Revised on 6/24/2022, with minor editing
Chapter 1
It all started with a letter. A letter of love filled with hope and promise. It sang of adventure and wonder. It spoke of foreign lands far across the seas and of treasures so great. This letter had been found by a young woman who believed in love and in the impossible. So off she went, a maiden so fair, to deliver the lost message. Far and wide, she traveled across meadows and rivers, through sand and storms. Nothing would stop her. Not bandits or thieves. Not wind or rain. She believed this letter deserved to be delivered to be read by its intended, so they could know they were loved and learn how great love could be. And even though love could be terrifying, it is one of the greatest things the world has to offer. Love that is freely shared between two people should never be hidden. So, as days and nights passed, the young maiden fought off thieves and bandits. She journeyed through harsh winds and treacherous storms. Finally, one morning as the sun rose from beyond the mountains, there in the distance was a house where she would find her recipient. So, on she marched. Coming upon the door, the maiden pounded on the door with all her might. And it opened. There before her stood a strong man weathered by time. "Can I help you?" he questioned. After she introduced herself, she gave him the letter and told him, "A love so true and pure as this one, would shine like starlight." The man read his letter and cried, for now he knew, after so long, that his love had truly loved him. And he lived in peace and bliss for the rest of his days, for now he knew what it meant to be truly loved. And they all lived happily ever after.
"Tell it again, mama," a tiny voice exclaimed.
"No, no. It is time for you to go to bed. You have a big day tomorrow. Remember? Damiano and his family are coming over tomorrow. And you must be well rested." The young mother told her daughter as she tucked her into bed. The young girl was now so excited over her friend's impending visit that her mother briefly wondered if the child would ever get to sleep.
"I can't wait to see him. I want to tell him the story about the letters. Do you think he'll like it, mama? Perhaps he and I could exchange letters. We could share stories no matter what and keep them for when we were older." The child exclaimed. Her mother smiles softly while shaking her head in fondness.
"I suppose you'll just have to ask him. But first you must go to sleep." She tucks her daughter in one last time before heading for the door. The little girl snuggled into bed and, in a soft, sleepy voice, told her mother goodnight. Before the door closed and the candles were blown out, she faintly heard her mother before drifting off into sleep. "Goodnight, Felicity."
The memory from her childhood filled her mind and brought a soft smile to her face. How many years have passed? Felicity sat there, a grown woman. In the land of her childhood home, in a time that once seemed like an idea, she thought fondly of the bedtime story her mother, Donna, had often told her. She feared that nearly one hundred and fifty years later, she would eventually forget it. But a part of her knew she would never be able to forget it. Thinking back on the memory, she remembered how she asked her mother if Damiano would like it. The next day, Felicity excitedly greeted her friend and his family before dragging him off to go spend the day causing mischievous. She remembers how he told her he loved it and how wonderful it would be to write their own letters to one another. The last time she saw Damon, as his name would have been pronounced in today's common tongue, had been when his father, Giuseppe Salvatore, had taken their family across the Atlantic to the Americas. Even though they had kept in touch by writing their letters, which had brought her comfort. It wasn't the same. She missed his laugh, his smile, his entire presence. Oh, how she missed her friend. Felicity knew she couldn't have stayed in her home with her mother and father after she woke from her death and rose from her grave. So, after she gained control of what she had become with the help of a random stranger like her, she sailed across the Atlantic in search of her Damiano. It was only after she had arrived in the small town of Mystic Falls, that she learned of his death. She hoped to see him one last time or, at the very least say goodbye if he refused join her in the life of the undead. Instead, she came across a stone plaque with his name engraved on it. Heartbroken, Felicity returned to the old world and began her new life as a vampire. He has been dead for what feels like an eternity, and even now the pain is a constant reminder of her old friend who has been long gone from this world. Sometimes the memory of him is as clear as day in her mind, causing her sorrow to flood her heart. A being such as herself had to be careful not to let themselves be overwhelmed or distracted by their emotions, as it could be fatal.
So lost in thought, the creature of darkness failed to notice the other members of the team strolling into the foundry. Oliver Queen, John Diggle 'Digg', Roy Harper, and Sara Lance filed in around their IT girl extraordinaire after a night on patrol.
"Hey, has there been any updates?" Oliver, aka the Arrow, asked as he set down his bow. "Felicity?" he called again when she had failed to respond. He turned around to look at her and tried again. "Felicity? FELICITY?".
Startled from her thoughts, "Oh, What? What?" she exclaimed.
"Are you okay?" he asked, concerned.
"Oh yeah, I'm good." Not exactly convinced but deciding to drop it.
"Okay, so, have there been any updates?" He asked her.
"Oh, umm, no. There hasn't been." She watched her screens as the program continuously scanned for abnormalities in Starling City. After double checking the programs and police scanners, the team cleaned themselves and their respective gear, and called it a night.
