Note: Hello everyone! First of all, I wanna thank you guys for being so incredibly patient with me. I have been working my arse off with my thesis and soon, I'll be graduating so there's that! :D I also want to say that this is chapter 31, which means that there are technically just two more chapters of this story planned... Although, I am thinking about splitting the next one in two and making it a two-parter! What do you think about that? (I suppose it also depends on the length of it...).
Either way, this story WILL have an epilogue too, so it's not completely over yet! ;) There will be more info in the end-note, so don't skip that one! It's about the Q&A I'm going to be doing for this fic! ;)
Please enjoy this chapter! :) xx
Hunted
Chapter 31: The Cure
The past couple of weeks while Thea and Roy had been in the safe house and Tommy had been busy with keeping Laurel from finding out about his involvement with the Arrow, the Foundry had been fairly empty. Oliver, Felicity and Diggle had been forced to go back to the way that they had worked before, just the three of them and things had been quiet. However, now, their lair was once again overflowing with people and Oliver carefully took them all in. Felicity was once again back behind her computers, working through all the data they had on Slade, which wasn't much at all. Tommy was beside her but remaining silent, glancing from the blonde to the screen in front of them every few seconds as if trying to make out just what it was that she was doing. Oliver could see Felicity's fingers moving at a rapid speed, faster than humanly possible and he knew that she was using her hybrid abilities to set the searches faster. They had come back to Starling City three days ago and since then, Felicity had been working day and night to figure out where Slade might be hiding. So far, the searches had come up empty.
Yesterday, Oliver and Diggle had discussed whether they should involve A.R.G.U.S. in the search. Lyla and her division had already been working with them, although getting the full support of the secret organization would have helped a lot. However, it seemed like Amanda Waller, the head of A.R.G.U.S. wasn't willing to waste any more resources on their operation.
Lyla had come in this morning and the team had had an extensive discussion on how the work for a cure against mirakuru had been going. The woman revealed that Waller was blocking them on purpose from creating the cure, putting the research money into other things. Lyla had tried to explain to the woman that a cure against hybrids could be a game changer, especially with the imminent threat of Slade's hybrid army, but it seemed like Amanda didn't care much for Starling City. Apparently, they needed to focus on other things.
The news frustrated Oliver to no end because he had known since the very beginning that Amanda Waller would stab them in the back. She was known for only looking out for herself and her organization. Oliver had put his worries aside and trusted Lyla to deal with Amanda. So far Lyla's division had been helpful, but since Amanda was cutting their resources off, Oliver knew that they needed to figure something else out. Diggle suggested that he and Lyla try to go above Waller somehow, but Lyla argued that doing so would essentially mean that she had to break her department away from A.R.G.U.S. completely. In turn, they would need to contact the president and get the funding for their secret operations, which bureaucratically would take too long to set up. They didn't have all the time in the world.
Roy and Thea had been busy going through anything they could find on the Internet that might help them figure out where Slade had been all these years. They were running searches and looking for candid shots for facial recognition, although so far they hadn't come up with anything either. With the pace that things were moving at, Oliver was certain that they would have absolutely nothing at all figured out by the time that Slade made his next move.
They were all doing their best and the Foundry had never housed this many occupants before. Still, Oliver didn't know what good it would do to have them all there if they weren't getting anywhere with anything. If they could just have one win, get the upper hand for once… Oliver looked over at Felicity again, who was still typing furiously at her workstation. He knew that all of it was taking a toll on her and he wanted nothing more than to ease her mind. He wished there was something he could do, but besides keeping the streets safe at night with Diggle and Roy by his side, he hadn't been able to contribute with much so far. Oliver didn't even know where to begin and he was starting to feel useless. Everyone else was doing whatever they could and he didn't want to intervene in case he somehow messed up their work. That was why he stayed out of the way and did the only thing he could do. He took out his own frustrations at the Dark Ones who were still hunting innocents on the streets and as the Arrow, he kept in contact with Detective Lance, keeping the man informed about the progress of their case. He was thinking about revealing his identity to the man, especially now that they knew that Slade's agenda was personal. They knew who the real threat was and Oliver wanted every resource they had to be put to use. Lance could be helpful, especially if he knew the cops who might be working for Slade. It was something that he knew he would need to discuss with his team eventually, but for now, all he could do was hope that they would eventually figure something out that could help them against his old mentor.
