Synopsis for Episode 4: When Felicity receives bad news she goes back to Las Vegas to deal with a family emergency, with Oliver and Diggle accompanying her. Little do they know that they are followed by someone who's been hired to reveal the Arrow's true identity…
Before we begin, I wanted to explain how I view Laurel's character after last chapter.
I do think she's poorly written on the show at times, and I'm not as big a fan of her as I was in season 1 (there have been times when I hated her in season 2). I think she's had these idealistic dreams for the future that haven't met real life and left her a very torn character. As opposed to Oliver and Sara's crucibles, I think Laurel's "crucible" left her sort of stranded in the middle – back to square one. She obviously wanted to be more and do good at the end of season 2, but Oliver wouldn't let her on the team (which was the right decision in my book). Did that stop her? No, she's too strong-willed for that. And that's the character that has to evolve and grow in season 3 - into someone who has balance in life and who might actually be worthy of donning the Canary costume. Was last chapter deliberately a tug of war between the good/evil in Laurel? Yes. Was the point to make her a conniving bitch? No. Please remember, she's a long way from being BC still, and she hasn't earned a spot on Team Arrow yet either.
Also, a fair warning: I don't think the show will really be able to make a believable transition for Laurel into BC, and because of that I doubt I can quite give her justice either. (Had it been my choice entirely, I would be very pleased with Sara as Canary and leave it at that) But it will happen, no matter what some viewers want, and I will take it step by step from here. I can take you bashing me in reviews because I understand most are actually worried about what the show will do with this story line.
I understand that emotions run wild regarding Laurel, but know that I share your concerns. All that you've voiced in your reviews are concerns I have, too, and I will address them all down the line. Her decision to act on her own and Oliver agreeing to train her may have felt rushed, but have a little faith in me. There is a plan.
And please, remember: both Laurel and Oliver are famous on the show for making bad decisions, they're not going to start making the right ones without evolving first.
Having said that: Laurel is not my main prerogative or the main character of this story. Her journey to become BC is not and never will be the focus of my 'season'. In fact, expect to see less of her from here.
Regarding Olicity or Lauriver being endgame, let me quote myself from the first chapter: I am an Olicity shipper, but I don't think you can get away with season 3 without some Laurel/Oliver. I want to do them all justice, so please don't be pissed if a ship doesn't suit your taste in a certain 'Episode'. There will be a lot of push/pull between everyone since it's supposed to resemble an entire season so hang in there until the end.
If you're upset over Dick/Felicity and Oliver/Laurel right now, I encourage you to once more have some faith in me. I think Emily Bett Rickards said it best: Oliver and Felicity have to earn each other. That (in my mind) includes Felicity having a life of her own, Oliver getting over Laurel once and for all and both of them admitting to their emotions. None of that will happen overnight.
We've only had 3 out of 23 chapters so far. Trust me: we're nowhere near done yet.
I hope you enjoy this episode!
Edit: I've altered this chapter after watching Charlotte Ross enter the series in 3x05. Mama Smoak was extraordinary and I wanted to reflect some of the magic she and the Arrow writers brought to the Smoak family in the episode. So this episode now follows canon, more or less.
3x04: What Happens In Vegas
As Oliver and Diggle made their way down the stairs into the foundry, they heard Felicity's soft voice from its usual place beside her workstation. Her tone may have been low and the words difficult to pick up, but the torment carried strong through the open space and reverberated back the guys. Her back was turned towards them, her shoulders, adorned with a yellow sweater, were stiff as a board. Oliver and Diggle exchanged a mute glance regarding the unexpected tension that greeted them, unable to look away for long from the young blonde who'd very much become part of their little family.
As they reached the end of the steps they made out the end of her phone call, "I will… Yes, mum. I'll call you as soon as I get a ticket. Bye…"
Oliver walked a few paces ahead of John. Their shoes barely clicked against the tiles as they cautiously approached. "Is everything alright?"
Felicity sat up a little straighter in her seat, but didn't acknowledge them for another couple of seconds. At last, she spun her chair around and looked up at her concerned friends. Her features seemed haunted and the guys stepped closer to offer whatever support she needed in this clear hour of need.
"I…" the blonde started. Her voice was smaller than normal and unsteady at best. She cut off every other sentence she tried to start, as if losing her trail of thought faster than she'd thought of it. "...That was my, eh, my mother. It seems there's been some recent development with my grandfather's health. His health just deteriorated very quickly. I didn't even know until now... He has stage three lung cancer. He's in the hospital and… they don't think he'll be going home. In fact, they don't think he'll make it through the weekend..."
Her words faded into nothingness and her eyes glazed over momentarily. In the silence that followed, Oliver didn't know what to say. When words failed him, he reached out and placed one of his hands atop her shoulder. She grabbed it and the offered comfort mutely, and he squeezed tighter. Her eyes remained downcast and distant in thought, already thousands of miles away where they belonged right now.
Diggle's voice lowered an octave as he tried to reach through to her, "Do you need anything, Felicity?"
The woman closed her eyes tight as she rose from the chair and Oliver's hand fell back to his side. Her cobalt eyes opened and revealed a pool of anguish, gazing up at them without any trace of hope. She swallowed heavily and shrugged, "Just some personal time. I should be there for him if he… I should be there for it, you know? But thank you for the offer. I appreciate it."
The sincerity carried strong in her voice, even as her teary eyes searched their faces for understanding.
"Felicity…" Oliver began slowly but his own voice faded into the shadows of the lair. He wanted nothing more than to make this right, but knew there was nothing he could say now to relieve her pain.
"I should get home and pack. Buy a plane ticket," Felicity rambled as she stepped towards the staircase, seemingly rushing for a quick exit before the floodgates opened. "I promised mum I'd call when I… I'm sorry."
Without another word she spun around and fled the area. Oliver and John knew her well enough not to chase after her. The news were too fresh and she wouldn't welcome their attempts if they tried anything this second. It still pained them both to see her suffer like this, though, to see her light diminished and overcome by shadow if even for a fleeting minute.
Though she was gone, her woe remained behind and the tension refused to settle.
"What do we do?" Oliver asked as he turned his gaze up at Diggle.
The latter simply threw him a knowing look. "What we have to, man."
Felicity was packed and ready within an hour.
She'd managed to secure a plane ticket to Vegas that very evening, which meant that she could spend Thursday night through Sunday afternoon in the vibrant city. If it would turn out to be necessary, she'd stay for longer than that. It didn't matter what trouble she could get in with her employer, but she had a feeling Waller owed her a couple by now. Even if 'the Wall' didn't agree, she was certain Oliver and Dig would cover for her if she'd need it.
As she made her way down the narrow steps of her apartment building, she tried to gather her scattered thoughts and go over in her head if she'd remembered everything. She hadn't brought more than she'd need for a few days, but she'd packed in such a rush, she wasn't exactly sure what she'd packed, after all. It would have to do, either way.
A thought caught her unprepared and she paused in the middle of a step to fish out her phone. She had to call Dick - they'd been going steady for over a month now - and tell him about what was happening. It seemed only fair. She quickly dialed his number and briefly explained her plan of action before he'd even gotten a chance to answer her properly.
"Do you want me to come with you?" was the first thing he asked as she was done babbling.
