Felicity smiled faintly as Oliver stepped out of the bathroom in his gear. It had taken him almost twenty minutes to come out, and she knew that he wasn't in a good place.
John put one of his guns in his side holster. "We only have three hours left before Slade expects you at the refinery."
Oliver nodded, stepping closer to his wooden chest. "I know."
"We've created a plan Oliver. We'll stay a distance, but you are to be low-jacked the entire time." Sarah stated, moving to her knife board. Roy leaned on the bench, pulling at the string in his bow.
"Roy will going to be guarding the Mansion, which is on lockdown with security." Felicity sighed. "The police are driving around the city, trying to find Slade."
John and Sarah stepped towards Oliver. "We're ready."
Oliver took a deep breath and turned to the team. "All I know is that I want one thing before we stop Slade."
Sarah looked at him. "What's that?"
Oliver smiled. "To be married to the woman I love."
Felicity's jaw dropped open. Roy snorted, Dig crossed his arms, and Sarah blinked.
Oliver just stood there looking at Felicity. Her heart was pounding.
"You're not serious." She whispered.
Oliver nodded.
Felicity shook her head. "Nobody could marry us. We don't have a license, there is no time, and you're not thinking straight."
"I'm perfectly sane Felicity."
"No, you're in shock. There is no way we could get married, and I refuse to hack the government to create a marriage license, or to ordain anybody in this room."
Oliver shook his head, and started walking towards her. "In Medieval England and Ireland, couples hand fasted, creating a sorta of marriage. It lasted for a year and a day. After that time if they wished to remain married, they would marry. It was upheld and seen as a form of marriage." Oliver knelt in front of her, not even flinching on his bad knee. He took her hands. "Felicity Megan Smoak, the most remarkable woman in the world. Would you grant me the honor of becoming sort of my wife? Until we can have it legalized?"
It was silent in the lair.
Felicity took a deep breath. In some weird way this made sense. Granted, this wasn't how she ever imagined getting married. Oliver only wanted her. She couldn't send him to victory, or damn him to purgatory without becoming his wife.
"Yes. Yes Oliver. I'll be honored to be sort of your wife."
Oliver smiled, and kissed her hands. Roy clapped, and Sarah smiled.
"How do you want to do this?" Dig asked, smiling at them.
Oliver nodded to the trunk, "There is a black bag in there Sarah, can you get it for me?" He then took a mini arrow off his gauntlet, and began to cut a strip off the edge of Felicity's dress.
"Hey!" she protested.
"We need it. Dig, get one of my lines from the case." He finished slicing the fabric, knotting it at each end. Dig came back, holding the line, and Oliver added the strip to it. He then turned scooping Felicity out of the chair, and turned her to face Dig, letting her feet rest on Oliver's, holding her full weight on his feet and in his arms.
"Dig? Would you do the honor of marrying us?" Oliver asked his brother. Dig smiled.
"I'd be delighted to. If you know how to do this."
Oliver chuckled, and Felicity shook her head but smiled. Sarah handed Roy the bag and they moved closer to the couple.
"I witnessed a hand fasting once." She stated to the group. "They exchanged rings, said vows, then tied their hands together, symbolizing their entwined lives and love. I'll say the prayers."
Dig nodded, beginning to twist the ropes together and Roy opened the bag and reached in, pulling out a band with a princess cut diamond, an emerald on each side set in a band of entwining silver and rose gold. Felicity gasped. Oliver just smiled, taking the ring, and placing it on Felicity's finger he spoke his vow.
"I Oliver Queen vow to love you. To cherish you the rest of my life. To help you in your endeavors, where ever they may lead you. I vow to fight with you, and knowing now that I'll cause most of them. I vow to protect you with every part of me." Oliver took a deep breath, his heart hammering in his chest. He squeezed her tight on his next vow. "To let you heal me, help you heal, and to never let you go. And I vow to be your partner, friend, lover, and husband forever in this life and beyond."
He slid the ring down her finger, whispering just for her. "Forever my Girl Friday."
Felicity's eyes were full of tears, happy tears, as she took the solid band from Roy, and placed it above Oliver's finger.
