see how she looks at you and I see how you look at her. You'll be good, just know if you break her heart I will kill you.

"I believe it."

Hours later they finally arrived at the new house they would call home. There were armed guards, six bedrooms, four bathrooms, the place was perfect. There were added security features also, courtesy of contacts of the Bratva. Sara led her to her new bedroom, a master bedroom with a huge closet, with all of her clothes form her old place and a huge bathroom. Across the hall was Nick's room.

The first week things were awkward but then everyone melded together. Sara and Roy went her to classes and the crew always their head on a swivel. Hope threw herself into her studies, every night for at least an hour they would sit and talk and learn about each other. Some nights they were serious, sometime she laughed so hard she cried and there were sometimes where they were at an impasse.

One day she came home not herself, they had a routine of always giving each other a hug. Not today, she came in the door, tossed her backpack aside and ran to her room. Nick was shocked but followed her. He knocked her bedroom door but she didn't answer. He said he was coming in, again no response. Inside her room he found nothing out of the ordinary, her bathroom door was closed, he tentatively knocked.

"Leave me alone," she said loud enough for him to hear.

"Hey what's going on?"

"Just go, I'm okay.

"Not until you tell me what's wrong."

"Damn it!" she yelled.

"Open the door."

"Just leave me alone, please. I need a shower. Damn it these were my favorite, fuck!"

"IF you don't open this door," he began to say but she pulled it open. She had her robe on.

"Listen to me very carefully. I got my period unexpectedly and I'm pretty sure my favorite pants are ruined. I feel like someone is scrapping my uterus out with a fucking spoon. Now, I need a fucking shower, my pajamas and a huge tub of mint chocolate chip. Now leave me the hell alone," she said slamming the door in his shocked face. Never in his life had he experienced something like that. No amount of training could've prepared him for that. He heard the shower start and ran downstairs to find Sara. She was sitting in the kitchen, eating an apple.

"Hey Sara?"

"Yeah."

"So, please tell me she has everything she um, needs."

"What are you talking about?"

"Apparently, she wants to cut her uterus out with a spoon, she ruined her favorite pants and she wants a tub of mint chocolate chip ice crema. What the hell do I do?"

"Okay, in the pantry grab the basket. Midol, top cabinet in the pantry, grab the heating pad too. Mint chocolate chip in the freezer, grab a spoon. Put it all in the basket and write her a note and you're done."

"Okay, thanks."

He wrote her a quick 'I'm sorry you're not feeling well' note and rushed upstairs putting the basket on the bed and left. He gave her an hour and knocked, to find her asleep in a strange position, the tub of ice cream demolished and the empty remains of a Midol packet. His note was next to her glasses. He put her in a much more comfortable positon and kissed her on the forehead. In doing so she sighed.

"I love you Nick," she said still asleep, he froze. He looked back down at her and smiled.

"I love you too."

She stood in her bedroom in the black dress she would be wearing under her robes. Everyone was here, Pop-Pop, Ya-Ya, Uncle John, Lyla, Nora, Clara and Uncle Slade. The whole family was coming to see her, the Valedictorian of her class. She had curled her hair, put on her make up perfectly, sealed it with her signature dark red lips and had also made sure she had speech in her clutch for possible the hundredth time.

She slipped on her silver crystal encrusted heels, grabbed her clutch and walked downstairs. All the buzz of activity stopped when they saw her. Felicity had struggled all day, telling everyone her baby was all grown up. The last few steps and she was on their level where she spotted her Pop-Pop. Everyone knew she was his favorite, even if all the other kids were his grandkids too. Most of his weight was on his favored leg and he held on his cane with a death grip. She walked over and gave him a huge hug.

"Alright, let's get this show on the road," she announced. The buzz of activity began again and felt a large warm hand on her lower back, Nick. She smiled up at him.

"You look stunning," he said loud enough for her to hear.

"Thank you," she blushed.

Soon they were on their way, Felicity gave Hope words of wisdom. They dropped Hope and Sara off by the entrance. Soon she was ready for her speech, she walked onto the stage sitting next to the professors and the Dean of Students.

She was introduced by the Dean and gave her speech, which she received a standing ovation for. What she didn't see was her father giving her mother's hand a squeeze or see him lean over tell that his future wife was remarkable. She found her seat among the other graduates. When her name was called and she walked across the stage, her family was the loudest. She of course blushed and smiled, eventually she was back in her seat. When they were announced as graduates, she fist pumped. Sara and her met up with the rest of the family outside. They hugged and took pictures, two men approached the group.

"Miss Hope Queen? I'm Detective Roberts and this is my partner Detective Jones. We're going to need you to come with us to answer a few questions."

"She's not going anywhere," Nick said putting her behind him. Hope's hand found his forearm for strength and security.

"What's this about?" Oliver standing in front of the two of them, Oliver noticed her hand was on Nick's forearm squeezing, she was scared.

"Mr. Queen, this is a private matter," Detective Jones said.

"And she is my daughter, until explain what's going on she will be staying where she is. Now, I'm going to ask you again and if you do not answer me, I will contact your superiors. What do you want with Hope?" he asked straightening his back.

"Mr. Queen, this is in reference to her partnership with Ian, I won't even try to pronounce his last name."

"What about him?" Nick asked, he noticed had squeezed his arm tighter when they mentioned his name. She had only told her mom what happened with him and no one else.

"We have two young women who said he'd attacked them sexually, we need to know if he ever," Detective Roberts trailed off. Her father looked back his eyebrows arched, anger flew off of him in waves. She released her grip on Nick's arm and walked closer to the detectives.

"He tried. I defended myself and broke up with him before Spring Break." She could see her father tense up, his hands balling into fists on his sides, she knew her jig was up.

"Did you even report this?" the detective asked.

"Yes, I told the student advisors and campus security who also made a report."

"Thank you, if we have any more questions we'll let you know."

"If you have any further questions you can speak to our family lawyer, here's her card," Oliver said handing it to the men. They walked and soon it was just them. "Can Hope and I have a moment alone?" he asked, his voice filled with anger.

"Oliver," Felicity began, he put his hand up to stop her.

"Now," he said louder, making Hope flinch. Soon it was the two of them. "Explain right now, why this Ian guy isn't dead."

"Dad," she said, her voice trembling. "We dated for six months, everything was great, and he treated me like a princess. It was our six month anniversary and he wanted more, I told him no. HE continued, my back was against the wall, I panicked I kicked him in the groin then kicked him in the knee and ran to my apartment, I told him we're done and to never contact me again or he would have to deal with my very angry father," she said quickly. He stood frozen to her words and she paced. "Daddy, say something please."

"You kneed him?"

"Is that judgement I'm hearing?" she asked.

"No, pride," he said. "Come here," he said wrapping her in his arms. "I never ever want you to not tell me what's going on okay? I don't care if it's because you have cramps or crying because of a commercial or whatever, you come to me and you tell me okay?"

"Yes daddy."

"No let's go to dinner Princess. Do you want me to have this Ian kid taken care of?"

"No, let the cops handle it."

"As you wish," he said. He held her hand they made their way back to the group. Everyone was on loaded into their respective cars to dinner at some fancy restaurant named Lucio's. Upon arriving they were greeted and brought to a private room. For the first time in months she truly was calm and realized that it was thanks to the guy sitting next to her, Nick. Maybe she could get used to this after all.

A/N: So these chapters have been monsters…like for real. I can't stop writing them which is I guess good. I'll have two chapters up this week since next week is my birthday week and there will be lots of shenanigans to be had.

Also, Holy crap Season 5 set photo…*drools* told my husband if he got like that I'd never let him leave the house haha!