-§-
Two weeks had passed since Felicity and Oliver returned to Starling City with Thea and Roy. The knowledge that Slade was the Master didn't change much when it came to them actually finding out his whereabouts. It frustrated Felicity to no end, this stand-still that they had found themselves in. She had been working day and night trying to get just a small clue as to where the madman might be hiding, but no matter what searches Thea and Roy did, what strings that Lyla pulled or leads that they followed up on, they couldn't figure it out. All she wanted was for them to save Starling City, their home, but for now it seemed like they weren't going to get anywhere.
Slade seemed to have disappeared off of the face of the earth.
That was why Felicity found herself taking out her frustrations on one of the dummies in the lair one night. Tommy and Lyla hadn't been in at all tonight and Diggle had gone home shortly after ending his patrol with Oliver. Felicity had sent Thea and Roy back to her apartment, where they were both staying now with her and Oliver, but she had decided to stick around. Her computers were up and running, a drawing of Slade running through every facial recognition database that Felicity knew of. They had gotten the drawing after Felicity contacted Detective Lance and asked to speak with a sketch artist. There hadn't been any questions asked by the detective when Felicity had made the request. However, Slade was a ghost. It seemed as if all the data that had existed of him had been wiped clean from every server. Felicity knew that it required some mad skills to accomplish such a thing, but she was looking for any trace, any little breadcrumb that could help her pick up the thread and start pulling. She hoped that once she eventually found something to hold on to, everything would be unraveled, from Slade's location to his purpose with the hybrid army. If he had wanted to kill Oliver or her, he could have overpowered them in the mansion that night if he had kept fighting them. She had felt the raw power that he exhibited; she had no doubt in her mind that he was still very much playing the long game.
"Hey," Oliver's voice sounded behind her just as Felicity sent a final kick of frustration against the dummy, breaking it in half. She stared at the broken equipment, turning to look at Oliver as she panted heavily. He was still in his Arrow-gear, having just come back from his own patrol down by the harbor. She watched him take her in, from her yoga pants and sports bra to her taped hands. Her knuckles were bleeding from the excessive force, but her skin was stitching itself up slowly and her hands were numb anyway.
"Hi," she echoed, letting out a low breath. Oliver stepped closer to her, his hood pulled back as his leather-clad hands rested on her bare waist. The touch shot a wave of heat through her spine and momentarily, she closed her eyes, trying not to remember how many times she had imagined them being in a situation like this in the lair. Of course, that had been under different circumstances, but the scenario was rather similar. Oliver in his Arrow-suit and her in barely anything…
She opened her eyes and her hands rose to rest on his shoulders as she squeezed them lightly. "How did your patrol go?" she asked him, hoping to distract herself from the feelings that were simmering inside of her. Since they had come back, they hadn't really had much time for themselves, but that was understandable. For her, it was enough that they still slept in the same bed when they went back to her place at night. Cuddling and kissing Oliver long into the night gave her more comfort than anything else ever could. They hadn't slept with one another since the safe house though, so Felicity couldn't deny that she was starting to crave his touch for other reasons as well.
"Fine," Oliver offered as a reply and she could feel his concern for her. "How was your night?"
"Better now that you're safe here with me," Felicity offered, leaning her forehead against his chest. The leather was strangely cool against her heated skin, something which told her that it must be rather chilly outside tonight.
"It's going to rain soon," Oliver told her, his hands moving over her arms comfortingly. "Maybe we should head back home."
It wasn't a question, although she could sense that he too would rather stay there for another moment. His arms banded around her and she felt his chin rest on top of her head as he embraced her. God, she loved him.
"I sent another message to Barry," she murmured quietly.
"Any success?" Oliver wondered.
"The first sample he got from Roy wasn't enough to do much research on," she explained. "I'm thinking about a new solution, which was what I messaged Barry about. I think I should give him a sample of both my own blood and Roy's again and- Oliver!" she couldn't help but laugh when his grip on her tightened and his lips found the side of her neck. He nuzzled against her skin, kissing the tender flesh above her pulse point, making her blood rush through her veins.