His soft, re-assuring voice filled her with sentiment and she shook her head, briefly forgetting he couldn't see it over the phone. "I'll be fine. I just need to…"
"I get it, Felicity," he said slowly and she could practically hear the comforting smile. "Do you need a ride to the airport?"
"I called a cab, already. I'm sorry, I didn't think to ask you…"
"How about I pick you up when you come back instead?"
Felicity grinned as she made her way towards the front door. "I'd like that. I'll call when I get there. I should go out and wait for my cab. It'll be here any second."
"Take care of yourself. And your grandfather... I might not be going with you but I'm just a phone call away if you need me."
"Thanks," she whispered and hung up. She put the phone back in her suede jacket as she pushed open the heavy front door and stepped into the sunshine.
She faltered on the very first step and her mouth fell open in surprise. "What are you two doing here?"
Diggle's dark van was parked just beside the curb and said car owner stood alongside Oliver beside it. The men exchanged an innocent shrug and Oliver explained, "We're going to Vegas to support our friend. I called the airline and we're flying out with you tonight."
Dumbstruck by their kind gesture, Felicity descended the steps and handed over her pink cabin luggage to John's waiting hand without a word of discussion. As the man walked around the car to dispose the luggage in the vehicle, the blonde slowly turned back to Oliver. He could see her thoughts whirl around madly within her gaze as she asked, "What about the… other business?"
"Roy agreed to don the green hood for the weekend," he explained with a simple smile. "Actually it wasn't very hard to persuade him. Only for minor crimes he can handle on his own, though, since Laurel's still slapping water."
"You don't… I mean, both of you don't have to come with me."
Oliver's smile widened as he opened the passenger door for her. "We know. But we want to."
She nodded and held his gaze without uttering a single word in reply. The hazy look in her eyes slowly faded, however, and she managed a weak grin in his direction.
Diggle came back around the car then and pulled her into a wordless hug. The embrace caught her by surprise but his warmth filled her with comfort immediately. She slowly encircled his waist and grinned into the collar of his jacket, "What's this for?"
"It's from me and Lyla," John explained as he took a step back, but held onto her shoulders for another beat. "She told me to give you her love and tell you that she's thinking about you. And that you can call her any time if you need it."
The blonde nodded as she felt the weight in her heart lift a little at the thought of her friends' kindness. "…Shall we?"
Castor Barnes' fingers flew across the keyboard with expert speed. Barely with any effort he cracked one code after another and watched the firewalls fall like chess pieces as he headed for the main goal. He'd been working these particular codes for a long while now, and his efforts were about to pay off. He'd get inside and find the wealth he so desired without anyone being the wiser. There were simply no bread crumbs when he was done for the police to follow. The world lay at his feet, ripe for the plucking.
He chortled and leaned back in his chair with a victorious grin. The wheels groaned under the sudden pressure.
"I'm almost in, Pollux!" he called over his shoulder. "Starling City Bank… Prepare to be robbed!"
His twin entered the garage then and looked about at the technical gadgets that practically filled the place to the roof. The blond-haired man sighed as he stepped closer and his voice was sullen as he glanced down at the cellphone in his hand. "There's been a change of plans. The boss wants us to go to Vegas tonight."
Castor did a double-take as he looked back up at his brother, "Vegas?! Why would we…?"
Pollux grimaced. "Because apparently that's where Oliver Queen will be this weekend. He just got on a plane and the boss wants us to follow."
"I thought the plan was to wait until he slips up?" Castor said slowly and wet his lips as he tried to make sense of this sudden turn of events. "Not chase after him half across the country! Besides, if he's in Vegas, he'll leave Starling unguarded and we can cast a shadow of doubt regarding him being or not being the Arrow as we break into the bank."
"He has associates who'll cover for him, you know that," Pollux shot down his suggestion with a weary sigh. "There will be a guy in green hood in Starling this weekend… just not the right one. If we want to reveal him as the Arrow, we have to punch a few sizable holes in his cover story. Show the world that Oliver Queen is more than meets the eye."
"But we had a robbery planned for tonight!" the other man whined as he waved a hand in the direction of the computers. "Starling City Bank or an ex-billionaire? We're talking billions for us… or billions for none! We broke that computer system to Iron Heights Prison, surely our boss still owes us one for that little job on the side. He'll understand if we prioritize the money this once and wait until that good-for-nothing Queen returns?!"
Pollux sighed and for a long second it seemed he wouldn't response. With no forewarning, he grabbed hold of his twin's collar and pulled him up with a growled, "It's Drake Constantin we're talking about! When Mr Constantin orders something… you don't renege. Unless you want to die. Besides, there are places to rob in Las Vegas, too. How about we kill two birds in one stone?"
Later that evening, Oliver, Diggle and Felicity found themselves in the backseat of a yellow cab as they drove through the vibrant city of Las Vegas. The bright signs and neon lights passed by in a blur as the blonde woman gazed out the window. She'd barely spoken a word since they'd landed, but the guys had wordlessly decided not to push. When she wanted them, she could turn to them instead.
"Oh," Felicity breathed all the sudden and turned to her company. "I forgot about a hotel! I knew I'd forgotten something."
"I didn't," Oliver offered in a soothing voice from the other end of the backseat. "I booked us all rooms at a comfortable hotel just off The Strip. It's not the Four Seasons, but it'll do."
"Anything that's not my mother's will do," she muttered and flashed him a smile that seemed infinitely less troubled. She turned to look outside again and suddenly pointed to the corner of a building as they passed it. "That was my favorite breakfast place right there. It serves some mean waffles. How about I take you guys there tomorrow morning?"
"How about tonight?" Diggle coaxed gently. "Dinner among friends?"
Felicity looked up at him apologetically. "I was thinking about taking an early night, actually. I'm not really hungry, and I promised to call Dick. I thought I'd just head up to my hotel room when we get there."
"Breakfast it is then," Oliver chipped in with a reassuring breath.
"This is your favorite breakfast place?" Oliver asked the next morning as he gazed about in the small diner only a block or two away from The Strip. It was a simple diner: white and modern, with open spaces and not what he had expected for glitzy Vegas. It seemed almost too clean and perfect for this place, a diamond in the rough.
"Was. When I lived here like a decade ago," the woman corrected without missing a beat. Clad in a white blouse and crimson-colored, flowing skirt, Felicity seemed to fit right in as she sat on the opposite side from her friends in their little booth. She put her porcelain cup down on the tabletop and pointed towards it, "Are you sure neither of you wants to try the hot cocoa? It really is to die for."
"Nah, I'm good. You know, I've never been to Vegas before," Diggle mused and sipped from his coffee.
"I have," Oliver said with a casual shrug.
It had been many years since he'd last been there, of course. In fact, it felt like an entirely different life. It had happened on occasion that he and Tommy went to Vegas for partying without giving their families a heads up of their spontaneous plans. It had earned him more than one furious phone call from his parents and even Laurel, as far as he remembered. In fact, that was about all he did remember about his nights in Vegas. Everything else seemed to have disappeared in a drunken blur.
Felicity snorted as she turned her attention to the waffles before her. "We know. I found the photos online... and a film."
Oliver's gaze flew up to hers as he frowned. "What film?"
"Don't worry. I removed it from the world wide web... But not before I saved a copy. I'll show it to you someday."
