Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Redemption

Chapter One

A solitary figure stood at the edge of the rocky shoreline looking out as the tide ebbed and flowed from the sea. The wind whipped around him billowing the forest green hood that framed his face. The salt in the air stung his eyes, but he refused to close them. His piercing eyes, whose color matched the waves crashing against the beach below, searched the horizon. There in the distance, he could see the rise and fall of a small boat as it sailed closer and closer to shore. He knew this had to be the sign he had been promised…the sign that it was time to return home.

Time to go back and reclaim what was rightfully his. His family’s company, its vast holdings and more importantly his rightful name. A name that had not been spoken to him in almost ten years. Ten years of pain, torture and repayment of his Father’s debts to an ancient sect that had taught him many things. Horrible, unforgiveable things, but things he needed to know in order to survive the new life he had been forced to live. Things he would put to great use once he returned home to right his Father’s misdeeds. He now had the skills necessary to rain down judgement on those who had forced his Father’s hand and gotten him into debt with the League of Assassins. The debt now repaid, it was his turn to use his acquired talents to destroy those who had betrayed him and his family.

He looked down at the bow in his hand and gripped it tighter. The sturdiness of its construction reminded him of his own inner strength. A strength he had not known he had until his future had been irrevocably altered by the actions and wrongdoings of his own Father. A Father whose inherent weaknesses caused his inevitable downfall leaving his only Son to make amends.

He knew he would never be like his Father. His Father had taken the coward’s way out and left him as a sacrificial lamb to his debtors, without an explanation or an apology. One moment, they were enjoying their sailing trip to celebrate his 18th birthday and the next moment they were boarded and taken prisoner. Their ship’s crew killed without mercy. His Father had only given him a sad look of regret before stealing the gun from the guard next to him and ending his own life.

He reached back and pulled an arrow out of the quiver tied to his back. The piece of flint he struck lit the arrowhead aflame. He placed it on the bow and savored the tension he felt as he prepared his shot. The ease with which he pulled back the string in preparation of releasing his arrow was something he did not take for granted. It had been years of practice, training, and battle that had made the nocking of his arrow fluid and graceful. The tension of the bowstring and its release gave him satisfaction that his intended target had been hit. The resulting explosion of fire and smoke into the air produced no reaction from him. He knew that it was merely a way to gain the attention needed of the vessel as it made its way closer to shore.

He knew he had the fortitude to enact and accomplish his plan without succumbing to the temptations of vice and greed ever present in the place he used to call home. His Father had failed his family and his city, but he would not make that same mistake. He would seek his solace via the retribution he would inflict upon his enemies. Their destruction would give him the gratification of knowing he had redeemed his family’s honor.

As he deftly made his way down the cliff to the beach below, he remembered his Master would say he was the weapon. That it was his mind and body that would make the difference in combat. His bow and quiver full of arrows were merely tools to defeat their enemies. These tools were his touchstone in the life he had been forced to live. They defined who he was as he mastered them. As his skills increased his Master would remark that they had chosen his name well. Not his real name. That name was a distant memory he knew he must prepare himself to be called by once more, but the name he was now known as. The only name that mattered in this world. His name was Al Sahim.

Chapter Text

Chapter Two

He had spoken briefly to his Mother when he had gotten to the mainland to arrange for transportation back home. She had wanted to accompany the company jet to pick him up, but he turned her down and instead requested to fly home alone. Once his plane had landed, his mother had come by herself to greet him out on the tarmac. Where was his sister, he wondered. Was she busy with school or had his mother decided she wanted to see what was returning home, first? After one look at him and a tight hug, she rushed him off to the hospital for a complete check-up.

He knew that the doctor had several suspicions about how many of the wounds, scars and burns had occurred to his body, but did not ask. Instead he overhead the doctor merely tell his Mother, “The son you lost ten years ago, is not the son who returned.” He was right. That Oliver Queen was dead. He knew who he was now. In this world, he would be Oliver Queen, prodigal son returns, back from the dead. They would see the Oliver Queen they wanted to see during the day. However, no one would recognize who he was at night. Those who had led his Father down that fateful path of destruction would soon feel his wrath, the wrath of Al Sahim.

