Chapter 19 Miracles

Oliver

The last thing he saw before total darkness was Felicity. She was crying and dust and debris covered her face but she was still so beautiful. She was the light in his dark life and if he had to look at one thing for the rest of his life it would be her. Unfortunately it seemed like he would get his wish because he felt tired and he just wished he could stay for her but he didn't think he was going to make it this time. His luck had finally run out and he would need a miracle to survive this. At least he got to tell Felicity he loved her one more time.

Felicity

Watching the ambulance finally drive out of view Felicity collapsed onto her knees and rested her head in her hands as the tears came pouring out. John wrapped his arms around her and just rocked her back and forth as she cried. After a few minutes she finally ran out of tears and wiped her face on her shirt. She had to be composed. Oliver wasn't gone yet and they needed to get to the hospital. They also had to get out of there before the cops arrived and started asking questions.

"I'm ok. I'm ok. We need to get going. We have no reason to be here and people will question why we're here and then when they find the bodies there will be more questions. So let's head to the hospital."

"Sounds like a plan. Where did you guys park the van?"

"Right around the corner. Let's go."

She pulled herself together the best she could and started heading towards the van when something dawned on her. "John where's Malcolm?"

"He didn't make it." He said it matter of factly with no emotion in his voice at all.

She wasn't sad that Malcolm was dead but knowing that Oliver tried to save him and he still died hurt her deeply. What if he died trying to save Malcolm? She didn't know if she could ever move on from that. But she pushed that thought out of her mind and focused on getting out of there and getting to the hospital.

Oliver

Pain. Nothing. Pain.

He seems to teeter between the two and before long he really can't tell the difference. They seem to blend together and he is in a type of purgatory shrouded in darkness. Voices surround him but they speak words that he can't understand.

Felicity. Her face seems to be seared into his mind. Her hair, her eyes, her lips. He knows he's probably dead but if it's her face he sees for the rest of eternity he would be ok with that.

No. He couldn't think like that. He had to fight to get back to her. Leaving her was not an option he loved her too much to do that to her. Fighting back was his only choice, he didn't know how to do that but he was going to try.

Anytime he felt any type of pain he tried to grab onto it. He needed something real, something substantial. Every time he latched on the pain seemed to intensify and he felt more alive. The voices around him seemed to become clearer.

"Shock again. Clear."

His body seemed to lurch and he tried to grab on to the pain again. This time it seemed like he had a complete hold on it.

"We got a pulse. Get him to the OR we need to find the hemorrhage and cauterize it. Make sure that chest tube is secure. Start another unit of blood."

Trying to stay conscious but losing the battle Oliver knew he had done enough. He had fought and won.

Felicity

Diggle sped to the hospital and they were there within minutes. Felicity sprinted out of the car and headed right into the ER. She ran right up to the front desk and said, "a man was brought in a few minutes ago. Do you know where he is, is he ok?"

The person at the desk looked up and said, "miss we have a lot of people come in we had at least 10 come in in the last 5 minutes. Can you describe the person and why they were brought in?"

"Yes. White male, 32 years old, he has brown hair, 6 foot 1, about 180 lbs, and blue eyes. He came in from a building collapse, I heard someone say he had a pneumothorax. That's all I know please can you tell me what's going on."

"What's the name?"

"Oliver Queen."

The lady immediately looked up with a look of shock on her face. "The Oliver Queen?"

"Yes now please can you tell me where he is."

"What is your relation to the patient?"

Felicity paused for a second because she knew in most cases they would only let family back but she wasn't technically family. So she made a split second decision and said, "I'm his wife."

A look of confusion passed over the woman's face as she said, "I didn't know Mr. Queen was married."

"We are. Now will you please just let me see him."

"Let me see what I can do."

She typed away and Felicity paced back and forth nervously. Finally after what seemed like an eternity the woman looked up from her computer.

"It looks like they have a male matching that description in the OR. There's a waiting room upstairs outside the PACU. You can wait for him there it looks like it might be a while."

Relief washed over her. He was here and he was alive. For now. He still wasn't out of the woods yet and the lady said it might be a while and she didn't think that was a good sign. She asked for directions and called Diggle and Lyla and told them where to meet her.

Finally arriving in the PACU she realized it was empty and she took a seat right in the corner. The silence was intimidating and she hoped that Diggle and Lyla would find her soon. But for now she was left alone with her thoughts and horrible visions of a life without Oliver.

No more gentle lips on hers, no more arms that would envelop her when she was feeling down, no more I love you's, and no more just lying in bed together basking in the love they shared together. She knew Oliver would want her to move on and she knew for the most part she would be able to. She would keep helping the city and she wouldn't quit because Oliver wouldn't want that for her but she would lose a part of her heart. When they finally got together she gave her heart to him completely and he gave her his.

Tears started streaming down her face once again and she curled up into a ball to pray for a miracle. Diggle and Lyla arrived around 10 minutes later and sat a few seats away from her knowing that she needed her space.

Time came and went but she couldn't tell how much time had actually passed. A doctor finally came out and entered the waiting room.

"Are you Oliver Queen's wife?"

Diggle and Lyla exchanged a confused look but Felicity answered immediately. "Yes I am. Is Oliver ok?"

"Well he suffered an extensive number of injuries. He had a pneumothorax, he had bleeding in his abdominal cavity and chest cavity, he has a possible brain bleed but we can't be sure yet, and he has multiple fractures. We were able to wash out the bleeding in his chest and abdomen and cauterize the vessels to prevent further bleeding. He has a chest tube in to re-inflate his lung and drain the fluid. His heart also stopped for approximately 10 minutes so we don't know how much oxygen his brain was deprived of. Right now we just have to monitor him. He is sedated and on a ventilator for now and we will run some tests to make sure he isn't bleeding anywhere else and to make sure he doesn't develop any infections. We'll give him more blood just to keep his levels up and we will reassess in the morning."

"But he's alive?"

"Yes for everything he went through its a miracle but he is alive. He must have had something to fight for."

"Can I see him?"

"Yes. He's in the ICU right around the corner from the PACU just follow the signs."

It was the best news she had ever received. Oliver was alive. Oliver was alive and she was going to see him soon. A weight that had been crushing her since the ambulance seemed to have been lifted.

"Felicity," Diggle said, "go see him we'll wait here and see him later."

She gave him a quick hug and headed towards the ICU without another word. Getting directions from nurses and other hospital staff she was able to find his room easily. Fear seemed to overwhelm her as she paused at the door. What if something went wrong? What if after everything he didn't make it?

Mustering all the courage she had she pushed those thoughts aside and opened the door.

Oliver

Chest rising, chest falling, chest rising, chest falling. Usually his body did this without thinking but he felt like he was the one telling his body to breathe. There was a lot of beeping noises and he tried to wake himself up but he found he was unable to open his eyes. Normally this would be frightening but he felt calm and relaxed for some reason.

Something or someone was holding his hand and he felt love rush through him. He tried to focus on that and draw himself towards it. Then he felt something gently touch his cheek as he finally heard the person whisper into his ear.

"Oliver please come back to me. I love you so much and I need you. You are the strongest person I know and I know you can get through this. I will be by your side through it all. You have always been a source of strength in my life and now I will be that for you. You are the love of my life please keep fighting."

She was like an angel bringing him back to earth. He would know that voice anywhere. Felicity. She was here with him and with her love and strength by his side he slowly began to open his eyes.