The man mockingly glared across the void at her. Just as he was about to retort, he felt something vibrate in his jeans pockets. He dug out his phone and looked down at the caller-ID. "Excuse me," he told his company as he scooted out of the booth to reply. "Jane?"
Her British accent was crisp and her raspy voice unusually clear. "Oliver! I'm standing here with Walter in his office, waiting for this guy we're supposed to meet for a discussion on how best to return his family's company to his control. You wouldn't happen to know where he is?"
Oliver closed his eyes tight and exhaled slowly through his nose. He felt caught in the middle of a crude tug-of-war - between Felicity's troubles and reclaiming QC - but knew this had been his own fault. It had entirely slipped his mind after the previous night. "That was today? I forgot."
"I'm starting to see how you lost QC," Jane jibed, but there was neither cruelty or irritation in her voice.
"I'm out of town, actually," he grimaced. "There was a family emergency."
"Oh, God..." Jane breathed in response and Oliver could practically hear her panic increase with every heartbeat. "It's not Thea, is it?"
"No, no... But I should be back in Starling on Monday, at least. How about a meeting then?"
"Sure," Jane agreed. "See you Monday morning."
Oliver attempted to fill his own tune with joviality, "Unless I forget."
"Oh, har har. Goodbye, Ollie."
He hung up and sighed down at his phone. He knew he had a lot of work ahead of him regarding Queen Consolidated and a steep hill to climb. But there was a time and place for everything, and this weekend could not be about his company. This weekend he had to prioritize other things closer to heart.
"Is everything alright?" John asked as Oliver sank back into the seat beside him.
"Yeah," Oliver waved off the concern without batting an eyes. "Just work-related. Nothing that can't wait a couple of days. So... What now?"
Felicity sighed as the men turned to look at her. She carefully placed her fork onto the tabletop and the metallic sound embraced their little group. She inhaled and cautiously spoke, willing her voice to be strong and collected, "I thought I'd head to the hospital straight away, actually. Be there at the start of visiting hours."
"Do you want us to come with you?"
The woman shook her head and her long, blonde locks graced her slim shoulders with the motion. "No, that's fine. I should do it alone. But I'll probably be hungry afterwards. So lunch?"
Her carefree attitude thus far this morning didn't fool either of her friends. It was her ordinary way of evading the truth, and defend herself in troublesome days. Endless rants and a certain sparkle to not let people see what concerns truly hid beneath the surface. Oliver and John saw it, however, as clear as day, but were still hesitant to push her into a conversation she wasn't ready for yet.
"Meet up at the hotel around one?" Dig suggested instead.
"Perfect."
"Hey…" Oliver called softly as he saw her eyes dip low again, a barely noticeable shadow crossing her features. "It'll be fine."
Felicity sighed as she relaxed back into her seat momentarily, "Oliver, John… You know I'm beyond grateful that you're here with me. And I'm sorry for… behaving like this. I just don't really like being in Vegas. I always get tense and... I'm sure you'll find out why soon enough. And this thing with my grandfather… I need some time."
"Take all the time you need, Felicity," Diggle said and his brown eyes sparkled as he inclined his head in the direction of the other man. "Besides, with you visiting your relatives, Oliver can give me a tour of his favorite places in Vegas. Maybe even buy a second pair of leopard pants..."
Felicity actually laughed at that as Oliver scowled at his friends.
Not an hour later, Felicity found herself seated at the very edge of the worn chair beside her grandfather's bed in the hospital. He had a room of his own and it was quite spacious, which made her happy to notice. It was sterile and impersonal, but she'd brought a bright bouquet of flowers to give the room some life. She's placed it on a table in front of the beeping monitors to keep them out of sight, as if the simple notion could make her forget this particular truth.
She clasped her grandfather's old hand in her own as she listened to him talk about fond memories of her youth. She tried to focus on his azure eyes, that kept all of its color even as his skin paled before her very eyes. He was skinnier than she remembered, more hallow. Still, his heart was the same and he'd asked to be taken off the pain medicine while she was there, to keep his mind sharp and focused.
His voice was slow and raspy like sandpaper, as he babbled enthusiastically, "Do you remember when you won your first trophy in a swim tournament? You can't have been more than ten... You looked like a dolphin as you left your opponents far, far behind you. You were so happy... Your mom was really proud of you, too."
Felicity stiffened in her seat. "Grandpa. Let's not-"
"Do you still do it?" he interrupted and held her gaze firmly. "Swim, I mean?"
"I-No. I quit after college when I moved to Starling City. There didn't seem to be a lot of time for swimming then," she explained and exhaled in relief, glad that he had shifted focus back from other family members. "I do miss it, on occasion. Swimming laps always seemed to make things easier."
"You should never have to give up something that makes you that happy, honey," her grandfather chided. He paused as a heavy coughing spell consumed him and rocked his body almost violently. Eventually, he collapsed back against his pillows, exhausted and weary from the exertion.
Felicity sat silent as she listened to his wheezing breaths and felt her carefully built barriers collapse. Denying anything felt pointless when staring death in the face so bluntly. She swiped at a tear that threatened to fall as she inhaled shakily. As she gazed down at their hands, her whisper was barely audible, "... I can't do this."
Though still breathless and weary, he clasped her hand tighter. "You're a strong girl, Felicity. You always have been. You'll find a way."
"I don't want to," she confessed and the heartfelt admission lingered in the small space between them.
Her grandfather sighed, "What we want, what we need... We don't always have the last say regardless. Things happen and we fight the injustices that we can, and accept the ones we cannot. I know I don't have a lot of time left... and that's my burden, Felicity. I've made peace with it... It's hard, but you should try doing the same," he paused and seemed to deliberate with himself whether or not to push forward, but in the end he did, "It's funny, how clear life seems at the end. Why must you live a whole life before you learn how to live at all? I've made peace with a lot of things in my life during these past few days... I don't want to die with any remorse. Peace of mind only comes with peace of heart."
Felicity leaned back in her seat as she heard what went unsaid. "You mean..."
"Your mother misses you terribly," he nodded.
She shook her head slowly and tried to clear her mind as it riled viciously and threatened to consume her with grief and irritation. "I didn't-... It was her, grandpa. She told me I wasn't welcome here. She told me- You know what, it doesn't matter what she said."
"I know you two have never been good at seeing eye to eye. Your mother's caused a lot of concern for all of us during the years. But she cares about you, Felicity. She called you here to be at my bedside because she loves you and wanted you here. She might not admit it, but I know there's time to forgive and forget," the elder man smiled.
Felicity pondered his words and in the end didn't know what to say. Instead she mirrored his expression and hoped he'd be satisfied with that answer.
When the clock struck noon, Felicity was standing in the spacious lobby to their hotel, waiting for the guys to arrive. Her mind was a mess as her grandfather's words echoed in her head, bouncing back and forth like a tennis ball between the walls of her skull. She didn't know how to make sense of any of this. All she wanted was a glass of red wine, or possibly a pint of mint chip. Either would be lovely right about now.
When her mother had called her the day before, she had been surprised to hear the familiar voice. Felicity had been positive they weren't speaking since her last visit. There was a lot of water under that bridge, and the foundation was rocky at best. For as long as she remembered, they'd clashed together if they spent more than half an hour together in a room. She'd early on accepted that it was simply how things were, but as she'd grown older... Something had changed between them. She loved her mother, but she didn't necessarily like her very much at times.
