Note: Hey guys! I'm back with yet another update and this one is massive. Okay, perhaps not a record in length, but definitely when it comes to revelations and plot twists. Also, I want to say that this is sort of the climax of the story, where the big battle finally comes to head. After this, chapter 34 will be the final chapter but it will be followed by an epilogue, which can technically also be viewed as a chapter. Either way, let's focus on this one first and let me tell you something IMPORTANT:
In this chapter, there is an implication for dubious consent in a sexual situation. There's some confusion regarding the matter and things are unclear as to what actually occurred between the two characters involved. That's why I'm issuing a TRIGGER WARNING just to be safe. The issue will be discussed in the next chapter, once the dust sort of settles.
Now, please enjoy the chapter! :) xx
Chapter 33: The Place Where All Ends Meet
The phone call came just a few days later. In truth, it wasn't so much a phone call, as it was a city-wide broadcast. Oliver and Felicity were in Felicity's apartment (which was honestly more theirs now than anything), getting ready for dinner when the lights started flickering. It wasn't even that late yet, but the skies had already started to darken. Felicity had her laptop on, playing light music while Oliver cooked for them. Everything was perfect, until it wasn't.
Oliver looked up at the ceiling, frowning as the light bulb darkened and then turned brighter again. There was something off with the power. He looked over at Felicity, who pulled her robe tighter around herself as she stood up from the chair she had been seated in. She took a few steps toward him, looking up at the peculiar lamp. The bulb burned brighter and brighter and Oliver saw Felicity's eyes widen for the fraction of a second. Instinct, whether it was his own or hers that had channeled over to him through their mate-bond, coursed through him. Oliver grabbed her, pulling her close and shielding her face just before the power in the lamp became too strong for the bulb. The glass shattered into a million pieces, raining over their kitchen floor, smoke coming out of whatever that was left of it. Oliver glanced down at Felicity, his silent question clear.
"I'm okay," Felicity confirmed, but a moment later, she turned her attention to her computer. "Good thing this baby wasn't plugged in, or it might have gotten fried too."
"What happened?" Oliver asked, wanting to get to the bottom of things. He turned off the stove and removed the pan he had been preparing the food in. Suddenly, he had lost his appetite and he was certain that Felicity wasn't particularly hungry either.
"Seems to be something wrong with the power," Felicity said. "The current in the sockets seems a bit stronger than it usually is… Which is probably why the light bulb exploded."
Oliver stepped around the broken glass and made his way to Felicity's computer. Lifting the thing, he handed it over to Felicity, who immediately started typing. A minute later, a frown fell upon her face.
"The power plant is having some issues distributing the power throughout the city," she said. "I hacked into their mainframe, but there must be a manual switch that has been used because I can't do anything from here to stabilize it."
Oliver looked at her, his gut telling him that there was more to it. "Let's go to the living room and turn on the TV," he suggested. Felicity nodded and together they made their way out of the kitchen. Felicity turned on the television and sat down on the couch, switching to the news channel. The anchor was describing the sudden power surge that had taken out the power in half of Starling City, most specifically in the Glades and nearby areas.
"We have a backup generator in the Foundry. I'll text Diggle and tell him to get down there," Oliver said, searching his pocket for his phone. Just as he fished it out, a text message from an unknown number appeared on his screen. At the same time, Felicity's phone let out a sound as well as her computer, indicating that she had a new message. Oliver turned his attention to his mate and saw that she was already clicking the link that had been sent to her. There was determination on her face as well as something else; worry, he recognized.
A live-stream started rolling on the computer screen the moment that the news channel on the TV was hacked as well. The same stream was being broadcast on the TV as on the computer. Oliver looked at the bigger screen, reaching for the remote. He turned the volume up as a masked man stepped out in front of the camera.
"Citizens of Starling City," the man said. Instantly, the hairs on Oliver's arms rose because he knew that voice. "I have a message for you all. At midnight tonight, an army of men and women unlike any you have ever seen before will march on the city. They will tear this city apart along with everyone who stands in their way. Those of you who witness the devastation and the truth that the corrupted chairmen of this city have been trying to keep from you, will most likely go mad. The Dark World is at your doorstep, just waiting to be let in."
Oliver's stomach churned at Slade's words. He didn't need to see his old mentor's face to know that he was hiding behind the mask. The mask also held a lot of resemblance to the mask Slade had worn when they had been stranded on Lian Yu together. The colors were the same and the design as well.
"Tonight, the future of Starling City will be determined. You have five hours until midnight, so prepare yourselves… And also, a special message to the Arrow…" Slade continued. "You can find the Master at the Starling City power plant. Only you and your lovely blonde friend will be let through the doors. Come alone an hour before the attack, and you might be able to stop it. If we see any policemen outside of the gates, they will be taken down. If we see any civilians outside of the gates, they will be taken down. Only the Arrow and the White Wolf are allowed inside," Slade said, the anger dripping in his voice. Oliver could see his eye through the mask. The way it flickered from red to yellow due to his barely controlled emotions. "The day of judgment is upon you, Arrow. I will be waiting for you and your sweet love. I'll serve her head up on a silver plate while my men tear the city you love apart. You and the rest of this wretched city will finally get what they deserve. I'll have you watch while everything you hold dear falls into darkness, and it isn't until then, that I'll kill you too."
The stream cut off.
Oliver breathed heavily as he stared at the news anchor who was sitting dumbfoundedly, staring with an open mouth at the screen she probably had in front of her. Slade was coming; he had made the first move. The madman had given them his location as well as his entire plan, removing the element of surprise completely. Why had he done that? There must be more to it. It couldn't be as simple as him and Felicity walking into the power plant and beating Slade in order to stop the siege.
He was torn from his thoughts when Felicity's warm hand covered his. Lifting his head, he looked into her eyes, swallowing thickly as he saw the raw emotion in hers.
"We have to get to the Foundry," she told him, her voice quiet. Oliver could tell that she was trying to be rational about it, but her fears were shining through. With the close call that he had had and the two of them having gotten a sense of what it would feel like to lose one another… Oliver understood what she was afraid of. He raised her hand to his mouth, kissing the soft skin of her palm.
"I'll get the others to meet us there," he said, raising himself up from the couch that he must have absentmindedly sunken down on while watching Slade on the TV. Felicity stood up as well, but before he could reach for his phone again to send a message to the rest of their team, Felicity threw her arms around his neck. She stood on her tiptoes and Oliver wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, holding her close. Felicity pressed her nose into the crook of his neck and he felt her take a harsh breath against his skin.
"I love you," she whispered. "I love you, I love you, I love you." A tear fell from her eye, onto his shoulder. Oliver held her even tighter against him, burying his nose in her hair. His hand made contact with her shoulder blades, making sure that he could feel her heart beating against his own chest.
"I love you," he returned, his own voice full of emotions. "We will beat him, Felicity. I know we will."
"I know," she said. "I've told you before: I believe in us, in you. I just-" she cut herself off and pulled back slightly. Her hands raised to cup his cheeks as she made him look at her, meet her eyes. "I just want you to know. Slade will play games, I know he will. He will try to tear us apart to make us easier targets. Whatever he says, whatever he tries to convince you of… Know that you are mine just as much as I am yours. Know that I love you and that you love me."
"Felicity," Oliver sighed, pressing his lips against hers. The kiss wasn't more than his lips touching hers. There was no teeth clashing, or lip biting or tongues moving against one another. Just his mouth pressed to hers, but it was enough. He pulled away, running his fingers through her blonde locks, searching her eyes and seeing that his message had been conveyed through their bond. "No matter what he tries, there is nothing he can do to make me doubt what we have."
-§-
"It's a trap," Roy said, crossing his arms as they all stood around Felicity. "I say, screw what Slade says and stay to protect the people."
