Chapter 7 – Choices

AN – I can't say it enough: thank you for the reviews, faves & follows! I'm very glad my little therapy fic has become a group therapy session! ;)

Disclaimer: I'm pretty sure Santa didn't leave the legal rights to CW's Arrow under my tree but I will continue to play!

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"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.

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Felicity was forced to reevaluate her words to Thea when Oliver's heart stopped three times over the next three days. All three times had happened during those short moments when she had showered or someone had forced her to step outside to breathe. She cursed herself for not being there each time and after the third time she refused to leave his side again – they moved him to a room with a shower and a window instead of arguing with her.

Another three days had passed and despite the earlier crashes, Oliver's vitals remained strong and no test discovered any new concerns. Unfortunately, he remained unresponsive even as there was increasing activity on his brain scans. He did continue to speak Felicity's name with the same gut wrenching urgency and need and he even opened his eyes. However, he looked past Felicity and their friends – his eyes void of recognition but filled with pain.

"Felicity, Big Belly burger just the way you like it." Roy commented as he reentered the room and found the blond just as he had left her. Lance had required some help so he and Diggle had spent the last couple nights working in Starling City. He found that he had missed having Felicity in his ear and Oliver by his side. They had done what was needed but it wasn't the same as Team Arrow being together.

"Thanks Roy. You and Digg help out Lance? Everything okay?" Felicity had stopped arguing about the food once they had stopped arguing about her leaving Oliver so she unwrapped the burger and forced herself to eat.

"Yep, Lance commented that he missed you and Oliver, well, the Arrow." Roy grinned and was pleased to see Felicity smile as well. "I told him that you'd both be back soon." As he watched, Felicity's smile faded and she looked back to Oliver.

"We'll use the last of the herbs in a couple days and the paste has almost been absorbed but there's no improvement." Felicity swallowed with difficulty before she turned and focused on Roy who had moved to kneel by her chair. "I know he's in there and I know he's strong but…are we wrong to force him back?"

Roy could barely hear Felicity's voice but still the words and the pain and doubt behind them shook him. "Felicity—"

Felicity stood up and paced as she interrupted him. Her steps became faster as her voice rose in agitation. "I want him back for me, for us but what if he doesn't want to come back? What if wherever he is, it's peaceful? Maybe no one is trying to kill him there Roy! Maybe he's not in pain anymore! Oliver probably doesn't even remember what it's like to not feel pain!"

"Maybe not but he remembers you." Diggle spoke quietly as he carried baby Sara in his arms. Lyla had joined him for the visit but when they had overheard Felicity's words she had stayed out in the hall to give Team Arrow privacy.

"John…" Felicity had turned at his words but then she turned away again to stare at Oliver. "What if Caitlyn and Dr. Wells are right and the herbs that saved his life make him different? Are we right to bring him back to fight again? Are we right to bring him back with more scars and darkness?"

"We are right to give him the choice." Diggle replied softly as he moved closer to Felicity.

"Oliver is a fighter Felicity – we all know that. We are simply giving him the chance to fight." Roy spoke just as quietly as he reached out and laid a hand on Felicity's shoulder.

Felicity moved into Roy's arms and allowed him to comfort her even as she met Diggle's eyes. "I know that he remembers you guys too. Caitlyn told me about the crashes…how he got agitated until he heard one of you."

Diggle smiled sadly as he remembered speaking to Oliver and seeing his friend turn with unseeing eyes just before his body had convulsed. His heart had stopped and Diggle felt his own miss several beats. It wasn't the first time he had witnessed Oliver's near death but that hadn't stopped it from hurting. It seemed that each time Oliver approached happiness, something always wrenched it from him and Diggle hated seeing his partner face more pain. Roy had been there for the third crash and he knew the younger man had also been shaken by the experience. Diggle understood Felicity's doubts as they were his own and Roy's as well. However, he also understood the choice was Oliver's to make and he was fairly certain he knew what that choice would be.

Felicity felt tears well in her eyes even as she felt Roy hugging her tightly. Without Oliver, she wouldn't even have Roy or Diggle. Gasping slightly, she remembered walking away from Oliver after he had kissed her. She hadn't wanted more teasing maybe's but she realized now that she would take them in a heartbeat over a future without Oliver. Regardless of how he came back, she knew that she would stand by him. She wanted to stand by him, by Diggle and Roy too. She pulled back slightly and smiled at Roy before turning to Diggle.

"Let me hold the baby." Felicity's reached for little Sara but Diggle turned away slightly as he spoke to her.

"You hold her outside Felicity." Diggle watched as fear flashed across his friend's face as she looked toward Oliver. "Do you know how many conversations I've had with Oliver about protecting you? We couldn't guarantee your safety but we respected your choice to stay. We respected your choice to fight."

Felicity shook her head slightly even as she accepted the truth of his words. She and Oliver had argued a lot about her safety too – they had also argued about his own. She turned back to look at Diggle once more. "Okay, outside then."

Roy grinned as Diggle hugged Felicity before turning the baby over to her. He spoke softly as he lightly tugged on the blond's pony tail. "We've got your back Felicity…and we've got Oliver's too."

Sighing softly, Felicity pressed a kiss to the baby's chubby cheek before she turned to smile at both men. "I know Roy. Thank you, thank you both."

The men smiled and nodded as they watched her turn to squeeze Oliver's arm gently before she moved away. With only one more glance at Oliver, Felicity carried the baby outside.

Lyla didn't bat an eye as Felicity walked past carrying her child. She did glance into Oliver's room and saw the men stationed like guards at the foot of his bed. Smiling slightly, she turned at a soft noise and watched Thea move to stand next to her. John hadn't given her all the details but she knew Felicity had sent reports on two similar blood samples when she requested help. It wasn't hard to put the pieces together considering Thea had been with her father.

"John and I served together during the war."

Thea turned slightly to look at the other woman. It was easier to meet her eyes than it was to look at Oliver and his new family. There was just so much changing that once again it felt like her whole world was crumbling and once again Thea felt the need to flee from the pain and doubt. However, love for her brother kept her close by even though she had kept a distance from his friends.

"You see a lot of horrible things and you see a lot of wonderful things – sacrifices, bonds, love, courage. War changes people. It can rip you from your loved ones or it can bring you closer."

Lyla watched as comprehension entered Thea's eyes and she glanced first toward the door Felicity had walked through and then back to the room with Oliver, Roy and John.

"Team Arrow has been at war for the city – the Undertaking, Slade Wilson, and many other threats that you didn't even know about Thea. They have been hurt, scared and they all have scars but they have never been alone."

Thea again turned back to meet Lyla's eyes. She felt alone. She had felt alone since learning about all the lies. If she was honest with herself, she had felt alone even before that.

"They've made their choice to fight each day. They've made their choice to stay together each day."

The women stared at one another for a long moment. Both slightly outside of Team Arrow and yet intimately connected to them too.

"You will have to make your own choice Thea." Lyla paused for just a moment before choosing to enter the room and take her place beside John.