Where Do We Go From Here?
A quick post 7x08 story. What happened after Oliver and Felicity’s talk. I hope you enjoy. Also available on AO3.
Felicity didn’t mean for it to happen this way. She hoped they could stay in their nice post-prison honeymoon period longer - she had done everything to make that happen.
She worked extra hard on their new apartment to make it safe. Felicity had her husband back and she was never going to lose him again, never. So she took extra measures, she put up special curtains, installed a state of the art self-designed security system. No one was going to take away her happy. She was in control now.
But it all fell apart. Just like it did when Diaz found her and William this summer. She wasn’t prepared then but she was now. Now she had a gun. Oliver might be mad but no one was going to kill the man she loved.
Felicity thought she was ready but when she saw the horror in Oliver’s eyes - she didn’t know what to do. How dare he judge her? Would he be able to love her now? Now that she had changed. Fear began to blossom in the pit of her stomach.
Then Oliver said the words that she feared, he fell in love with the other Felicity. Well, she’s gone. Felicity had no choice but change. She had to survive. She needed to protect William. The old Felicity couldn’t protect her son. What good was she?
Felicity realized that the new her might not be what her husband wants. That hurt. He said he was going to get some air. As soon as she heard him lock the door, his steps as he walked away she slumped to the floor in the kitchen letting herself cry.
*****
What the hell happened to his wife? Oliver knew she was still in there. He felt awful leaving her in the apartment, especially when she was clearly so scared.
Ever since he returned from prison, Oliver noticed she was on edge. Considering the shape he was in - Felicity must be in awful shape for him to notice. He decided to go talk to John. He needed to find out what happened with his wife. Why is she so scared?
He texted John to meet him at Big Belly Burger. Felicity lied to the team when she said it was his first meal. The truth was he wasn’t able to eat when he first got back, to be honest, he still didn’t have much of an appetite but he knew John liked the place as much as Felicity, so why not? Maybe, he’d bring some back for Felicity as a peace offering.
Oliver just grabbed a booth when John came in, it really was great to see him again. He wasn’t expecting the sombre look on his friend’s face. “Hey man, thanks for coming. Hope everything is okay.”
“Felicity, didn’t tell you?” John looked nervous.
“Tell me what? Oliver confused. “I actually asked you hear to talk about Felicity have you noticed any changes?”
“Oliver, man, I don’t know how to tell you this. I’m sorry. When Felicity came back to Star City she asked me for help getting Diaz to get you out of prison. I told her she had to let it go. Let you go. Move on.” Diggle looked down in shame.
Oliver could feel the rage building inside him. “Let me guess, she didn’t take that too well?”
It was at that point their server came by. They both quickly gave their orders.
As soon as the server walked away, Diggle shook his head. “No, she said if I wouldn’t help her she would find someone else who would.”
“So she went to Laurel?” Oliver wasn’t sure what he was most upset about at this moment. That John didn’t help get him out or that Felicity had to find another way. He thought for a quick second and realized it was Felicity, it was always Felicity.
“No, first she went to Samanda Watson, Rene helped her.” What John didn’t say was when I wouldn’t.
Oliver looked intently at the man he thought of as a brother. “What happened there?”
“They tried, failed to take down Diaz but from what I’ve been able to piece together, she and Rene captured the Silencer. She is one of the..”
“Longbow Hunters,” Oliver finished John’s sentence for him. “You are telling me my wife captured one of the world’s most formidable bad guys? For what?”
“She thought the Silencer would lead to her to Diaz. You have to understand, Oliver, Felicity had a one track mind. Get Diaz. Get you home. No matter what the cost.”
Oliver couldn’t stop himself from smiling. Felicity was still Felicity at her core. She just didn’t know it. His poor wife had been through so much and she came out stronger. God, he loved her. “So did it work? Did the Silencer bring her to Diaz?”
“No, it ended up bringing us all to Anatoly.” John looked grime. “Felicity used Anatoly to get more information which in the end led to all us working together with the new Green Arrow to bring Diaz in.”
“Felicity almost killed Diaz, she would have had Laurel not stopped her. She told me.” Oliver looked away.
The server brought their food giving them a much-needed break in the conversation.
“Oliver, I really think Diaz got to her. When she and William came to Star City she had been scared for months and then her worst fears came true. She kept telling me that William could have died, it would have been her fault.”
“I reassured her William was fine. Seriously, Oliver not a scratch on that kid. But she was not okay. I really should have held her close instead of ultimately pushing her away. I’m sorry, man.” Digg told him sincerely.