"Roy," Felicity sighed, rubbing her temple. "If Oliver and I go, we might be able to stop him before his hybrid even start their attack."
"If he has them compelled, they might still act out their orders," Roy argued. "Either way, not all of the hybrids are innocents."
"Yeah, there must be some rotten eggs in that basket," Barry interjected, spinning in his chair. Felicity noted how Oliver shot him a look from where he stood leaning against one of the pillars in the Foundry. The moment they had sent Barry a message, he had teleported to the Foundry. While he was a welcome ally, Felicity knew that there was still something lingering there between the scientist and Oliver. Sure, they were friends, but Felicity had still felt the tinge of something coming from Oliver when Barry had gone to embrace her the moment he had arrived.
"We know all of that, which is why we're going to be using the cure laced with tranquilizers," Felicity said. "Task Force X and Nyssa's team of League members will take out as many hybrids as they can. Detective Lance has taken over command of the police force and they will be rounding up the hybrids as fast as they can once they're cured. Of course, then they'll no longer be hybrids, exactly, but you get the point."
"I'll be fighting alongside Lyla and her division," Diggle said. "I'll make sure that Task Force X is doing what they've been told to do as well."
"And I'll be out there too," Sara confirmed, looking toward Nyssa who nodded curtly. Felicity looked at the other blonde. Ever since revealing to her father that she was alive, Sara seemed to be a lot lighter. With Laurel out of town, she didn't have to worry about the safety of her sister either, which was a plus. Now that the detective knew about her, she could fight by her father's side too, knowing that he would have her back no matter what. It was a nice change to see and Felicity only hoped that once this was all over, that Sara too could find some peace.
"Listen," Felicity said. "We have approximately three and a half hours to decide how we're going to play this before Slade's army comes knocking. Oliver and I will be going to the power plant, there's no question about that. We'll both have several vials of the cure with us and if one of us has an opening, we'll inject Slade. You guys will help the police barricade the city and help with the evacuations."
"Felicity, you can't just expect me to accept the fact that you're going into the lion's den," Roy said. "It took everything in me to let Thea leave and I did that knowing that she would be safer out of town than here. You will be facing Slade and I can't lose my family again!"
"Roy," Felicity said, standing up from her seat. She walked up to the younger man and put her hand on his shoulder. "You won't lose me. You won't lose any of us. We will beat these guys, trust me."
Roy breathed heavily, staring into her eyes, but she could feel him calming down. It was a full moon out tonight, which was most likely why Slade had chosen this night to attack. The full moon would only serve to make the hybrids stronger. The ones who had been blood wolves before being turned would only become more violent, which meant they would be even deadlier than they normally are. Roy was clearly feeling the effects of the moon as well, but fortunately, he was able to control his wolf a lot better now that he was no longer a hybrid. He was in touch with his emotions, even though Felicity knew that he was hurting because he wouldn't be able to stay near her. With his mate out of town too, he was most likely restless as well.
"Okay," he finally said, nodding shortly. "Okay."
"Hm… I'm guessing that I will be monitoring from the here then, right?" Tommy spoke up, breaking the tense silence that had followed Roy's agreement. "I'll be on the comms, making sure that there's a secure link between you guys."
"Yes," Felicity confirmed. "You'll stay here, where you'll be safe too. I've upped the security systems, which means there's no way for Slade's men to break in here even if they tried. Hopefully, they won't get close enough to do so."
"Well then, Ms. Smoak," Tommy said, cracking his knuckles. "We have nothing else to do but wait for the deadline."
Felicity looked at Oliver, who had clearly been watching her take charge of his team. She could feel the pride radiating inside of him and she knew that they were on the same side when it came to their plan. It had always been about saving the innocent lives in Starling City. It was time for them to do just that.
-§-
Felicity zipped up the black jacket. Pulling her hair back from her face and tying it up, she let out a slow breath. Breathing in again through her nose in order to calm herself down, she looked at the timer on her phone. She and Oliver needed to leave soon if they were going to get to the power plant in time. The others had already left the Foundry, taking their positions with their respective teams all around the city. Quentin had made sure that the police helped with the evacuations from the Glades. They were all working as fast as they could to make the deadline before the hybrids attacked, but Felicity knew it was futile. All she could do was hope that they would make it through.
A knock on the door brought her out of her thoughts. Felicity shook her head at herself and opened the bathroom door. Oliver stood on the other side, wearing his Arrow suit. She took him in for a moment and then proceeded to step into his arms. The need she felt for him was unbelievable, but she knew that tomorrow morning, the fate of their city and their lives would be set. She had faith in them.
"I'm sorry to interrupt your moment, but I think you guys need to get to the plant," Tommy spoke up from behind the computer screens that hid him from their view.
Felicity snorted into Oliver's neck, although she kept her grip on him firm. "Trying to get rid of us, Tommy?" she wondered.
"Considering that you have to get to Slade in order to save the city, yes," Tommy deadpanned. "However, if you want to continue with the PDA, feel free to do so for another minute while I throw up into this paper bag that I'm pretty sure contained donuts at some point."
Oliver and Felicity pulled apart and looked at one another before turning toward Tommy, who blinked a couple of times, staring blankly straight ahead. He stood up abruptly from his chair and held his hands up and away from the computers. "Damn it! I knew the babbling was contagious," he said shaking his head. Tommy looked over at them and laughter bubbled up inside of Felicity. She couldn't help the giggle that fell from her lips and Oliver held her just a bit tighter. Felicity felt him shaking a bit, as if he too was chuckling low beneath his breath. She looked over at Tommy, tears in her eyes as her heart swelled with gratitude for the man who had made her laugh when she had no lightness inside of her.
"You are an incredible man, Thomas Merlyn," she told him.
Tommy smiled before taking his seat at the desk again. "Thanks," he said. "Now if the two of you will get on with it, I think we have a bad guy to stop."
-§-
Oliver drove them to the power plant on his Ducati. He had made sure that Felicity held on tight the whole way, glad to keep her close for as long as he could. Once they got to the plant, they wouldn't have time to seek comfort in one another. Oliver wasn't entirely sure how it was possible, but his head felt as if it was at a hundred places at the same time as it was focused solely on their task. In a way, he supposed that it was related. If they didn't manage to beat Slade, if they failed their mission, he could already imagine the devastation that would follow.
Shaking his head lightly, he breathed in slowly. He couldn't allow himself to think about those things. He couldn't afford to lose his head over things that might never happen.
He stopped a couple of hundred yards away from the fences. It was a remote enough area outside of the city, but Oliver knew that if they needed to get out, it was better to have the bike at a safe distance from those who might try to sabotage it. After getting off his bike, he helped Felicity down. They took a moment to breathe in the air around them and he could tell from Felicity's tense shoulders that she was nervous and worried.
Together they made their way down to the plant. Oliver had his bow out and ready, even though he was certain that Slade had made sure there would be no one standing in their way. They reached the fence, and sure enough, the gates were wide open. There didn't seem to be a living soul in the place. The lights were off though and Oliver could feel that someone was watching them. Felicity nudged him and he glanced at her. She lowered her head in a small nod to the left and Oliver looked up, noticing the small, red, blinking dot in the corner. They were being watched, through the security cameras.
Oliver and Felicity made their way inside. Felicity's eyes turned to gold as she took in their surroundings. Oliver waited for her as she inhaled deeply, trying to get a sense of who had been walking down these hallways.
"I only recognize Slade's scent," Felicity frowned. "It's strange, but it feels as if someone has been trying to make sure I won't sense anything but him… There are probably others here though, waiting to ambush us."
Oliver nodded, taking the information in. He prepared himself, nocking an arrow. "We can do this," he told her, his voice low.
