Disclaimer: Please see chapter one
IMPORTANT: Please see my A/N below for further information.
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Chapter 36 – An Ending and A Beginning
Silence fell over the drawing room before Walter suddenly broke it. "I do have one question..."
Felicity turned in Oliver's arms so that she could look more comfortably at him; somehow sure she already knew what the question was likely to be. "Yes Walter."
"The stakeholder meeting, the one where you asked me to take the CEO position before Ms Rochev persuaded them to appoint her instead, I thought we had control of the company at that point." Walter folded his arms, eyebrow raised. "At least that was the impression that you gave me and as I understand it, Ms Rochev as well."
"We did," She sighed, sharing a look with first Lyla and then her sister. "We do - however..."
She closed her eyes, resting her head against Oliver's for a moment but it was not Felicity that finally gave Walter the answer that he was looking for. It was her sister.
Diana rose to her feet, moving to the window to look out at the grounds before turning to look at them all. "Mr Steele, you are an intelligent man, I am sure that you will understand when I say that there are certain people involved in what people like to call alphabet organisations..."
Walter nodded and she continued. "Well, it would seem that a certain director was not happy about being forced to answer to Oliver the night Slade's army attacked..."
"And as she was told not to take any retaliation against us for what we did to stop her..." Lyla spoke up suddenly, rubbing her small bump even as she indicated herself and Diggle. "Which I thank you for, Ms Prince..." Diana looked at her questioningly. "I found out earlier today."
"Honestly! Spies, they never come to the point if they can go around it!" Felicity murmured in Oliver's ear, making him smile as she changed her position slightly. "Walter, what they are trying to say is that a certain alphabet director did her best to prevent the company from being returned to Oliver and it has taken until now to stop her..."
She bowed her head to her sister, who nodded just as regally back.
"But why?" Roy's tone was honestly confused.
"Because when I was supposed to be dead, I was involuntarily involved with A.R.G.U.S..." Oliver replied with a heavy sigh, knowing that it was time for it to be revealed.
"And she thought that if he had no money, she could force him to work for her again." Felicity continued as she moved into his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck, "So not going to happen, Oliver."
"Well, I'm glad we've cleared that up." Lance said dryly, making everyone laugh. "So what next..."
"Next, we work on getting the city back to normal." Oliver began,
"While we look for Thea..." Roy said softly, looking up at Felicity as she kicked him slightly and poking her back in response.
"And get my babies back in order." She continued, wrinkling her nose at the laughter it gained.
"And get things ready for this baby," Diggle continued as he covered Lyla's hand with his own on the baby bump.
"We have to go back to Nanda Parbat," Sara and Nyssa looked at each other for a moment; having one of the quiet conversations that Oliver and Felicity were famous for.
"And I apparently have to get ready to be Captain of Starling City Police." Lance said wryly – the devastation caused by Slade Wilson's men had left him the ranking officer on the force.
"But only when you're better." Sara and Felicity said exactly the same time – that drew an even bigger laugh from them all.
"And I need to go as well." Diana said softly, drawing her sister's attention back to her.
That sentence temporarily cleared the room.
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Felicity rose from her seat on Oliver's lap and walked across the room to her sister where they threw their arms around each other before the younger drew back to look up into her elder sister's eyes.
"You were late, you know, you missed everything." She said softly.
"I know." Diana pressed a kiss to her forehead. "But something tells me that you really didn't need me here though, did you?"
Thinking seriously over the events of the last few days and how they had dealt with it, Felicity shook her head slowly. "Maybe not but it would've been nice, I mean, the last time we fought side by side, we were..."
"Teenagers and at home before life went all weird on us," Diana finished, smiling. "I know, I still have trouble believing that you were the one that gave me the idea in the first place..."
"It was your right, sister, you were and are the best of us - this role of defender belongs to you." Felicity said firmly. "Mother had no right to right to stop you."
"My sister, a firm believer of justice," Diana grinned as she indicated for Oliver to join them. He did so, immediately wrapping his arm around Felicity's slender waist. "Perhaps that should be your name rather than Shadow, hey Justice."
