AN – hey everyone thank you for still reading and reviewing and following/favorite it means the world to me to have your support and know you are enjoying the ride as much as I am. I hope this was alright sorry it's a short one but I have a pile of work to do the next few weeks and I wanted to get something out now than let it gather dust adding little snippets here and there. So enjoy
I do not own Arrow or Thunderbirds but I enjoy them nonetheless
CHAPTER 17
Virgil was the first to his feet and Doctor mode took over brother mode. "John?" He said firmly while laying a hand on his shoulder.
"Irgil?" John croaked louder this time. He moved his head slightly.
"Gordon turn the lights down." Virgil instructed. Gordon leapt out of his seat and raced over to the light switch panel. He dimmed them down over the bed.
During this Felicity, Scott and Alan all rose to their feet crowding over John.
"Yeah it's me, Scott, Gordon, Alan and Felicity are all here too." Virgil cooed to John. "Can you open your eyes?"
They all watched as John battled with opening his eyes and after several attempts they finally stayed open.
"Cott." He croaked seeing his oldest brother's face.
"Yeah Johnny I'm here." Scott replied squeezing John's hand gently.
"John do you remember what happened?" Virgil asked.
John moved his eyes to meet Virgil's hazelnut ones above him and he took a few moments before answering. "5 h-hit. Ost power. Licity."
Felicity caught the attempt at her name and she moved forward to lean into his line of sight. "I'm here John." She cooed and stroked her fingers through his hair.
John relaxed back and his eyes slid closed Felicity was alright and there, he felt someone stroking his hair and he tried to snuggle into it but failed everything ached and he was so tired. The last thing he heard was Virgil.
"Well you didn't hit your head too hard then." Virgil concluded watching his brother slip back to sleep.
Gordon and Alan returned to their seats. Scott gave one final squeeze of John's hand before he moved out. "I'll go tell everyone the good news."
Virgil set about another round of obs and Felicity took her seat again but continued to run her fingers through John's hair. Alan shuffled and swapped seats and began his vigil of holding John's hand.
Evening finally came around and John had remained asleep. Grandma took a turn keeping watch over John while everyone else went to dinner. After eating lasagna and cannoli Felicity decided to grab a quick shower and change of clothes before returning to John.
After she had freshened up and was just finishing getting ready she heard buzzing coming from her case. She dug about a bit until she found her phone and on the screen it showed Oliver calling, crap she thought as she slid the accept call button.
"Felicity! Are you all right? Where are you? Where have you been? What the hell is going on?" A cascade of questions came barreling down the phone at her.
"Uh." She didn't know what to say, what she could say.
"Have you gone to Central City?" Oliver asked sounding less stressed but pissed.
"Yes." Felicity answered without thought, maybe Barry would cover for her.
"Why didn't you let me or Diggle know?" Oliver pressed.
"Uh it's been a bit hectic can I ring you back?" Felicity skirted an actual answer and practically hung up on Oliver before he answered.
She quickly whizzed through her text messages and emails. It shocked her to read about the particle accelerator explosion in Central City and she phoned Barry.
"Hello?" A lady answered the phone.
"Oh hi my name is Felicity I met Barry working a case in Starling City, I have just heard about the particle accelerator I just wanted to see if he was okay?"
"Felicity I'm Iris Barry he, he was struck by lightening in the storm. He's in the hospital in a coma." The voice replied.
"Oh my gosh I'm so sorry, will he be okay?"
"The doctor's don't know."
"I will come and see him as soon as I can. Will you keep me updated please?"
"Sure Felicity. Thanks for checking on him."
"No problem bye." Felicity hung up and stood dazed for a moment, poor Barry she thought.
Next she dialed Oliver again her cover up story formulating in her mind.
"WHAT THE HELL FELICITY!" Oliver bellowed as the call connected.
"Sorry bad line, I'm at the hospital with Barry he was struck by lightening in the storm after the explosion. He's in a coma. I will be away for a while I'm sure you can manage for a few weeks at least.
"Sure but keep your phone close." Oliver snapped.
"I will." Felicity managed to say before the line went dead. Oliver was mad but it was tough, she had put him first for 18months now since he had turned up bleeding in her car. Now was her turn to be a little selfish.
Next she texted Diggle,
FS – Sorry I haven't checked in rushed to Central City after heard about explosion. Barry in hospital will be gone for a while. FS
An almost instant reply came through.
JD – Bout time you got in touch. Stay safe and give the kid my best. Diggle
Felicity then made her way back down to the infirmary to sit with John for the remainder of the evening.
