I know I really tested your patience in the last couple of chapters, and I am hoping with everything I have that this chapter won't be the push too many and that you won't end up being fed up with the story. Seriously, I am very nervous how you'll like this chapter… So let me just make it very short and thank all my wonderful reviewers: CaRiNeSs, LillyD11, ReaderKas, sakura-blossom62, NorthernLights25, lizb1813, salazarjasam, LachesisBenton; Lil5weetie, KillingMEsoftly and Jen. Thank you for all your patience; I appreciate it very, very much. Your are amazing!

16. Waiting for the explosion

Everything was better with candlelight – even sitting in a bunker, hurting and hungry, while trying to build an explosive device from things he had found in a thirty-year-old kitchen. Luckily, this thirty-year-old kitchen had stored light signals. Oliver wasn't exactly sure how much 'oomph' they still had in them, but it was worth a try. And it was better than just sitting around doing nothing. He had to feel like he was at least doing something useful, like he was trying to take charge of the situation, like he was regaining his focus. Because Oliver knew that he had lost it earlier – in every sense of the word.

Oliver had never expected things, previous experiences, to come back to him like that. When they had finally accepted that the supercomputer had either burnt out all the power the generator of this bunker had left (that was Felicity's explanation) or that the Germans had cut the power off (that was Oliver's best guess), they had done the only logical thing: emptied the rest of the vodka. There was very little left anyway – Felicity had been very generous when she had used it to sterilize the medical equipment. It had only been one sip for each of them and not been enough to get them drunk, but it had just felt perfectly fitting to drink to the fucked up situation.

Oliver knew the mercenaries could find a way to get into the bunker at any given moment. They could bring down the door and enter the hideout with raised guns, but he didn't care. Oliver had had some time to think about their situation rationally, and if the Germans wanted to storm the bunker, they would have to turn the power back on or bring lights – both would give Oliver a clear signal for their attack and something to aim at.

Taking his eyes of the improvised pipe bomb that was coming together rather nicely, he looked toward the cot opposite to him where Felicity was sleeping. She didn't need the candle light to look beautiful, she just was. The flickering light cast a warm glow on her relaxed face and Oliver really enjoyed seeing her like that. She had fallen asleep in his arms, being exhausted after everything that had happened. He was utterly tired himself, but he was too stressed to sleep. The idea to close his eyes and leave them defenseless to anybody who might come down here was just impossible to him. So he had used the last hour to check on the door – which was still tightly closed – and rummage through the four rooms that adjoined the one with the useless piece of shit computer for any helpful equipment. He needed to prepare, needed to plan, because he knew that they couldn't stay holed in here forever. By now he had decided to leave this bunker with a big bang – because opening the metal door without people on the outside noticing was just impossible.

Under his watchful eyes Felicity suddenly stirred. He saw her roll from her side to her back. Finally, she slowly opened her eyes and turned her head toward him. "Hey," she whispered in a tired voice.

"Hey," he answered softly and watched Felicity turn back to her side and pop her head up on her hand.

Slowly her eyes, which were very small and tired, wandered over him and the things he had spread out in front of him. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to build a bomb."

Silence followed his answer and a long moment she needed to really register what he had said. When she had finally come to terms with it, she met his eyes. "You know, normally guys I spent the night with say things like: watching you sleep or making you breakfast. But I should have known not to expect something like that from you."

A certain teasing was audible in her still very tired voice, and he couldn't help but look at her challengingly. "Oh, really? And how often did that happen exactly?"

Abruptly she sat up on the cot. "Forget it," she said, "I'm not doing this with you."

He frowned, "doing what?"

"Exchanging numbers. Because I don't want to know yours. I really, really don't. That would freak me out. I mean you're a guy that meets a girl on a deserted island..."

His face serious he looked at her. "Only a small number of them really mattered." Seeing the look on her face, he sighed. "But you're right. Let's not talk about this." Because his number of girls that mattered were five. He had cared deeply about them all, they had captured spots in his heart and meant a lot to him, they had changed him. But he had only really truly loved two of them, only two girls had kept him awake at night, only two girls captivated him and his thoughts, only two girls had claimed all of his heart – and the one who had it tightly in her grip at the moment was sitting right there looking beautiful, but very tired and slightly freaked out. He decided that she was right; they should never exchange numbers, because he feared that her number of guys that had truly mattered were higher than his – and then he would end up the one being the freaked out.