"I Felicity Smoak vow to love you. To cherish you the rest of my life. To help you become the man you can be, and to help fulfill your dreams. I vow to stand up to you, and never back down." Oliver squeezed his arms tighter around her. Felicity took a breath, steadying her pounding heart. "I vow to help heal your wounds, to keep you as safe as I can. And to forever be your partner in this life and beyond. With this vow, I am your partner, your friend, your lover and your wife." She slid the ring down his finger.
She looked up at Oliver, and saw the tears in his eyes, the raw emotion and love that he had. Smiling she whispered, "My Hero."
Oliver closed his eyes and kissed her forehead, and she squeezed his hands tighter.
Dig, Sara and Roy waited for the two to have their moment. Sara took a breath, and nodded at Dig. He stepped forward, smiling. "Hold out your hands, together."
Sarah smiled, tears in her eyes, as she began to chant in a language neither recognized. Dig, with Sarah helped tie the knots, forming a bond the two had, and after the last was finished, the rest of the rope and fabric hung from their hands.
"Let no force separate these two souls." Sarah spoke, smiling at her friends. "They have acknowledged their love, and this bond is forever unbroken." She tugged on the hanging part, tightening the knots.
Felicity and Oliver smiled, looking at Dig, who smiled at them. He placed his hand over theirs. "Now, by the power and spirit of...Well everything I guess." Everyone laughed. "Pronounce that they are husband and wife. Oliver, you may kiss your bride."
Oliver smiled, and bent his head down as Felicity turned hers, and they kissed their friends clapping around them. The computers started beeping, and the team looked at them. Sarah pulled gently on the knots, moving it down their hands, freeing them.
Oliver turned and placed his wife on her computer chair. She turned and started tapping on the keyboard, stopping once to glance at her ring.
"It's the police scanners, they're showing groups of the criminals in the city. They're starting riots." Felicity turned and looked at the team. "They're calling for any form of help."
Roy nodded, and moved over to a case, pulling out his mask, bow and quiver. Dig went to the shelves, pulling guns and clips out. Sara took her Bo staff off the table, and snapped it to her belt. She smiled at Felicity.
She looked at her husband. He was pulling his gloves on, smiling at the ring on his hand. He put more arrows in his quiver, and placed a few knives at his side. He turned and smiled at her, holding his mask. He moved to her and knelt, placing the mask in her hands. She lifted her left hand to his face, and cupped it.
"Oliver?"
"Yes wife?" he smiled, and she blushed. She took a deep breath, and glanced at her ring.
"The rings. Where did you get them?"
His eyes darkened a bit, he smiled though and took her hand kissing the knuckle above the ring. "My dad gave this ring to my mom when they first were married. I had the jeweler put the emeralds on either side the second night you were in the hospital."
Her heart clenched, she squeezed his hand, offering her comfort. The loss of his mother had been only a few hours ago, and now they'd been sort of married. She swallowed, and managed to ask, "Yours?"
He smiled, and looked at her. "My father's. I took it off of him when I buried him." He took a deep breath. "I'm sure he would have loved you."
Felicity blushed then smiled, and another beep from her computer ruined the moment. Taking the mask in her hands she placed it on his face, trailing her hands down to grip the hood, and pull it up. She stared at her husband, his eyes clear blue, and full of love.
Oliver bent down, and kissed her, gripping her tightly to him. He was afraid that he would never see her again. That Slade would win, and she would face her life alone, without him in it. Easing out of the kiss, he brushed his lips against hers, holding her close.
"I love you Felicity Queen." He whispered.
"I love you too Oliver Queen." She replied, kissing his pulse point. "Come back to me."
He shut his eyes, and gently let go of her, walking to the others at the door. Dig, Roy and Sara all smiled, and quickly walked out. Oliver held the door open, and turned for one last look. Felicity smiled, her pink dress bloody, dirty, and torn. Her eyes red from crying, lips swollen from kissing him, her ring sparkling on her finger and in her hands their marriage knot. His heart ached. He nodded, and moved out of the door shutting it behind him, leaving only when he heard the thud of the locks.