He stood at the window of his hospital room looking out over the place he once called home. There were changes that he immediately noticed. The typical smells of a city he thought had forgotten him were more pungent than he remembered. Even being 18 stories away from street-level, his finely tuned senses could easily sift through the chemically-clean smell of the hospital floor, the tasteless food sitting on its tray next to his bed and the smells working their way up the building and through the window he had opened to try and not feel so closed in by the walls of his room. The noises had not changed, either. The hustle and bustle of the street, the occasional honking of a taxi’s horn trying to get a pedestrian to move out of their way or the many strained sirens coming from police cars, ambulances and fire trucks. The more and more he heard them, the less foreign sounding they became.

He looked down at the street and saw the various camera crews each struggling for the right vantage point in front of the hospital. He knew they were hoping that he was going to make an appearance. It wasn’t every day that someone returns from the dead, he thought. He had seen the news using footage of him from high school when all he wanted was to score the next touchdown or score with a cheerleader. How different his priorities were now, he thought, as he looked back up at the view in front of him.

He saw that the skyline had altered. There were a few new buildings he didn’t recognize. Each one seemed to try and rival the next with their sleek design, glass windows and impressive logos heralding their occupant’s name. One building more than any other commanded his attention. While it was not as tall as the more modern looking ones that stood sentry next to it, the large, cobalt colored “Q” glowing from the top of the building beckoned to him. Like the sirens of the Odyssey calling the sailors to their doom, the symbol of his family’s company, taunted him. He knew that he would have to go there to get his plan set in motion. But that would not be happening today or tomorrow. What had his Master drilled into him? Patience…patience and let your enemies come to you, for they will…and when they do, you will be ready. It had only taken 17 broken bamboo swords for that message to be driven into him. He rubbed his left shoulder slightly at the memory of that particular lesson.

He looked up, trying to see the night sky. The lights of Star City seemed faded compared to the starry nights he had witnessed during his time away. He frowned as he thought of that phrase. “His time away…” was how he heard his physician describe the last ten years of his life, while talking with his mother in the hallway outside of his hospital room. His family, his friends, his city no doubt had all assumed he was dead. Just a casualty of an unfortunate boating accident while away on a business trip with his Father. How wrong they all were.

It was no accident. It was providence. It was liberating. He now knew exactly what type of man his father had been. He knew the transgressions he had committed and left for his son to pay penance. His Master had shown him their record of his Father’s sins. The things that he was forced to atone for on behalf of his father. His return home was the first step toward his endgame.

The knock on the door made him turn away from the window and his thoughts.

“I can’t believe it’s really you!” his sister, Thea exclaimed as she ran to him and leapt into his arms. She hugged him as close to her as she could. Tears of joy flowed as she clung to her brother, afraid that he would disappear on her once more.

He took a step back and feigned a slouch to his left side.

Thea gasped. “I’m sorry. Did I hurt you?” she questioned with concern.

Oliver shook his head no and replied, “I’m okay, Speedy. Just a little tired and overwhelmed with everything…” He looked up and saw his mother in the doorway of his room.

“Ugh, Ollie! No one calls me Speedy anymore,” she gently chastised as she swatted at his chest, gripped his hand in hers and then turned towards the doorway to see what had captured his attention.

Moira Queen looked regal in any setting. Her cool blue eyes observed everything. She gave her children an assessing look and then smiled at them both as she walked towards them. She placed a gentle hand on his forearm and informed, “Oliver, the doctor would like to keep you overnight for observation and then will release you in the morning.” She looked for a reaction from her son.

Oliver noticed his mother’s steady gaze on him. “I understand,” he replied as he watched her reaction to his monotone response.

Moira nodded her head at her son, reached for her daughter’s arm and beckoned, “Come, Thea. Let’s give Oliver a chance to rest.”

Thea squeezed Oliver’s hand, then reluctantly released it and promised, “I’ll be back tomorrow with warm pastries from Raisa and your favorite mocha latte.”

“I’m not much on mocha lattes anymore, Thea,” Oliver replied blandly. He saw the flash of hurt cross his sister’s face and added, “But I’ll take a hot cup of black coffee, instead.”