She gestured toward him and changed the subject, "Can I help you with your bomb building?"

He was about to tell her that he wasn't sure if that bomb would explode the way he needed it to, when a loud bang sounded from far above him.

The irony was not lost on Oliver, but he really didn't appreciate it.

In the next moment the lights flickered back on. Oliver reached for the gun that rested next to him and rushed to the next room. Felicity followed him instantly, staying behind him while he stopped near the door. He could see the stairs perfectly from his position, but maybe it would be better to try and get behind the computer. If the others thought is was valuable, maybe they wouldn't shoot at it as much. He reached for Felicity's hand and pulled her along to take cover behind the old machine. Quickly, he positioned himself behind it with Felicity on his left being completely shielded by the metal box and pointed his gun at the stairs. Whoever would come down the steps first would be the first one to die.

"Oliver Queen, drop your weapon." The shout rang down the stairs and caused Oliver to grip his gun tighter. He felt Felicity still next him while the need to curse rushed through him.

"You were right," Felicity whispered.

Part of him wished he wasn't. His voice was hard as he shouted back. "What are you doing here, Amanda?"

"Apparently, I am saving you from twenty angry Germans."

"I don't think it counts as saving if you're the one responsible that we're here IN THE FIRST PLACE!" It wasn't exactly a wild guess, it was a very strong suspicion.

"Guilty," Amanda Waller sounded entirely unaffected. The uncaring, slightly pleased tone in her voice pissed him off even more. "But we have something to discuss, so I'd like to come down without being shot, because in that case my men would have to shoot back." Now he could practically hear her grinning as she said, "I'm your ticket off the island, Oliver. Again."

"Fine." It was less an actual word and more a sound pressed through gritted teeth. He lowered his gun, but held on to it. Not taking his eyes off the stairs where now the first army boot became visible and a machine gun yielding soldier with it, he stretched his left hand out. Felicity took it instantly, and he squeezed for silent support.

Together they stepped around the computer just as Amanda Waller came into view. Tall, beautiful and impeccably styled as always, she placed a black high heel onto the cement floor. Her men fanned out across the room. There were no members of the suicide squad present, Oliver knew, because every soldier wore a ski mask. A.R.G.U.S.' soldiers valued their anonymity, a privilege squad-members didn't have. Oliver kept his eyes on Waller. "Took you long enough to come get us."

"Took you longer than expected to find this place," Amanda shot back.

"Sorry, we were a little busy getting shot at."

"That was rather unexpected, yes. I didn't know you had company."

Oliver had enough. "What the fuck, Amanda! What do you think you're doing here?" Anger was leaking from his every pore. He wasn't afraid of Amanda Waller, never had been, but he had experienced what she was capable of. It was stupid to underestimate her. Amanda knew where to apply pressure, and Oliver knew that his own pressure point was standing right next to him.

"I needed to find this place and I sent the two people who were best to get the job done." She didn't care about his anger. Her voice made that absolutely clear. However he felt about what she was doing here, it didn't rattle her in the slightest. She was all self-assured business as she added, glancing at Felicity shortly, "I needed Miss Smoak," before placing her attention on Oliver again, "I need her to operate the system and I knew you preferred accompanying her during her search." She raised an amused eyebrow, "Or would you have liked her being here on her own?"

Oliver was about to tell Amanda Waller what exactly he thought of her while using many expletives, when Felicity spoke up first. "Why do you need me to operate the system? I'm sure you have enough hackers hired."

"I have," the tall woman in the black business suit admitted, "but I need somebody better, somebody who managed to hack the NSA in the age for fourteen."

"Thirteen," Felicity corrected, before she blinked stupidly. "or more like never, because I have no idea what you're talking about."

All Oliver could do in reaction to that was take a deep breath, because – seriously!

"I did my homework on you, Miss Smoak. After you recognized the XK-15 processor I was intrigued. After all, as you so rightfully said, that's not even supposed to exist yet – or be known to the general public. But you're not the general public, are you, Barbie Girl?"

