An Echo in the Dark:

Oliver was a changed man now. The heart which used to beat crazily for the brunette in front of him was now used to pounding in front of a certain blonde but that did not mean that the respect Oliver held for Laurel was any less but after the stunt she pulled off maybe he had to rethink his decision. He knew Laurel was there to save him but that did not mean she was forgiven for making such a stupid ass decision and risking everyone's neck including hers. Thankfully his bitch with Wi-Fi; yes he certainly heard that one over the communication links with a lopsided grin on his face; had saved the day. So as Oliver held Laurel's hands and started running towards the entrance to the underground tunnels with Slade's junkies on his tail and less than 3 minutes for the tunnels to collapse he couldn't help but feel elated. This was going to work and he was going to make it home to Thea and to her.

Unfortunately for him, the tunnels collapsed below one of the pillars so they had to take a detour and that's how Oliver found himself facing a dead end with Laurel by his side and Slade's army ready to pound on him. And that's when Oliver found himself taking out his bow and shooting at the ceiling of the tunnel, hoping that it does not cave in on them. And what do you know, it must have been one of Oliver's lucky days; which are rare to come by; because the ceiling collapsed on Slade's army and Laurel and he were trapped were trapped under debris which could easily be moved. Digg helped them out and Oliver was happy that his friend had sustained only mild injuries after all Isabel was lying peacefully in her death bed, hopefully.

"Digg, What about Felicity?" And that's when he heard Felicity's voice in his ear.

"Oliver, are you okay? Are you hurt? What about Laurel?"

"Felicity, oh thank goodness. We are fine. Where are you?"

"I am on route to get Thea from my house."

"Since when did you start following what I said so easily?"

"Oliver, please don't start. I can come back if you want."

"No. Just get to safety."

"Oliver, the streets of the City, it's being ravaged. It's bad."

"Get yourself to safety, stay with Thea. We will figure something out. And Felicity, I will come back. Just wait for me."

"I know Oliver. I know."

Laurel felt that she had been punched in the gut. Ollie, her Ollie, was telling his assistant that he will come for her. She always thought that Felicity was Oliver's IT girl and no more but now she could hear in Oliver's voice that he felt more than what he let on for Felicity. And she could feel that the suffering which Oliver had seen on the island and as Arrow, Felicity knew about it all. Oliver had never spoken to her so earnestly even when they were together and even under the hood Laurel could tell that he was smiling, a real smile without any mask put up. It was pure and genuine Oliver. Laurel had been wrong, she did not know the man in front of her; she knew only the ashes of the man he used to be. She can never have Oliver's heart again and right now, Laurel knew that she never had his heart to begin with. Oliver Queen's heart was beating for another and she could do nothing about it. Oliver finished his conversation with Felicity and said something to Diggle which she did not register. It was only when Ollie placed his hand on her shoulders and slightly shook her that she blinked and tried to concentrate on what he was saying.

"Laurel, I need you to go now. I am so thankful that you saved me back there but I can't have you with me here, it's too dangerous and I need you to be safe. Diggle will take you home."

Laurel saw Oliver turning towards Diggle and before she knew it, the words had slipped out from her mouth.

"You love her, don't you? You love Felicity?"

Oliver was sure that he couldn't move a muscle. He knew he had to ask this question to himself one day but with everything happening around him he wanted to take the time and sort his feelings out. He could not rush into this, he won't rush into it because Felicity deserved the best and he still had a few miles to cover before he found her.

"Laurel Lance, I don't know where your thoughts are running but I don't have time for this. Now go home. Have I made myself clear?"

"You didn't deny it, Ollie. And I am not going home, I am staying. Now let's go and kill some knuckleheads."

Oliver didn't have time to argue so he agreed and was soon pre-occupied with trying to kill people who didn't know how to stay dead. He did not know how much time passed and Digg and he were left more bruised and battered than ever. Oliver kept himself at a vantage point above the ground most of the time because Laurel would not leave his side and tried his best to aim at their throats. At least they will bleed to death, hopefully. But they were having no such luck. Oliver swore that he had thrust four of his Arrows to the same man and yet he kept torching the streets. They needed help and fast. He was about to retrieve his Arrow stuck in the eye of one Slade's minions when he received a text from Felicity. They found the cure. He could not believe his eyes; S.T.A.R Labs found a cure, all they had to do was get it to Starling City. Great, how was that going to happen? He wished he had Felicity by his side to tell him what he needed to do but he washed those thoughts out of his head.

"Ollie, look out."

Before he knew what was going on, Laurel had his bow at ready and had thrust an Arrow into the gut of the man. He should be dead by now, at least. Oliver looked dumbfounded at Laurel. She did save his life, twice.