Thea beamed at her brother, “See you in the morning, bro…don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” and she laughed as she left the room.

Moira frowned at her daughter’s teasing quip. Then she looked back at her son and said, “We’ll let you rest now, Oliver and come back for you in the morning.”

Oliver nodded his head, “Thanks, Mom.”

Moira gave him a gentle smile, then a hug and left the room closing the door.

Oliver turned back around and stepped towards the window. He looked out once more and noticed that he could see the harbor where his father used to dock his yacht. If he only hadn’t insisted on joining his father on that trip… He shook that thought from his head. No, the trip had been his enlightenment. He was who he was today as a result of it. Tomorrow he would be in his family’s home and would implement the first part of his plan.

Chapter Text

Chapter Three

Thea arrived at her brother’s hospital room promptly at 10 a.m. with a small basket of pastries, hot coffee and a bodyguard following her. As she opened his door, Thea looked at her bodyguard with thinly veiled contempt and ordered, "You can wait for me outside, Rob."

"Yes, Miss Queen," Rob dutifully replied as he gave a cursory nod to Oliver, added "Mr. Queen," then stepped outside and closed the door.

Thea walked over to her brother, smiled as she handed him one of the coffees and asked, "Croissant or muffin?"

Oliver tilted his head to look at his sister a little closer and took the offered coffee cup from her. Last night their meeting had been so quick he hadn't noticed the dark patches under her eyes that were trying to be masked by makeup this morning or the slight tremor in her hand as she handed him the coffee. "Blueberry?" he asked quietly, while watching Thea's reaction to his question. Thea's smile and flash of mischief in her eyes, reminded him of the little girl who was always trying to follow him around the mansion another lifetime ago. What had happened to his sister during the years he had been gone that caused her lack of sleep, unsteady hands and the need for a bodyguard to accompany her to retrieve her brother from the hospital, he wondered. He watched as she set down the basket on the table by his bed, pulled out the requested blueberry muffin and held it out to him. "Thank you," he replied as he took the muffin from her and tore a small piece off the top and popped it into his mouth. The warm burst of fruit brought back a flood of memories of him stealing blueberries from the counter as their housekeeper, Raisa, baked muffins for the family.

"Raisa said you would want the blueberry muffin," Thea mentioned with a sigh, "I guess she still understands you better than the rest of us..."

Oliver took a sip of his coffee to wash down the small bite of muffin he had in his mouth. "Speedy, you were eight years old when I went away. There's not much you would have had in common with an eighteen-year-old know-it-all."

Thea frowned at her brother. "We're family. That's all we needed to have in common."

The knock at the door and it opening, interrupted the siblings. It was the nurse with Oliver's discharge paperwork. Once everything was signed, Oliver was told to follow-up with his family physician for any other needs. Oliver thanked the nurse, who gave him an appraising smile and exited the room. Oliver sighed and shook his head as the nurse left his room.

“Has the great Ollie Queen lost his touch?” teased Thea as she watched the pretty nurse shut the door. “

“That was a long time ago, Thea,” Oliver reminded her. When she frowned, he added, “I’m sure I’ll be back in the swing of things in no time. Besides, I wanted to make sure that we had a chance to just remember being brother and sister, without any distractions, okay?”

Thea gave him a hopeful smile and replied, “Well then, now that you are completely discharged, we should be heading home.” Thea called out to her bodyguard, "Rob, we're ready to head home now.”

The guard opened the door and both siblings made their way in silence, following Rob to the hospital exit.

Oliver was unimpressed with the abilities of Thea's bodyguard, Rob. Instead of having them depart the hospital from a discreet exit, Rob had parked their vehicle at the main entrance and then tried escorting them to the waiting sedan. Oliver had already assessed the bevy of reporters and photographers who were each alternately shouting his and Thea's name, trying to garner their attention. He knew that there were no immediate threats to be faced. Refraining from smirking at the bodyguard's obvious faux pas, he whispered to his sister, "I'll get us into the car." Then ignoring the litany of questions, flash bulbs and microphones beginning to infiltrate their personal space, Oliver wrapped his arm around his sister's waist, pushed Rob to the side and guided his sister into the back seat of their car.