"Famous last words," a rough voice spoke up. Oliver looked up as a large man stepped out in their way, followed by two slim women. Their eyes were glowing red and he recognized the sight of blood wolves immediately.
"Get out of our way," Oliver said. "Your Master-"
"Told us to go and play," one of the women purred, eyes lighting up at the mere thought of it. She giggled and looked at the other female wolf who looked equally amused.
"Ladies, ladies, ladies," the man said. "There's enough to go around for all of us… As long as I get a bite out of the White Wolf."
"Oh, but I want one too!" the female who had spoken before said. "I really like it when they're confident they can beat us."
Oliver saw Felicity take a step forward from the corner of his eye. He saw her bring up her fists and stand in a fighting position. Mentally, Oliver went over all the weapons he had and the extra tranquilizers he and Felicity had brought. They would surely have enough.
"Arrow," Felicity said next to him, and all of the sudden, she growled. Oliver took the cue, shooting an arrow straight into the male wolf's shoulder. The creature howled in anger while the two females hissed, attacking Felicity in an instant. Oliver's heart pounded wildly in his chest as he watched his mate run for the women, bringing out two white oak daggers that she had acquired from Nyssa.
"White daggers to keep you safe, little wolf," the assassin had said when she handed the weapons over to Felicity. The blonde had been hesitant to accept them, but Oliver had been glad when she had done so with only a curt nod.
The sharpened wood sliced through the arm of one wolf and the burn that appeared on her skin confirmed that they too were hybrids. Oliver fired another arrow into the male wolf who had gotten closer to him, but the man deflected it.
"I will snap you in two, Hunter," the wolf growled, saliva dripping from his mouth as he somehow seemed to grow larger.
"He's turning!" Felicity yelled, her forearm around the throat of one of the females while she kept her foot on the other's throat. Oliver wasn't sure how she had managed to take them down so quickly, but he knew deep down that his mate had been training for this for months. Now, the two of them had something more to fight for, not only the future of their city. They were also fighting for their own future.
Oliver reached back into his quiver. He nocked one of the arrows containing the cure. A deep breath later, the arrow whizzed through the air, hitting the wolf who had been about to turn, straight in the chest. The needle pierced the wolf's shirt and skin, effectively injecting the cure into his body. Oliver watched as the creature staggered, his eyes widening as he took out the arrow. Oliver lowered his bow, taking in the way the monster in front of him convulsed, foam gathering at the mouth. The screams of the two female wolves brought him out of his daze, just long enough to focus on the way that the male one fell to his knees before toppling over in unconsciousness. Oliver turned to Felicity again and saw that she had injected the two other wolves with the cure and that they now too were unconscious.
"The tranquilizers won't wear off for hours," Felicity said. "Barry told me that the ones that we have with us have a higher dosage than the others."
"Why the violent reaction?" Oliver asked. "Roy didn't react this way when he was given the cure. I thought for a second that I had poisoned him." He nudged the wolf with his foot, but the man didn't move. Oliver could see his chest rising and falling though, so it was clear that he was still breathing at least.
"Roy was ready for the cure," Felicity said. "These wolves fought the serum, which is probably why it hurt them when they received it."
On some level, it made sense, so Oliver chose to accept Felicity's logic. He gestured with his head, "Let's get going. I'm sure Slade is waiting for us."
"If he's waited this long, he can wait five more seconds," Felicity said, walking up to him. She reached up and brought his head down for a quick kiss. "I love you," she whispered when she pulled away, eyes still half-lidded.
Oliver held her elbow, swallowing thickly as he nodded. "And I love you," he told her.
They started walking again, following the signs to the main operating room. Oliver figured that Slade would be there since it gave an overview of the entire power plant and the working area. Felicity kept her daggers in hand and Oliver walked beside her with his bow ready. They stepped into the room and Oliver couldn't say that he was surprised when he spotted Slade sitting in a chair in front of them. He looked just as intimidating as he had been that night in the mansion. Oliver could see the protective armor he wore clearly now. The color scheme was exactly the same as his mask on the Island had been. There were two swords secured to Slade's back as well, and some other weapons attached to his body.
"Took you long enough, kid," he said, his voice even. Oliver stared at the man who had once been his mentor and friend; he could hardly believe how far the man had fallen.
"We've met your deadline," Oliver said.
"Not that it will do you much good," Slade countered. "The hybrids are still just waiting for a sign from their Master. One signal and they attack."
"We've come to end this," Felicity said, taking a step toward the monster in the chair. Slade looked over at her, his eye normal, for once. The warm brown color was something that Oliver recognized, but he couldn't allow himself to forget that the man before him wasn't his friend.
"You made a mistake coming here, Ms. Smoak," Slade said. "You've both just signed your death warrant."
"No one has to die tonight," Oliver said loudly.
"The only way you can stop me, is if you kill me," Slade said. "I can't stop what I'm doing. I have a mission!" The man's brown eye glowed suddenly, shifting to the familiar yellow color that revealed a wolf's identity. It didn't take long for it to turn red though as an aggressive snarl fell from the man's mouth.
Oliver tightened his grip on the bow, releasing an arrow at his former friend the second he stood up from his seat. Slade started toward him, ignoring the arrow that sliced through his arm. Instead of hindering him, it only seemed to make him more furious. Oliver and Felicity jumped apart when Slade grabbed the chair he had been sitting in. He threw it toward them with such a strength that it broke through the door, tearing it from its hinges.
Felicity ran at Slade with her dagger high, but Slade raised a leg and successfully kicked her back. Oliver let another arrow go, this time successfully hitting Slade's knee. Just like the first arrow, this one didn't seem to bother Slade at all. Oliver realized that Slade seemed to have set his sights on Felicity who was getting up from the floor. Panic rose in his chest when Felicity stood up just as Slade reached her. The man grabbed her shoulders and swung her around, but before he could throw her against the wall, Felicity hooked her legs around him, letting her body weight drop so that he momentarily lost his balance. Slade howled and Oliver's eyes zeroed in on the white dagger sticking out of the man's gut. Pride welled inside of Oliver's chest for just a second before Slade pulled his arm back and punched Felicity in the face. Her cry of pain tore a sound from Oliver's mouth as he ran toward them. Slade reached behind his back, taking out one of the swords he had secured there. He swung toward Oliver at the same time that Oliver threw his own throwing knives at him. The knives clattered to the floor when Slade used the sword in his hand to deflect them.
Felicity's nose was bleeding and Slade held her by the throat. A smirk appeared on the man's face as he looked at Oliver. A second later, he pushed Felicity away from himself, through the large window.
"No!" Oliver screamed, running forward. Slade stepped away just as Oliver passed him, throwing himself out through the window after Felicity. Everything felt as if it slowed down as Oliver stared into Felicity's wide eyes. She was falling backward and he dove after her, already having shot one of his special arrows with the grappling hook. He grabbed her hand at the last second, slowing her fall down just enough so that she wouldn't be hurt. Somehow, he managed to twist them around just before he released the line. Oliver's back connected with the floor of the plant, knocking the breath out of him. Felicity laid on his chest and he could feel her heart beating loudly against his own. He could breathe, but Felicity slowly lifted her head from his chest. He could see the bruise blooming on her face, her lip was cracked open and her nose was still bleeding. It didn't seem like it was broken though.
Then, he heard the footsteps. Slade was descending the stairs slowly, as if he was giving them a chance to get up. Oliver's arms felt heavy though and he was still dizzy, even though it became a bit easier to breathe as Felicity rolled off of him. Oliver started to get up, reaching for his bow, but Slade kicked it away and then proceeded to kick Oliver in the ribs. Pain blossomed in his side and Oliver knew that something was broken.
"No," Felicity snarled, eyes golden as she stood. Her voice was strangled, but Oliver could see the determination in her eyes.