"Laurel, what was that?"

"Archery classes back from when I was 12. I guess it does come in use."

"It does, it definitely does."

Oliver took Laurel in for a quick hug to let her know he was thankful and he whispered into her ear.

"Thank you, Laurel. I need you to know I will always care for you. I will always be there when you need me but as for my heart; it does not belong to you anymore. I am sorry but I need you to know that. And I need you to let me go."

He let her go and looked into her eyes. He had to make sure she understood and she did. Her eyes were cloudy by the tears she wasn't going to let fall. And with a drained sigh she nodded her head. She did understand. Oliver then filled in Digg about the cure.

"So, how are we doing this, Oliver?"

"Let's send the jet to Central City first. Till then we wait."

Digg and Oliver then cleaned out Slade's army from the precinct. Oliver had taken Laurel to her father and she was safe there. His Arrows and Digg's bullets were not making much of a difference now and that's how they found themselves at the private hanger waiting for the jet carrying the cure. They needed their strength before the last sprint. Oliver looked over at Digg but the man was asleep; he did need some shut eye so he decided to keep a watch. He wanted to see his sister and Felicity but he knew they were safe. Felicity had messaged him about the cure and said that she was almost at ARGUS. Yup, they had to be safe.

"Missed me?"

Oliver reacted when he heard the voice. He pointed the Arrow towards the source of the voice. Wait, he knew this voice. And that's when the masked figure walked out of the shadows. It was Sarah dressed in black leather looking every bit the lethal assassin she is.

"Sarah, I cannot believe it."

Oliver was so happy to see her that he embraced her before she could get a word out from her mouth.

"Ollie can't breathe."

"I am so sorry. I can't believe you are here. I thought you left for good."

"I left to being in her some reinforcements because I knew we needed all the help we can get."

On cue, Nyssa Al-Ghul walked out of the shadows followed by at least a dozen assassins; all of them covered in black with veiled faces.

"Nyssa is here to help. So might I ask what you are doing at the airport? I tracked your cell signal. I didn't expect that you will be here; of all places."

Oliver thought he heard doubt in Sarah's voice clearly fearing that he was going to leave the City and run away like a coward. Oliver decided not to ponder on that, he had bigger things to deal with.

"They sound a cure for Mirakuru. It's not absolute but it can make those knuckleheads bleed and feel pain. Felicity said in her message that if we aim at one of the major arteries they can bleed to death."

"What about Slade? If we don't kill him, he will just end up making a bigger army."

"Sarah, we will figure it out. Let's save this City first."

"Oliver, I just got a call from air control room. The jet is ready to land. It's better for you to change out of your hood."

"I will stay in the shadows, Digg. Go get the cure."

By the time the plane landed and came to the harbour, the sun was making its way up. It was going to be another day; one which brings in a dawn upon the City. Sarah, Oliver, Nyssa and her assassins stayed in the shadows; as Digg went to collect the box containing the cure. Finally this nightmare was going to end. Digg walked up to them with the box safely in his hands. All they had to do now was inject the cure into the knuckleheads and kill them. That was going to be easy.

"Going somewhere?"

Digg turned and Oliver got a good look at the owner of the voice. It was Blood looking stronger than ever with an army of at least thirty Mirakuru treated men behind him. They had already disposed the pilot and were ready for a war with them. Blood survived the collapse of the tunnels but how was that possible?

"Surprised; Oliver? To see me alive when you left me in there to die; well what shall I say? You see, Oliver, Slade was angry when he came to know that you had killed some of our best so he saved me and turned me so that I can take my vengeance."

"That's the Mirakuru which is talking, Blood. You are not a killer."

"We will see about that, won't we? Right when I kill you after you give me the cure."

And with that, all hell broke loose. Oliver knocked arrows into them but they came out even stronger and then he was occupied with Blood. Sarah, Digg, Nyssa and the assassins fought the rest as Oliver took on Blood. Blood was strong and Oliver was having a hard time keeping him in check and that's how he ended up at the mercy of Blood with a few broken ribs, a broken jaw and a not so pretty gash on his forehead. Oliver was on his knees with Blood pointing the gun at him when he looked around and saw that Digg was knocked out cold on the floor, Sarah was bruised and even Nyssa was having a hard time thrusting her arrows in them.

"Oliver Queen, the hero of Starling City dies a tragic death while all the people he loves suffer because of him."

"I will kill you, Blood. And then come for Slade if it's the last thing I do. I promise."

"You won't be able to if you are lying dead on the floor."

And with that Oliver closed his eyes to brace the impact of the bullet but it never came. When he opened his eyes, Blood was lying on the floor with a black arrow jutting out from his middle and his neck.

