Chapter 6 – Blood

AN – Happy New Year! Wishing all good health, happiness and Arrow fun in 2015! Thank you for your support in 2014…you made it a great year for me!

Disclaimer: No legal rights but I will continue to play!

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Roy and Diggle again exchanged looks as they quietly discussed their return trip. Both lightly touched Felicity's shoulder before they moved off to pack their gear and hers. Felicity continued to kneel next to Oliver and she even continued speaking to him but her voice was too low for the men to hear. Smiling even as tears fell, she promised him that he would always have her and that she was there for him.

As Thea continued to watch the pair, she also saw Felicity's tears fall and even saw her brother's eyes open briefly to stare at the woman crying over him.

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ARGUS and Team Flash continued to provide assistance as they transported Oliver directly to Dr. Wells. Caitlyn tried to get Felicity to go home while they ran tests but she adamantly refused as did Diggle, Roy and Thea. The foursome was exhausted and the pain and difficulty of the last week was evident on their faces but no one left.

Dr. Wells and Caitlyn returned several hours later to find the group still there and that Barry and Cisco had even joined them.

"Barry, did the women tell you anything else?" Wells asked again even though Barry had reported the limited contact in full detail.

"No, I didn't understand their words and I didn't stick around long enough to ask more questions."

"Maybe we need to add a translator to your suit…" Cisco spoke excitedly as the idea came to him but his voice trailed off when the others turned to him and he realized that it wasn't the time.

"We are still running a chemical analysis on the herbs in the pouch and the paste. The initial results were inconclusive as we could only identify a portion of the compound." Wells spoke in frustration and curiosity as it was possible that he was about to make an important discovery that could aid his own cause.

"It seems Oliver's body has been slowing absorbing the paste. The parts of his skin that is visible appear healthy. The paste remains thickest on his back and chest so we assume that was where the worst injuries were." Caitlyn spoke softly and focused on Felicity as the other woman still appeared to be in shock. She remained quiet and even in their short acquaintance Caitlyn knew that was unusual.

"We would like to have blood ready to transfuse him if we find anything toxic in the paste or pouch. It will take too long to create any type of antidote if we do determine the…Guardians, did you call them? If we determine that the Guardians weren't as helpful as we are assuming." Caitlyn continued as Team Arrow remained silent.

"Oliver and I have the same blood type – I'm his closest relative. Take my blood." Thea stood to make the demand.

Diggle and Roy exchanged look as they remained at Felicity's side but her focus was locked on the doors that separated her from Oliver.

"Can we see him?" Felicity's soft voice brought all eyes to her.

"Sure, go on in Felicity." Wells responded kindly but after meeting Diggle's eyes he added a warning. "His vitals are strong but while physically he appears fine, his brain waves are somewhat unusual. He's not in a coma or any other state that we can recognize."

Caitlyn stepped in front of Felicity. "His blood work showed some anomalies as well. We don't know what it means but…" She struggled as she pictured her own fiancé and how his experience had changed him. "Oliver may not be as you remember him Felicity. He may be very different."

Felicity immediately thought of the Mirakuru that had saved Slade's life then twisted him. She gasped and immediately looked to Diggle and Roy who moved even closer to her. Memories of Oliver smiling and even laughing filled her mind and heart and she suddenly smiled before she spoke with absolute conviction.

"He's already survived hell once, if anyone can come out of this stronger, better, it would be Oliver."

"Felicity's right." Diggle agreed as he saw Roy nod his agreement and smile as well. He remained concerned and cautious but it was Oliver Queen they were talking about so he could afford to have a little faith.

"Send your test results to me and I'll see what I can find out." Felicity felt better having a job to focus on but her eyes returned to the doors as she felt the need to see that Oliver was alive. As she walked forward she spoke to Roy and Diggle. "I'll send everything to Lyla – maybe ARGUS can help."

The hours dragged by as Wells and Caitlyn continued their tests and Team Arrow remained on watch at Oliver's bedside. Thea remained as well but she kept a distance from the trio as her thoughts were in turmoil. Anger and resentment continued to flare as it was clear they all knew more than she did and that they were all in it together while it was her brother's life they were risking.