Once the door was shut, Thea turned to her brother. "That was probably the smoothest interaction a Queen has had with the paparazzi ever." She smiled at Oliver and added, "I thought for sure when that reporter got so close to you with her microphone you were going to make her eat it!"

The driver's side door opened. "Sorry about all that trouble, Miss Queen...um, Mr. Queen," Rob apologized. "I didn't think the media was going to find out you were being released this morning."

Oliver noticed that Rob appeared to be sincere with his apologies. He frowned, clenched his hands tight and remembered his training. Apologies were excuses and excuses were not tolerated. Results were what mattered and Rob had failed. But this was not the League. This man would not be punished for his inexperience, like he had. His back ached at the memory of lashes he had received for missing a target. Why would they hire such an inexperienced person to guard his sister, he wondered? He relaxed his hands and sat back in the seat, straightening his jacket cuff and then his collar, hoping his aloofness would dispel anything Thea may have noticed.

Thea saw her brother's hands clench and then how he relaxed his posture quickly. She was about to question him, but saw his sudden attention to his attire which reminded her of how he was always checking his appearance in any mirror in their house he encountered. She smiled to herself as she remembered asking her Mother if their mirrors were magic because Oliver was constantly looking at theirs. When Oliver didn't acknowledge Rob's apology, she replied, "It's okay, Rob. If we ever need to do this again, let's try and find out if there's a back entrance or more private exit we could use."

Rob smiled at Thea, nodded his head and then looked down once he saw the disapproval on Oliver's face staring at him. "Thank you, Miss Queen," he replied sheepishly. Then he closed the partition separating them and started the vehicle to take them home.

Oliver could see out of the corner of his eye, Thea carefully watching him as they made their way back to their family's home. He could sense her hesitation. What happened to the inquisitive eight-year-old he remembered? He half expected her to barrage him with question after question once the partition went up. He ventured, “how long have you needed a bodyguard?”

Thea sighed and looked at her brother, “About six months ago, Mom received an anonymous letter at QC threatening to kidnap me. Ever since, I’ve not been able to go anywhere without Rob and it’s really put a crimp in my style.”

Six months ago was when the League had sent him to the island. Was there a connection, he wondered? “Did Mom go to the Police about the letter?” he questioned, eager to hear his sister’s response.

“I don’t think so,” she replied. “All I know is that one day I was living the relatively normal life of a high school senior and next thing I know, I’ve got a 6-foot tall doofus tailing me everywhere I go. Now, I’m the only freshman at Star University with a bodyguard.” Thea slunk back in her seat and added, “Mom wouldn’t even let me live in the dorms or pledge a sorority even though she’s a legacy.”

Oliver shifted his gaze back out the car window toward the passing countryside. So many questions were running through his head. He’d been told his Father’s debts had all been paid. Who would target his sister? Had something happened while he was gone that caused his family to be a target? Why wouldn’t his Mom go to the police? He focused back on Thea and asked, “Has Mom gotten anymore threats?”

Thea shrugged her shoulders. “Mom won’t talk to me about it and when I try to bring it up she tells me to leave things I can’t understand alone and always goes into the study and closes the door or she will leave the house and I won’t see her again for sometimes a day or two.” Thea turned to look at Oliver and added, “Don’t be surprised if she finds a ‘Rob’ for you too.”

As they entered the gates of their family's estate, Oliver tensed up and shifted in his seat. He knew the League had eyes and ears everywhere. Perhaps they might know more about this threat his family was facing, he thought.

Thea reached out her hand to clasp his and offered, "I'm here, Ollie." Then she squeezed his hand and gave him a smile.

Oliver nodded his head at his sister and gently squeezed her hand back in acceptance of her effort to reassure him. As they got closer to the house, he noticed several unfamiliar cars parked along their driveway. He heard Thea sigh in frustration and gave her a questioning look.

"I see our Mother ignored my recommendations...again," mumbled Thea under her breath. She looked at Oliver in exasperation, "I'm so sorry, Ollie. I told Mom that it should just be us and Raisa there when you finally came home from the hospital."