"You can't protect him," Slade said. "Just like he can't protect you from the Master's wrath. You will both die by my sword tonight. I can't stop now." Still weak from the fall, Felicity didn't stand a chance when Slade pushed her back. She connected with the wall and gasped in pain, falling to the side. Somehow, through the ringing in his ears and the dizziness, Oliver managed to find her eyes. The sheer pain that reflected in her blue ones made him determined to fight for her, just like she would fight for him. He struggled to get up, but once more, Slade's foot connected with his side. He held him down, pressing against the ribs and Oliver couldn't help the scream that tore from his throat. The pure agony made it difficult to breathe, but he turned his head and looked toward Felicity, only to see tears falling from her eyes as she held her own side. She could feel it all, he knew. Everything that he felt, she felt too. The blessing that was their soul bond suddenly felt like a curse and he wanted nothing more than to stop her from feeling the pain that radiated from him. The physical pain was nothing compared to how his heart was aching. His arm stretched out, his hand reaching for hers automatically as his vision began to blur. He could see Felicity as she started to crawl toward him.
"I have to do this," Slade said. "I have no choice. This is where it ends." The madman paused for a second and Oliver suddenly felt the pressure on his ribs lift slightly. "No," Slade snarled, eyes flashing. "You told me I had to do this! You planned this for years! I have to do this, you said so!"
Oliver blinked a couple of times, eyes finding focus on Slade as the older man lifted his leg from Oliver, grabbing onto his own head. What was happening?
"This was supposed to be my kill! You told me!" Slade continued to shout. It was as if he was speaking to someone who wasn't there; someone inside his head. "You said this was the only way to avenge Shado. You said this was the only way to make him pay!"
"Oliver," Felicity said, suddenly next to him. He felt her hand on his cheek, felt her tears fall from her eye and connect with his skin. He reached for her and she helped him sit up. Slowly, his breath came back to him and he clutched Felicity's hand tightly in his own. He looked at her, but she seemed just as confused as him when Slade suddenly dropped to his knees, just a couple of feet away from them. The madman lowered his head, as if he was being berated by someone.
"Yes, Master," they heard him whisper before he closed his eye, staying completely still.
This was their chance, Oliver thought. Slade was clearly crazy and something had been going on inside of his head. The monster wasn't moving and Oliver knew that they were close enough to inject him with the cure. He was still winded though, so he wasn't sure that his aim would be very good. Besides, something inside of him told him to wait a moment longer.
The next thing he knew, he heard footsteps from behind them. Turning his head at the same time as Felicity, he saw someone descending the metal stairs from another platform on the opposite side of the hall. The footsteps echoed through the vast space and Oliver only felt confusion rising inside of him as a cloaked person approached them. Slade's head was still lowered as the person walked past them and came to stand next to Slade. Oliver noticed how Slade's forehead crinkled, as if he was shutting his eye tighter. The person ran their hand through Slade's hair, as if petting him.
"You've done well," the person said, voice even, but distinctively female.
"Thank you, Master," Slade mumbled and Oliver felt Felicity's grip on his hand tighten. They had miscalculated. Something was wrong here. Slade was kneeling before someone else and it was clear that he was the submissive in the situation.
"I have no choice."
Slade's voice and choice of words echoed in Oliver's mind and all of the sudden, something became very clear: Slade was not the Master they had been looking for. He had only been a minion or a pawn in whatever larger game that this woman, whoever she was, had been playing.
"Who are you?" Felicity spoke first, her voice clear now. Oliver hoped it was because her hybrid powers had gotten enough time to help her heal.
"Don't you recognize me, Ms. Smoak?" the cloaked woman said, pulling back the hood. Oliver took in her face, but the confusion only grew larger.
"Abigail?" he frowned, not understanding anything now. The new housekeeper that his mother had gotten? What the hell was she doing? Who was she even?
"Oh, right," the woman said, a lazy smile on her face. "I've gotten so used to playing with faces that I just couldn't help myself this time either. I apologize for whatever confusion I may have caused."
The woman's face began to morph, her body changing too underneath the cloak. Oliver watched as the monster's real features began to take root; long dark hair and dark eyes, a slim figure with a straight posture that oozed confidence. Abigail was gone within seconds and in her place stood Isabel Rochev, the real Master.
-§-
Roy stood next to Sara the poorly lit streets of the Glades. Ever since Slade's message, the power had been turning on and off every five minutes. The sky was dark and it nearing midnight, which meant that Felicity and Oliver were already facing the madman who was leading the hybrid army. He was worried about his friends, especially his alpha. There were so many factors that could go wrong and he wished with every bone in his body that he could have stood by her side tonight. Still, he had a job to do and that was more important than anything else. His orders were set and his mission was to protect the citizens as well as help with the evacuations. It had been frustrating to learn that not many of the people in the Glades believed Slade's threat to be real. The police force, under Detective Lance's leadership, was doing their best to make sure that the citizens understood that they were in grave danger. Nyssa and her league members were staying hidden in the shadows, but Roy knew that they would appear as soon as the first hybrid reared its head. He could only hope that the cure would be as effective as they had tried to make it.
A scream echoed through the night, just as the streets once again fell into darkness. Roy listened carefully as he felt Sara tense next to him. Using his enhanced hearing, he heard the low sound of a growling noise.
"It's too early," Sara mumbled next to him. "We still have twenty minutes."
"They're here already," Roy told her. "We shouldn't have trusted Slade to keep his word." Roy prepared himself, standing straight as he felt the power of the moon shine down on him. It was full tonight and despite him being better at controlling himself, he knew that turning was inevitable. If he was going to fight monsters, he would have to become one too.
A low whistle sounded to his left and Roy shifted his attention to one of the alleys. Balling his hands together into fists, he prepared for whatever it was that was making a signal to him. Out of the shadows, a young woman about his age walked out. She approached him and Sara with her hands raised in surrender and Roy inhaled through his nose like Felicity had taught him. He had to know what kind of species the woman was.
Werewolf, he realized quickly, sensing that she wasn't a hybrid or anything else. Sara still stood prepared, but he motioned to her with a short shake of his head that they weren't in any danger, from what he could tell.
"You shouldn't be out here," Roy said, looking at the young woman. She had short black hair and dark clothing, making it easier for her to blend in the shadows.
"I am exactly where I'm supposed to be," the girl replied. She looked him over once and Roy was glad that he was wearing his red hoodie, hiding his face from her gaze. "Are you one of Hers?"
Roy frowned, not really understanding what the girl was getting at. "One of what?" he asked, making his confusion clear.
"One in Her pack? The White Wolf?" the woman clarified, looking almost desperate to know. "We've seen what she's done whenever she's been out on the streets. We know how she's been fighting the hybrids with the Arrow."
"Who is this 'we' you keep talking about?" Roy growled, wanting a straight answer. He was getting impatient because of the moon, but also because he could hear the hybrids approaching.
"We," the woman said, motioning with her hand as six others came forward from the shadows. "We don't have an alpha and since the Undertaking, we've been sleeping in shelters during the night… We taught ourselves how to control during the full moon, but we've stayed hidden because we knew other wolves were being taken. Now, we want to help."
"Well, if you want to help, you might want to speed up the introductions," Sara said. Roy turned around and looked toward the end of the street where around thirty masked men stood. Their eyes were glowing in the dark, a mixture of red and glowing yellow.
"Okay," Roy said, turning to the girl. "If you want to help, you can. I don't know you guys, but considering that you're not hybrids, I'm going to trust that you aren't trying to stab us in the back."
"We want to meet the White Wolf," the woman insisted. "After all of this is over, we want an alpha too."
"You'll have to take that up with her once we're done with those fuckers," Roy said, motioning toward the masked men.
"Sounds like a deal," the woman nodded, eyes glowing golden as a smile spread across her face. "My name is Sin."