Since John had woken the atmosphere in the villa had relaxed a lot, Virgil had told her that him remembering what had happened and their names was a positive sign that he hadn't sustained any brain damage from his head injury or from the decompression sickness.
So with John seemingly out of immediate danger Virgil had been ordered by Scott to get to bed for several hours and Jeff was taking the first part of the night shift to watch John while the others rested. Felicity was amazed at the dedication they all had to each other as well as International Rescue, their strength to keep going was inspiring.
Around midnight John stirred awake. He remembered where he was before he even opened his eyes the smell being the biggest give away. Everything ached he felt like Thunderbird 2 had landed on him. Something warm was covering his right hand and his right shoulder was being tickled. Opening his eyes cautious of the dim light he focused first on the ceiling the brown coloured rocks a comforting sight to ensure he was on Tracy Island.
Very slowly and carefully he rolled his head to the right and his eyes fell on his father breathing heavily slouched in the chair next to the bed and his right hand draped over his. As he continued to roll his head further round his eyes fell onto a mass of long blonde/brown locks that explained the tickling.
He felt a smile grace his lips he was so glad she was here and alive. When he had come around in 5 everything had been dark, the emergency power had failed and the computer system was offline he had thought it had taken her with it.
John was grateful to Virgil, as he rested the side of his head against the pillow, for swapping the oxygen mask to the nasal cannula it was much comfier. He slowly shifted his side to lie better but hissed out as he twisted the wound on his side not remembering being injured.
When the pain subsided and John opened his eyes there were two worried faces staring back at him.
"Are you alright son?" Jeff asked.
"I'm kay ad." John croaked with a wince.
Jeff hefted himself out of the chair and went into the countertop fridge and returned with a cup. "Here try this." He offered the cup to John's lips and as John opened his mouth he tipped a few flakes of ice from the cup.
John swished the ice about his mouth and felt the liquid coat his mouth and as it slid down his throat the cool bite soothed the roughness. "Thanks. I must have missed the memo about not moving."
"You gave us all a scare Son." Jeff said as he moved back around the bed to his seat keeping the cup handy.
"Sorry." John apologised he met Felicity's eyes before he continued. "I don't know what happened. I was just finishing up to turn in and 5 started to spin and explode around me."
Jeff shifted in his seat to interrupt John's explanation but Felicity got there first.
"John your family know." John looked at Felicity again his brain processing what she had said. At the confused expression Felicity continued. "Thunderbird 5 systems went down and the communication device wouldn't connect I had to get into the systems some way."
"How did you leave 5?" John asked.
"I uh have my own safety chain of sorts."
"Felicity is also the reason we got into 5." Jeff interjected.
"H" John tried to talk but the croak caused a coughing fit. Felicity instinctively took the cup from Jeff and standing she rested her hand on his shoulder until the coughing subsided.
"Here." She said holding the cup up to John's lips. Jeff watched the pair and a faint smile graced his lips.
"Thank you." John said once the ice had melted and soothed his throat once more. "How?"
Felicity sank back down into her seat before explaining. "I'm not completely sure but I think I was providing the energy to the lock system making it work, and some manual leverage."
Awe crossed John's face he wanted to talk more but he felt the tiredness washing over him again and he had one other important question. "How bad is the damage?"
Jeff gave an exasperated sigh his sons were all the same more concerned for their 'birds' than their own health. "From Scott and Alan's reports I think she is a right off John." He saw the sadness flood his eyes. "Brains and Fermat have started on plans for a new craft and as soon as you are feeling up to it you can get involved. But only when Virgil has given you the all clear. You are not as replaceable as 5."
John shrunk back a little, he didn't want to think about how close it had been this time he remembered when he had regained consciousness. He couldn't catch his breath and it had been dark and cold, he had barely found the emergency oxygen helmet before the darkness had taken him again. "I know, what was Virgil's diagnosis." John asked as he eyes started to loose their battle to stay open.
"Decompression sickness, hypothermia, deep laceration on your right side Virgil had to do a transfusion and you took a blow to the head." Jeff gave a brief account seeing his son struggling to keep awake. "Get some rest son we can talk more later."
"Mmm." John mumbled. "City." He whispered before he started to breath slow and heavily.
"I'm not going anywhere." Felicity answered assuming John had tried to say her name. She quite liked the shortening of her name coming from John.
She heard Jeff move and felt a hand over hers taking the cup. "Here." He said taking the cup from her and placing it back in the fridge before returning to his seat.
