Chapter 9:
Thea studied her brother who was sat on her sofa across from her waiting for Katya to talk. He was tense, his jaw set determinedly, his fists kept clenching and unclenching.
Katya smiled at him nervously. Her hand gripped the man that set next to her tightly.
"He is your father Katya, he deserves some answers." Her friend stated.
Katya nodded nervously just as someone gasped.
"No way." A familiar voice called out.
Thea groaned and turned to face her son who walked into the living room a mischievous look on his face.
"Tommy I told you to go to your room." Roy stated.
Tommy looked over at his father.
"Some chick and her friend turns up and you send me to my room and you really expect me just go to my room." Tommy exclaims.
Thea shook her head but he had a point, when she was young she would have done the same thing.
"Tommy." Roy warned.
Tommy ignored his father and walked towards Katya who looked up at Tommy from her seat with an amused expression.
"So your Uncle Ollie's kid?" Tommy asked.
Katya laughed lightly.
"I guess so." She replied.
Tommy then looked over at Katya's friend.
"What about you, are you her brother or something?" Tommy asked.
Thea had been wondering the same thing for a while now. She knew he wasn't her brother, the way that they looked at each other told her that but she had been too preoccupied with the fact she had a niece and that she was standing right in front of her to ask questions.
The man looked at Katya and they both laughed.
"No I'm not her brother." the man said rubbing his hand over the back of his head.
He stood up and held out his hand.
"Jay Baxter, this one's childhood friend." the man introduced looking over at Katya who smiled at him brightly.
The smile lit up the whole of her face in the familiar way that Ollie's always did.
"You're the boy from the catching incident picture." Thea stated remembering the picture she had seen earlier.
Jay and Katya both looked over at her, with a surprised expression on their face.
"What picture?" Katya asked.
"It was from the box of pictures, Felicity sent with the second letter." Ollie replied for her.
"Can I see the letter?" Katya asked, instantly.
Ollie shook his head.
"Tell me what's going on first." Ollie ordered lightly.
Katya stood but before she could go any further Jay stopped her.
Katya glared at him but Jay just smiled at her.
"Talk to him Katya, you know it's the right thing to do." Jay reasoned.
"Jay." Katya exclaimed, but Thea could tell by her tone that Katya knew he was right.
Jay smirked.
"Come on kitty Kat, its time." He told her calmly.
Katya sighed.
"Nobody likes a no it all." Katya said.
Jay squeezed her shoulder and learned into her.
"Yet I'm still friends with you." He added.
Katya's glare turned into a soft smile. Obviously his words meant something to her.
Oliver looked over at Katya as she smiled nervously at him. Roy had just managed to get Thea to take Tommy out so they could talk freely and for that he was grateful. Thea refused however until Roy promised he would tell her everything later. So Thea left and Roy stayed behind in case the arrow was needed.
"Mum was always paranoid about our safety, always." Katya starts. She looks over at Jay for conformation and he squeezes her hand gently.
Oliver looked away briefly. Clearly the two of them were more than friends but Oliver wasn't quite ready to face that yet.
"But something was different the last five months." she added.
"How?" Roy asked.
"She was scared." Katya told him flatly.
"My mum is the bravest person I know." she said with a proud smile on her face.
"She fights to the death for what she thinks is right and she never shows the people she cares about how scare she truly is, never." Katya added.
That thought clogged Oliver's throat and tightened the hand that held his heart.
"She believed that you needed to be strong for the people you loved and she was." Katya continued.
Jay nodded in agreement.
"Always." he added.
Katya smiled at him.
Oliver closed his eyes he knew that was true more than most. He had known that after Slade had taken her.
FLASHBACK
He should have known better then to think it was over. With Slade it never seemed to be over. But he had never seen this coming.
They had all come together; Lance and the SCPD, Nyssa, Sara and the league of assassins, Roy, Dig, Layla and A.R.G.U.S. They fought until Slade's men were injected with the cure and were no longer a challenge. SCPD had rounded them up and taken them away leaving the rest of them to go after Slade.