Felicity shook her head firmly, resting her head against Oliver's shoulder. "No, as much as I believe in justice, it is not always fair but the shadow, shadows are always there, no matter the light or the situations."
Diana regarded her seriously, considering what she said and then nodded her head firmly – an action that had Oliver smiling for it showed how much alike the sisters were in that very moment. "Yes, I can see that, I can see that very easily."
She then reached out to touch her sister's cheek. "Felicity, mother..." She caught the derisive look in her blue eyes and quickly pinched her ear, much as she had done when they were younger. "Sister, allow me to finish."
Felicity glared back at her in return, "Very well, if you must."
"I must," Diana glared back at her, equally as fierce. "Mother wants to see you and she's willing to come to Starling City."
The younger sister's glare dropped away into disbelief and astonishment, "Seriously."
"Extremely," The elder replied, a clear note of amusement in her voice at her younger sibling's reaction. "I don't know when, I just know it will be sometime soonish – if you are willing."
"I'm glad to see she's as precise as ever." Felicity snipped as she felt Oliver's arm tighten around her. "Then you may inform her I await her arrival."
"Then come," Diana held out her arms to her sibling who literally jumped into them to hug her. "Take care of yourself, little sister; I will not be happy if you are hurt in any way." She then released one arm from Felicity and reached out to Oliver in a warrior's grip. "Keep yourself and your team safe, Oliver, remember you are stronger together than apart."
Oliver nodded, returning the warrior grip just as firmly, "Always."
Embracing her sister one last time, Diana stepped away and picked up her long leather coat, slipping it over her shoulders. "And one more thing, be careful of Amanda Waller, something tells me she's as dangerous as a cornered pit viper."
She started to move away as Felicity returned to Oliver's side, slipping her arms around his waist, murmuring as she did so, "Wait for the Columbo thing," making him smile.
"Oh, and just one more thing..." She turned, the serious look in her eyes darkening them to midnight. "I know you like Nyssa but never forget who her father is. Her loyalty will always be to him, no matter how much she likes you."
The couple looked at each other and then nodded before looking back at her and saying in unison. "We won't forget."
Diana chuckled at that before leaving the room with a wave of her hand.
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Several hours later, Diggle and Roy sat on top of the med-table watching Oliver and Felicity dance around the work out area. The two of them were not sure if they were seriously training or just have fun from the amount of laughter that was being generated from the pair of them.
"I take it this is what we have to look forward to from now on." Roy grinned as Felicity actually jumped onto Oliver's back and started tickling his ribs, making him laugh as he pulled her off and held her back against his chest as he returned the gesture.
"Things are never dull around here, that for sure." Diggle replied, wincing as she managed to back hook Oliver's leg and bring them both to the ground with a thud. "That's what you get when you hang around the Arrow and his Amazon."
A beep sounded from one of the computers, and ten minutes later, Team Arrow was back in action.
An Ending but Definitely A Beginning
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And with these words, I sign off on Season Two of the Arrow.
I hope this chapter answers the review I received last week concerning the company, I had it written before you commented but it confirmed my belief that I should keep it in. As to your other comments, everyone has a right to their own opinion and I appreciate hearing from you but I stick by what I have written, as it felt right when I wrote it.
As for S3, yes, I have seen ways I can AAA some episodes – in fact, I may have even put some of that into this last chapter as you have read but I will stick with waiting until S3 has ended before I even start.
As for AAA and Tommy, now that is another ball game altogether and we will just have to see how the muse strikes me. Give me a break, guys, I have the Hobbit to see, a wedding anniversary, my birthday and Christmas to get ready for so just wait and see.
HOWEVER – if there are particular parts of AAA that you would like to see how Tommy viewed it – let me know in a PM.
And if you have not reviewed before now, please take this opportunity to do so, I really enjoy hearing from all of you. I would really like this story to get more reviews than my Camp Rock ones, so the ball's in your court ;op