"We're alone," he said, pointing out the obvious. He pulled back from her enough to raise an eyebrow at her. "We are alone down here for the first time in two whole weeks and I know we have a lot of things to talk about, but…" Trailing off, he gave her a quick once over and when his eyes connected with hers, she could see the same hunger that she felt reflected back at her. Grinning, she nodded slowly, lifting her hands to thread her fingers through his hair as she pulled his face down to her level so that she could kiss him properly. Their lips pressed together, mouths opening and tongues tangling as she allowed herself to just give in. Unzipping his leather jacket, she pushed the material off of his shoulders, leaving him in his leather pants and the black t-shirt he normally wore underneath the hood. She continued with their kisses, even as he pushed her backward gently and her back connected with one of the pillars in the basement. Nibbling on his lower lip, she heard Oliver suck in a deep breath as she successfully pulled his shirt over his head. His large hands cupped her ass, moving down to the back of her thighs as he lifted her up effortlessly. Wrapping her legs around him, she leaned back against the pillar in order to lower her hands to the fastenings of his pants. Oliver's hands continued to move over her bare skin, fingers finding their way inside the waistband of her yoga pants, brushing against her panties. She was frustrated beyond belief and just having his fingers close to her center was throwing her hormones into overdrive. Grinding down against him, she swallowed his grunt and Oliver's hand slipped in between the elastic material. Felicity moaned at the touch, but just a few seconds later her gasp was cut off by a yelp of surprise.
A flash lit up the entire basement and Oliver pulled his hand out of her pants when a figure stumbled onto the training mat with a muffled sound. Felicity stared wide-eyed at the man who had appeared, her cheeks heating up as she forced herself to separate from Oliver who promptly stood behind her, obviously trying to hide the raging hard-on he was currently sporting.
Barry Allen looked between the two of them and Felicity saw the second he realized what he had just interrupted. There was a hint of a blush on her friend's cheeks as he quickly covered his eyes.
"Why do I always arrive at the wrong time?" Barry sighed to himself.
-§-
Oliver was forced to take a quick, albeit very cold shower after Barry's surprise arrival in the Foundry. While he was disappointed that his alone-time with Felicity had been cut short, he hoped that Barry's arrival might bring something new to the table. He and Felicity would just have to reign in their frustrations and wait until they got back home.
When he got out of the shower, Oliver was surprised to see Diggle in the Foundry with them. The older man looked tired around the eyes, indicating that he must have been asleep when Felicity had called him. Diggle looked over at Oliver and for a moment, amusement crossed his face. Oliver was certain that either Felicity or Barry had accidentally let it slip about the compromising position that their surprise guest had found him and his mate in. Oliver rolled his eyes, finding his way to Felicity's side. He took her hand in his and squeezed gently, offering her silent support before he took a seat next to Diggle.
"Roy should be here any moment," Felicity said. "I called him and told him to come down here as soon as possible. He'll drop off Thea at Tommy and Laurel's place since we don't know how long we'll actually be here tonight."
"I told Lyla that we'd call if she was needed," Diggle said and Oliver was quick to raise an eyebrow at the man. This time, Diggle was the one to roll his eyes. Oliver chuckled and by his side, he heard Felicity snicker. They had no idea why their partner was still trying to hide the fact that he and his ex-wife were clearly growing closer.
Oliver looked down at Felicity who had pulled on a shirt and pulled her hair up in a neater ponytail. She offered him a small smile, her eyes momentarily turning gold as she glanced downward. Oliver swallowed thickly, feeling the need that was still simmering under her skin.
They really needed some time for themselves.
The door to the Foundry was pushed open and a rumpled-looking Roy walked down the stairs, muttering under his breath about annoying phone calls in the middle of the night and teleporting witches. Shortly after the other hybrid's arrival, Barry apologized for literally appearing out of nowhere and disrupting them in the middle of the night.
"I'm sure you all had better things to do than to hang around here all night," Barry blurted, flushing deeply when he averted his gaze from Oliver and Felicity. Oliver pressed his lips together, eyes set firmly on a point in the distance so that he wouldn't roll them again.
When Diggle smirked, Roy looked between the older man and the others, eyebrows shooting up. "Wait, did I miss something?" he asked, his own lips twitching.
Oliver squeezed Felicity's hand before clearing his throat, "I think we have more pressing matters to discuss. Barry, what are you doing here?"
Felicity elbowed him and Oliver shot her a look. "You could have worded that more nicely," she said pointedly.
"Fe-li-ci-ty," Oliver returned through gritted teeth, but he couldn't help but be amused by her. Yes, he could have asked Barry in a nicer way, although he wanted to get to the point before the conversation derailed like he was certain it would with Felicity and Barry in the same room.
