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Oliver comes to a stop, breathing deeply to slow down his heart rate. He listens to her harsh intakes of breath next to him and smiles slightly. Until she hits him in the shoulder.
"Hey!" Oliver rubs a hand over the spot she hit.
"You promised to go easy on me." Felicity complains, leaning down until she rests her hands on her knees to catch her breath.
"I did." Oliver replies while checking his watch. "We ran 5 miles in under 40 minutes. That's very good."
She waves a dismissing hand at him. "I'm sure you could do it in half of that time."
"Felicity, that's an amazing time for someone who just started to seriously train." Oliver reassures her. "And it's way better than your first try."
She groans. "Don't remind me, please. I'm still embarrassed over that timing."
He chuckles. "In any case," he places a hand over her shoulder, "you made a lot of progress. And I'm very proud of you." He can see a blush forming on her cheeks that has nothing to do with the run they just finished.
"Thanks." Felicity quietly murmurs. She nods ahead of them. "Walk?"
Oliver nods as they walk back to the Foundry, while he thinks about when they started to have these runs together.
After the whole Slade thing, Felicity wanted to be more prepared in case she got kidnapped or held hostage again. Oliver reassured her that he would always prevent something like that from happening ever again, and she was touched by his words, but reasoned that he couldn't promise her something so unpredictable in their line of work.
So Oliver and John started to train her. They taught her how to escape holds, defensive moves and some offensive ones as well, and added a few runs around The Glades to increase her stamina and resistance.
"Your punches are getting better too." He praises her, feeling the slight ache in his arm.
Felicity shrugs. "I have a good teacher."
He smiles proudly at her words.
During the last few months they got so close, and talked more openly about things, even if they pretended the "I love you" thing never happened. Oliver has finally admitted to himself that he really meant those words, but is still waiting for the right time to talk to Felicity about what they could be. And there was a moment last week, after their training, where they stared at each other, eyes glancing down at lips... until an alert sounded in the Foundry and they got back to work.
They haven't talked about that as well.
Next to him, Felicity continues to speak, unaware of his inner thoughts. "Yeah, John is the perfect trainer."
Oliver turns to look at her, his smile less bright than before, but Felicity is trying to hide her own smirk while avoiding his gaze. She's teasing him.
He shakes his head, while breathing a quiet laugh. "You and I both know that I train you more than he does."
Felicity turns to him then, a small but fond smile on her face. "Yeah. And I really appreciate it."
He nods at her in response, before getting serious. "Any news on the search you left running?"
She sighs, sad at the mention of their current problem. "Nothing yet." She replies while checking her smartwatch. "If the program finds him, it should send me an alert, but for now everything is quiet."
Him is the criminal they've been trying to catch. He calls himself The Governor, and in the last two months he's been the main leader for shipments of drugs and weapons in the city. He's a ghost and no one, not even the FBI, can find him anywhere. He's smart and always one step ahead of everyone else.
Except for Felicity.
Three weeks ago, she found a lead on the man's next shipment into the city. The team soon realized the criminal had too many men on his payroll, so they asked for ARGUS's help, and together put up a plan to catch the guy.
The night of the shipment, they got close to catch him. Diggle was one of the agents sent by ARGUS for the mission, and found The Governor at the lead. For the first time since he showed up in the city, someone was able to finally take a look at his face. In the end, the man escaped with help from the outside, but during the hard fight, he was able to remove John's mask, exposing his identity and putting him and his family at risk.
ARGUS sent him and Lyla to a safehouse, until the man was apprehended. John would've stayed to look for him, but since Lyla was only a couple of months away from having the baby, he decided to go with her to better protect them.
At least they had a description of the man, which led them to a name. Philip Blake. Connected to at least thirty-nine murders, seven confirmed accuses of assault and battery, drugs and weapons dealings, as well as acts of terrorism. The man needed to be stopped.
Since that day, Oliver and Felicity have been working even harder to find him.
Oliver patrolled the streets and interrogated any thug who possibly had information. Felicity then used said information to find out more about the man and where he could be. She used facial recognition programs and any resource she could think of. Exploring the darkest side of the web, she found when other shipments would be delivered.
ARGUS, who agreed to continue to work with the Arrow and his tech-expert partner, stopped the dealings and arrested most of the criminals involved, but The Governor never showed up again, he went into hiding.
In the meantime, Oliver temporarily moved in with Felicity. He was worried the criminal might make the connection between them and John, find out they are friends or about their nightly activities, so he asked to stay at her place. She accepted without much of a fight, silently showing him she was worried about their safety as well. Felicity never said the words, but Oliver knew she felt safer if he slept in her spare bedroom while the man was still out there.