Laurel and Felicity were meant to be safe in the clock tower but when they got their Laurel was alone.
"Where's Felicity?" Oliver asked cautiously.
Laurel's eyes widened in surprise.
"She said you called and asked to meet her downstairs." Laurel said, fear in her eyes now eminent.
"I didn't call her" Oliver said uneasily.
"She definitely got a call." Laurel added and Oliver's heart sunk.
Oliver looked over at Dig.
"Where would she have gone?" Oliver asked.
Dig shook his head and looked over at Oliver worriedly.
He felt uneasy. He didn't understand why Felicity would have left especially since she knew more than most how dangerous the streets had been.
Oliver dialled Felicity's number.
"It took you long enough kid." Slade voice called answering on first ring.
Oliver breathed deeply.
"Where is she?" Oliver demanded.
Slade laughed.
"For a supposed genius she is rather stupid when it comes to you." Slade spat.
Oliver cried out in anguish
"I could trace her phone?" Sara offered.
Oliver looked over at Sara.
"Do it." he ordered.
"All I had to do was tell her she could save you all by coming with me and she did it." Slade explained a cold laugh rolling off his tongue.
Oliver gritted his teeth and slammed his hand into the nearest wall.
"Where is she?" Oliver growled.
"Were at your club, Oliver." Slade states.
"Why don't you come and join us?" Slade offered.
"If you hurt her..." Oliver started but Slade's cold laugh stopped him.
"Come alone kid, or she will die." Slade promised, emphasising the last part and before Oliver could reply the phone went dead.
"She's at the club." Sara exclaimed.
"What's she doing there?" Roy wondered aloud.
"Oliver?" Dig called.
Oliver looked over at his friend.
"He has her." Oliver spat in disgust and instantly they all knew who he meant.
"Then let's go get her." Dig replied instantly.
"No." Oliver yelled.
"He will kill her if I don't go alone." Oliver added.
"Queen were not just going to let you walk into a trap." Lance added.
Oliver glared at him.
"And I won't take any more risk with her life." Oliver stated.
Oliver turned to leave only to come face to face with Dig.
"We all care about Felicity Oliver, but going alone will get both of you killed." he reasoned.
Oliver knew they were right.
"Fine." Oliver yelled.
"But I don't want to know any details." Oliver replied and before anyone could reply he was out of the door.
Oliver made it to the club in record speed not caring that when he jumped of his bike it hit the floor with a thud. Oliver ran inside readying himself but nothing could have prepared him for the sight.
Slade stood in the middle of the club with Felicity trapped tightly against his chest, his sword sat against her throat.
"Nice of you to join us kid." Slade muttered sarcastically.
Oliver looked at Felicity, the gash on her forehead had re-opened and she now had a split lip and a bruise forming on her left cheek.
"You ok?" Oliver asked ignoring Slade.
Felicity meet his eyes. Her lips trembled but she gave him a small smile. Oliver could see the tears marks on her cheeks but he could see no more tears in her eyes, all he saw was so much trust and so much belief.
Oliver felt like his heart was breaking, he had never understood how someone could have that much faith in him.
"She's fine aren't you Miss Smoak." Slade said dragging her backwards.
Felicity let out a yelp of pain.
"Let her go." Oliver screamed and Slade laughed.
"I told you, one more person had to die." Slade reminded him.
"Fine but kill me not her." Oliver begged.
"Felicity has nothing to do with this." Oliver yelled in frustration.
"She has everything to do with this." Slade screamed his voice echoing throughout the club.
"Isabel said the same thing but she didn't see what I did." Slade went on.
Oliver's eyes widened. He was careful with his feeling for Felicity, it was bad enough that people used her against him now but if they knew what he really felt for her there would be no end to what they would do to her.
"Please Slade, she doesn't deserve this." Oliver begged.
"Neither did Shado but she is still dead." Slade yelled back.
Oliver closed his eyes.
"This one is just like Shado." Slade added more quietly and Oliver's eyes shoot open.
Slade caressed Felicity's cheek, trailing down her face towards her neck. Not stopping when she flinched. The sword moved slightly away from her throat.