As she silently fumed, she didn't hear Oliver and Diggle arrive. She jumped, startled, as a warm pressure landed on her elbow and spun around to meet Oliver's worried, blue eyes. He had a particular look to his eyes and she figured he'd tried calling her several times without her even noticing.
"I'm sorry," she recovered quickly. "I was just... far off."
"How's your grandfather doing?" Diggle asked.
"He's..." the blonde woman began but words failed her. Her gaze traveled past their shoulders and she froze at the sight that met her. "Oh no."
"Fliss!" they heard a bright, female voice call out from across the lobby.
Diggle sniggered down at his friend with an amused expression. "… 'Fliss'?"
"Don't," the blonde grimaced.
The guys turned around to face the source of the voice in question. It was a blonde, slender woman in her fifties, heading towards them with firm, solid steps. She had a wide grin plastered onto her tan face and billowing locks that seemed both trashy and classy at the same time. She wore skin-tight, blue dress that hugged her curves and a white, suede jacket to finish off the look. Her eyes, the same exact color as Felicity's, were full of life, though something unreadable simmered beneath the surface.
"Oh God no...," Felicity muttered before the blonde woman came within hearing distance. "Mum...! How'd you know where to find me?"
The elder woman stopped a few paces ahead of them and shrugged with an easygoing gesture, "You sent me an email-"
"Text."
"-with the name of your hotel yesterday, honey," the woman disregarded her daughter's correction. "I was just by the hospital, and your grandfather told me you were heading out to lunch. Didn't you get my text? I was worried when you didn't answer." Donna hauled out her cellphone from her pocket and proceeded to show the unsent text message to her daughter.
Felicity clenched her jaw. "Mom... to send a text you have to actually press 'Send'."
"Oh, well, no big deal, I'll just do it now then," the blonde shrugged and did as her daughter suggested. Felicity tilted her head to the side with a weary grimace as they all heard the text alert noise go off on Felicity's phone. With a bright grin, her mother turned to face her daughter and squeezed her shoulders briefly. It appeared she wanted to hug, but something kept the woman from initiating the physical touch. Instead she shrugged and said, "I'm glad I caught you before you went out, either way. But, honey, who are these fine gentlemen?"
"Eh..." Felicity sputtered before she waved a hand between the two striking gentlemen by her side. "Mom, these are my friends! This is-"
Before she could get further, her mother intercepted, "Mazel tov, you have friends, Felicity! And handsome ones, too! I haven't heard you mention anyone since that Cooper boy... But, oh, never mind. Are either of you boys Jewish?"
Oliver and Diggle exchanged a bemused smile before the Queen heir faced the woman with a low, "No."
"Too bad," the middle-aged woman cooed.
"Ma!" Felicity breathed. "This is John and Oliver. Oliver and John… meet my mother: Donna Smoak."
"It's nice to finally meet you, Mrs Smoak," Oliver said as he shook her hand with eager politeness.
Donna eyed him curiously. "Oh my God! Oliver Queen?"
"That would be the one, yes."
"I read the tabloids. I know quite a lot about you, mister," her tone was half-impressed, half-negative. She leaned in closer to her daughter and whispered, "Know any more millionaires, sweetheart?"
Felicity eyed the ceiling briefly as she replied in a constrained voice, "I worked at Queen Consolidated. Remember?"
"But you don't anymore. Is he... you know?"
"Actually," Oliver dove in to try and save the situation as he noticed Felicity's cheeks burn more crimson by the second, "I'm here on business. I'm looking for possible investors for a project here in Vegas, and when I learned Felicity was going back home because of a family crises … Well, we worked it out with the dates. Mr Diggle was more than happy to accompany me. We didn't want to leave a friend alone."
The notion seemed to upset Donna, "Why would she be alone? She has me."
Oliver merely grinned tightly.
Felicity spluttered. "You're just… Completely wrong, mum. Behave."
"When do I not, Fliss?"
The younger woman tilted her head to the side, "Do you want an honest answer to that? Or will this be like that time you met Tyler's dad at my tenth birthday party and I had to lie to Tyler about his father's whereabouts. Because I did not see his father alone in the kitchen peeling potatoes… which was a terrible lie to begin with because we weren't even having anything potato-related."
"She's very good at talking, isn't she? But I don't need to tell you two that, do I?" Donna turned to the men and her voice carried an undercurrent of something darker that neither of the guys could understand. "Believe it or not but it was worse when she was a little girl. Well, when she wasn't busy with her computers, that is. I used to tell everyone that there wasn't a word she'd met that she didn't like."
"Yes. Thank you, mum… for that fascinating detail," the younger woman spoke through gritted teeth and tugged on her mother's jacket to pull her aside.
Diggle shook his head slowly as he breathed low, "Starting to see where she gets her brain-to-mouth filter."
Oliver merely exhaled with a grin.
Certain they were far enough away from the guys to not be overheard, Felicity exhaled as she looked down at her mother. She felt pent up anger and irritation well up inside her chest, begging for a release, but she kept it locked inside for now. "Why are you here, mum? I mean really."
"We should talk, Fliss."
Felicity snorted indignantly and crossed her arms over her chest. "I recall us saying quite a lot last time I was in town."
"Which is what we have to discuss now, honey. I'm working tonight, but come by the casino for a little while, will you?"
"… Fine. I'll be there. Six?"
"I get on at seven," Donna said and glanced back at the Oliver and John in the distance. "And bring your boys."
Without another word, the older Smoak stepped past her daughter and headed out of the small hotel. Like a ruptured balloon, the tension seemed to seep out of the room as soon as she was gone. Felicity exhaled slowly as she stepped over to her friends.
"Lunch?" she asked in a bright voice that was only an octave too high.
Oliver gazed down at his dear friend. "So, your mother… I have a couple of questions."
Felicity groaned as she met his eyes and steeled herself for the worst. "Of course you do."
"Does she dye her hair blonde, too?"
The woman blinked and couldn't stop her carefree chuckle to spill from her lips in response. His question broke through to her, at last, and released some of her anguish. She happily took Diggle's offered arm as the three of them headed out to eat. Little did they notice two shadows who'd overheard everything.
"Got it!" Castor breathed as he looked down at his tablet. "Donna Smoak works as a cocktail waitress at a small casino North of The Strip. Crappy firewalls... This won't be a nut to crack."
"Beautiful," Pollux cooed from the armchair beside his brother and his gaze followed the trio until they were out of the hotel. Certain that the coast was clear, he turned back to his brother, clad in a dark suit just like him, and punched his upper arm. "Didn't I say this would run smoothly?"
The other man snorted. "Actually, you didn't. But it could. Every casino has a a more or less complex security system to make sure they're not robbed and to prevent players from counting cards. This little casino is 'less complex'. I'll break it within the hour and control it by tonight. If you can get us inside, with heavy ammo - as I know you prefer - I'll hijack the cameras to my tablet and we could rob the place without anyone being the wiser. It won't be the Starling City Bank, but at least it's something..."
"The point, brother mine, is to catch Oliver Queen acting suspiciously alike a certain hooded vigilante... The money is a bonus."
Castor rolled his eyes. "And that's what the hijacked cameras are for. When Queen reacts and tries to stop us, we'll have it all on tape for the world to see. The feed will transfer live to Mr Constantin so he can decide what to do with the material. I'm guessing the Daily News won't be enough?"