Hearing her sigh, Oliver turns to look at her. She is tired, and he knows she hasn't been sleeping well, but still she doesn't give up or rest for too long. They work and train, and then collapse when it's well past the middle of the night. She must be dead on her feet as much as he is.
"Hey..." Oliver softly calls her. She looks up at him with her sad eyes. "We'll get him."
"I just... I wish I could do more. For John and Lyla, and for the city as well."
"We're doing everything we can. And I'm sure that sooner or later we'll catch him." Oliver tells her.
Felicity nods. "I hope it will be sooner rather than later." He can't help but agree with her.
They're just a mile away from the Foundry when Felicity flinches next to him, hissing in pain. Oliver turns to her, immediately on alert. "What's wrong?"
She's holding the side of her neck, and when she removes her hand, she's holding a small tranq dart. Before he can react, Oliver feels the sting of something hitting him in his shoulder. They got him as well.
"Oliver..." Her voice is weak and full of fear. Her eyes slowly close and she tilts to the side.
"Felicity!" Oliver easily catches her.
The moment he starts to feel the effects of the drugs trying to pull him under, he fights against it. The thought of taking Felicity to safety is stronger than anything he's ever felt before, and he's able to pick her up, heading to an alley closeby. He needs to check their surroundings to find and stop who hit them, but he can't do that with Felicity so exposed and unconscious.
Oliver is almost there when another dart hits him. He holds Felicity close as his feet falter and he falls to his knees, somehow strong enough to gently put her on the ground, before he collapses and everything goes black.
Cold water hitting his face is what wakes him up. Oliver shakes his head and opens his eyes, trying to gather as much information as he can with his foggy brain. His hands are tied to the ceiling, just like when Malcolm had him hostage over a year ago. He's in what looks like a warehouse and there are four men in front of him. He recognizes all of them as associates of The Governor, but he's nowhere in sight.
And neither is Felicity. He just hopes they didn't take her, that it was only him they wanted.
Oliver expects an interrogation, instead the men remain silent as they take turns to hit him. He can handle the beating. This is nothing compared to the island, Hong Kong and Russia. They focus on his abdomen and back, with some punches in the face as well, until a fifth man enters the room with a chair and a machine.
So they're officially here to torture him before the actual interrogation. Good. It means The Governor isn't very far. He has a chance to catch him, or at least find out his next move.
The moment they unchain him, Oliver reacts, fighting the two men closer to him. They easily drop to the ground, but when he gets to the other two, the last man that came in shoots him in his right thigh, making him stumble as his leg starts to bleed profusely. Yet, Oliver doesn't back down. He needs to find Felicity and make sure she's safe.
He stands up again and is able to disarm the guy who shot him, but before he can use the weapon someone behind him hits him in the head, hard, and he falls on his knees again.
This time they don't waste time and immediately grab him, throw him into the chair and tie him up again. He fights against his restrains, but they're too tight on his wrists and ankles. He won't get out of those so easily, at least not with them watching his every move.
The door opens again, and it's The Governor himself.
"Mr. Queen, it's a pleasure to finally meet you." He calmly says. "You and ARGUS gave me quite a few problems lately... Isn't it, Arrow?"
Oliver doesn't respond. He's not sure how he found out about his identity, but right now he doesn't care. His only thought is to neutralize the man, get out of here, and find Felicity, hopefully far away from this place.
"You see, I've got my men looking into things." The man goes on. "I found some interesting details about your private life, but we're not here for you. At least, not today." He steps closer to him. "I'm actually looking for your friend, John Diggle. You know, the one person that exposed my identity to all of the authorities, and forced me into hiding."
When Oliver doesn't reply, The Governor continues his monologue. "I tortured an ARGUS agent this morning..." He says casually. "This guy was so polite to inform me that Mr. Diggle didn't give his location to the agency because he was afraid of it being leaked." He looks expectantly at him. "But he told his best friend and former boss where to find him."
Oliver keeps his mouth shut. He won't betray his brother.
"Look, I just need an address, get my revenge on him, and then leave this city to expand my business elsewhere." Oliver's silence must be getting on his nerves, because he lets out an irritated sigh. "Not ready to talk yet?" The Governor hums in thought as he leans back against a wall. "Maybe my men should be more convincing."
He gestures for them to proceed. They connect some wires to the machine they brought in, and then attach the other ends to Oliver's body. They are ready in moments, and soon he feels electricity run through his body.
It's not the first time he gets electro-shocked, so the feeling isn't unbearable. But he's only human. After several shocks, his body gets weaker and he can't contain some of the screams and groans.
As the men enjoy to raise the power of the shocks, he hears The Governor talking, prompting him to just tell him the location and they'll leave him alone. But Oliver never responds, enduring the pain they cause him without breaking.