Oliver knew that he didn't have any reason to doubt him and Felicity. She had assured him that the kiss that she had shared with Barry hadn't meant anything, but it was still an image all too fresh in Oliver's mind. He didn't have a right to say anything though, because that would without a doubt make him a hypocritical bastard on some level.
"Okay," Barry drawled, rolling back on his heels before he turned to the rest of the team. "So, I got your message, Felicity," he started, "and it got me thinking. I've taken some time off of work in order to try and figure out a cure for this mirakuru thing. If it's okay with you guys, I'd like to work from here?"
"Yes, of course, Barry," Felicity nodded instantly. Oliver looked at her, feeling her hopefulness.
"How do you plan on making a cure?" Diggle wondered.
"Felicity was the one who thought of it, actually," Barry admitted. "She sent me an email suggesting that we cross-reference her and Roy's blood in order to figure out the components in the more potent version of the mirakuru. I thought about it and I think it would be a great way to reverse engineer them to make a cure."
"So you need another sample of my blood," Roy said.
"And Felicity's too," Barry nodded. "Assuming that you guys are okay with that?" he quirked an eyebrow at them.
Roy lifted his sleeve, his eyes momentarily flashing golden as he grinned, "Why don't we start immediately?"
Twenty minutes later, Oliver and Diggle were sparring on the training mats while they waited for Barry to collect his samples from Roy and Felicity. The three of them were discussing Barry's powers that had become stronger since he started practicing magic daily. Felicity seemed to be taking in every piece of information that Barry offered her and Roy had always been curious to learn more about Barry and his heritage. Oliver knew that Barry had been training and learning more about his powers since he had left Starling City. He listened curiously as Barry explained that most of his powers were based on the elements and nature. However, according to Barry, his mother's family had a history of teleportation, telekinesis and telepathy. Those were rare abilities that had essentially made his mother, Nora Allen, a target. The night that she had been murdered, she had successfully teleported Barry away from the house before she had been stabbed by the shifter who had taken the shape of Barry's father.
Oliver paid careful attention to what Barry was sharing with Felicity and Roy while he took their blood. Diggle seemed to be listening too, even though they kept up with their training.
"Does it freak you out a bit?" Diggle asked when he blocked a hit.
"What?" Oliver grunted as he moved quickly, trying to get another jab in.
"This whole witchy business," Diggle clarified.
"No?" Oliver frowned. "Why would it?"
Diggle took a few steps back and shrugged, keeping the metal bars up in preparation for Oliver's next attack. "I don't know," he said. "It's just, I'm used to vampires and werewolves," he started. "Hell, even shapeshifters are becoming part of the norm now… I never expected for there to be magic too, you know?"
"I wouldn't think too much about it," Oliver told him. "When we start looking into all the creatures that exist, we'll probably start getting paranoid."
"You're already paranoid, Oliver," Diggle chuckled. "But seriously, what if a witch uses their powers to win the lottery or something?"
"Are you worried that you'll lose on the lottery against a witch?" Oliver couldn't help but laugh. "Who is paranoid now?" he challenged. Diggle shot him a glare. "Seriously, Dig. Didn't you just hear Barry say that witch powers are usually elemental? As in fire, water and all that? I hardly think he or any other witch is going to set fire to the lottery-man in order to win a couple of thousand dollars."
Diggle just shook his head at Oliver, muttering under his breath about witchcraft not being natural or something. It made Oliver laugh again until Diggle effectively managed to get a hit in.
"Putting my opinion on Barry's powers aside," Diggle said after a couple of minutes. "Did he really teleport into the Foundry just as you and Felicity were-"
"Okay," Oliver cut him off quickly. "How about we don't talk about this right now?"
Diggle once again chuckled, looking both smug and amused. "Oh, if I were you, I'd worry more about him mastering those telepathic powers he mentioned before. We wouldn't poor Barry to get a full vision of what you're thinking about when you're close to your mate."
Oliver growled at Diggle and attacked again, but the older man managed to dodge the hit, laughing all the while. Oliver made a mental note to ask Felicity later just how Barry's special powers worked.
-§-
A few days later Oliver found himself getting Chinese food with Thea for themselves and the rest of the team after a long day in the office by himself. They had been doing damage control together, calming the situation with the board members who were questioning Walter and Moira's sudden departure from Starling City. Even though Moira and Walter were no longer directly involved with the company, they still had a role to play. Some of the board members worried that their departure meant that something was about to happen to Queen Consolidated and their investments, but Oliver was quick to assure them that Moira and Walter had only decided to take some time for themselves and go on a vacation. It seemed to do the trick and afterward, he had grumbled on to Thea about how easily convinced the members of the board were. They just needed to be assured that their money was safe and then they usually left things up to Oliver to figure out. It was tiring, and with everything else going on, Oliver was sure that he too wanted to take a long vacation after they defeated Slade. In the back of his mind, he recalled that he had had a conversation about the same thing with Felicity. He smiled momentarily, thinking about how good it would feel to take her away for a few weeks where they could just be free to relax.