As Caitlyn entered the room, she looked first to Felicity before focusing on Oliver's sister.

"The tests we did on your blood came up with some irregularities." Caitlyn broke the news as gently as she could before she turned back to Felicity. "It would be better if one of you donated instead – we would like to test you all."

"Of course, thank you Caitlyn." It was Felicity who answered as Roy and Diggle nodded but focused on Thea.

"What irregularities? What are you talking about?" Thea didn't understand why they wouldn't let her help her own brother.

"Have you missed any chunks of times?" Dr. Wells asked as he and Cisco entered with room with Barry right behind them.

"No…well, it's been a rough year and some things are a bit hazy but I'm sure that's normal when you lose almost everything and everyone you love." Thea's tone was sharp and annoyed as she glared at the man in the wheelchair.

"Have you noticed any extreme moods?" Dr. Wells asked as he lifted a brow mockingly.

"Look, I don't know who you think you are but Ollie shouldn't even be here. He should be in a hospital and none of you have the right to make that decision. I'm his closest relative – his closest blood relative." Thea's hands were clenched into fists and her breaths came in hard pants as her heart raced.

"You have traces of chemicals that we can't recognize in your blood. Your hormone levels are off as well. Can you think of anyone in your life who would have been poisoning you for the last few months?" Dr. Wells bluntly asked as he needed answers to yet another mystery.

"What? No, I've only been around my father…" Oliver's words about Malcolm came back in a rush and she stopped speaking and turned away. Her thoughts buzzed as she tried to make sense of everything.

"Roy, Digg, let them test your blood. Thea and I need to have a talk." Felicity had gone along with Roy's request that they protect Thea when they thought that Oliver had died but the fact that he was alive changed everything. If Thea still believed Merlyn or was under his control in some way then she represented a danger to Oliver and Felicity couldn't accept that.

Thea turned to meet the surprisingly hard gaze of the blond woman. Felicity's strength and command had surprised her over the last week but her threatening expression was yet another surprise.

"What do we have to talk about?" Thea still injected authority into her own voice as she asked the question. However, she did move with Felicity and left the room.

"We aren't going to talk. I'm going to show you something." Felicity pulled her tablet from her bag and brought up the airport security footage of Thea arriving in Starling City the night before Sara was killed. She turned the screen toward the other woman and simply waited.

Thea focused on the tablet with a frown but quickly shock then disbelief crossed her face as she saw herself and Malcolm on the screen.

"When was this taken?"

"The night before Sara was killed." Felicity replied, carefully watching Thea's expression. There was no sign of recognition, none of guilt or even fear. There was only confusion.

"No, that's not possible. I don't even remember…" Thea stopped herself from that admission as she recalled the doctor's question about her memory and moods. Her thoughts were again in chaos as she tried to accept that the refuge her father had offered could have been drug induced. Some memories were strong though – the moments when they trained and he had scared her, the destruction the night of the Glades, even the memory of her shooting him. She also remembered Oliver telling her that she didn't know everything about Malcolm and that he was dangerous.

"Malcolm threatened you. That's why your brother fought the duel. Oliver willingly went to his death to protect you because that's the kind of man he is. Malcolm Merlyn willingly risked you to protect himself because that's the kind of man he is."

Thea met Felicity's eyes as she tried to process another unthinkable possibility. She had been so mad at her mother for the lies but then her mother sacrificed herself for her and Oliver. She had been so mad at Oliver for the lies but he too had sacrificed himself for her. She had clung to her father even as Oliver warned her not to trust him and it appeared that her father may have sacrificed both her and her brother.

"I know you have questions but there are some things that Oliver has to tell you. What I will tell you is that Oliver isn't leaving this location. Whatever was done to him on that mountain saved him. A hospital would remove everything and we can't risk that. This is the best chance we have of saving your brother."

Felicity watched Thea's struggle as tears filled her eyes. She would do her best to protect Oliver's sister as he had wanted which is why she hadn't shown her the footage of her killing Sara. However, if forced to choose, her choice would always be Oliver.