They must torture him for longer than The Governor likes, because the man approaches him again, fury written all over his face. "You don't want to talk? Fine." He walks to the door while his men remove the wires attached to him, then carry away the machine to leave him bounded to the chair.
The Governor stops at the door and turns around, a wicked smile on his face. "Maybe Blondie will be more willing to talk." The man taunts him.
"You leave her alone." Oliver growls, fighting against his restrains to no avail. "She has no idea where he is, only I know."
The Governor shrugs. "Maybe. But I know she can find people who are hiding from the world, since I know she's the one who found me weeks ago, then got close again on other occasions. She'll find this John Diggle as well, one way or another."
As the door closes in front of him, the only thing Oliver can do is scream.
Oliver runs a hand through his disheveled hair. His body hurts and his leg throbs painfully, even if the bleeding is slowing down, but he can't sit still.
After being able to get out of the chair by using a pin he keeps hidden in his pants, Oliver has been pacing the cell since they left him alone a few hours ago.
He has tried everything he could think of to escape, but the door is solid steel, with no lock to work on as it only opens from the outside. That, and the absence of windows on the walls, leave him prisoner and helpless to get out of here and find Felicity.
Felicity.
He's so worried about her. She really doesn't know the location, didn't want the temptation to look at satellite images of the place to make sure their friends were alright. He starts to think that maybe he should've talked. His friends are trained soldiers, and some trusted agents are keeping them safe as well. They could handle themselves. And would've understood.
His thoughts are interrupted by the opening of the door. Oliver reacts instantly, throwing the chair at the first two men that enter the room. It distracts them, giving him the chance to attack the other two. One is already on the floor unconscious when he feels a gun on the back of his head. He could disarm the man, he knows that. He's just about to take action, when the door slams open again.
"I wouldn't do that."
The Governor's voice grates at his nerves. Oliver is going to ignore him, when a quiet whimper makes him slowly turn around.
Bile rises in his throat at the sight in front of him. The Governor, who is now sporting a broken nose, is tightly holding Felicity's upper arm, surely leaving bruises on her skin, and he has a gun pointed at her waist. But what angers him the most is her state. She's not wearing her shirt, her arms are tightly crossed over her naked chest trying to cover up herself as much as possible. There's a bruise on her left cheek and tears are streaming down her face.
She seems so fragile and vulnerable. He knows she isn't, but seeing her like this... it pains him so much. He'd rather take a thousand beatings, live whatever torture he ever went through for the rest of his life if it could take away the distress on her face.
When the Governor yanks her forward, Oliver doesn't think. He lunges toward her, desperately wanting to get her away from that man and keep her safe in his arms. He only takes two steps, before the Governor raises the gun to her head, freezing him in place. The other men follow the example and lift their weapons until they're aimed at his head instead of his chest.
With a small shake of her head, Felicity silently convinces him to stay put, as much as he hates it.
Only then Oliver stops. He would never risk her life.
"Now, one of you two is going to give me what I want, or this will be unpleasant." The Governor says impatiently.
Oliver finds Felicity's eyes. He can see that she's terrified, but there's also determination in them, as a silent conversation passes between the two of them. They don't want to give up the location. Their friends are there, along with other innocent people, and agents who do good for the city.
At his silence, Felicity gives him a tiny nod of approval. He can't help but admire her strenght and courage.
The Governor seems to understand Oliver won't talk, so he glances at Felicity, before letting go of her to step closer to Oliver, the gun pressed directly against his forehead. Oliver keeps his head high, unwavering at the prospect of dying. The only thing he'd regret, is not being able to have helped Felicity get out of here.
"No!" He hears her scream from behind the man. She must take a few steps closer, because some men shift their focus, and aim their guns at her.
He wants to tell her to stop, to not put her life at risk even more, not for him, when suddenly the gun in front of him disappears as The Governor turns back to Felicity and points the weapon at her head.
She gives Oliver a slight shake of her head, but when the man's finger moves to the trigger, Oliver doesn't have a choice.
"Corto Maltese." He quickly says, never taking his eyes away from her. A single tear runs down her cheek, and he knows she didn't want him to give that up. But her safety is his priority right now. "On Sixth Ave, there's a blue house with a white door and a wooden fence. John is there."
"How many agents?"
"Four."
"Security cameras?"
"No. They didn't want to risk people hacking them."
Their kidnapper hums in thought. "Corto Maltese is ruled by criminals. Why would a government agent hide there?"
"Because it's the last place anyone would look for him."
Oliver replies to each question while staring at Felicity, their eyes never leaving the other's. He really hopes she will understand what he isn't saying.
The man in front of him looks between the two of them, pondering his answers, before silently gesturing to his men. Some leave the room, probably to get ready to leave, while a few stay there.