Over the next few days, Felicity kept finding herself lost in thought, to the point where she was beginning to become distant and distracted. Consumed by the thoughts of her human life and what her life had been like, she has become lonely over the years. She tried looking for love and friendship, and when she thought she had found it, it would slip through her fingers. Sure, she's met other vampires over the years and befriended mortals, but more times than not, life leads them down different paths. The vampires would go to another place or find love, while the humans would grow old and pass on. Even though she's built a life here in Starling City, it doesn't stop the loneliness from creeping in. And just like all the other times, she wouldn't be able to stay forever. She would eventually have to leave again. After all, vampires shouldn't stay in places too long or people will begin to notice that they weren't aging. Five years. Five years is the longest our kind should remain in one place before questions start to be asked. Ten, maybe if you were lucky, but even that is pushing it. Soon it would be time for her to go again. She has been in Starling City for a few years now, and well, Felicity hadn't intended to get involved with Oliver and the team. But here she is, a member of Team Arrow. I'm tired of being alone, she thought. But where would I go this time? Here I have friends, but I can't stay for much longer. She had no desire to be alone again. Perhaps she would track down an old friend. She sat there contemplating and reminiscing about what her life would have been like if the Salvatores had not left Italy. She wouldn't be alone. She knew that for sure. She and Damon would have remained friends even if he had no desire to marry her. She would've had her family. She would have been human. She ran her fingers through her hair as she tried to wipe the dreary thoughts from her mind. The cause of her disheartenment was that his birthday was coming up and she just simply missed him. So, Felicity tells herself that Damiano will always be with her in her heart no matter how many centuries pass. Subconsciously, she played with the bracelet Damiano had gifted her as a token of his love and friendship. The memory of his promise echoed in her mind. She could still hear his words: "I shall forever carry you in my heart, Felicita. You will always be mine, and I will always be yours. No, matter where the heavens may command us.' She remembers the chilled winter breeze brushing across her face as they stood in the meadows outside the Salvatore estate. He had wrapped the threads of leather, rope, beads, and stone around her wrist. "I wish it were of gold and jewels. I fear I have not much to give you that isn't my father's. I can only give you the stone I carved with my hands and the leather stretched and woven by my fingers. " He told her. Even at a young age, she had been overcome with emotion and placed a gentle kiss upon his cheek. "No, it is perfect. Damiano, you could gift me a crown of twigs and weeds and I would wear it proudly and cherish it forever if it came from your heart of love. " Overwhelmed by her declaration, he had pulled her into a tight hug. She feared he might crush her. They had spent the rest of the day together, trying to make the most of it as he would be leaving in the morning. The Salvatores had spent the Christmas holiday with the Smoaks, and many presents had been passed between all the members of both families, but no gift meant more to her than the one she had just received. The next morning had been difficult. She did not think it was possible for her young heart to break even further, but it had. She remembers trying to chase after their carriage, pushing her little legs as far and fast as they would carry her. Until she could run no more, she fell to her knees, sobbing.
With a loud bang, Felicity had once more been startled from her thoughts. She quickly tried to compose herself as the team came downstairs from Verdant. Trying to look productive and not as if she had just been sitting there daydreaming, she quickly began looking over the current algorithms. Before she knew it, the team was standing in front of her.
"Hey, are you okay? What's wrong? Did something happen? " Oliver asked, with worry dripping from his voice.
Confused by his questions, "What? No. Why? " The group, obviously not believing her, questioned her further.
"Then why are you crying?" asked Sara. Felicity touched her face and found it wet. She stared at her fingers, put off by how she had failed to notice the tears streaming down her face. "I'm fine. It's nothing." She said as she wiped her tears.
"Well, obviously it's not nothing, or you wouldn't be crying about it." Exclaimed Oliver in a worried annoyance.
"It's fine. It's nothing, I'm fine." She states this once more.
"Felicity- ". Reaching the end of her patience, she stands up.
"No. Stop. It's nothing. I'm fine. Just let it go." She shouted in a surge of frustration before going back to work. The team dropped the topic for the moment, put off at seeing the normally bubbly, happy computer tech in such a poor mood. After some time, Sara had made her way to Felicity's side to make sure her friend was alright.
"Hey, you, okay?" she asked softly. With a sigh, Felicity took off her glasses and rubbed the bridge of her nose before turning to Sara to tell her once more that she was okay and that the team didn't need to worry.
"Yeah. Okay, sure, but just answer me this,… Does the way you've been acting lately have anything to do with that bracelet you've been messing with this entire time?" Felicity froze. She hadn't even realized she'd been messing with it again. A royal blue gemstone with gold and black streaks sat in the middle of three strands of braided leather, a meaningless trinket to the outside world. But in the world of her heart, it was the greatest treasure. At that moment, Felicity contemplated telling her friend about the person she loved with her entire being. After all, how could she explain the old look the bracelet carried or how she could have loved someone for such a long at a young age?
In the end, she kept it simple, "A friend gave it to me when we were kids. He died what feels like a lifetime ago. Some days, I feel like I can remember his face as if he were standing right in front of me. Sometimes it slips my mind, and I fear I'll forget it completely." She pauses for a moment, taking a silent shuddered breath. "I haven't seen him since I was seven. We used to write letters to one another, it was our thing. I had made a surprise trip, but when I got there, the locals told me that his entire family had been killed weeks before. I didn't know what to do, so after visiting his grave I just went back home." The foundry had gradually gotten quieter the longer she talked. By the time she had finished telling her piece, the others had heard what she said. The boys bowed their heads in respect of their friend's grief, and while Sara had tentatively put her hand on Felicity's shoulder, they all shared a moment of a common understanding of losing someone important to them.
With nothing more to say, Felicity got up, grabbed her bag, and walked out after saying good night. She no longer wanted to be there; she didn't even know why she told the team so much about Damon. She hardly ever spoke about him; it hurt too much just thinking about him. She walked with no destination in mind and with no fear as she passed the questionable figures lurking in dark alleys. After all, what could harm an apex predator like herself? A human wouldn't be able to fight her off no matter how hard they tried. They couldn't outrun her, and even if they did, it would only make the hunt all the more enjoyable. She was strong, fast, powerful, and eternally beautiful. She was an immortal. A member of the monstrous undead world. A vampire. But no matter how many years passed, when it came to Damon Salvatore, she felt just as alive and human as those she hunted.
Author's Note: Hey, Thank you for reading. Please feel free to leave a comment. I'm open to constructive criticism, considering I am trying to improve my writing and expand my vocabulary. This is my first time writing and posting fanfiction, so please don't murder me with your words. Sometimes I might add little Easter eggs, see if you can find them. Leave your answer in the comments.
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