"Whose cars are those, Thea?" Oliver inquired as he their vehicle stopped under the portico.

"The Merlyn’s..." Thea replied with a tinge of venom.

Oliver looked at his sister questioningly. The Merlyn’s were their family's oldest friends. Their only son, Tommy was like a brother to him growing up. Granted Tommy's Dad pretty much ignored his son after Tommy's mother was killed when they were little. But what he remembered of Malcolm Merlyn was that he would give Tommy anything he wanted so long as his son never questioned him about his comings and goings when they were growing up. He wondered, what could have caused this reaction in his sister? “I thought the Merlyn’s were like family to us, Thea?" Oliver asked softly.

"You've been gone a long time, Ollie," Thea retorted. Then she gave Oliver a slight nod of her head and added, "I'll let you form your own opinion." Then the car stopped and Thea exited, sprinting into the house.

Oliver got out of the vehicle and followed his sister inside. As he entered the main foyer, he watched her run up the large staircase that dominated the room. He looked around to see if there were any noticeable changes. He saw that the center table still had a large imposing fresh flower arrangement, but the table was missing something. Gone were all the small framed candid shots of his family. He remembered his Mother always put tremendous effort in making sure they contained photographs of the family in the current season. No pictures of him in his football uniform or Thea on horseback could be found. How many more familiar family traditions had been eliminated because of his time away, he wondered. One thing that hadn’t changed: The Queen Family tradition of opulence when it came to artwork. The same landscapes and other familiar portraits hung along the walls. He could smell the orange wood cleaner he knew that Raisa favored when taking care of the furniture and paneling in the house. The sound of people talking down the hallway drew his attention away from the entry room. He followed the sounds of the voices and entered the parlor.

"Oliver!” his mother chimed as he walked into the room. She moved over to him and placed her arm into his and maneuvered him into the middle of the room to greet their guests. “You remember the Merlyn’s?”

“Of course, he does,” stated Tommy as he rushed forward and embraced Oliver then added, “Don’t you, Buddy?”

Oliver wrapped his arms around his best friend and simply said, “It’s been a long time.”

Tommy patted Oliver’s back and continued, “We’ve got a few nights of debauchery to catch up on now that your back…”

“Come now, Tommy,” Malcolm Merlyn started, “I think Moira might want to keep Oliver home for a while until he gets acclimated to being back among the living.” Malcolm grinned and held out his hand to Oliver, “It’s good to have you back again, Oliver.”

Oliver shook Malcolm’s hand, “Thank you, Mr. Merlyn.”

Malcolm smiled and commented, “Come now, Oliver. We’ve never stood on ceremony before. Please, call me Malcolm.”

Oliver nodded his head and replied, “Okay, Malcolm.” He looked at his Mother and said, “Mom, I’d like to go and get things situated in my room, if that’s okay?”

Moira frowned at her son, “I thought we’d eat a light lunch out on the terrace and get a moment to catch up with our friends?”

Oliver frowned at his mother and looked at their guests. “I apologize, but I am still getting used to being in the company of others.”

“It’s okay, Ollie,” supported Tommy. “How about I come by tomorrow and pick you up for lunch? There’s a great diner I just discovered and I’m guessing it’s been a few years since you’ve had a cheeseburger, so how ‘bout it?” he asked as he flashed a compelling grin and twinkle in his eye.

“I’d like that,” replied Oliver. It will give me a chance to find out from a third party how things have fared for my family, he thought. “How about you pick me up tomorrow at 11 a.m.?” he asked.

Tommy smiled at his friend, “Sounds like a plan to me!” He looked over at his father, “Dad, how about we leave the Queens to their own reunion?”

Malcolm raised an eyebrow at his son, gazed at Moira who had pursed her lips and then looked at Oliver, “I apologize Oliver. In our haste to want to welcome you back, we forgot to keep in mind your own need to get acclimated to being back…in civilization.”

Oliver’s ear perked up at Malcolm’s intonation. He slowly nodded his head in agreement. “Thank you, Malcolm, for understanding.” He looked at Tommy, “I’ll see you tomorrow.” Then stepped closer to his mother, kissed her cheek and then left the room.