"Thanks."
"I hope you don't mind but I had my representative at Queen Consolidated arrange your leave."
Felicity turned surprised and grateful. "Thanks I forgot about the company." She chuckled, "I hadn't told Oliver either until tonight. He thinks I'm in Central City with a friend who's in hospital."
"I was surprised when I heard about your change in career within the company. I'm sorry to hear about your friend is it anything serious?"
"Oliver wanted someone he could trust and put with that how could I say no? Thanks he was struck by lightening when the particle accelerator exploded, he's in a coma that's all I know." Felicity answered.
"I hope he has a speedy recovery. It's lucky the paperwork was filled in as personal time. Your welcome to stay as long as you want your job is covered." Jeff reassured.
"Thank you."
"It's me that should be thanking you what you did for us and for John I don't think I could ever repay you."
"Mimicking you guys 'I'm just doing my job.'" She gave Jeff a beaming smile.
"Being on the receiving end that kind of modest talk is frustrating. You did above and beyond just a job."
"I would do it again in a heartbeat for any of you." Felicity said before a yawn escaped.
"You should get some rest." Jeff suggested.
"I'm okay besides I told John I wasn't going anywhere." Felicity replied turning her attention back to the sleeping form.
"How about I get us some coffee then?" Jeff offered.
"I would love some." Felicity replied with a big smile.
Jeff got up and headed out of the room.
The person that returned was not Jeff however it was Alan. He had a tray with two steaming mugs and a plate piled high of cookies.
"Hey I've raided Grandma's secret stash of cookies." Alan announced.
"Hi, mm cookies." Felicity replied she stood up and wandered over to the counter to stretch her legs and retrieve her coffee and a cookie or two.
"Dad said he woke up again, how was he?" Alan asked concern laced his voice.
"He seemed okay, he was awake longer this time. He doesn't know what happened to Thunderbird 5." Felicity answered.
"We should find out later today, as long as there are no call outs me and Fermat are doing a reconnaissance to retrieve the core drive and see how bad the damage is."
"When you're up there could you have a look for something for me?"
"Sure." Alan asked intrigued.
"John and me were working on something if it survived it should be in his workshop. It looks like a smart phone that can be strapped to your wrist. If its safe and you have time can you take a look for it please." Felicity almost begged.
"Yeah no problem, can you tell me what its for?"
"No not yet it's not quite finished but as soon as it is we will how you." Felicity said cryptically.
"Cool." Alan said enthusiastically. "Can I ask you something?" He continued going a little shy.
"Yep."
"Can you show me what you do please." Alan put on his puppy dog eyes that always worked on his brothers.
Felicity hesitated a moment the fear constricting but she pushed it back they had accepted her she didn't need to hide or be frightened at least not here. "Ok." She agreed and was surprised at the beaming smile Alan gave at the answer.
Felicity finished off her cookie and headed back over to John's side coffee in hand and Alan followed. When she was seated she held out her coffee for Alan to take, at his confused look she explained. "Can you hold this I don't want to burn myself?"
Alan took the mug and watched Felicity settle back in the chair and place her hand around her locket. Her blue irises morphed into a static pattern exactly like he had seen when she was trapped under the rubble. "Alan." He heard Felicity's voice call out but it hadn't come from her mouth, he twisted his wrist carefully to avoid tipping hot coffee over himself. On the face of his watch was Felicity waving. "Hi."
He looked from the screen to Felicity sat in the chair and back again wide eyed with amazement. Then the screen returned to the usual white clock face and a few seconds later Felicity's bright blue eyes returned.
"That was awesome. You need a code name like Techno Touch." Alan said enthusiastically almost sounding like a child.
"I'm just the behind the scenes no code name needed." Felicity replied trying to hide the giggle at Alan's name.
"Even the sidekicks get cool names. Please." Alan pleaded.
Felicity rolled her eyes. "Fine but defiantly not Techno Touch." She started to giggle."
"Hey what's wrong with that." Alan huffed.
"Nothing I already have a name in mind."
"Care to share." Alan prompted.
"Interface."
"That is perfect." Alan exclaimed. "Interface it is. Is there an actual name for what you do?"
"I remember being called a new mutant when my parents took me to see some specialists. I have tried looking since then for more information but its been removed. I like what John called it, cyber-merging."
"Huh space case has imagination." Alan joked.
"Yeah much better than Techno Touch." Felicity jibed.