"Always on your side no matter what." Slade added.
His fingers gripped at her throat and Felicty's eyes widened for a second before she closed her eyes. When she opened them Oliver was expecting to see fear but not once did she let her trust and faith in him fall.
"So willing to die for you." Slade said his eyes never leaving Felicity's face as he spoke.
Oliver took a step towards them.
Slade looked over at him and Oliver froze. Slade's fingers where still on Felicity's throat and his sword wasn't fair way either.
"What is it about you that brings out so much faith in these women?" Slade asked.
Oliver met his eyes.
"He is a hero." Felicity said. Her voice calm and determined and filled with so much warmth.
Slade's grip on Felicity throat tightened and she gasped for breath. Oliver resisted the urge to look down at her knowing the moment he did he wouldn't be able to hold himself back, which could led to both their deaths.
"He is a murder." Slade argued his eyes back to glaring at Felicity.
Oliver moved forward again. He heard the faint sounds of footsteps moving around and thankfully Slade was too distracted to notice, he hoped that whatever their plan was they could all somehow get out of this alive.
"No." Felicity gasped shaking her head.
She looked over at Oliver and smiled. Oliver froze. Her eyes filled up with tears but it wasn't of fear.
"He is a survivor and I will always be grateful for that." She added.
The tears that travel down her cheeks were for the sorrows he faced.
"Whatever happens remember that this is my life and this is my choice." she started.
Oliver frowned, it felt like she was saying goodbye.
"Felicity." he whispered.
She smiled.
"And I wouldn't change a thing." she added.
Oliver opened his mouth to argue when he notice her hand move to her coat pocket.
"Slade, you want revenge for Shado fine take me but please let her go." Oliver reasoned.
"You still don't get it do you kid?" Slade questioned.
Oliver risked a glance at Felicity as she pulled something out of her pocket.
"I don't want you to die, I want you to know what it feels like to lose everything." Slade continued.
Oliver had no idea what Felicity was doing but he owed it to her to let her try. He knew somewhere his friends where working out the best way to help them. Distracting Slade was his best option.
Oliver looked back over at Slade.
"Your mother and now the women you love." Slade stated.
Oliver heard her breath catch. She honestly didn't know how much she meant to him.
"Once you watch her die, then maybe I'll go back for that pretty little sister of yours." Slade spat a cold laugh echoed.
"No." Oliver growled the same time Felicity screamed it.
Felicity turned in Slade's arms the blade of his sword cutting into the flesh on her shoulder as she plunged something into Slade's neck.
"You bitch." Slade screamed as he shoved Felicity forward.
Felicity hit the floor with a thud, her head smashed back against the floor as Slade rounded on her.
"Now." Someone screamed from above as Oliver moved towards Felicity.
Bullets and arrows flew into the room from all different angles and Oliver shield Felicity's body with his own as Slade took off.
"Oliver." the soft voice of the women underneath him called.
Oliver looked down at her.
"I gave him the cure you can stop him now once and for all." she whispered.
Oliver shook his head as he looked over her injuries.
"I'm not leaving you." Oliver stated.
"Please Oliver." Felicity begged.
Oliver heard footsteps approach and he readied himself for a fight, just as Roy and Dig came into view.
"Go Oliver, we've got her." Dig said.
Roy sat down next to Felicity gently taking her hand in his, mumbling stuff too her quietly.
"Sara and Nyssa have gone after Slade, Lance is waiting out front for the ambulance. Go get him, will keep her safe." Dig promised.
Oliver looked down at Felicity once again.
"I'll be fine." she promised.
Oliver pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead before getting up and going after Slade.
When he returned to her side later unsuccessful in finding Slade her tired smile greeted him.
"What were you thinking?" He asked when everyone left leaving the two of them alone.
"He said that if I went to him he would leave you alone for good, I had to take that chance know matter how slim it was." Felicity reasoned.
Oliver sighed heavily.
"You shouldn't have gone." He told her.
Felicity shook her head.