Once at the top of the stairs, he ran into their housekeeper, Raisa.

“Mr. Oliver,” she whispered and wiped away a tear from her eye.

“It’s so good to see you, Raisa,” Oliver said as he gave her a warm embrace. “It’s been a long time.”

Raisa took a step back to look at Oliver. “Yes, but I still know you like my blueberry muffins.”

“You always knew me best, Raisa,” he admitted.

She smiled at him and informed him, “Your room is just like you left it, Mr. Oliver…”

Oliver tilted his head at her with a questioning look.

Raisa chuckled and added, “Well not quite exactly as you left it. You’ll find clean sheets on the bed and all your clothes are picked up and put away. Your Mother also had me update your wardrobe so that you have a few new changes of clothing until you have a chance to go and pick out your own.”

“Thank you, Raisa,” Oliver said graciously. “I’m sorry you had to go to so much trouble. I expect this has been a bit of a nuisance for you.”

“No nuisance, Mr. Oliver. You may have been a handful growing up, but you always had a good heart,” she reassured him. “Now, I will leave you to go to your room and I will send up a tray for you a bit later.” The housekeeper gently squeezed his arm and then headed back downstairs to the kitchen.

Oliver headed straight to his old bedroom. It was like walking into a time capsule. Other than there not being any dirty clothes strewn all over the floor and the bed a mess, his room still looked the same. Trophies from his days on the football field and one small photograph sitting in a silver picture frame were still on his desk. He picked up the lone photograph and stared at it for a moment. He hadn’t asked anyone yet about the person in the picture he held. She was probably married with children or out saving the world as she had always wanted. Besides, it didn’t matter anymore. The life he led didn’t allow for personal attachments. He needed to be focused on his plan and didn’t need the distraction. He set the photo back down where it had been and walked over to the window. The expansive garden area of his family’s estate. Just on the other side of his Mother’s prized rose bushes was the pool and pool house. He knew that staying out at the pool house would give him more privacy than he currently had in the house. He didn’t think his Mother or Thea would be pleased with his decision, but knew that it would be necessary to further his plan.

Chapter Text

Chapter Four

Tommy maneuvered his sleek Mercedes-AMG GT through the streets of Star City with ease. Along the way, making sure to point out to Oliver all the new buildings and places to take him now that his best friend was back from the dead. “We have got a lot of partying to make up for since you’ve been gone Bro,” he commented with a grin. “In fact, I’ve already started putting together plans for your Welcome Back Party.”

Oliver gave his friend an exasperated look. “I don’t need a party, Tommy,” Oliver replied. “I just want to spend some time getting used to being around my family first and then I can focus on whatever friends I have left in Star City.”

Oliver looked out the passenger side window and noticed they were getting closer to the area known as the Glades. He knew the area was not one he and Tommy had spent much time in the past and wondered why his friend was bringing him there. He sat a little straighter in his seat as his friend drove, feigning disinterest while being vigilant. He watched quietly as his friend drove him around his once familiar city. They had ruled this city when they were in high school. Memories of their escapades started to come back, one by one. They had been so young and foolish…selfish, really. He glanced over at his friend and wondered if he had learned any lessons while he was forced into servitude by the League. Was Tommy Merlyn still the same person he remembered or had he changed too?

Tommy continued to blather on about the welcome back party he was planning even though Oliver really didn’t want one. Instead of paying attention to what his friend was saying, Oliver allowed his mind to wander to thoughts about the girl in the photograph on his desk. Surely Tommy had to know how she was doing. Did she still live here, he wondered? He didn’t know exactly where she had lived, only that she and her mother had an apartment somewhere in this neighborhood when they were in high school.

She probably moved away, he thought, intent on fulfilling her dreams. Dreams that never included him. Why would they? He knew she was too good for him, even though he had let her think he was too good for her. He had been such a fool. He was aware that she had a crush on him and truth be told, he had one on her too. But she wasn’t a cheerleader and hadn’t fit the expectation of a girlfriend for him. She had mousy brown hair, glasses, wore only torn jeans and whatever sci-fi themed t-shirts she could find at the discount store. She wasn’t anything like the girls who were always throwing themselves at him in high school. She had her whole life planned ahead of her and he had been too concerned with scoring on and off the field.