The Governor lowers his gun, and goes back to his previous spot next to Felicity. Oliver's hands clench in tight fists when he lingers there. The Governor glances at him, a small smirk on his face as he runs the back of his hand over Felicity's cheek, who flinches and leans away from him. More tears fall from her eyes as the man makes hushing noises.
"It's okay. It's alright." His hands run over her hair and he steps closer, as if about to kiss her head.
Oliver can't stand it any longer as he growls a vicious, "Don't."
His jaw is set, fists clenched so tightly he feels his nails bite into the skin of his palms, and every muscle in his body is coiled, ready for action. The only thing keeping him in place is Felicity's safety. The guards now know she's his weakness. If the guns are aimed at him, he might try to overtake them. But if they are pointed at her... He won't risk her life. And right now, their aim is on her. He's powerless, and he feels useless.
Felicity looks up at him through her tears. She's trembling, flinching away from the unwanted touch, her hands covering her chest to maintain some dignity, and her gaze doesn't hold Oliver's for long, as she looks away... ashamed?
He needs to know what the man did to make her like this, because the more his mind conjures up scenarios, the worse they get.
The Governor chuckles. He fucking chuckles, as he looks between the two of them. He's showing them who is in charge. Knowing he succeeded in his intent, with a satisfied smile he pushes Felicity in Oliver's direction.
She stumbles slightly, but he's there to catch her. The moment he pulls her into his arms, Felicity inhales a ragged breath and hides her face in his chest, shaking with silent sobs. Oliver holds her close, and feels her arms wrap around his torso to hold onto him, her hands grabbing his shirt in a tight grip.
Oliver pulls her even closer, his arms tightly bound around her, trying his best to cover her and shield her from unwanted eyes. His jaw clenches as he notices some bastards leering at her as they leave the room. Only when the door is closed and they are alone he completely focuses on her.
Her cries are muffled through his shirt, but they are still so loud to his ears. She held on until now, and he can't help but admire her strength. Her hands try to pull him even closer, as she seems to search for safety and reassurance. Oliver complies, surrounding her with his body as much as he can, whispering soothing words in her ear.
"I've got you. I won't let him get near you ever again." His words only make her cry harder, her body trembling with aching, powerful sobs. Oliver's heart breaks at seeing her like this.
But she needs this, she needs to let it all out, so Oliver just holds her, one arm around her back and a hand cradling the back of her head. Her skin is cold, and he wonders how long she's been left without a shirt. He wonders why she's not wearing it in the first place, and tries to ignore the part of his brain that thinks about the worst. He pushes those thoughts away for later. First he needs to take care of her.
Long moments pass, and ever so slowly her sobs turn into quiet cries, and then only sniffling. Without a word, Oliver helps her to slow her breathing until hers almost matches his own.
When he feels her shiver, Oliver leans down to tenderly kiss the top of her head. "Hey." He whispers. "If you give me a moment to turn around, I'll give you my shirt."
Felicity sniffles, then nods against him, and when she starts to pull away, Oliver adverts his eyes. He turns around, quickly removing his shirt and holding it out for her. She takes it, and after a few moments he hears her quiet words. "Thank you."
A hand wraps around his bicep and he closes his eyes for a moment. Opening them again, Oliver turns to her and gently cradles her bruised cheek. "Are you hurt?'"
It's a loaded question, and they both know it, but Felicity only shakes her head. He doesn't push her, and gives her a nod in understanding. If she needs time, he'll give her just that.
Felicity looks down at his chest and frowns. "Oliver..." Her hand tentatively runs over the fresh bruises that are forming on his chest, and Oliver covers it with his free hand.
"It looks worse than it is." A tear escapes her eye and Oliver gently wipes it away with his thumb. "Nothing is broken. I'll be fine, I promise."
She sighs while looking down. "Your leg is bleeding." She takes his hand. "Come on." Felicity leads him to the wall opposite of the door and helps him to sit. She kneels in front of him, removing the laces of her shoes, before tying them around his thigh. "Looks like a through and through. I don't think it hit any major artery. This isn't much but it should slow down the bleeding." He already knows that, and she knows that he knows. It feels like she's just trying to fill the silence.
When she's done with that, Felicity sits next to him, wrapping her arms around her bent knees. Oliver wants to reach out and reassure her as much as he can in their situation, but she avoids his stare.
He wants to give her the time she needs but after long minutes, he can't stand the silence anymore.
"Felicity." The only indication she heard him is the tightening of her hands on her legs. "Felicity... Did he-"
"No." She sharply turns to look at him. "No. He barely touched me."
Oliver stares into her eyes, trying to understand if she's telling the truth. When he's sure she's not lying, Oliver closes his eyes in relief and takes a deep breath.