Felicity swallowed heavily, and Oliver thought that was a good moment to stop it right here. Letting go of Felicity's hand he took a step forward. There were many things he could say. Things like: What on earth makes you think you have the right to treat people like that? Or: You really have an unhealthy god-complex. Or: You are a heartless cold bitch. But Oliver knew Amanda Waller well enough to not even bother. None of that would have any impact; it would just bounce off her shell of non-caring. So, instead he asked, "Why didn't you just ask us to go and find this supercomputer for you? Some preparation would have made things a little easier."

Lips, perfectly colored in red, curved into a condescending smile. "You should know that I never bother to ask questions I know I will get a negative answer to. And you should know that I always get people to do what I want them to do."

"So, what do you want me to do?" Oliver asked.

The smile was still there and turned even more amused now. "You?" She raised an eyebrow at Oliver. "You already did what I wanted you to do. You kept her alive and brought her here. I was worried for a second when the GPS in the tablet died and we couldn't track you anymore, but the power surge when you turned on the computer gave your location away perfectly..."

"Fine," Felicity said now. She started to sound angry herself. "What do you want me to do with this old piece of trash computer?"

"Miss Smoak, we both know that this isn't the piece of trash it looks like. It was placed here by Russians in the late sixties, but it was found and upgraded by Chinese operatives about ten years ago, who then did nothing with it, because Chen Shui-ban was elected. The idiot thought the machine had no value, when it's the perfect computer for hacking, because it's powerful but operating with programs that are too old to be recognized as a threat by most modern systems. It took me years to gather information and separate fact from myth to narrow its location down to this island, so please do me a favor and don't try to make either of us look stupid."

"It's not connected to the internet."

Waller's smile stayed in place, perfect and unwavering. A smile shouldn't raise so many negative feelings inside Oliver, this one still did. Amanda Waller didn't take her eyes of Felicity. "I'm sure you'll figure something out."

"To do what exactly? Because you still haven't told me."

"I need you to find Oracle and reveal her identity."

This sentence made absolutely no sense to Oliver. Oh, he understood the words, but they held no meaning. But it meant something to Felicity, the stiffening of her posture told him that very clearly – and by the way the dreadful smile deepened he knew that Amanda Waller had also noticed. Felicity's voice sounded strangely forced in Oliver's ears as she said, "Oracle 's nothing but a myth."

"That's what people say about the League of Assassins. And look at how your last months went..." Amanda Waller crossed her arms over her chest and looked at Felicity challengingly. "Are you really planning to make this difficult for me?"

Oliver knew that tone. He had heard that tone very often himself and he knew that it announced impending doom. Placing his attention pointedly on the A.R.G.U.S.-boss and away from the soldiers, he was about to say something, when Felicity straightened up and said, "No, Miss Waller – or is it Mrs.? Whatever... Just… Let me make this very easy for you. I won't do it."

"Oh, really?"

"Really!"

The smile vanished in the blink of an eye. Her voice cutting like a knife Amanda Waller said, "Then let me make it very clear for you: I always get what I want. And I want you to find Oracle." Suddenly, she waved her hand through the air and instantly a soldier pressed the trigger, his gun aimed at Oliver.

The moment the bullet entered Oliver's thigh his leg gave way. He crashed to the ground with a grunt as a soft cry left Felicity's lips. He had been in pain before with his bruised ribs and his shot-up shoulder, but this was different. This wasn't just painful; this was serious. The soldier had hit the huge artery in his leg and he was bleeding like crazy. Blood collected around him and Felicity sank on her knees to the floor next to him, pressing on the wound. Her eyes found his and he could see she understood instantly. He felt warped back to the night he had hidden in her car, when he had known that he needed her help or he would die.

Back then he hadn't bled that heavily.

Felicity faced Waller as she pressed down on his wound with her bare hands. "Why did you do this?"

"To make a point! This is not a discussion or a negotiation. This is I telling you what to do and you doing it."

Disbelieve collected on Felicity's face. "I heard about Hong Kong, but I couldn't believe it."

"Believe this, Miss Smoak," Waller took a step toward them, "if you don't get to work and find Oracle for me I won't call or my medic who's waiting upstairs to treat Oliver."

"Okay," Felicity rushed out, "I'll try to find her for you, but get that medic down here."