"I did not know that Starling's beloved Hero gives up so easily. I expected better, Oliver."

"Malcolm Merlyn, you are alive?"

"Ya sorry to rain on your party but here I am so give me your I-am-going-to-kill-you glare later. Right now, we have work to do and unless you want your friends to die in here I suggest you buckle up for the ride. Take these; the arrows can take in the cure in them like a syringe; ingenious design of mine. Thanks for the applaud everyone. So shall we, Queen?"

Oliver did not have time to register that the Dark Archer was alive. He will deal with him later. And with that, they began killing the soldiers one by one; all of them together as a team.

By the time the sun finally showed up in all its glory, Slade's army was lying at Oliver's feet bathed in their own blood. And this time, no one got back up. They had won battle, the war was yet to come but they would be ready.

Oliver dragged Digg to the hospital along with Sarah. Nyssa and her platoon said their goodbye and disappeared into the shadows, just like the way they had arrived. Oliver did not let Merlyn out of his site while he was being treated. They had a lot to talk about and Oliver was still giving him the death glare even though he had saved all of their lives. But before he dealt with Merlyn, he had to make sure that Thea and Felicity were okay. As Oliver was getting a bandage over his bruised ribs, Merlyn walked up to him.

"After you are done, follow me. I will wait outside. There is something you have to see, Oliver."

Oliver looked at his sister with needles stuck in her frail arm and he flipped. He took Merlyn by the collar and pinned him to the wall. He literally growled at him and talked.

"My sister was here all along and you did not tell me. What did you do to her?"

"I did not do anything to her; she is my daughter and in case it escaped your mind genius, we were too busy fighting painless zombies so yes; I am sorry it totally escaped my mind."

Oliver saw some of the doctors giving him a stink eye so he let go of Merlyn's collar.

"That's so much better. You think that a person will be thankful that I saved their life. Instead, he goes all tiger claws on me."

"Cut the crap, Merlyn. How did this happen?"

"I don't know. The Blondie called me up and said that Thea was hurt so I brought her and her friend to the hospital. She sounded pretty desperate. When I got there, she was gone and the vehicle was turned upside down. Thea was unconscious but thankfully she just has a gash on her forehead and a mild concussion. She will sleep it off."

"Wait, did you just say Blondie? Do you mean, Felicity?"

"Yes. Last I remembered that's her name and she is a blonde."

Oliver was sure he stopped breathing and his head was reeling with thoughts. If Felicity was the one who called Merlyn, then she knew he was alive. How could she do this to him? How could she not tell him that he was alive? Is that why she was not there when Merlyn came to take Thea? She was too ashamed to face him, is that why she ran like a coward? No, that can't be true. It wasn't true. His Felicity would never do that, she would never leave Thea but his Felicity would never lie to him too. How was this happening? It had to be a nightmare. Come on, Oliver, you have to snap out of it.

"Stop it, Ollie."

He turned and saw Thea looking back at him with a determined glare. He finally let out the breath he was holding and sighed seeing that she was safe.

"I know what you are thinking right now, Ollie. But don't do that to her. She does not deserve it. You snap out of this and get her back to me. Get my Felicity back; you hear me?"

"Thea, I don't know what you are talking about."

"She was taken by Slade, Ollie. She gave herself up to save Sin and me." And with that Thea let free of the tears she had been holding back and looked into her brother's eyes with her clouded ones. She could see that her brother was shocked but he still had doubts.

"I know what you are Ollie. I know you are the Arrow and Felicity works for you. I know that Slade is behind you because he blames you for the death of the girl he loved and I know that you are hurt thinking that Felicity lied to you about Merlyn but she did that to keep her promise to Tommy, her best friend, your friend and my brother."

"How do you know…"

"I will tell you how, Ollie." And Thea relayed everything to her brother till he had tears in his eyes and Thea swore that she saw them in Merlyn's eyes too.

Yesterday: Thea could not believe that she slept the entire afternoon and when she woke up Felicity was on her way to do another job. She worked so hard and Thea felt a pang in her chest when she saw her leaving her apartment. Maybe Thea can find a job too to help her out. Yes, she would definitely ask Sin about it when she met her. Thea freshened up and went to the closet to change her clothes and to her surprise all her clothes were neatly arranged in stacks. Yup, that's Felicity alright, making sure that Thea had nothing to worry about. As she took out the t-shirt she loved to wear, a picture fell from a notebook kept below some of her t-shirts. She picked up the picture and she had never seen two people look so happy. The picture was taken in a sunny day in a park so there was green all around and beaming at the camera was a smiling Tommy with his arms around Felicity who looked beaming. She flipped the picture and handwritten saw the handwritten note. "To Felicity Smoak, the most beautiful person I have ever met. With love, Tommy Merlyn. Dated: 31st October, 2012."