"Oh, wow," Thea said, startling him out of his thoughts. "It's been days since I've seen you smile like that. Don't do it too much, or we'll all forget what a Grumpy Cat you really are."
"I haven't been grumpy," Oliver said, raising an eyebrow at his sister.
"Who are you trying to kid here, Ollie?" Thea asked with a laugh. "What's on your mind?"
"Nothing," Oliver dismissed. "We just have a lot going on and things are progressing slowly with the cure and all that…"
"Ah," Thea smiled. "I assumed that it might have something to do with the cure… Or maybe Felicity staying in the Foundry for so long last night? With Barry?"
Oliver side-eyed her, lips pressed together before he payed for their food and collected their takeaway. He shouldn't even comment on what she was saying because no matter what he said, it was bound to come out wrong.
"Are you actually worried that Felicity might cheat on you?" Thea questioned, her voice serious once more.
"No!" Oliver instantly objected. His eyes widened as he stared at his sister, not understanding where she would even get such an idea. Felicity cheating on him was something that he knew would never happen. Just like he had no interest in any other women, he knew Felicity would never look at another man and want to leave him.
"I don't know how your mind works, Ollie," Thea quickly defended herself. "All I know is that at this point, I wouldn't be surprised if you actually worried that she might do such a thing."
"We're soulmates, Thea," Oliver said. "You should know better than anyone else what that means."
"Oh, I know," Thea stated. "If I remember correctly, I was actually the one who called that you guys would end up being soulmates, and brother dear, that was before I even knew about the Dark World," she told him in a hissed whisper. Oliver recalled somewhere in the back of his mind the teasing conversations that Thea had shared with Tommy and Laurel. His younger sister had expressed her suspicions about him and Felicity essentially belonging together long before Oliver had even admitted that he felt something for the blonde. She had teased him about his and Felicity's future wedding and now, the mere thought of that being a possible future for them made his chest warm.
"I know," Oliver finally said, not wanting to lose himself in his thoughts again. He and Felicity were already soulmates, so getting married could wait… If that was even something that Felicity wanted with him. Oliver shook his head, knowing that he needed to focus. "I just miss my girlfriend," he said, instantly cringing at the word.
"What was that face?" Thea questioned.
"I don't know," he said. "I guess it just feels wrong to call Felicity my 'girlfriend' when she's-"
"So much more?" Thea suggested as she interrupted him. Oliver nodded slowly, glad that his sister got what he was trying to say. "Yeah," Thea said with a nod. "I understand perfectly well, big brother." She patted him lightly on the chest before they made their way to the car. They had to get back to the Foundry to check up on how things were progressing with the cure. Oliver couldn't wait until everything with Slade was dealt with so that they could all just move on with their lives.
-§-
Two days later, Oliver returned to the Foundry after a long patrol. Diggle and Roy were still out, although he knew that they would most likely go home once they finished. Since Barry's arrival, they all decided to not crowd the witch too much in the Foundry, but Oliver had to get changed and then get Felicity home. She had been in the Foundry day and night and the few hours of sleep that she got at home, Oliver watched her as she slept, feeling her inner turmoil and stress. There had been too many times that she had woken him up, whimpering as her memories of captivity slowly made themselves clearer. Oliver wished he could take away her pain, but the only thing he could do was hold her throughout the night and try to get some rest himself.
When he made his way down the stairs, he was surprised to find the lair quiet. Frowning, he removed his hood and looked over to the small lab that they had set up for Barry. The younger man was sitting at the desk, eyes covered with safety goggles as he mixed some red substances, scribbling down messy notes every few seconds. Oliver turned his attention to the other corner, the pull strong as his eyes settled on Felicity's sleeping form. She was resting on the cot that she had slept on when she had first joined the team. Oliver made his way over to her slowly, smiling at the way that she had curled up in a fetal position. Her lips were parted and she was snoring lightly. Oliver knew she was exhausted so he didn't want to disturb her. Instead, he pulled the blanket higher up her shoulders. He paused momentarily when he realized she was wearing one of his t-shirts. In her sleep, Felicity mumbled something that sounded a lot like his name before snuggling into the warmth of the blanket. Oliver brushed the back of his fingers against her soft cheek and then sighed, pulling back.