Seated around the lunch table at another diner Felicity had chosen for them, the guys noticed their friend seemed to be more like her usual self. She babbled more than usual, but at least she was opening up and letting them in little by little. If it was due to remorse of keeping them at arm's length before, or a genuine desire to lower her walls for them, neither Diggle nor Oliver knew for certain, but were grateful to see her return to life.
"I never liked growing up here," she admitted at the end of a particularly long sermon on the city itself. It wasn't news to either of the guys, but they let her clear her head as she evidently needed it. "I mean... Yes, my grandfather was here to support me, but he spent a lot of time travelling and wasn't often home. And my mom... Well, you saw her today. Let's just say we have a lot of differing opinions."
"What about friends?" Oliver threaded carefully.
"Didn't have a lot of those growing up," Felicity replied without missing a beat. Worried that he'd hit a nerve, Oliver looked up to read the look on her face. It was neither wistful or sad, and he sighed in relief. She seemed to have left it in the past where it belonged, but didn't mind sharing as she elaborated on her tale, "Kids here are… Well, not the nicest in the country. One girl I thought was my friend made me shave off my right eyebrow when I was eight. I looked like a funky ghost for a few weeks before it grew back. It's still uneven and tricky to pluck right," she shrugged and grimaced. "Of course, I didn't make things better when I hacked into the mainframe of my high school and flunked all those kids who'd been rudest to me. That didn't sit well with the other kids… or their parents. Let's just say I preferred college for the most part."
Her gaze rose to meet Oliver's, and she found herself trapped in his depths. He was looking at her with such compassion and curiosity that it nearly breeched her carefully built walls. In the end, Felicity broke eye contact and took a deep swig of her wine. Oliver blinked a couple of times before he turned back to his own meal without saying a word.
John sighed as he saw the deflective walls higher than ever between his friends. He didn't much want to get stuck in no man's land after watching them make such progress. Denial and frustration had brought his friends quite a long way, but they were evidently at an impasse they weren't ready to overcome right now. "So... casino night, huh?"
Later that evening, Felicity wearily stopped at the top of the stairs and looked into the familiar venue.
This casino wasn't exactly The Mirage, but somehow it had stood the test of time and still drew quite the crowd of devoted gamblers. The three blackjack-tables and a few worn slot machines were already busy. There were about twenty people filling the main area of the casino though it was barely nine at night. The buzz of people rose to the roof as the booze kept on flowing and the house kept on winning. Felicity inhaled the familiar scent of cigars, spilled wine on the carpet and greed. She'd spent more time inside these walls than she cared to admit.
She glanced sideways as the boys, both clad in stylish suits, stepped up beside her and took in the full experience of the glitzy casino. Ultimately, they shared a short nod and turned to look down at her in expectancy.
"I should find my mother first. Better get that out of the way... She'll be working in the bar tonight since it's a Friday. Over there. To the right."
Felicity's high heels were quiet against the carpeted floor as she led the way through the small crowd without difficulty. She nodded to the Head of Security by one of the doors and he waved in surprised recognition.
"That's Vito," she explained to Diggle who was closest behind. "I helped him get out of this tangle once several years ago. There was a parking ticket and a few other things- Not important. Point is, he always looked the other way when I came here to count cards after that. He knew I only did it to fund college and was surprisingly supportive despite his job description... Wait, I see my mum! How do I look?"
John frowned in confusion as he and Oliver eyed her white blouse, big purse, heels and the Aztec-print, skirt that stopped just above her knees. "You always look good, Felicity."
"Thank you," she exhaled and her eyes remained fixed on her mother ahead, as if preparing herself mentally for a fight from which only one could return a winner. "My mum hates these kind of skirts."
The eldest man snorted in amusement as he glanced back at Oliver. With a smirk, John remarked, "Knock 'em dead."
Felicity tapped her mother's shoulder indiscreetly and the elder cocktail waitress swirled around, nearly hitting her daughter with the black tray she carried in her left hand.
Her pale eyes widened as she recognized her daughter and she stuffed the small note pad into her short apron. "You came! But, oh, honey, that skirt is a little bit too... formal for a casino, don't you think? It could be shorter. You should show off those killer legs of yours, Fliss."
The young woman pushed her glasses up the ridge of her nose as she prepared herself for the inevitable. All her life, her mother had commandeered their fights, but tonight there would be a change. "You wanted to talk."
"I meant after work-"
"Please, mum," Felicity said. "Let's not do this again. I promised grandpa I'd talk to you tonight."
"Service corridor," Donna nodded to the open doors a few paces behind the bar. "Where are your boys?"
"Having a drink at the bar," the other blonde nodded her head in the direction of the two men seated somewhat stiffly at the counter. Her mother nodded firmly and followed her daughter away from the bar area.
As they reached the secluded area where no one could overhear, Felicity swirled back to face her mum, her long ponytail flipping around with her. She protectively put her arms around her waist as her mother started, "I know we agreed that we needed some space from each other, Fliss... But it's been over six months since I heard from you."
Felicity closed her eyes tight. "We didn't agree, mum. You told me not to bother coming home."
"I was mad, Felicity, and I'm sorry for what I said... I was worried about you. Starling City isn't a safe place, sweetheart," Donna's voice was clear and bright. "Two terrorist attacks in two years...? It's a wonder anyone stays."
Her daughter shook her head in disbelief as anger bubbled just beneath the surface. "I don't want to have this talk over and over."
Donna remained silent for a few long seconds and something pained flashed through the windows to her soul. "... I've never known how to talk to you, Felicity. I'm not as smart as you or your father, I've always known that. Already when you were six years old I could barely keep up with you two. You and I have never been able to just... talk."
Felicity's shoulders slumped low as the truth spilled out, "Because we've never had anything in common. Some mothers and daughters just don't."
"I know. But I tried. I've always tried, honey... When you were a girl, I kept bringing you home all those computers I'd found in dumpsters or other machines for you to repair and explore. I brought them because it always made you smile so bright... It was the only way I knew how to communicate with you. I only ever wanted you to be happy and I'm sorry if I wasn't always the mother you wanted. But at least I was always there for you! Your father... he left me. He left us. I stayed, and I tried. All you had to do was make an effort in return... There's still time," Donna smiled faintly. "You should come home."
"I am home. I mean: in Starling City. That's where I belong," Felicity said, even as she saw the rift between them widen. Her voice trembled with things left unspoken too long and she decided to take the plunge. She'd promised her grandfather to make an attempt, but she couldn't without the whole truth being out once and for all. As her words poured from her mouth, she could hear her voice raise higher and higher with the emotional toll, "I never belonged here, like you do! With your heels and outfits and love of this lifestyle! All you've ever cared about is my love life or the amount of cleavage I show. I'm sorry that I've been terminally single!... I'm sorry that I wanted more! And I am so sorry I was such a disappointment to you! ... All my life you've told me I could be nothing more than a cocktail waitress like you! The best decision I ever made was to stop believing in you. I studied, I left this place and I made something for myself. Now look at me... Look at me!"
Her mum sighed as she registered her daughter's pleading tone. With something akin to pity, Donna looked up at her kin. "You're unemployed and back in Vegas... What is it you want me to see, Felicity?"