"I'll tell you mine once we make it through this," Roy promised. "Now, stand behind us and prepare to fight for your lives."
-§-
Felicity stared at the brunette beauty in front of them. Isabel seemed calm as she continued to run her fingers through Slade's hair. Felicity sensed a shift in the man who was breathing heavily and still kneeling. All around them, she felt something akin to a thick fog; an ominous and powerful presence that demanded to be obeyed. Felicity wasn't sure whether her confusion or shock at the revelation of Isabel being the true mastermind behind the hybrid army was more prominent in her head.
"What the fuck is going on?" Oliver said through clenched teeth, speaking the words that Felicity had been thinking ever since Abigail's face had morphed into Isabels.
Isabel's lazy smile remained plastered on her face as she turned her attention to Oliver, her eyes glowing red for a brief moment. "I understand that this is confusing for the two of you," she stated, "but soon enough things will clear up." Felicity noticed how the woman tightened her grip on Slade's hair, making the grown man flinch. Isabel released him, but Slade remained kneeling. "My hybrids are out there already, fighting your friends and loved ones, I'm sure," she mused, walking slowly around them. Felicity moved a little closer to Oliver, but just barely, so that Isabel wouldn't notice.
"We had until midnight," Oliver stated, making Isabel laugh.
"Did you honestly think that my little pets would want to wait? Half of them were blood wolves and lethalis shifters before they were reborn as hybrids. They hunger for blood, unlike any other creatures," she said, smile still in place.
"Why?" Felicity managed to bite out, feeling anger well inside of her. She didn't understand and she wanted to. Nothing could have prepared her for this. She had thought that she had had things figured out, but apparently, she had been wrong all along. Of course, there was the fact that she had never particularly liked Isabel, even before Russia. However, Felicity didn't know how Isabel had been able to hide the fact that she was, in fact, a Dark One. Even that night in the mansion, when she had been in disguise as the new maid, Felicity hadn't sensed that she had any connection to the Dark World.
"Do I need a reason?" Isabel countered, raising an eyebrow. "What other reason is there, other than absolute and complete power?" Once again, her eyes flared to life, glowing red before returning to normal. "You see, Ms. Smoak, I've had power in my blood since the moment I was born… I am a true hybrid."
Felicity could feel Oliver's gaze turn to her, but she continued to stare at Isabel. "What exactly does that mean?" she asked.
"How silly of me," Isabel sneered. "I just remembered that you haven't been a part of our world for long. You haven't grown up with the stories of what true hybrids are." Slowly, Isabel walked up to them so that she could lean down, a little closer to Felicity. "I was born a natural cross between lethalis shapeshifter and a lamia vampire. It gave me the immortality and strength of a vampire but also the abilities of a shapeshifter. I never knew my parents, but I didn't need them. I was taken in by an exiled witch and she raised me, teaching me all about the ancient legends and my heritage."
Felicity listened intently, knowing that Oliver was doing the same. "What does this have to do with us? Why attack Starling City?" she demanded to know, anger breaking through her calm facade.
"Because when I was young and impressionable, I came across a man in this city who became my lover," Isabel snarled back. Her eyes momentarily flickered to Oliver before returning to glare at Felicity. "I wanted him to be mine, but he already had a family. He chose them over me, and I left this city, vowing that I would come back and destroy it once I had the means to."
"My… My father," Oliver realized and Felicity turned to him in surprise. "It must have been. Why would you otherwise have targeted Queen Consolidated and my family? Unless that part has to do with Slade and where he fits into this plan of yours."
"You're smarter than you make yourself out to be, Oliver," Isabel said. "Yes, your father wronged me, but it wasn't until I revealed to him that I wanted to become the most powerful creature in the world."
"He knew you were a Dark One," Felicity stated.
"He knew, but he wanted no part in me destroying the world… Apparently, he didn't see the appeal of ruling over everything and everyone," Isabel shared. "When he left me, I traveled east. There, I met Dr. Anthony Ivo, who I'm sure you've heard of before, Oliver."
"He created the mirakuru," Oliver said. Felicity could sense that things were finally beginning to fall into place for him.
"Out of my blood," Isabel grinned. "I wanted more hybrids, but I didn't want them to be like me. So I kidnapped the woman who raised me and after she helped create the first few vials, I killed her so that no one else would learn how to recreate the serum. I couldn't have anyone competing with me, could I?" She waved a hand around, as if dismissing the mere thought of it; as if killing the one person who had raised her, hadn't bothered her at all. "I wasn't there though, on the freighter when you and Slade confronted Ivo. I wasn't there when you took the mirakuru and injected Slade with it. I was in Russia, moving up the ranks in the secret communities."
"Slade was turned into a hybrid by the mirakuru, but he was a normal human before that, wasn't he?" Felicity questioned. "That means that the original mirakuru…" she trailed off momentarily. "People died, right? While Ivo worked on the mirakuru, they people he tried it on, they died."
"They couldn't take in the power of my blood, but Slade here," Isabel said, once again resting her hand on Slade's head, "he could. I assume that he must have had the dormant gene of a werewolf, but either way, he became the first and only carrier of my mirakuru," she explained.
"You're his sire," Felicity said, eyes narrowing. "So you have been using him, all this time."
"The rage he felt toward Oliver when he first turned was real," Isabel said. "However, with time, he would have eventually gotten control of his emotions. When Oliver thought he had killed him on the island, Slade woke up feeling a pull for his sire. He swam across the ocean, let the waves and the powers of nature tear his flesh from him, right down to his bones… All so that he could get to me." Isabel seemed so smug about it all and Felicity had never wanted to punch the woman more than she did now. She needed to know though; she had to know the truth about everything now that she had the chance. The more they stalled Isabel, the more time she had to figure out what their next move should be. Neither Felicity nor Oliver had expected his turn. They had to reevaluate their original plan, because if there was a chance that Slade wasn't completely controlled by Isabel, he still needed to be dealt with.
"Slade found me in Siberia, eventually," Isabel told them. "There, I practiced my compulsion on him and started planning for all of this." She looked around herself, grinning widely again. Felicity nearly shuddered at the image because she was so used to Isabel not expressing any other emotion than smugness. Seeing her this satisfied with herself and actually grinning was making Felicity extremely uncomfortable. "It was then that I found out that only his blood could turn other wolves into hybrids. Fortunately for me, he was more than pleased to let his sire do as she wanted, isn't that right, Slade?"
"Yes, Master," Slade replied, his eye glowing red. It flickered back to yellow shortly after and Felicity could see his face falling a bit.
"It was easy to use the memory of the woman he loved to fuel his anger," Isabel continued. "Half of the time, I only had to mention Shado in order to subdue him."
Slade looked up when Shado's name fell from Isabel's mouth. Felicity could see that his gaze moved to Oliver as his jaw ticked. For just the fraction of a second, it returned to his normal brown color. "I'm sorry, kid," he said, so low that it was barely audible.
"The world will burn, starting with Starling City," Isabel said, ignoring Slade's apology. She didn't seem to hear him at all. It was clear to Felicity that the woman was so deep inside her own head that she wasn't even aware of the fact that Slade had clearly momentarily broken through the sire bond. "Only the strong ones will rise from the ashes, the ones I deem worthy," Isabel raved on.
A snort fell from Felicity's lips, gaining the other woman's attention. Isabel raised an eyebrow at Felicity, clearly silently asking her what it was that she was laughing at. "I always knew you were a bitch, but I wasn't aware of the fact that you were also psychotic," Felicity said, staring her down. "Is that what all of this has been about? Some twisted revenge plan, a game of coincidence? Oliver injecting Slade with the mirakuru to save his life was nothing more than pure chance. There's no way that things just fall into place like this."