"I had to do something you were all getting hurt and I didn't want you to lose someone else you cared about." Felicity argued.
Oliver scoffed in disbelief.
"Losing you would have killed me." Oliver whispered.
He took her hand in his own and kissed it softly.
"Promise me you won't do something like that ever again." He ordered.
Felicity shook her head definitely.
"I can't and won't promise you that." she replied instantly.
"Felicity." Oliver sighed frustrated.
"No Oliver." Felicity said and Oliver could see in her eyes whatever she was about to say was serious.
"What you're asking me to do would be like asking you not to save me next time I get into trouble." Felicity pointed out.
"It's not the same." Oliver argued but even he knew it was a lie.
"Yes it is." Felicity replied.
"Especially to me." she added.
END OF FLASHBACK
Katya watched her father fight with his memories.
"What was she afraid off?" He asked.
Katya shrugged her shoulders. That was the problem she didn't know. She had never known. She used to think that her mother was the only one who wouldn't lie to her but as she got older she realised that was a lie. Her mother lied and although deep down she knew it was only to protect her it still hurt.
"I don't know." Katya replied honestly.
"What about you?" Roy asked Jay.
Jay cleared his throat and looked away.
Katya looked at him, he was hiding something.
"Jay?" Katya questioned.
Jay refused to meet her eyes.
"Jay." Katya stated again.
Jay looked at her then, his face completely blank and that only confirmed her fears.
"You know something." Katya stated.
Jay stood up.
"Think about it Kitty Kat." Jay said.
Katya frowned at him.
"How do you think I'm here?" Jay added.
Katya shook her head, she stood up and approached Jay. He was on leave wasn't he?
"Please just tell me what you know." Katya begged.
Jay licked his lips, something he only did when he was conflicted.
"I promised." Jay reasoned.
Katya shook her head, as she placed her hands on his chest.
"You have never lied to me, please don't start now." Katya begged.
Jay took her hands in his own.
"Two months ago you mum got in touch with me in Afghanistan." Jay started.
Katya's eyes widened in surprise.
"I don't know how but she said that you were in danger and you needed me." Jay continued.
"Why?" Katya asked.
"And from who?" Katya added.
She had so many questions.
Jay shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't know." Jay replied and by the look on his face Katya knew he was telling the truth.
"I begged her to tell me but she wouldn't." Jay added.
His face fell and Katya could see how much that thought hurt him. After his mum died, she and her mum were the closest thing to a family he had left.
"All I knew was that I would be leaving my tour early and I had to make sure that you got to your dad as soon as possible." Jay explained
"Why wouldn't you just tell me that?" Katya asked.
Jay sighed and squeezed her hands gently.
"Because I know you kitty Kat, you would try and hunt for her on your own and whatever Felicity was running from scared her. I needed you safe. You need to come to the conclusion that your dad was the only option on your own" Jay reasoned.
Katya wanted to argue but she knew she couldn't. She looked at him softly as someone cleared their throat.
Katya let go of Jay's hands as she remembered her father and Uncle, were still with them.
"So you have no idea, what Felicity was worried about?" Oliver asked Jay as if to clarify and Jay shook his head.
Oliver sighed.
"You've had known luck finding her?" Roy asked.
"No none." Katya replied.
"But I have an idea." Katya stated.
Her father and Uncle both looked over at her waiting for her to continue.
"If I could get access to your computers in the lair maybe I could track her down." Katya explained.
"Neither me ore Sara could find anything." Roy pointed out and Katya smiled.
"No offence but neither of you have her brain." Jay said pointing towards Katya and she glared at him.
"Plus she can hack almost as well as Felicity can." Jay added.
Roy smirked at them while her father just stared at her in wonder.
"It's ok with me, Oliver?" Roy asked.
"Fine." Oliver replied and Katya smiled at him.
"But from now on you two don't get to hide stuff from us." he added.
"Agreed." Jay and Katya said answered at the same time.
Katya suddenly felt lighter, as if somehow a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. It wasn't much but somehow since the disappearance of her mother this felt like real progress.