The young woman flinched back involuntarily. The words died in her throat. She wanted to yell and tell her mother it wasn't true. Tell her about her secret life and about saving the city as the partner of a true hero, but nothing came out. She couldn't say anything, after all. It wasn't her secret to spill, but her burden to bear nonetheless.
Donna exhaled slowly and closed her eyes tight. "Felicity, darling... When I look at you, I see none of me in you. All I see is your father. And all this time, I've been so afraid that one day you would leave me, too, just like he did. And now I think I finally realize... you already did."
"...I should go," Felicity managed at length and brushed past her mother before she wore her heart on her sleeve.
She stomped back over to Oliver and Diggle as she swiped at unshed tears. Her friends turned to her with compassion shining bright in their eyes. She knew they'd seen it all, even if they'd heard nothing. Felicity forced her gaze to remain somewhere just above their heads as she blankly stated, "I want to count cards."
"Okay," Oliver breathed and swiftly rose from his chair as she walked away from them.
He buttoned his grey suit and hurried after Felicity. As he caught up to her, he placed a hand at her lower back to let her know he was there. She drew a shaking breath but slowed down slightly at his touch. They stepped back onto the casino floor and Oliver nodded over to an empty seat at the table furthest away from them.
They began walking towards it when a shape suddenly flew out from the sea of people and violently tugged Felicity away from Oliver. Before Oliver could react the person had fired a gun straight up at the roof and chaos erupted everywhere. All the casino guests shouted in panic and dove straight for the floor as the robber held the blonde close to his side.
Oliver hunched low with the others as he breathed calmly and took in the situation with a trained eye. There were two men with semi-automatics on the casino floor who remained standing. They wore suits and their faces were covered behind black balaclavas as they took command over their hostages.
"Nobody move!" the one who clung to Felicity hollered at the twenty or so people that lay at his feet across the small room. "This is a robbery. So if we could kindly get all your money... no one will be hurt! If you fail to do as we ask... There will be consequences!" he pointed the gun squarely at Felicity temple and Oliver saw her tremble in fright as the metal touched her head.
He clenched his fist and gazed about. There were too many cameras and too many witnesses to do much of anything. He clenched his jaw as he looked about for Diggle, but couldn't see the man anywhere. The Head of Security was also gone, and he could see the other two guards knocked out on the floor beside the entrance. No help there then.
"Now... You have twenty minutes to give me everything you own and the cashier cage's earnings for the night... Or we'll start shooting hostages!" the lead-robber snarled and pushed Felicity down to the ground. She landed hard on her knees and crawled over to Oliver's side as soon as she was free. He put an arm around her slender shoulders and held her close as she willed her breathing to match his calmer one.
The second robber eyed the pair for a long outdrawn second and his voice seemed abundant with dark amusement, "The clock is ticking..."
In the commotion, Diggle had managed to grab hold of Donna and ducked behind the bar counter further away. Vito, the head security guard was also hiding beside them as scared guests lay scattered beneath floors here and there beside the bar.
"I say we attack..." Vito breathed as he leaned closer to the bodyguard.
John pushed down the guard's gun firmly. "Not now."
He glanced over the countertop, careful not to be seen, and gazed at the larger crowd held hostage by the two robbers. He could see Felicity and Oliver crouched side by side as the two men in black circled the hostages. There was no clear shot. There were too many people that could end up in the crossfires if they tried anything right now. He had to bide his time.
Diggle turned back to his company and informed them, "It's too dangerous. Keep it low."
Donna shook her head at the news and seemed close to the breaking point, walking a very thin line she had no problem crossing due to the circumstances. She tugged the gun from the guard's hand as she frantically breathed, "They had my daughter!"
The terrified woman's eyes shone with determination as she made to stand. Diggle threw himself forward and managed to keep her down and out of sight. She whimpered beneath his strong touch as he covered her trembling hands with his own, making sure that the gun remained low.
"We have to save my girl! Let go of me! I don't care what happens to me, just save her!" Donna hissed and her wide eyes searched the bodyguard's for reprieve as tears slid down her cheeks. "I can't... She's not...?"
Diggle sighed heavily as he crouched beside the woman. "Your daughter's fine, Mrs Smoak."
"The masked man... He held a gun to her head and he..." Donna swallowed thickly and dropped the gun to the floor. Diggle grabbed it quickly and held it out of reach for his company. If push came to shove, he wouldn't put Donna through such a decision. He'd rather make the choice himself.
"Your daughter's a tough cookie. And I think I see where she gets it from," John offered the woman a reassuring smile. "You have to stay quiet and stay down, Mrs Smoak. Just be patient. We have to wait for a clear shot so that we won't risk hurting innocent people. Okay?"
Donna nodded fervently and wiped at the stray tears. "Okay... Yeah. Okay."
Diggle made himself as flat as possible against the floor as he crawled towards the entrance hole of the counter, from which he had a fairly good view of the casino floor.
Oliver glared up at the two men as they walked back and forth between their hostages. They seemed tremendously cocky for attempting a robbery in a town like Vegas. Even more, it disturbed him to realize they seemed to be waiting for something and kept glancing in his direction. They both carried heavy weapons, but the one furthest away also held a tablet he kept on turning back to every now and again.
"Got it!" Felicity breathed behind him and Oliver glanced back over his shoulder. She'd pulled out her tablet from her purse a few minutes ago to try and give them an overview of the situation as Oliver blocked the robbers' view of her with his bigger body. She whispered, "They're in the security system. That's what he keeps checking on his tablet... He must have have hacked into the casino's main frame and gotten past the fire walls. It's barely traceable, but it's there. Actually, you know what this reminds me of? Iron Heights last we-"
"Stay on target."
"Right... The doors are all controlled by the same program, which they control. We're locked in here. The alarms haven't been set off so the police don't know. To the outside world nothing would appear wrong. This hacker's actually really good... He's also hacked into the camera feeds. It appears to be transferring the feed to an outside location. I can't access it or follow the trace. I can't see where Diggle is, either. With any luck, he's somewhere the cameras can't see him."
"He's fine," Oliver reassured, careful not to move his lips too much as he kept his predator glare on the robbers. One of them kicked a random hostage down to the ground and Oliver flinched without realizing it. He saw Felicity's hand seize hold of his grey sleeve and he stiffened.
"You can't!" Felicity breathed.
"I have to stop them," he hissed back.
"No. Don't," she reiterated with a silent plea. "You'll just risk revealing your identity. We can't afford that. Diggle's got it. He'll find a way… Please."
Oliver released a breath he hadn't been aware of keeping and sank back beside her. "If they get violent with any of the hostages I'm going after them."
"Deal."
He gritted his teeth as he saw the men exchange a glance and look back in his direction for the thousandth tim. A thought struck him and he muttered, "They know who I am."
"What?" Felicity asked in surprise and her voice was just a fraction louder than before.
"They keep looking this way. Expecting me to act, no doubt," Oliver explained and saw the lead-robber move towards them. "They're coming this way. Lower your gaze, Felicity. Do not look at them directly, do you understand?"
She simply nodded and did as instructed, but it was too late.
"What's this?" the man snarled as he reached their side and pulled the tablet away from her grasp. He threw it hard against the floor and it broke with a crushing noise. Felicity whimpered.