"Then what brought you to your mate, Ms. Smoak?" Isabel countered. "Maybe there are forces we aren't aware of, guiding us. Maybe this is the Universe's way of telling me that I am meant to be the most powerful creature in the-"
"Will you just shut the fuck up for a second, because my head is spinning from all of this," Felicity groaned. "Do you honestly love the sound of your own voice so much that you can't take a second to breathe?" She let out a sigh, shaking her head. "So, we know the 'Why Oliver and Queen Consolidated?', but why me? Before you answer," she interrupted Isabel when she saw the woman open her mouth, "let me take a guess." She tilted her head to the side and observed the brunette in silence. Then she turned her attention to Slade. "I never formed a sire bond with Slade. You weren't able to control me through him, which made me a loose end, right?"
"You fought the bond," Isabel said.
"I just said that there never was a bond," Felicity repeated. "All I felt for the people who turned me was hatred and anger. The sire bond is formed from a warped sense of gratitude and manipulation, in your case."
"When I learned that there was one wolf who had resisted the bond, I wanted to see you for myself," Isabel said. "I ordered Slade to compel you to forget later, but I wanted to prove that you weren't better than the rest of us. You have it inside of you, the urge to kill and serve a master."
"I don't," Felicity argued. "I don't have that urge at all, and it bothers you, doesn't it? You want me to be like the others, like you. You want to prove that there's no way for a Dark One to want to do good. Then, there's the part with Oliver… You wanted to drag him into the mystery, keep him looking for the wrong Master while you planned it all. So you compelled Slade to have me look up the Hunter. Then comes another thing you didn't count on," Felicity grinned. "You didn't expect me and Oliver to be mates."
"When I saw your interactions after Malcolm Merlyn's Undertaking, I suspected it, but I couldn't believe the twist of fate," Isabel said, anger shining in her eyes. "I wanted to prove my suspicions wrong, so when we went to Russia…"
"You seduced Oliver when he was the most vulnerable," Felicity concluded. The reminder of what had happened in Russia stung, but she and Oliver had worked past that.
"He didn't even know what he was doing half the time," Isabel said. "When we got to the room, he even wanted to leave, but I made him stay."
Felicity froze and she felt Oliver do the same next to her. Isabel smirked and all of the sudden, Felicity's stomach twisted at what Isabel was implying. Had she compelled Oliver to stay with her in Russia? Was she implying that Oliver hadn't been fully willing, but rather that she had…?
"You despicable, psychotic bitch," Felicity snarled, getting to her feet in a millisecond. She threw the dart she had held in her hand throughout the conversation toward Slade. The tranquilizer connected with the man's neck, a perfect hit that made him howl. It gave her and Oliver the opportunity to make a move. She ran at Isabel, taking her by surprise when she grabbed her by the throat and pushed her backward, straight into the wall.
She could hear a series of grunts behind her, indicating that Oliver and Slade were fighting too. Felicity knew that it would take a while for the mirakuru in Slade's body to be removed. After all, the man had been under its influence for years and Isabel's grip on his mind was without a doubt strong.
Isabel managed to get a punch in, jabbing Felicity in the stomach. She groaned, but dodged the next attack, kicking the other woman in her side. Elongating her nails, Felicity used them to scratch at Isabel's face, her anger over how the woman had wronged her mate taking over. If Isabel had compelled Oliver, it was likely that he hadn't been in control of his actions. That meant that he had been unwilling and the woman had forced herself on him all in order to test out a theory.
"He came to that room wanting to sleep with me," Isabel said, as if sensing Felicity's thoughts. Who knew? Maybe she could read minds. Felicity wasn't sure, but she wasn't going to ask either. "I merely convinced him that you weren't going to give him another chance. It bothered me the most though, that even when he was with me, he was thinking about you. That was how I knew that it had to be a mate bond."
Isabel grabbed Felicity by the hair, swiftly maneuvering them around so that she could slam her face into the wall. Felicity cried out in pain, grabbing for Isabel's arms. She was unable to stop her when she was yet again smacked into the bricks. It made her dizzy, but she was determined not to let the psychopath win. Enough was enough.
Felicity's eyes started glowing golden as she focused all her emotions on what was most important for her: her friends, her family, and Oliver. The thought of their future together gave her strength and she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply once. At the sound of bones breaking and rebuilding themselves, Isabel took a startled step back. The clothes tore from Felicity's body and in the place where she had stood fragile and vulnerable, now stood a powerful wolf. Her white pelt seemed to glow as her transformation was completed, her muscles stretching as the animal moved slowly toward Isabel. The brunette moved backward and then took a fighting stance, her vampire fangs appearing as she hissed at Felicity. Golden eyes met red ones and then. the white wolf jumped.
-§-
Oliver could feel it. He could feel Slade's movements starting to get sluggish. Felicity had moved so quickly, that he had barely had the time to stand up himself. The moment the had launched herself at Isabel, Slade had stood up and yanked the needle that had just injected him with the cure out of his neck. Oliver's former friend and mentor had then turned around, ready to jump after Felicity, but Oliver had managed to intercept. While Felicity fought Isabel with everything she had, Oliver did his best to hold back Slade, despite his injuries. He had known that he needed to do so, at least until the cure started working through Slade's body.
His side still hurt, but Oliver bore through it. He had to fight for his family and friends, for the people of Starling City and for Felicity. Somehow, as if in a haze, he managed to make Slade lose his grip on one of his swords. Oliver lifted it from the ground with his foot, just in time to block another attack from Slade. He reached for his side, taking out three more vials of the cure, throwing the darts toward his adversary. Slade managed to deflect two of them, but one went through the weaker part of his armor, injecting him with yet another dose of the cure. Oliver hoped that it would make it work faster.
His mind was reeling with what Isabel had hinted at earlier, making it difficult for him to focus entirely on what was happening. His body moved as if on autopilot, dodging punches and kicks, giving as good as he got. Slade was slowing down, but Oliver's thoughts were still screaming at him that his mind had been violated by Isabel without his knowledge. Then again, Oliver knew how openly manipulative Isabel had been even when they hadn't known she was the Master. For all that he knew, she could be lying about that night in Russia. There was no way to know for certain, but Oliver knew that with him and Felicity, that night was a thing of the past. They had moved on and despite the circumstances in which it had happened, it had happened. There was no going back for do-overs and there was no way to change what had occurred. Oliver decided then that he didn't want to know. Even though he knew that it mattered, he was in a good place with Felicity now and they were heading into their future together. Still, Oliver was certain that once they made it out of this night, Felicity would want to talk to him about it and clear things up.
Oliver's mind registered the sounds of bones cracking and shifting. His eyes moved to the side and saw Felicity in her wolf form jumping at Isabel, who somehow seemed to be taller and wider. Oliver understood that her shapeshifter genes gave her the ability to morph her body to fit her own liking. The monster that was currently fighting his mate stood well above six feet, with glowing red eyes and razor-sharp teeth. Isabel's perfectly manicured fingernails had grown out into sharp claws. She continuously sliced toward Felicity, but his wolf was faster. Oliver's heart sped up when Felicity's paw came down on Isabel's face, cutting the monster's cheek. He had never seen Felicity move the way that she did now, fighting against the woman who had orchestrated everything they had been trying to fight for over two years now.
A low moan from Oliver's left forced him to turn, only to see Slade laying slumped over on the floor of the power plant. His old friend was moaning in agony, it seemed, but there was no fight left in him anymore. Oliver walked up to him quickly, zip-tying his wrists and feet several times over.
"Good thinkin', kid," Slade breathed out, still sounding as if he was in a daze. "I don't think your cure has completely taken the mirakuru out of me. I still feel like I want to rip your throat out…" His head lulled to the side and Oliver took a second to look at the man. Slade had done a lot of bad things while he had worked for Isabel. Oliver wondered how much of it had been fueled by his misguided anger toward Oliver and how much of it had been Isabel's compulsion.