"It's just... Sometimes I forget what people are capable of doing." Felicity tells him quietly. "I mean, look what they did to you."
Oliver shakes his head. "It doesn't matter what they did to me, as long as you're not hurt."
"I'm not. And he didn't." She repeats. "I promise."
Oliver leans close and pulls her into a hug. Felicity doesn't hesitate and wraps her arms around his waist to hug him back, while he runs a comforting hand through her hair.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Oliver asks her gently. Felicity takes in a ragged breath. "You don't have to if you don't want." He reassures her. "But if it can help you, I'll listen."
Felicity's hold on him tightens ever so slightly. "When I woke up, my hands were tied to the ceiling by some chains, like those over there." She points at the restraints he'd been strung up to earlier. "It took me a minute to realize I could hear someone being beaten up in the next room." She looks up at him, tears in her eyes. "I heard you fight over the comms so many times that, sadly, I can recognize when you take a hit. So I knew it was you they were hurting."
He runs a comforting hand over her arm, while she continues.
"Then I heard him talking about John and what we do, and..." She takes an unsteady breath. "And then they tortured you even more. I wanted to scream at them to stop, but I couldn't do that with a cloth covering my mouth." The first tears fall down her cheek. "I couldn't talk or get to you. I could just listen. Listen as they tortured you, over and over again."
Oliver briefly closes his eyes. Had he known she could hear him, he would've held in his screams to spare her that torture. Because he has no doubt, that was psychological torture.
"I'm sorry you had to hear that."
"I just felt so helpless." She whispers. "They were still at it, when the door opened and two guys walked in. After they freed my hands I tried to fight them off of me, but they were too strong. They lead me down the hall into another room, made me sit on a chair and tied my hands behind my back."
She goes quiet for a few moment, but Oliver doesn't push her. He knows the worst part is going to come next.
"I'm not sure how long they left me there alone, wondering if you were okay. Maybe an hour. Then The Governor came in." She borrows herself closer to him. "I'm pretty sure he tried to play the good cop with me, because he untied me and 'politely' asked if he could sit on the chair on the other side of the table. As if I had any say on the matter." She shakes her head.
"He started to say that he believed you when you said I didn't know where John was hiding. But he knew I could hack and track him down, so if I helped them, he was going to let me go. He even promised I would be safe." Felicity looks down at the floor. "When I refused to help him, he said that maybe another strategy would've been more effective."
Oliver dreads to hear this. He can't shake the image of Felicity shirtless and crying, the feel of her trembling body against his. And she's not even done with the story.
"He told me..." Her voice trembles. "He told me to stand, and then to take off my shirt. I said no. And he- he threatened to cut off your hand and bring it to me."
"Felicity," he softly whispers, "I wouldn't have blamed you if you didn't. I would gladly live without a hand if it means you-"
"I couldn't let him do that to you." She interrupts him fiercely, pulling back from him to look into his eyes. "You need both of your hands to protect this city, and just live your life. I couldn't let him hurt you even more than he already did. So I... I stood and did as he said."
They are quiet for long minutes.
When she feels ready to talk again, her voice is strong. "I stood in front of him and took off my shirt. And... And then my bra when he said to continue." He sees her swallow hard. "I watched him as he stood as well and removed his belt. He rounded the table and stepped behind me. He touched my hair."
Her hands tremble against his back, so Oliver pulls her closer again, resting her head on his chest.
"I'm not an idiot, I knew well that he was about to rape me." Her voice shakes after saying the word out loud for the first time. "And I was ready to stand it, for you, and for John and Lyla. But I wasn't going to let him hurt me without fighting back. So when he least expected it, I threw my elbow into his ribs and thrust the heel of my hand against his nose and broke it."
Oliver feels a deep sense of pride overtake him. She wasn't going to let him break her so easily. "Good." Is the only thing he's able to voice, his throat too constricted.
"My victory was short lived tho, because he just had to backhand me once to make me dizzy, and then he had me bent over the table." Her voice grows quiet again. "I could feel him. He grinded against me a few times, just to make sure I knew how much he was enjoying it. He asked me if I changed my mind. I told him to do whatever he wanted, and then go to hell."
He swallows hard. It's already so difficult for him to listen to it knowing it didn't happen, and Oliver can't even begin to imagine how scared she must have been right then.
"So he stopped?"
Felicity nods. "He pushed away, then left the room without another word. I think he left me there for another hour, because I got so cold. On his way out he had grabbed my shirt. I guess he wanted you to believe that-"
"Yeah, well... When I saw you, I was afraid he did." Oliver confesses.
She looks up at him to stare into his eyes. "He didn't. I swear to you." She shakes her head. "He just tried to intimidate me. That's all."