“I can’t lie. I’m angry. I really thought you would take care of Felicity. She’s not just my wife, she’s your friend. But it’s not me, you need to apologize to it’s Felicity. But not today, we’ve been through a lot.” Oliver drank the last of shake, signalled the server.
When the server came by, Oliver placed an order for Felicity’s favourite, asked for the bill. He turned to Digg than the server. “He’ll be covering the bill.”
John chuckled as the server walked away. Oliver looked innocent. “What? I just got a job they haven’t paid me yet.”
Digg was just finishing his meal when they brought the to go meal for Felicity. Oliver stood. “I have to get this home while it’s warm. I’ll be in touch. I’ll let you know when Felicity is up to talking.”
Oliver walked away sad that Felicity had to go through all that pain alone, knowing it was his fault. He was also impressed. His wife never ceased to amaze him.
*****
Felicity allowed herself a little pity party but knew from the last few months without her husband, tears solved nothing. She’d much rather do something useful. Focus on something that would distract her from the fact she horrified her husband. She got up, headed for her computer she needed to fix their security system.
Felicity jumped when she heard Oliver’s key in the lock a short while later, at least he didn’t see it. Oliver pushed open the door with his foot holding out a Big Belly Burger bag and drink in his hands. “Peace offering.”
Felicity rushed forward to collect her food, then carried it back to the coffee table before taking a seat on the couch. “My favourite! But Oliver there was no need for a peace offering. This is not your fault.”
Oliver walked over, sat next to her. “Felicity, can we talk?”
Felicity rose her eyebrow, gestured toward her food.
Sometimes Oliver wondered if she loved Big Belly Burger more than him. He knew he just narrowly beat coffee, she confided in him once about that. “I mean can I talk while you eat?”
Felicity nodded, stuffed a french fry in her mouth, moaned.
Oliver was distracted instantly. God, he loved his wife. “Okay, there are a few things I didn’t say before that I want to say now. First and most important, I love you, Felicity. All of you. The old you, who you are now - the whole package. Every time I think I can’t love you more I find out something else.”
“Aww,” Felicity smiled.
“I hope that aww was for me and not the food.” Oliver smiled.
Felicity was still worried. He didn’t know what she’s done. “It was for you. But Oliver, you don’t know. I have a lot to tell you. You might change…”
Oliver cut her off with a kiss. Oliver cupped her face, pulling back slowly, looking in her eyes. “Felicity, there is nothing. Nothing. That you could do that would make me love you any less.”
“But you don’t know…” Felicity began to pull back. She was going to have to tell him.
Oliver kissed her forehead. “I know most of what happened since you came back to Star City.”
Felicity bit her lip. “How?”
“I talked to John.” Oliver gave it a moment for that to sink in. “You have every right to be mad at him, Felicity, he failed you when you need him most. I can’t lie, I’m angry too. He knows this but he also told me what he knew of how you worked to capture Diaz and get me out. You captured the Silencer?”
Felicity nodded.
“Risked Anatoly’s life?”
Felicity nodded again.
Oliver smiled. “I bet he was impressed with you.”
Felicity smiled. “He said I reminded him of a young you. He gave me the advice to help me be stronger.”
“I’m glad he was there for you. It’s going to take some time for me to get used to you with a gun though.” Oliver looked over at her purse.
“I don’t like the gun, Oliver. But right now, I need it. Do you understand?” Felicity so hoped he would. A tear slid down her cheek.
Oliver wiped away the tear. “Baby, I want you to have whatever makes you feel secure. If that means you have a gun. I support that but it will need to be properly stored when William comes home.”
“Maybe, I won’t need it by then.” Felicity tried to put some hope in her voice.
“Maybe you won’t. But Felicity, I need to know you heard me. You are my everything. I know it was all you that got me out of Slabside. I love that part of you. I love all of you.” Oliver kissed her again.
“I love you too, Oliver. All of you. Where do we go from here?” Felicity knew it was probably unreasonable, her husband had just told her repeatedly that he loved her. She didn’t know why she was still scared. Scared seemed to be her default.
“We go forward together. Felicity, both of us have been through a lot the last few months. We need to heal and move forward. I’d like to do that together. How does that sound?” Oliver so needed her to know, he wasn’t going anywhere. He sensed that she was still scared. But he more than anyone knew that fear held on much longer than necessary.
“That sounds perfect. I’d go anywhere with you.” Felicity smiled, leaning forward to kiss her husband.
I hope you liked!
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