Oliver stood up again and grabbed his bow, turning toward Isabel and Felicity again. The white wolf was cornering the other creature and Oliver moved on instinct when he approached.
"Felicity," he said, his voice even, but it got the wolf's attention. Felicity took just the fraction of a step back and Oliver sent two arrows flying, both embedding themselves either of Isabel's arms. The crazed woman screamed in pain before her shout turned into a sick laughter. She pulled one of her arms free, tearing through her own flesh without thought. Oliver fired another arrow, this time hitting her in her thigh.
"I can see that you're not trying to hit me with the cure," Isabel mused. "Good thinking, Mr. Queen. A natural born hybrid can't be cured." She ripped out the arrow in her thigh and then tried to pull the other one from her arm out. Oliver fought the urge to smirk when she realized that she couldn't. He had been very precise about that one, aiming for a piece of muscle that would render her strengthless in the arm once cut. The fact that he had used an arrow which had a head that turned into a hook, sinking it deep into the wall behind Isabel, would only make it more difficult for her to heal, despite her enhanced strength.
"There's one thing you have to have realized by now," Oliver said, nocking another arrow. He aimed it at her. "You're a hybrid, but that's all. It doesn't matter how old you are, or how powerful… You hid behind Slade because his strength was enhanced. You hid behind his army and wanted to confront only the two of us alone, because you knew that you wouldn't be able to beat out entire team. That is probably why you were working with Ivo in the beginning. Not because you wanted more hybrids, but because you wanted to be stronger." Oliver stared down the brunette who seemed angrier than ever. Deep down though, Oliver knew that he saw fear flicker in her eyes as well. "You thought you'd have your super-hybrid by your side. You thought Slade would be able to take us down for you. But you miscalculated, Ms. Rochev." Oliver let go of the arrow, hitting the woman in her knee this time. Isabel screamed and the anger inside of her seemed to radiate through the room.
"You think you're so smart, Oliver," Isabel growled. "You think you know everything, even when you don't. I've been playing you for years!"
"The game is over, Isabel," Oliver told her. "You lost."
Isabel let out another scream, this time tearing her arm from the wall with all the strength that she possessed. She launched herself at Oliver, but he stood still. Felicity jumped next to him, springing into action as she threw herself at Isabel. Her teeth embedded themselves in Isabel's shoulder as she intercepted Isabel's rage-fueled attack. Oliver watched as Felicity held Isabel down on the floor, pulling and tearing into the other woman's skin with her sharp teeth. A moment later, Felicity used her strength to throw the woman up against the wall and Oliver took his shot. He released several arrows at the same time. They split in mid-air, a thin, but specially enhanced cord connecting the pieces. As the arrowheads connected with the wall, Isabel was tied up and incapacitated. She struggled against the bonds, but Oliver and Felicity both knew that it was futile. Barry had put a spell on the cords, making sure that they were indestructible, no matter the strength the tied up being possessed. In fact, it wasn't the only thing that Barry had spelled for them. Felicity came to stand by Oliver's side and he rested his hand in her pelt, assuring himself that she was okay. After a second or two, Felicity shifted back to her human form. Oliver still kept an eye on Isabel as Felicity gathered up her torn clothes. She put the ripped pieced in a pile and a small buzzing sound was heard as they stitched themselves together again. Oliver waited for her to get dressed and then, she came to stand by his side again.
"Kill me then," Isabel said. "What's the point of all of this if you don't end it all?"
"It has ended," Felicity said. "There's no need for mindless killing anymore."
Isabel let out a laugh, "The Count might have acted against my orders, but he proved that you weren't better than the rest of us. Killing is in your blood. You're a murderer, just like me."
"The difference," Felicity hissed, "between you and me, is that I chose not to kill. It's been my choice since the beginning, which is something you've never understood. That's why I wasn't sired to Slade when I turned and that's why you haven't been able to control me." She reached for Oliver's hand at the same time that he reached for hers. He needed that point of contact, especially tonight. "I'll sleep better knowing that you'll be taken care of. You'll be locked up for the rest of your life in a cell that won't allow you to use your powers," Felicity said. "You'll never turn anyone against their will again and you'll never be able to hurt anyone I love."
"Hm… You speak of choices, but you forget that you have another one to make," Isabel said. "You have a cure now, to rid yourself of the powers you never wanted. You can return to being nothing more than a wolf now. Of course, it would mean removing the strength that I gave you, which puts you in a dilemma, doesn't it?" Isabel's voice was taunting and Oliver could feel the annoyance radiating off of Felicity. "Don't take the cure, keep your strength, and I'm sure your sweet Oliver will never look at you the same. You'd be keeping powers that weren't yours to have, powers that were given to you by one of his greatest adversaries. He'd hate you, deep down, and you know it."
"Stop trying to mess with our heads," Oliver snapped. "Whatever Felicity decides to do with the cure, is up to her. You don't get a say in it and neither do I. The only thing you have to worry about is whether your jumpsuit will be orange or striped with black and white."
"My hybrids are still out there! They're tearing the city apart!" Isabel screamed, her face red.
"They were never yours to begin with," Felicity said, looking over at Slade's unconscious body. Oliver understood what she was thinking. They both knew that until they were certain that there weren't any side-effects from Slade being under Isabel's compulsion and mirakuru, he would most likely have to be locked up as well. Oliver reached for Felicity's hand, twining their fingers and squeezing once. They had to contact the others and find out what had happened to them. Oliver wasn't even sure how much time had passed, but he hoped with all of his heart that their friends and the city were safe.
-§-
The machines buzzed lightly, lights flickering every now and then as vitals appeared on the screen. Felicity sat in the chair next to the hospital bed, Oliver's hand on her shoulder, giving silent comfort as they looked at Roy who laid on the bed. Three days had passed since what the media called the Siege. After she and Oliver had made sure that both Isabel and Slade wouldn't be able to escape, they had contacted their team. According to Tommy, who had been monitoring things from the Foundry, as planned, Roy and Sara had been injured during the fight. One of the hybrids had turned into a full-fledged wolf and the mere size of him had made it nearly impossible for Roy to hold him back. The creature had apparently set his sights on tearing Roy apart and when he had grabbed the young wolf with his teeth, he had injured his leg badly. Fortunately for Roy, the other wolves who had joined them had intercepted the creature and worked together to get Roy out of its clutches. Sara had run to Roy, which had ultimately led to her being attacked. The crazed wolf had taken a bite out of her side and she had lost a lot of blood even before Nyssa and her team of hunters had managed to get to the scene and take the wolf down. They had no choice but to put it down, something that Felicity couldn't lie and say that she was sorry for.
She looked up, toward the other bed on the other side of the room. Sara laid there, unconscious and pale, but recovering. She was in a medically induced coma, just like Roy was and hopefully, they would make a full recovery. Roy's wolf genes would help him heal, but Felicity knew that if the injury was too severe, it could take time, especially considering that the full moon had passed. Thea came back to Starling City as soon as Oliver contacted her to tell her it was over. She didn't even ask about Roy, because she already knew what had happened. When she arrived at the hospital, she told Felicity how she had been having a late dinner, trying to get any updates on what was going on in Starling City, when she had felt a sharp pain in her leg. She had known immediately that it was Roy. According to her, she had tried to get the first train to Starling City, but all connecting trains had been canceled due to the Siege. That was why she had called Moira and Walter, telling them that they had to come and get her from wherever they were. When Oliver had called them too, they had flown in on the private jet and taken both Thea, Laurel and Laurel's mother with them to Starling.