Even though she was several years younger than him, she was to graduate high school with him. Back then, she had tutored him in the school library during zero period to earn money to help her Mom with their household bills. Meeting before school started was the only way he could get her to agree to help him keep his GPA high enough so he could continue playing sports. She loved school. Everything in the classroom came easy to her. When he struggled with his studies, she had patience with him and helped him understand his classwork. When things didn’t make sense, she could explain it to him and he would understand. She boosted his confidence more than she would ever know.

She was his light when times were darkest. His memory of her helped him focus on what he needed to do to survive during his time away. It was the one thing neither his Master or the League could take away from him.

The only photo he had of her, he had surreptitiously taken, printed, framed and left in his room. Only Raisa had known the truth. It’s probably why the frame was still there. Everyone else, including her, thought she was nothing more than a means to an end. How wrong they were. But he shouldn’t let thoughts of her distract him. He needed to stay focused and find those who had lured his Father down a dark path. He needed to keep up appearances with those closest to his family to see if they were a part of his Father’s downfall and his imprisonment. No, he thought, it was his awakening.

“Hey, Bud,” Tommy interrupted, breaking Oliver out of his reverie, “there’s a lot of people who are excited that you’re back and want to see you. I just want to make sure that you get a chance to see everyone who mattered to you back then.” He gave his friend a wink and then continued driving.

“Anybody not happy to see me back home?” Oliver asked. He watched his friend closely to gauge his reaction.

Tommy spared a quick glance at his friend, then he put his focus back on the road and said, “Oh look! We’re here!” He pulled the car just past the restaurant and parked it in the alleyway next to the building.

Oliver recognized the area. His family used to own a steel fabrication plant a couple of blocks away. He remembered his father bringing him there to tour the plant when he was a young boy. He used to love going there to see all the different machinery they made there.

“Come on, Ollie,” Tommy said. “You’re going to love this place.” They exited the car and walked around to the front of the building.

Oliver kept an eye on their surroundings. There were a few young women walking with strollers, a man sitting at the bus stop across the street from them and a lone beat cop walking down the street in the opposite direction of them. The neighborhood wasn’t teeming with activity and most people were keeping to themselves, not pausing to greet each other as they walked. Just the kind of anonymity he wanted. He would have to make a return visit to check out the plant and see if it would make sense to use it as a base for his operation.

Tommy smiled at his friend and claimed, “You are going to love this place, man. They have the best burgers and shakes I’ve ever eaten.” The bright red and yellow logo on the restaurant window beckoned them to enter.

Oliver nodded his head and replied, “I’ll pass on the shake, but will definitely try a burger.”

Once inside, they placed their order and Tommy pointed at a table by the window to sit down. Oliver shook his head no and moved to a table at the back of the restaurant so that he had a strategic advantage to assess the entrance to the little diner.

Tommy shrugged his shoulders in acquiescence and sat down at the selected table. “Since when don’t you want to be the center of attention where everyone can see us?” he questioned.

Oliver frowned. Had he really been that shallow in his youth? “Ten years of solitude will do that to you,” he mentioned casually. Why let anyone think he had been anywhere but the island?

Tommy apologized, “Dude, I’m sorry. I didn’t even think about that.” He looked at his friend and asked, “Do you want to leave?”

Oliver saw the sincerity in his friend’s eyes and was about to reply, when he saw three masked gunmen storm into the restaurant, firing shots into the ceiling to garner the restaurant customers’ attention. Oliver slipped the butter knife from his place-setting firmly against his wrist, ready to defend himself and the innocent people there.

The leader of the group shoved a gun into the face of the waitress and demanded all the money out of the cash register be put into a paper bag. Then the other two robbers approached each table and demanded the customers’ valuables. Once the leader handed the bag full of cash to one of his accomplices, he approached Tommy and Oliver and ordered, “Get up, rich boys!”

Tommy stood quickly with his hands up, while Oliver stayed seated. