Despite the grueling pace Oliver set on their run, Felicity still felt out of her element.
After two months on Lian Yu, she really missed her tech, her computers and tablets and monitors; the core reason, at first, why Oliver came to her six years ago with that bullet ridden laptop, setting in motion the huge change in her life, culminating into her currently running through a forest on an island in the South China Sea. Now without them, Felicity felt blind and deaf, unable to look and listen for clues and locations of where the bad people of the world could be found.
Oliver burst out of the trees ahead of her, stopping and turning around to watch Felicity catch up to him. Two months of this and Felicity still had not built up the kind of endurance Oliver told her about when they started running each morning. She glared ahead at him, a sudden sharp pain clutching at her side. She was not a runner, probably never would be. Every morning after their jog through trees and brush, Felicity would try and tell Oliver this. They would return to their shelter, the same cave that Oliver and Yao Fi had used after Oliver came to the island for the first time. Felicity would immediately plop down on the queen-sized mattress Anatoly had provided them, already in place when they arrived. Panting and gasping from their run, Felicity would plead with Oliver to let her stay behind while he went out to run. Oliver was adamant and kept reassuring her that her body would adapt to the endurance he was trying to instill in her.
Felicity finally caught up to Oliver and stopped next to him. The son of a bitch was not even breathing hard. He had a small sheen of sweat on his face, but he looked like he could run a couple hundred marathons. Oliver was in his element.
“Oliver…” she gasped as she found an old tree stump and dropped herself down on it. “I can’t do this anymore,” she told him. “I’m…you’re killing me.”
Oliver flashed her a mischievous but understanding smile. “Felicity, this was your idea. You wanted me to train you. You asked for this,” he reminded her.
Yeah,” she nodded back. “Not a good plan. I thought it would be more of keeping my wrists straight and fighting stances and balance. Not dashing through forests and landmines.”
Oliver chuckled. “Hon, I know you’re feeling frustrated, and maybe might even be regretting coming here with me, but I’m doing all this to make sure you can protect yourself, and running is a big part. I don’t have to remind you of the subway tunnels back home…”
Felicity gave him a small smile. “You’re not going to let me forget you had to carry me that night, are you?”
Oliver smiled back. “Felicity…uh, if you…well, if you keep pushing yourself while we’re here, some time in the future, you’ll be able to carry me, or anyone else who might need your help.”
Felicity shook her head, her smile fading a bit. “Oliver, I could never…you would be too heavy---maybe Thea; definitely William or John Jr…”
“Felicity.” Oliver came over and hunkered down next to her. “Part of being able to protect yourself is having the discipline and confidence, and the ability, to do whatever it takes to keep moving and thinking while you’re tired or feel you might not be strong enough. I only want you to be safe.”
Felicity reached out and brushed her fingers against his sweating cheek. Her smile came back full on her face. “You do keep me safe,” she told him.
Oliver put his hand over hers. “Baby, I will always keep you safe. But, you keep me safe too. What I mean is, you will make me feel safe knowing that you can protect yourself if I’m not there to help.”
Felicity took his hand and kissed it. “Ok, Oliver. I’ll keep trying.” She heaved herself off the tree stump.” But here is another idea. How about you let me lead? I think I know the way back.”
Oliver nodded. “Felicity, you got a deal. “His smile widened. “I’d go anywhere with you. Lead on.”
About a hundred yards ahead of them, Adrian Chase and Talia al Gul watched Oliver and Felicity taking their short break from their run. Adrian had a grin on his face as he watched.
He turned to Talia. “This is going to be fun,” he told her. “It kinda seems fitting that Oliver Queen is going to lose everything here on this island.”
Talia nodded. “Yes,” she said. “Now that we have our people in place in Star City, there is no more need for Oliver Queen.” She reached down and fondled the handle of her sword. “It will indeed be fitting to have him watch while I kill the person he loves most in the world.”
Talia shifted her gaze to Felicity.
Behind them, a deep chuckle escaped into the surrounding forest. It sounded like the growl of a wild animal. Talia turned to their new companion. “I’m glad you are finding this amusing, my friend.”
Slade Wilson grinned back at her. “Yeah,” he replied. “I agree with Mr. Chase. This is going to be fun.”
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