But the Governor didn't just intimidate her. He humiliated her, he made her feel powerless and used the threat of a vile action as a weapon. He might've stopped there, but even the thought of that sick man's hands on Felicity... It makes his anger reach levels he never reached before.
It makes Oliver hold her tighter to his chest, to help her feel safe again.
Unaware of his thoughts, Felicity continues. "I think he would have if he thought it might break me. Apparently I didn't look as weak as I felt."
"You're anything but weak." Oliver reassures her. "He terrified you and made you feel helpless, I get that, it's understandable. But please, don't believe you're weak. You were ready to put yourself through hell just to protect the people you love. You are the strongest woman I know. And I swear to you, I'm going to make him pay."
"Oliver..."
He can feel the argument coming, but he stops her before she even starts. "Felicity." He gently cups her cheek and turns her so she's looking at him, letting her see just how serious he is. "That man kidnapped you, laid his hands on you, literally pushed himself onto you, threatening to rape you." His voice gets lower with every word he says. "He will get what he deserves and I won't feel sorry about it or regret my actions."
She holds his stare and Oliver can see her eyes watering. He pulls her against his chest again, running a comforting hand through her hair. "I won't let him touch you ever again. I will keep you safe. I swear on my life."
Felicity takes a shuddering breath. "That's what scares me." She whispers it so low that Oliver is sure he's not meant to hear it.
He slids down the wall a couple of inches so Felicity is leaning against him more comfortably.
"I can't sleep." She tells him, knowing what his intentions are. "And what about when they come back? What do we do?"
"I'm thinking about a plan. It will take them at least a few hours to get to Corto Maltese, find the location, and then come back here. We have time." Oliver can feel her tense. "What?" He prompts.
Felicity leans up, her lips so close to his ear that he can feel her breath on his skin. "Did you tell him the right address?" She whispers lowly.
He knows there might be cameras or microphones, even if he didn't see any, so he whispers back. "It's the right address, but the wrong house. The whole street belongs to ARGUS. When they will attack that house, which is purposefully empty, the nearby agents will notify John and Lyla, so they can escape while the men are engaged in a fight and distracted."
"I knew you had a contingency plan." She admits with a sigh. "So ARGUS actually knows where they are."
Oliver shakes his head. "Only the agents protecting them, which are way more than the four I said. They will be ready to defend themselves. Don't worry about them."
"Too late for that." She gives him a sad smile.
He nods in understanding. "Now rest some. You don't have to sleep. Just rest."
Felicity sighs. "Okay."
She's been sleeping for about two hours, when she starts to stir. Oliver looks down at her and notices the bags under her eyes, even more pronounced than the previous days. As soon as he gets her out of here, Oliver promises himself to make sure she'll get enough rest.
Felicity slowly opens her eyes and blinks up at him.
"Hey." He softly greets her.
She gives him a small smile. "Hey. Guess I could sleep after all."
"I wish it could've helped more." His hand cradles her cheek, his thumb brushing just under her eye.
"I'm okay." Felicity reassures him. Her hand lands on his bruised chest. "How are you feeling? Really feeling, and don't lie to me. You know I can see through it."
Oliver smiles at her. She knows him so well. "I am not as bad as it looks. I can handle it."
"And your leg?" Her hand hovers above his gunshot wound.
"It stopped bleeding."
She sighs. "Good."
"Yes, it is, because we're going to get out of here." Oliver declares. He gently pulls away and stands, walking to the chair he's been tortured on earlier.
"And how do we do that?" Felicity asks, looking at him working on his task.
"I'm pretty sure his men will come back soon to check on us, maybe to bring us some water or food. It doesn't really matter. We will be ready for them then."
And Oliver is right. About twenty minutes later, they hear movement outside the door. They get ready to move, Oliver next to the door, with Felicity shielded right behind him. In his hands, Oliver has two sharp pieces of the chair that now lies broken on the floor after he smashed it against the wall. With them, Oliver attacks the men as soon as the door is open.
There are only three men, and apparently they don't expect an attack, so it takes Oliver less than a minute to have them all on the ground. He drops the improvised weapons to grab two guns from them.
Oliver keeps one gun in his hand, and holds out the other to Felicity. She shakes her head, but Oliver insists. "You know how to use it, and your aim is good enough. I will keep you safe, but just in case..." With a sigh, she takes it while his free hand finds hers. "Remember to stay behind me."
After her nod, he leads them to the door at the end of the corridor. His body protests at every movement he makes and his leg starts to bleed once again, but Oliver is determined to get Felicity out of here, even if it means making his injuries worse.
They silently make their way through the rather empty building, hoping they're going in the right direction. They're about to reach a corner, when they hear steps coming their way. Oliver tightens his hold on Felicity's hand, bringing her closer to better shield her and aims the gun in front of him, his body coiled and ready for action.
