She was swimming in an ocean of consciousness. Sometimes, lie, most the time she was pulled under. The darkness surrounded her, suffocating her, paralyzing her. She couldn't move. Everything felt cold.
But in the rare moments that she can feel warmth, she always felt it in her hands. In these moments her head was above water, cognizant. She would try to say something, but when she dared speak she was pulled under, the water filling her lungs, unable to speak.
So she tried to hold onto the warmth. His warmth.
If she was going to survive this she would have to believe it was him, that it was his hands holding hers trying to pull her out of the darkness.
"She's losing a lot of blood! We need to get her to the hospital fast!"
Why was she losing so much blood? It was only one bullet wound.
"Oliver, please! C'mon. We need to go!"
There's so much blood.
"Oliver. Please! C'mon!"
He couldn't move. Why couldn't he move?
Someone moved him for his sake; a nudge, a push. It was Tommy. Bless Tommy.
Somehow he was able to lead Oliver to a car. The city lights zoomed past the windows, nothing but streak of lights with how fast the car was hurtling down the streets of Starling.
But Oliver didn't notice.
His mind was only focused on one thing.
Her.
When Oliver found the ability to use his legs he walked and walked. Down one hallway he went and to another. Round the corner and another. Where was she?
White walls. Fluorescent lights. Vending machines and cheap coffee. Where was she?
"Sir, I think it would be best if you would just stay-" Oliver cut her off with an icy glare. Why wasn't she helping Felicity? She should be helping Felicity. Where was she?
"The family of Felicity Smoak?"
"Yes that would be us!"
"Ms. Smoak is out of surgery. The shrapnel-"
"Shrapnel?!"
"Yes, it appears that the bullet was a sort of RIP bullets where upon contact the bullet would break off in several different directions. She had a couple of internal hemorrhaging, of no major organs fortunately, we were able to identify them and prevent the loss of more blood."
"Oh thank goodness."
"Yes. But I'm afraid that, that's not all. It appears that these bullets were custom made and laced with poison. Couple that with the internal bleeding it could be deadly. We have done a blood transfusion to get rid of the poisoned blood. The toxicology report stated that it was Curare, but we are not sure if it was a hybrid of another toxin. She has slightly responded to the antidotes we have given her, but not to the extent we are hoping for. We're currently running more test to pinpoint exactly what other toxin the bullet could be laced with-"
"Are we allowed to visit her?"
"Yes, but she is in the ICU so I'm afraid only to family."
"We're all the family she has left."
"Then… one at a time."
Felicity was eventually taken out of the ICU when they were able to identify that the Curare was a hybrid of Belladonna. Belladonna. Beautiful Lady. Beautiful Queen. The irony.
In the following days it was Laurel and Tommy who did all the talking to the doctors and staff. Oliver stayed at her side. He always stayed by her side.
"She's a fighter." The doctor quipped. Oliver nodded his head. Of course his girl was a fighter. She would always come back to him.