Thea could not believe her eyes. Felicity was Tommy's friend, maybe she was the one that he kept talking about to Thea. Thea placed back the photo in the notebook and could not help but notice the handwritten paragraph in it.

10th October 2012: I met a stuck up guy today. He said his name was Tommy Merlyn. I thought he would be too snobby but he took me by surprise. I didn't realise I was smiling the whole time he was talking. Maybe we could be friends after all.

And before Thea realized it, she was flipping through the pages.

24th October 2012: I met Oliver Queen and I babbled the like an idiot. He sure has an effect on people. He gave me a bullet ridden laptop and dropped the most ridiculous lie ever thinking I would believe it.

13th February 2013: Oliver Queen is the vigilante but hero in my eyes if you ask me. I can't believe it, actually I can. The signs were always there and now I am helping him find Walter. Will I be able to do the right thing?

15th May 2013: Tommy is dead. I killed him. I should have known that there was another device. I should have known…..

5th February 2014: Thea's father is Malcom Merlyn. I confronted Moira about this but I guess it's time I tell Oliver. I can't hide this from him.

26th February 2014: Malcom Merlyn is alive and he wants my help to disappear. I made a promise to Tommy but I can't do this. He deserves to be punished and I can't hide this from Oliver.

1st March 2014: I saw Merlyn crying. He was crying over Tommy and Thea. I guess he does love his children and he is living out a punishment staying away from them. He can be saved. I will tell Oliver when the time is right. Malcolm should be punished by his children. Thea should decide his punishment.

28th April 2014: Moira is dead and Thea is heartbroken. She hugged me and cried. Oliver needs to hope again and Thea needs someone she can lean on. I will be that person for both of them.

30th April 2014: I asked Thea to move in with me and she did. I could not believe it at first but she is right here next to me sleeping so it's time I believe it. I made her lunch and she was so happy. I think I can live seeing that smile every day. I will tell her the truth about her father after this war is over but will she forgive me when she comes to know I lied to her? Will she? Will she believe me when I will tell her that I love her?

Thea hadn't realized she was crying until she saw the tear drops trailing on the pages. She realized then that she wasn't angry at Felicity but instead she was crying because this Felicity Smoak that she knew had given up her life to protect and guide her brother and now she was doing the same thing for her. Heck, she was the one who even stayed with Tommy when he needed her and that's when Thea decided that she had more than forgiven Felicity. They needed each other and after knowing the truth Thea will never leave her side because Felicity Smoak did not give up on her even when Thea was broken and even her brother gave up on her. Instead she became her hope and now her family and home.

Oliver was crying. He had doubted 'his girl', the one who had given up everything to stay by his side and now she had given up her life to save his sister. Oliver wiped his tears and then walked to the door of the ward. He knew that it was 12 hours since Slade took Felicity, but he would get her back, alive. She was his family and you don't give up on family.

"I will get her back, Speedy; for us."

And with that he left with Merlyn following on his heels.

Felicity came around and was shocked by the pain she was experiencing. Every inch of her body ached and when she tried moving she realized she was chained to the chair. There were iron cuffs tying her hands and chains binding her feet to a chair. She felt nauseous and all she wished for was the pain to go away.

"Miss. Smoak. I can help the pain to ease away."

"What is it that you want, Slade? If this is about your petty revenge against Oliver, then I am sorry to burst your bubble pal but I am just Oliver's EA and the Arrow's partner and no one else."

Felicity's breath became more laboured as she spoke the words. What the hell? Did she puncture her lungs or something?

"I know that you can feel the pain. In fact, you are right. You did puncture a lung and right now you are bleeding to death."

A strangled sob left Felicity's throat. She didn't want this but she knew there was no way out. She had to accept her fate but even if she was dying, she won't die in this ratty room. She will die among the people she loved and she would see this through.

"You psychopath; I won't die here. I will fight and make sure you die with me."

"Ah, so much fire. Maybe that's why Oliver keeps you close. You are more important to him than you give yourself credit for and don't worry, Miss Smoak, I won't let you die so easy. You are very important to me, you see. I have a very important task for you."

Felicity saw Slade walk out of the shadows with a syringe in his hand. Before she could even scream, he injected the fluid inside into her neck and after that all Felicity felt was fire and pain coursing through her body.

I know that all of you probably are screaming at me for giving such a breathtaking cliffhanger but good things comes to those who wait. *Gives an evil grin* Anyways, here you have it folks. Oliver's doubts and determination, Thea's love for Felicity and Felicity's fire which saved all of them. And let's all give it up for Merlyn! Please do read and review and as usual Thanks for all the amazing reviews and follows.