"I don't want you to try, I want you to do it."

"Felicity..." Oliver whispered, trying to get her attention.

But she ignored him and kept her attention on the other woman. There was an anger in Felicity Smoak's voice he had never heard before as she said, "Fine, I will do it, but get that damn medic here, NOW!"

"I will get the medic when you've found her."

"Felicity-" Oliver tried again. He needed Felicity to stop negotiating with this woman, because he knew that it was no use. Amanda Waller had labeled Oliver Queen dispensable – and she had disposed of him. Nothing that Felicity said or did would change that. Oliver was a dead man that was simply still breathing.

The eyes of the woman he loved more than anything snapped to his – and what he saw there stunned him. Never had he seen her like that, with such a fire and determination in her eyes. "Press on the wound, Oliver!" It was her no-nonsense voice and on autopilot he followed her order. Collecting the strength that hadn't yet seeped out of him, he pressed down on his leg, willing to keep the blood in, even though he knew there was little hope left.

He didn't want to die down here, bleed to death in this cement cellar, not when he had finally dared to accept that he could have a future that might be neither easy nor perfect, but that would still be filled with love. He wanted that future, he wanted to love Felicity Smoak with all he had and he wanted to be loved by her. He wasn't ready to give up yet.

Laying on the floor he watched Felicity straighten up, get to her feet and turn toward Amanda Waller. "No."

That caused the other woman to do a double take. "No?" She obviously couldn't believe it.

"NO!" Felicity repeated and took an angry step toward the A.R.G.U.S.-boss. "You will get the medic down here, right NOW!" Felicity was yelling. Never had Oliver heard her yell like that before. He was so stunned that he nearly released his tight grip on the wound. "It will take some time to get a satellite connection going. By the time I've managed that Oliver will be dead." Her voice was hard, but collected. She was calmly stating a fact. "He's loosing too much blood, he doesn't have much time left and I will never be able to trace the most legendary hacker ever in the next five minutes. So, if you want me to uncover another person's identity to you, a cruel psychopath with no empathy or even basic compassion, you will have to go and save him, because if he dies, I will do NOTHING for you, understood?! And, yes, you can go and shoot me, too. I don't care."

Never had Oliver Queen loved Felicity Smoak more than in that exact moment.

His eyes were glued to his wonderful girl, how she stood there in muddy red high-heels and filthy clothes, her blond hair still a messy bedhead, her hands soaked in his blood, her breathing heavy while she stood up to Amanda Waller – a woman she herself had labeled "intimating" – and told that exact woman, who wasn't taking objection well, "no" without care or hesitation. Felicity was like iron right then, very rational about his chances of survival while still fighting for him.

A moment of silence followed. It was one of those heavy moments in which different potential futures were weighed against each other. In one of these futures Oliver Queen would die on an island with a crying Felicity Smoak by his side. But not in this one. "I have underestimated you, Miss Smoak."

That was the biggest compliment you could get from Amanda Waller, ever.

With a short and simple nod she adjudicated upon Oliver's fate and signaled to the exact soldier who had previously shot Oliver to call a medic. He did so immediately by speaking into the headset connected to an earpiece.

Not saying another word – not even thanking her, which was very much against the basic forms of politeness that she normally granted everyone – Felicity sank down next to Oliver. Now her hands trembled as she brought them to his and added more pressure to his wound. He heard heavy footsteps coming from far above him, but he ignored them, as all he could see was Felicity who now whispered, "I think that's a zone one."

A small smile danced around his lips. His eyes caught hers and he said, "I love you."

Hearing this, Felicity shook her head, forcefully. The movement was enough to cause the tears that had been collecting in her eyes to fall. "No," she objected, her voice suddenly hoarse and breaking, "no last words. We don't need them."

The footsteps got closer. Oliver noticed a medic running toward him, followed by two soldiers. Oliver was slipping away, he could feel the blood loss catch up with him, but he would recognize those two anywhere. Relief flooded him, because he knew: Felicity was safe.

The medic was setting down his bag and getting to his knees next to Oliver, when he heard the unmistakable sounds of a fistfight mixing with Amanda's angry voice. He was still looking at Felicity, who now swallowed heavily and said, "And I love you." It was the last thing he heard, before darkness welcomed him.