Three people round the corner, and it takes Oliver just a second to register their faces. John, Roy and Sara lower their weapons as him, making their way to them.
"You have no idea how good it is to see you all." Felicity tells them with a small smile, stepping forward until she's at his side, their hands still linked together.
Sara steps closer and gives her a quick hug. "We couldn't leave you on your own. You two okay?"
The team glances between the two of them, not missing the fact that Felicity is wearing his shirt. At their frowns, Oliver gives them a small shake of his head.
"We'll be fine." He simply replies. He can't help himself and glances down at Felicity. She's already looking up at him and gives him a reassuring nod.
She will be fine, he reminds himself over and over again.
Oliver looks back at their friends. "John, I'm so sorry, I gave them the address." He unconsciously tightens his hand around Felicity's. "I had to."
His friend nods. "Don't worry about it. I know you would never betray my trust unless you don't have another choice."
"Lyla? Is she okay?" Felicity asks worried.
"She's fine. And safe." John reassures them. "ARGUS contacted us when Roy couldn't find you two and reached out to them. They thought you might've been taken by The Governor."
"After I informed them, I met up with Sin," Roy says, "and she told me Sara was back in town, so I asked for her help as well."
Sara nods in confirmation. "I put a few members of the League on the lookout. They followed some of The Governor's men here. And I'm so glad we found you two."
"He was here. The Governor." Oliver says, his anger showing in his hard voice. He feels Felicity's hand give him a light squeeze to calm him down. "He left to find you in Corto Maltese."
John nods. "I'll inform the agents still there to be ready."
They hear gunshots coming from upstairs.
"It's not safe." Roy says, walking to the end of the corridor to check for enemies. Sara does the same to the opposite end.
"The League and ARGUS should keep them busy while we get you out of here."
John starts to lead them away from the gunshots, but Oliver hesitates. He wants to stay and fight, find a way to get to The Governor once again and make him pay.
"Oliver." Felicity's quiet voice makes him briefly close his eyes. Her hand cups his cheek. "You're injured. You can't fight like this."
She knows him too well.
Opening his eyes again to stare into hers, Oliver knows he would never risk her life if he can prevent it. As much as he wants to stay, he did promise he would take her back home. Back to safety.
His injuries are not that bad, but Oliver nods, wrapping an arm around her back. "I'll take you home."
Back at the Foundry, John is silent as he puts the last few stitches on his leg. Oliver knows he wants to ask questions, but he doesn't.
"Just say what's on your mind." Oliver sighs. "Your silence starts to be loud."
His friend doesn't speak for a few more moments as he places a gauze over the stitches. When he's finished, John puts back the medical kit, then faces him. He glances where Felicity is sitting at her desk, and Oliver can't help but do the same. She has showered and put on some warm clothes she keeps here, as well as his grey hoodie he offered.
She's been silent since they got back.
"What happened back there?" John asks quietly.
Oliver breathes deeply, his eyes never leaving her form. "I've been tortured into talking, and Felicity heard everything. The Governor promised her to let her go if she helped him find you, but she refused. He told her he would cut off my hand if she didn't do what he wanted."
At his silence, John prompts him to continue. "I guess she did as he said, since you have both hands."
Oliver turns to his friend. "He made her take off her shirt. She fought him and he hit her back. He bent her over a table, grinded against her to let her feel how sickly turned on he was. He made her believe he was going to rape her if she didn't help him."
John runs both of his hands over his face, his jaw tight in anger. "What happened?"
"She told him to go to hell." Oliver grows quiet for a moment. "She was ready to go through it to keep me, you and Lyla safe."
"Please tell me he didn't hurt her." His friend all but begs him.
Oliver shakes his head. "Felicity swore to me he didn't. And I believe her." He sighs. "The bastard probably saw she wouldn't have helped him anyway, so he left her alone. Then he brought her to me, half naked, she was trembling and crying, and I had no idea of what had happened... When he pointed a gun to her head, I had to tell him what he wanted."
John shakes his head. "I would've done the same, man. I don't blame you."
"I just... I can't help but think that if I talked sooner... I didn't want to betray you, but maybe he would've left her alone." Oliver confesses.
"We can't know that. What matters is that nothing worse actually happened."
"When I find him, I will make him regret of ever touching her." Oliver declares.
John nods in agreement. "You know I love her like a little sister. If someone hurts her in any way, they have to pay for it."
They stop their conversation when they hear her steps approaching, but exchange a silent look of understanding.
"Hey." Felicity softly smiles at them. "You're all good?" She asks Oliver, a worried frown on her face as she inspects his visible injuries.
He stands from the med table he's been sitting on, and places a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I'm fine, Felicity. Nothing that won't heal in a matter of days."
She breathes a relieved sigh. "l'm glad to hear that." She smiles up at him, then points behind her. "I have some searches running, but for now everything seems quiet." Felicity looks down at her watch and sighs, noticing the late hour. "And I'm beat. I think I'll head home since there's nothing else we can do at the moment."
Oliver nods while putting on a spare shirt. "I'll drive." He knows she's really tired when she doesn't protest, and just hands him her car keys.
They are bidding John goodnight, when his phone rings and he quickly answers it. "Yes, Lyla?" Their friend's face goes from worried to shocked. "Really? Alright, I'll be there. Love you."
"Everything okay?" Felicity worriedly asks.
John nods. "They arrested him. The Governor showed up at the safehouse and fell right into our trap. ARGUS is bringing him back from Corto Maltese as we speak."
Oliver and Felicity look at each other in surprise, while a heavy weight lifts from their shoulders. After the day they had because of that man, it all comes to an end in just a few hours. It almost feels too good to be true.
Before anyone can speak, Felicity's computers start going crazy with alerts. "That must be it." She murmurs as she quickly steps back to her station.
Once she's out of earshot, Oliver turns to John. "I want ten minutes with him."
The other man shakes his head. "I'm not sure if that's a good-"
"John." He stares into his friend's eyes. "I need ten minutes with him. Alone."
John sighs. "As much as I would like to see him dead, especially after what you just told me, I need to ask you to not kill him." He quietly says. "I don't want Lyla to have problems with the agency or the law because of it. That's the only reason I ask."
"Why would I give him a quick death, when I can make him pay over and over again?"
The drive to her place is quiet, but the silence isn't uncomfortable. At some point, Felicity closes her eyes and Oliver thinks she fell asleep, but when he turns off the ignition she's awake. They silently make their way to the door and she opens it, but Oliver stops her.
"Let me check it out first." He tells her quietly. The threat might be gone, but he needs to make sure they'll be safe, if just for his sanity. Luckly, Felicity understands and gives him a small nod.
Oliver checks every room, glad to find it empty and untouched. He walks back to the main room and finds Felicity in the kitchen. "All clear." He reassures her.
Felicity hums in acknowledgement, before stepping around the counter to silently hand him an icepack. Without a word, Oliver takes it and places it on his bruised knuckles.
"You didn't have to." Her voice is only a whisper, but he hears her words clearly.
Oliver lifts his gaze to look at her. "He deserves way worse than a beating." She doesn't need to know that after only five minutes he had to leave the room, or he would've killed the man with his bare hands.
"I'm not saying the contrary." She concedes. "I just mean that I don't want you to get in trouble for me."
"Felicity." Oliver drops the icepack on the counter, before taking her hands in his. "That man hurt you. He hurt you and he threatened you. I couldn't let that go unpunished."
She sighs. "Beating up a man-"
"Criminal." He corrects her. "A bastard one."
Felicity gives him a condescending look. "Beating up a criminal in a government's facility, with agents right outside the door, was probably an unnecessary risk you took."
"It was necessary." Oliver insists. "And I would do it again. For you."
Felicity sighs. "Oliver... I know you care about me, but-"
"Don't you understand?" He asks, astonished. "I don't just care about you." He lets go of her hands to cradle her cheeks. "I love you." Oliver can't hide the small, tender smile that covers his lips. "I love you, Felicity. Months ago l didn't lie to you. I was just afraid of the consequences of putting a target on your back. But I was wrong. The truth is that you already are in danger, whether we're together or not. And I'm tired of lying to you and to myself, denying us to be happy." He rests his forehead against hers. "I know I'm damaged, I'm certainly not perfect, but I don't want to stay away anymore. I want to be with you, if you'll have me."
A smile covers her lips, as Felicity brushes her nose against his. "You love me?"
He laughs quietly. "Is that all you got from my speech?"
"I think that's the most important part. And that you were wrong. But you didn't answer my question."
"Yes, Felicity, I do love you. No lies, no tricks, no plans to fool a mad man. Just the truth of how I really feel." He tells her sincerely.
Her lips inch closer to his. "Well, that's good, because I love you too, Oliver. I have for a long time. And let me tell you, you're wrong again, because you're not damaged. You are the most caring man I know, and I would love to spend the rest of my life with you." When her own words register in her head, Felicity gasps, her eyes wide in shock. "I didn't mean the rest of my life as 'the rest of our lives', we never know what could happen, if feelings change, or one of us could die tomorrow or in a month, though I really hope that's not our case. I meant it as-"
"Felicity." His soft whisper cuts off her ramble, his lips curved in a content smile. "The rest of our lives sounds perfect."
And without another word, their lips connect in a searing kiss, marking the beginning of the rest of their lives.