The man once more pulled the woman up from the floor and she winced in pain as his fingers dug into her arm. She tried to keep her breathing even, but she stiffened as a board when the cold metal pressed against her head for the second time. The man with the balaclava merely looked down at Oliver, as if expecting a reaction of some kind.
Oliver clenched his fist by his sides reflexively and his eyes shone with pure hatred. Felicity imperceptibly shook her head when his gaze found hers, but her eyes suddenly rose above his head. Her eyes widened a fraction with a certain realization, before Oliver saw her relax entirely in the man's grasp. Her sudden dead weight made the man drop her and she fell to the floor easily.
Before her knees had even hit the ground, a gun shot echoed through the room. The robber, who'd turned into an easy target when the blonde had fallen from his grasp, staggered back a step and drew a short, trembling breath. He gazed down at his chest and touched the wound gingerly, watching the red liquid seep down the front of his suit jacket. With a gurgling sound he sank onto his knees and keeled over.
"No! Pollux!" the other man cried and swirled around to face the shooter.
Diggle stood tall and steady beside the bar, his gun trained expertly at the second robber. "You sure you want to try that?"
The balaclava-wearing man hesitated but not for long. He dropped his gun and fell to his knees beside his dead brother, whimpering as he reached for his kin.
About an hour later, the police finally pulled the still living robber out of the casino and the paramedics wheeled out the dead man. The chaos had just about settled and the terrified casino guests had started to file out after being interrogated.
"Three cheers for Diggle! Our hero!" Felicity breathed in relief as she and Oliver re-joined their friend. The woman kissed John's cheek and he smiled down at his friend.
Oliver gazed up at the other man with gratitude. "Felicity's right, Dig. If it weren't for you, I..."
His unspoken words lingered in the air between the trio. If Oliver had reacted, his secret identity could have been endangered and their worlds potentially destroyed. If he was right and the robbers were waiting for him to act, they were certainly lucky Diggle had reacted before disaster could strike.
A throat cleared beside them and they turned to see Donna cautiously approaching their trio. Donna's face was ashen and her hands trembled as she pulled her daughter in for a tight hug. "Felicity..."
"Mum, please... We can talk later," Felicity muttered and pulled back an inch.
"It's not... Sweetheart, it's not about tonight, it's about your grandfather," the elder woman whispered as her gaze fell to the phone that rested in her palm. A lone tear rolled down her face and Felicity felt her blood freeze within her veins.
Felicity gazed out through the window at the dark night sky and let the darkness embrace her slender frame as she stood in the sterile corridor. "I can't believe he's gone. I didn't even get to say goodbye."
"At least you were here, Fliss," her mother spoke with a soft voice from somewhere behind her.
Felicity turned to look at her mother, seated in the hospital chair beside her. With her short apron askew and mascara smudged out under her eyes, Donna looked like quite the worn lady. Felicity had a feeling she looked quite worse for wear also, too. She'd shed more than a couple of tears since hearing the sad news and they'd rushed to the hospital but it had all been to late. He was already dead.
Felicity couldn't help but feel cheated on her grandfather's final days. She'd thought they would have the whole weekend, at least, despite what the doctors had said. In the end, they had barely gotten one day. It had definitely been a wild and crazy roller coaster today, and all she wanted was to get off. She wanted Earth to stop spinning for just a few seconds so she could catch her breath and understand what was going on around her.
"I miss him," she confessed.
"The two of you always had a special bond," Donna's voice was frail as the woman rose to join her daughter by the windows. "I know he was the one who encouraged you to get away from here, and I never understood why. I still don't, but I see how much it mattered to you. You were right, Felicity. We don't have a lot in common... Maybe I have to accept that you and your grandfather shared something you and I never will. And that you and your father were simply two peas in a pod. He was always very fond of you, Felicity, you know. Despite our fights, he... He cared about you, so very much."
The unexpected admission caught the young woman by surprise and she clung to it like a beacon in the wilderness. "You never really talk about him..."
Donna shut her eyes tight for a long second and her voice filled with emotion as she revealed, "There's much you don't know about your father, but you should know that he always loved you. You have so many people in your life who love you so very much, honey. I'm still your parent, and I meant it when I said that I've only ever wanted to see you happy. I thought I was going to lose you tonight, Fliss. When I saw that man hold that gun to your head... I...I-"
Felicity shrugged. "I'm used to it," as her mother frowned, the younger woman backpedaled. "I... I mean used to your worry. Not having a gun pointed at my head. Of course not."
"It just... reminded me that family is precious, sweetheart," Donna mumbled with a thick, emotional voice. "Love, in spite of everything, is what makes it precious. You're the only family I have now, and I'm yours. I don't want to lose you. I'll always love you just as you are, please don't ever doubt that."
Felicity smiled at the sincerity in her mother's voice. "I won't."
Donna smiled and squeezed her daughter's hand. "Now... I'm going to say goodbye to my father. You can come with me if you want."
"Mom..." Felicity called and her mother lingered. Felicity inhaled deeply as she exhaled through her mouth and admitted, "We're always going to be different and it's not always going to be easy, but about what you said earlier... I do see some of you in me. I can't explain, but these past two years I've experienced some things and I've realized that I am a lot tougher than I thought. I get that from you. I haven't always been appreciative of you, but I know how you slaved 60 hours weeks in 6 inch heels just to pay rent and give us a decent life. You were always there for me, so if I haven't said thank you enough... Thank you."
With tears running down her cheeks, Donna pulled her daughter in for a tight embrace.
Oliver stepped into the hotel bar on stiff legs and made his way over to his seated friend by the counter. "Hey…"
Diggle glanced back as he sipped from his scotch. "Hey. Did you get her text? I tried calling her but she won't pick up. Figure she'll come to us when she wants to talk about it."
"Maybe," Oliver agreed in a short tone as he sank onto the high chair beside the other man and leaned his elbows against the counter. "I checked with the reception as I came down, she's not back yet… I feel like we should have been there with her at the hospital."
"She asked us to stay here."
"I know, but… I don't know. I feel useless here."
John nodded as he threw the younger an understanding look. "Nothing like chasing bad guys in a green hood, is it? Some foes you just can't fight, Oliver."
"Don't I know it…" Oliver muttered as he ordered a scotch for himself and ran a weary hand across his stubbled jaw. "What about you, Dig? Help me keep my mind off of it."
"It's a girl."
Oliver did a double-take and a faint smile found its way onto his features as some tension evaporated, "You mean…?"
"A baby girl. Lyla caved and couldn't wait for the delivery to learn the sex of the baby," John grinned. "…A girl."
Oliver's smile grew as he saw his friend's contentment and patted his shoulder. His heart swelled for his brother in arms and he gently breathed, "I'm happy for you, man."
"Me too," Diggle agreed and eyed his friend. He cleared his throat slowly and tested the waters for another topic he knew they needed to discuss. "So… You're training Laurel."
Oliver grimaced. It had been over a week since the events with Helena, and there had been some adaptions for all of them to get used to since then. Deciding to wade in the shallower water, the man pointed out, "You don't agree with the decision."
John shrugged. "Doesn't matter what I think."
"It matters to me."
"I leave town for a week and everything is turned on its head. I wonder what'll happen when I go on paternity leave…!" Diggle snorted as he sipped from his scotch and ignored his friend as the latter rolled his eyes inconspicuously.