"Well I thought it had class. I've heard the Vigilante has a new name." Alan changed the subject.
Felicity groaned inside before answering. "Yeah he ah wanted to try something new."
"Like not killing?" Alan queried.
"Yes."
"He's coming round to hero status then. And the name is much cooler than the Hood." Felicity saw a flicker of something in Alan's eyes at the name. "Do you know who the Arrow is?"
"Yes and I'm not going to say, he doesn't like people knowing learnt that out the hard way."
"Awwww." Alan whined.
"I'm not dead Sprout." John interrupted the conversation his eyes half lidded and a soft smile on his face.
"Johnny!" Alan called still excited from his conversations with Felicity.
"You know you're loud enough to wake the dead." John stated.
"Sorry." Alan calmed instantly.
"S'ok Srwt." John winced his throat dry again. Felicity was out of her chair and heading to the fridge before John had finished his sentence. A few seconds she was back at his side resting the cup against his lips and tipping a few shards of the cold ice as John opened his mouth.
"Thanks." John licked his lips feeling the cool sooth them as it had his throat.
"How do you feel?" Alan asked shifting forward in his chair to be closer to his brother.
"Like 2 landed on me. What was all the noise about?" John replied.
"Felicity was showing me what she can do and then we came up with a code name for her. Then we started talking about the Arrow." Alan surmised.
John looked surprised. "And?"
Before Alan could answer Felicity blurted out the name. "Interface." Then she blushed.
"Suits you." John complimented after a moment thinking about it. "Next Alan will be designing a costume."
"That's not a bad idea John." Alan replied with a mischievous smirk.
"Oh no you don't remember I can find your bank account or emails." Felicity threatened.
"Hmm is it worth the risk?" Alan pondered out loud.
"Maybe confer with Gordon first." John suggested.
"Ow fine but." John winced Alan always got some crazy ideas and the more that were stopped the worse they escalated. "Instead if I ever go to Starling City I want to meet the Arrow." The excitement was back.
"I don't think that would be possible not unless you're being rescued." Felicity replied but as the words registered with Alan she saw his face drop and the excitement disappear she backtracked a little. "If you ever visit Starling I'll see what I can do."
"YES!" Alan cheered.
"Who put you on sickbay duty you are terrible at providing bed rest." John quipped.
"Well if your cracking jokes like that I'm not sure your really that sick anymore. Maybe I should go and get Virgil tell him he's made a mistake and your ready for duty." Alan taunted back.
"Alright at least Virgil might give me some quiet to rest in." John replied with a soft smile.
"I get the hint I'll be silent." Alan sighed mimicking pulling a zip across his lips.
"Do you want another drink?" Felicity asked in the prevailing silence.
John tried to nod but it resulted in a wince. Felicity instinctively ran her fingers through his hair to sooth him. "Do you need some more pain meds?" Felicity asked concerned.
"I'm alright so long as I don't move apparently." John remarked.
Felicity nodded she was concerned about him. She gently placed the cup against his lips and tipped a few more ice shards and some water into his mouth.
"I'll go and grab some more coffee." Alan offered and scarpered out of the room, picking up the tray and cups on his way.
Stunned at Alan's speedy the two stared at the other before chuckling, John however finished with a cough and wince. "Maybe I should call Virgil." Felicity offered.
"No I'm okay besides he'll be grumpy all day if you wake him up."
"Hmm." Felicity frowned at John trying to work out if he really was all right.
"I thought I'd lost you when I came around and everything was offline." John's voice cracked a little.
Felicity quickly put the cup of water down on Alan's vacated chair and perched on the edge of John's bed and she cupped his unblemished cheek gently. "Yeah you gave me a fright too. Apparently loss of electricity isn't a problem, I'm sorry I left you I thought it was best to make sure someone here knew what had happened."
"I'm glad you did. Thank you Felicity."
Felicity carefully leaned down and placed a gentle chaste kiss on John's lips. "I love you John Tracy and I should have said so sooner." Felicity declared, she felt tears starting to well in her eyes she was so happy he was still alive.
John felt his heart swell at Felicity's words and he saw her eyes begin to glisten with unshed tears. He slowly lifted his right arm wincing through the pain in his side from the movement. As Felicity moved back and grasped his rising hand the pain eased a little and he pushed to move his hand to meet her cheek. As the back of his hand lay against her warm cheek he stroked his thumb over the first tear streaking down.
"I love you too."
AN –Please do review they will help me get through this tough patch of little writing time :( and selfishly I love em whether they are good or bad.