Laurel and her mother had been shocked to learn that Sara was alive. It was only a natural reaction, Felicity knew, but it hadn't taken them long to just accept the miracle for what it was. Felicity and Oliver had made up some story together with Detective Lance about how Sara had been a captive of Isabel's and Sara's mom had bought it without question. Laurel had been a bit more skeptical, the lawyer inside of her sensing that more was going on, but with Tommy's reassurance, she didn't question them any further. Nyssa was a part of the scheme too. She added to the story, saying that she had been in the cell next to Sara's when the blonde had been brought in. They had become friends, and later more, which was why she insisted on staying by Sara's side until she woke up and recovered.
They were all in a private hospital wing that belonged to the Queen's, since they were generous donors to several charities. It was a bit crowded, having everyone there, but no one complained. It frustrated the hospital staff whenever they came to check on the patients, but at the same time, they understood that they had all been through something traumatic. Felicity stood up from her seat and looked up at Oliver, who nodded curtly and moved with her.
"We're going to get us some coffee," Felicity told the others, who didn't say much in return.
"We'll come with you," Tommy said, nudging Barry who had been standing by the window, looking out at the city that hadn't started rebuilding itself yet.
The four of them walked toward the cafeteria, standing in line to get the good coffee. On the TV, they saw Detective Lance, who had been forced to hold a press conference. The Mayor of Starling City and the rest of the politicians had apparently decided that it was important to once again cover up the existence of Dark Ones. Felicity watched as they repeated the words that Lance had said during his statement. There was a lot that they hadn't disclosed yet, since the Siege was still an ongoing investigation. Quentin managed to make it sound as if it was all the work of a crazy person who had tried to take down the Arrow and that the masked men and women who had attacked the City had been on drugs that had enhanced their strength. The detective also made it clear that without the Arrow and his team, which the media and people were going crazy about, the City would have suffered an even greater loss. There had been casualties in the Siege, but not as many as with the Undertaking. Task Force X, Lyla's division and Nyssa's league of hunters had done their best to handle the hybrids as fast as possible. After they had all gotten together at the hospital, Diggle had asked to speak with Oliver and Felicity alone. As soon as they had some time for themselves, he revealed that he had been seeing Lyla for some time now, working on rebuilding their relationship. Neither Oliver nor Felicity had been particularly surprised by this, but the bigger shock had come when he had proceeded to tell them that Lyla was pregnant.
Diggle explained that while they had been taking down Dark Ones, Lyla had a close call. It had been Lawton who took down the hybrid that had been coming at her, ultimately saving her life. When Diggle had thanked the man, Lawton had accidentally revealed that he couldn't let 'little Diggle' die, despite their differences. At John's dumbfound expression, Lawton had quickly realized that Lyla hadn't yet informed her boyfriend about the baby.
"He had heard the heartbeat," Diggle had said, still looking as if he couldn't believe it. "Turns out, Lyla hadn't confirmed it yet, but she was suspecting that she was… Lawton's enhanced hearing is probably the only confirmation we need."
"You're going to be a father, John," Oliver had said, smiling at his friend. Diggle chuckled and nodded, accepting the embrace that Oliver gave him.
Felicity hugged him tightly too, "If I don't get to be the godmother, I'll be highly disappointed." Diggle had only laughed and hugged her tighter. Later, he had gone with Lyla to a drop-in clinic and gotten it confirmed.
Now, Felicity looked at the TV again, reading the words over and over again where Lance told the people of Starling City that the Arrow was a hero.
"Do you think that will do the trick?" Barry asked her, nodding toward the screen.
Felicity shrugged, looking at Oliver.
"It's remarkable what people believe, just to make up excuses for the impossible," Oliver said, as if reading her mind. Felicity saw the concern on his face, but she just reached for his hand and tried to assure him that she was fine. In fact, she was doing better than okay, despite everything that had happened these past three days. She and Oliver still hadn't had the time to discuss the things that Isabel had said when she had been taunting them. Felicity knew that Oliver wasn't ready yet, but she had made sure that he knew that whenever he was, she would be there for him. That was what mates did for one another. It didn't keep them from spending almost every second of every day together. They still stayed in the apartment every night. In the mornings, they went to the hospital to stay with Roy and Sara until visiting hours ended. Their friends and family were more important than anything else and they needed to stick together.
Nevertheless, it didn't change the fact that Felicity's mind felt like a mess sometimes. She often caught herself thinking about the things Isabel had been screaming at her when she had been taken into custody by A.R.G.U.S. and then imprisoned in a soundproof cell. Felicity had a choice to make when it came to the cure. If she wanted to turn back into being a simple wolf, she could. The problem was that Felicity didn't know what to do. She knew that she had Oliver's support, no matter what she chose, although with Roy and Sara still in a coma, she couldn't even begin thinking about her own future choice.
Felicity felt Oliver's hand tighten on her own. She felt his support and love wash over her as she looked up at him again, knowing that he was using their bond to connect with her. A smile spread across her face and she leaned into him, resting her head on his chest. It was comforting to hear his heartbeat and to know that after everything they had been through, they had come out on the other side. They were still strong and she had no doubt in her mind that whenever she made her choice regarding the cure, she would have Oliver's support. Leaning down, Oliver pressed his lips to her forehead. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the touch for a while.
Soon, Laurel came running from down the hallway, panting as she approached them. "They're awake!" she said. "Roy opened his eyes first and when Thea started crying, Sara woke up too! I've never seen such a thing in my life," she told them. The lightness inside of Felicity returned as she smiled wider, looking at Oliver, Tommy and Barry. They grinned back at her and together, they stepped out of the coffee line and headed back to the room. When she entered the room, Felicity's eyes first fell on Sara, who was crying as her mother embraced her. The sight made Felicity's eyes tear up and she took in a shaky breath before pausing. There was something different about the air around Sara, which made Felicity wonder… She looked over at Nyssa, who seemed to have sensed something as well, but the huntress only shook her head in a barely noticeable move. Nyssa didn't move away from Sara though, which meant that whatever it was that was going on, didn't matter to her. Still, Felicity was sure that once things slowly went back to normal, they would have time to discuss it.
Felicity turned her attention to Roy, who was blushing profusely because Thea kept pressing kisses against his face in front of everyone else. At the same time, Felicity could sense that he didn't really mind, and that he was happy to have Thea back in his arms. Smiling, Felicity leaned back into Oliver's chest, letting him hold her. Her hands rested over his around her middle and she felt him press another kiss to the top of her head before he rested his chin there. His thumb moved over the back of her hand and she could feel how much love he was radiating. Happiness filled every corner of the room as their families and friends united. Felicity tightened her grip on Oliver and lifted his hand to her lips, kissing it gently, glad to finally only see peace and light in their future.
Note: Eep, I really hope you guys didn't hate this. I worked as hard as I could and did my best to post it tonight since I'm going on a small vacation in a day. Originally, I was supposed to leave tomorrow, but the trip was postponed to Tuesday. Still, I didn't want to leave you guys hanging for too long. Also, I won't be able to write or update anything for at least two weeks, but that gives us the perfect opportunity to have that Q&A I discussed with you guys. Basically, what I'd like for you to do is send in questions to me either here as a comment, on my Tumblr (author123456) or on my Twitter (Sugar_Pepper666). I'll gather all the questions you have regarding this fic and the writing process I have been going through (because it's been years since I started this story!) and then, when I have some questions, I'll write a long-ass reply and post it on Tumblr! :D How does that sound? I hope you guys are interested in doing this with me, because I feel like it will be interesting to share my thoughts on some events in this story.
Thank you so much for reading and I honestly hope that I haven't disappointed you guys with this final twist. Did anyone see that coming? Also, I really hate writing action scenes and I haven't had time to proof read every scene in this chapter. One day, when I find the strength to do so, I'll go back and read through everything again and fix the small mistakes that always slip in. Thank you for your love and support. I love you guys. xx