"… Dig," Oliver breathed in an unamused voice.
"Alright, alright. You really want to know what I think?"
"You've never held back so far, why stop now?" the younger man teased warmly.
"I don't think she's earned a spot on the team."
"No…" Oliver agreed with his common mimicry and an amused facial expression. He sighed as he decided to open up. He could use a friendly ear to listen about this. "If she's ever going to be on the team, she'll have to work just as hard as everyone else. And I have a feeling it will be harder for her to learn self-restraint. She's very stubborn, Dig, she always was."
"Felicity may have given her the benefit of a doubt, but Roy doesn't seem to trust her after what happened with Helena. What about you, Oliver?"
The man hesitated, but admitted, "I'm not saying I agree with her decision, but I guess I see where it came from. She made a bad call for a good cause. She did what she thought was right to stop Helena and Bauer. Who am I to judge her?"
Diggle wasn't as easily swayed. "She chose Helena's path, Oliver."
"Laurel was working against her all along," Oliver disagreed. "She had to play a part... Because I gave her no other option."
"Her decision doesn't reflect yours, Oliver. She had other options; she chose not to see them," John's voice carried strong through the air as he decided to speak up. "... I think she's not the same woman you were together with all those years ago, and I think you keep forgetting that. I once told you how I felt you always chose Laurel over everyone else… I don't believe you're that man anymore, Oliver."
Oliver frowned as he deflected, "What do you mean?"
"That things are different, and you're afraid to embrace the changes..." Dig suggested and let the words sink in before he continued, "You know what I think the two of you need? Closure. But maybe I'm wrong, maybe you two deserve to end up together again. Or maybe you deserve someone better suited for you."
"Because of the life that I lead I can't be with anyone—"
"I've heard that excuse before, man."
Oliver sighed and willed all emotions to remain hidden behind his well-worn facade. "It's not an excuse, Diggle."
"It's your life, Oliver… You only get one chance. So maybe you should try getting one for yourself. See what real happiness is about. Maybe it's time to ask yourself what you want? Who you really want to be with?"
"It doesn't matter what I want. That's the whole point," Oliver muttered as he downed the last of his drink. He cleared his throat as he jumped off the bar stool and jerked his thumb in the direction of the reception. "I'll go see if Felicity's back."
John nodded slowly as he watched the retreating shape of his friend's back. "… Do what you want."
Oliver knocked carefully as he opened the pale door to Felicity's hotel room and stepped inside. The small chamber was silent as he stepped further inside. "Felicity?"
"Down here," her familiar voice called and he saw a slender hand peek up from behind the wide bed.
He frowned as he walked towards her. His gaze traveled down to the empty ice cream carton on the covers and he eyed the label. "Divine chocolate fudge?"
"They were out of mint chip…" came the sullen explanation.
Oliver smiled as he put the item back down and moved around the bigger furniture. Felicity lay beside the bed, with her legs bent, knees pointing skyward, and her shins pressed against the side of the bed. Her face was streaked with mascara and tears, but she made no attempt at hiding any of it as he locked gazes with her. She looked like she'd been through hell and back again, a lost wanderer on the road of life, and it was a look Oliver knew only too well. She waved sheepishly as he remained silent.
With a deep sigh, he unbuttoned his suit jacket and sat down on the floor beside her. She eyed him in confusion.
"You'll wrinkle your suit!" she protested as he shifted to lie down.
"I don't care about my suit, Felicity…" he assured her in a light tone as he lay down shoulder to shoulder with her and put his feet up on the bed (there wasn't enough space for him to fit beside her any other way), mirroring her position as good as he could.
"You should, it's the best one you have left these days!" she argued feebly. "And fine, Italian silk like that isn't cheap- you should know. You won't be able to buy a new one with your current money issues."
"It's fine," he promised and turned to look at her. Whatever argument she had to offer fell away as she met his gaze and she simply nodded. Oliver swallowed past his own pain at seeing her like this and asked, "Do you want to talk about it?"
She snorted quite unladylike. "I don't have any words to say, Oliver. I know that's unprecedented coming from my mouth, but I…"
"I get it."
"You do? Then could you explain it to me? Cause my MIT-degree isn't helping me right now," she muttered and shifted to sit up. Oliver followed her quietly and leaned back against the wall beside her as she continued to ramble, "My gramps was kind of an anchor for me as a child. Whenever he was in town he would just... understand me. I don't know who I am without him. I mean… I do, but I don't."
"Well…" Oliver searched for any words of comfort that might actually help. "I know who you are, Felicity Megan Smoak. You're very intelligent and the most head-strong person I've ever known. You won't let me get away with a bad call and you can always keeps me in check. You're the best partner I could have asked for, and one of my best friends… if not the best one."
Felicity dried a stray tear with the back of her hand and sniffled. "… Yeah?"
"Yeah..." he grinned as his eyes wandered across her saddened features. "Do you remember when you told me that I honor the dead by fighting? You were right. And I think that's what you can do now. You're going to go on with life because that's what your grandfather would have wanted for you. Add him to the list of people we do this for, whom we honor by fighting. Live, Felicity. Fight."
"… What if I can't?"
"Then you take all the time you need to return to form. I'll be here beside you," he said with as much conviction as he could muster. She'd never let him fall thus far, and he'd be damned if he ever let her fall either.
Felicity watched him in silence and his words had obviously hit home, like most of his arrows in the deep of night. His gentle smile grew as he held her gaze. He knew the second something shifted in the air, because he was suddenly very aware of how close they were sitting, shoulders barely grazing each other, and how wrong it was for him to take notice. They'd just lived through a failed robbery and her grandfather's sudden death. This was neither the time nor the place to even encourage the thought. Not to mention all the other obstacles between them.
Not like this, he thought and lowered his gaze. He forced his voice to remain curious and carefree, "How's eh… the cop? What was his name again?"
"Richard. Dick," Felicity breathed and the moment was gone. She cleared her throat as if remembering herself and nodded. "He's good. We're good. It's only been a month; it's too early to tell if we could… And there's still the whole problem of not being able to tell him the truth about what I do, but I won't risk him getting struck by lightning... and… I'm rambling."
He smiled genuinely as his gaze rose to meet hers once more. "I'm happy you've found someone, Felicity."
Her eyes held his across the divide and the sparkle in her cobalt eyes was heartfelt, too, as she held his gaze captive. She returned his smile in the end, "… Me, too."
A shrill sound interrupted them and both jumped slightly at the ringing phone. Felicity turned to the nightstand and squinted down at the Caller-ID. "Speak of the devil. It's Dick."
"He's probably worried about you," Oliver rose from the floor in a fluid motion and nodded towards the exit. "I'll leave you to it, but remember... Both Diggle and I are just down the hall if you need us. We'll always be here."
Felicity dried the last of her tears and tenderly smiled up at him. "I know."
Oliver's grin was somewhat stiff as he spun around and walked back towards the door. He was outside with his hand on the doorknob when he heard her answer the phone. He closed his eyes tight as he repressed all feelings for a moment. His heart constricted inside his chest as he forced himself to ignore the familiar tug and shut the door behind him. He turned and walked towards his own room without looking back.
Episode 5 to come!
Preview for next episode: Nightwing returns and as his identity is revealed, Team Arrow have to face the fall-out.