After changing out of his leather suit, Oliver made his way over to Barry, wanting to see how things were going for the scientist. Barry clearly noticed him, but didn't say anything as he shook one of the vials he was holding. Using a pipette, he put one drop of the liquid on a small glass square. He secured another glass over it and then turned around to look at Oliver.
"How was it out there tonight?" Barry asked, looking genuinely curious.
"Not too much movement," Oliver said. "It worries me… Makes me feel as if something is coming."
"It might not help much, but I believe that you guys will get through this," Barry told him. "I mean, you're a hunter, you have two hybrids on your team and John might not be a supernatural being, but those arms look like they could crush a boulder. Then there's Tommy and Thea, Felicity's trained tech-support… You've got this handled, trust me."
"Slade has an army of hybrids," Oliver reminded him. "Even if we have a powerful team, we're outnumbered."
Barry drew in a small breath, "You are...not very optimistic."
"Just stating facts," Oliver sighed. "I know we'll beat him."
"Good," Barry said, smiling.
A moment of silence passed until Oliver cleared his throat. "So, how's it going here? Any breakthroughs?"
"I don't really know," Barry admitted, scratching his head. "I've tried changing out one of the components that I tried last night, but I'll have to check how the blood-cells in the sample react to the new formula."
Oliver nodded slowly, knowing that all this work was without a doubt taking its toll on Barry as well. The man looked tired and Oliver knew that he probably wasn't sleeping very well either. "Hey, I… I think I should apologize again for the way that I acted last time you were here," Oliver said. He put his hands in his pockets and waited for Barry to say something, but at first, the man just chuckled.
"It's understandable," Barry told him. "Now that I know about you and Felicity- Which I totally saw coming, by the way,- it's no wonder that you were so pissed. I was flirting with your soulmate, after all." Oliver raised his eyebrow at Barry, silently questioning just how much the younger man knew about his relationship with his mate. "Felicity summed it all up pretty quickly after I got here," Barry said. "We've had some time to kill while you've been at Queen Consolidated and you know how she can babble."
"I'm glad she has you as a friend," Oliver told him and he honestly meant it. It was good that Felicity had people to talk about besides him. Sure, they shared everything with one another, but just like he sometimes needed his sister to discuss some matters with, he knew that Felicity needed someone like Barry. Yes, Diggle was normally their confidant, although Barry had an optimism about him that was contagious. They could all use some of that, especially now.
"I'm glad to have her," Barry admitted. "I mean, when she first told me her suspicions about what I am… It made sense, but inside, I was freaking out. When I returned home to Central City, I struggled a lot to come to terms with who and what I am. Felicity was there for me whenever I called her in a panic, wanting to just give up on learning how to use my magic. She encouraged me and supported me. Her words were the push that I ultimately needed in order to embrace my powers and use them to do some good in the city."
Pride welled inside of Oliver as he listened to Barry talk about Felicity and the way that she had helped him. The woman was incredible on so many levels and Oliver was the luckiest man in the world to be able to call her his.
"I think we can all use another person helping to make the world a better place," Oliver said, trying to make it clear that he had Barry's back. In return, Barry smiled, tipping his head forward in a curt nod. "But," Oliver started, eyes glinting with mischief, "if you ever think about kissing her again, an arrow up your ass would be the least of your concerns."
Barry's face fell and his eyes widened. Oliver managed to hold off from chuckling for just a few seconds, but as soon as his smile broke out, Barry grinned back at him. Oliver patted him on the shoulder and then, the urge to turn around washed over him. He felt her presence before she said his name. Oliver looked over his shoulder and his eyes settled on Felicity who sat up in the cot, running her hand through her messy hair.
"Oliver?"
He breathed out slowly and made his way over to her. Felicity smiled at him, clearly happy to see him. Her arms lifted and Oliver crouched down in front of her. Instantly, her arms wrapped around him in a tight hug.
"Is everything okay?" she wondered, voice still sleepy. He wished he could just take her away and keep her safe; he wished she didn't have to go through everything that she was going through.
"Everything is good," Oliver told her, his lips finding the skin at the base of her throat. He pressed a light kiss there and breathed her in. Her grip on him tightened and she nuzzled against him.
"Hey, guys?" Barry suddenly spoke up, sounding a bit distracted. "Holy crap!" he exclaimed, making Oliver pull back from Felicity. They were both instantly on alert as they looked over at their friend. "Shit, I figured it out!"
-§-
Felicity bit down on the pad of her thumb as Barry explained how the blood-cells in this latest sample had changed when they had reacted with the substance he had created. The cells had at first slowed their splitting and then Barry had clearly observed the new splittings looking different from the hybrid-gene carrying ones. The moment Barry had made his announcement, they had called in the rest of the team. This time around, Thea and Tommy were there too because they knew that with this possible breakthrough, they all needed to be present.
There were so much science involved and for a moment, Felicity lost focus as she thought of what this might mean. If they had a cure for the mirakuru, they could reverse the powers that Slade had given all those wolves. They could turn them back into simple werewolves, who would without a doubt be weakened and easily apprehended. This could be their turning point.
"How do we know for sure if it works?" Thea wondered once Barry finished explaining how he had created the possible antidote.
"We'll have to try it, of course," Barry said. "I've written down the components, so I should be able to create more of it when I return to S.T.A.R. Labs in Central City. The moment I have enough, I'll teleport them back here myself."
"Okay, so we have to test the thing," Diggle said. "How long would it take for us to find a hybrid in the city who might have been turned by Slade?"
"We don't need to find anyone," Felicity stated. "Both Roy and I were turned by the mirakuru…"
"Actually, we know for sure that you were turned by an early version of the serum," Tommy pointed out. "Now, I'm not sure what that means, but I'm assuming that Barry created the antidote to fit this final version of the drug, right?"
Felicity looked over at Barry who confirmed it with a nod. Okay, so that meant that she couldn't try the possible antidote herself.
"I'll do it," Roy stepped up immediately.
"Roy, you don't have to do this," Felicity said, looking at her beta. She could feel his need to help and she didn't want him to do something that he might regret later.
"I'm not going to change my mind, Felicity," Roy told her, most likely sensing her reluctance. "If this cure works, I want to take it. I never wanted to be a hybrid… I never wanted to struggle with the bloodlust. It's still new for me and I could get better, but I want to be a wolf. It's the right thing to do."
"What are the risks with this thing?" Thea wondered, her hand reaching out for Roy's. Felicity watched as the younger Queen sibling laced her fingers with her mate, showing him that she was supporting him.
"I...don't know," Barry admitted. "The worst thing that can happen is that his blood clots or rejects the serum. You might get weakened momentarily, but considering that you're a hybrid, you should be fine with almost anything if you get enough rest."
"And if it works?" Oliver pressed.
"Then Roy would just go back to being a werewolf once the normal cells get the hybrid-gene out and his immune system kicks in," Barry explained.
Silence filled the room again. Felicity crossed her arms, averting her eyes momentarily from Barry and the vial he was holding. Could this be it? Could this be a working cure against hybrids? She felt Oliver shifting next to her and she knew what must be going through his mind as well. They were all worried about the results. If the cure worked, then they had a chance to become equal to Slade. He hadn't been a supernatural being before he was injected with mirakuru. Essentially, that meant that once injected with the cure, he would become human once again. Of course, the man had had military training and Oliver had shared stories about how he had trained with him on Lian Yu. That meant that Slade would still be a skilled fighter.
"I'll do it," Roy repeated. Felicity looked up at him and he nodded at her. He knew what he was doing; he knew the risks, and he was willing to take them. "I'll do it."
Together, they set everything up. Barry prepared the shot while Tommy and Diggle made sure that Roy was securely strapped to the medical table. Thea sat next to Roy, holding his hand as she leaned in close to whisper in his ear. Felicity wasn't listening in, but she could see that the younger Queen sibling's voice was calming the young man. Oliver was hovering nearby, holding another vial containing the sedative that they had used to control Roy the last time when he had nearly lost it. There was no way to know what the instant reaction to the cure would be, but they had to make sure that everyone else in the Foundry was safe. Felicity bit her lip as she walked over to Roy. He was sweating slightly and she reached down, putting her cool hand on his forehead.
"You'll be okay," she said, not knowing whether she was trying to assure him or herself.
Roy breathed out through his nose, huffing as he blinked up at her. "I hate needles," he told her.
"Me too," Felicity said, not being able to keep her lips from twitching up into a small smile. Leave it to Roy to try and make the situation a bit easier by joking about his fear of needles.
"Ready, Roy?" Barry wondered, walking up to the medical table. Felicity kept her hand on Roy's forehead and Thea remained by her mate's side, holding his hand. Oliver walked up to stand behind Felicity and just feeling him standing there made her breathe a little easier. His support washed over her and she inhaled deeply, calming as Barry waited for Roy's reply.
"As ready as I'll ever be," Roy said, jaw clenching.
Barry nodded, cleaning Roy's skin at his shoulder with an antiseptic wipe. Roy looked up at Felicity, swallowing thickly and she tried to smile at him, offering him her support. He took a shaky breath and then glanced to Thea, locking eyes with her. Felicity could feel the love radiating from them both. She didn't step away though, not even when Barry finally pierced Roy's skin with the needle and injected him with the substance.
A beat passed. A second and then another.
Roy's eyes widened for a moment as he let out a low gasp. Felicity focused on listening to his breathing that momentarily stuttered. His heart was still beating, although a bit faster. Then, his eyes slowly fluttered shut.
Felicity lifted her hand from Roy's forehead, taking a small step back from the medical table. She looked at the heart monitor that they had connected him to. His heartbeat was steady. Felicity felt Oliver's warm hand wrap around her elbow and he gently tugged her back, into his chest. She tried to keep herself calm as she waited patiently, eyes darting from Roy's sleeping form to the monitor and back again. Thea was still holding his hand, her head coming to rest next to his as she started whispering into his ear.
"I'm here. You're going to be okay. I love you."
A few more seconds passed and finally, finally, Roy's eyes started opening again. Felicity took a step forward instantly, not sure what to expect. For a moment, she was preparing herself to speed around the table and pull Thea back, but Roy remained calm on the table, blinking a few times. His irises were golden, but there were no blackened veins around his eyes, or fangs extracting. Felicity sniffed the air, a move that made Oliver's grip on her elbow tighten and she was shocked when she realized that there was a different scent coming from Roy.
"It… It worked," she said, eyes widening as she turned to look at Oliver. He instantly let go of her and she hurried up to the table where Roy remained perfectly still. She leaned down, pressing her nose against his chest as she took another deep breath. "It's working," she said. "Your old scent… The wolf-scent is returning."
"I can feel it," Roy said, swallowing as he breathed out a shaky breath, eyes filling with tears. "It's like a tingling feeling in my entire body. I can't explain it…"
"It's the cure isolating the hybrid-gene," Barry smiled. "It really is working."
Felicity turned to look at Oliver again, a look of wonder on his face. He met her gaze and she saw something flash in his eyes; something that she wasn't quite able to catch. She would have to talk to him when they were alone, but this was a breakthrough. They had something that Slade didn't know about. They had a cure and that meant that they might be able to finally get ahead of Slade and his devious plans.
Felicity couldn't help the hopeful smile that broke out on her face. She knew it was too soon to know for sure how things would end. Slade had had years to set his plans in motion after all… But she knew that as long as they fought together, they would be able to defeat him. There were still things nagging inside of her, like the memories that had been coming back to her stronger than before. She had to talk to Oliver about them, but for now, she simply stepped into his arms, needing to feel his warmth.
Oliver didn't miss a beat, his arms and scent instantly surrounding her.
Note: So, Barry is a cockblock and Roy was cured. No, it was never my intention to keep Roy a hybrid for long, but if you have any other questions in regards to that part, feel free to ask them. I suppose this chapter was kind of slow too (and a bit shorter), but I promise you guys that with the chapters that are coming up (I am writing them now!), you're going to be grateful for the slow pace of these past two.
Also, about the Q&A for Hunted. After chapter 32 has been posted (the next one which I am currently working on) I will be accepting questions on Twitter (Sugar_Pepper666) and Tumblr (author123456). It can be anything related to this fic; thoughts and questions you've had and whatever else. It can also be general things about my thoughts on something regarding Olicity. When I've gathered the questions, I'll most likely end up making a video of myself answering them, unless you guys want me to post a MAJOR and elaborate Q&A post on Tumblr? Thoughts? :) If, however, you have burning questions that need answering regarding this particular chapter, feel free to comment and I'll get back to you as soon as I can! :) You guys can always find me on Tumblr and Twitter.
Thank you so much for reading and supporting this story and me. You guys have no idea how much it means to me. Lots of love for all of you. Stay safe. Until next time. xx
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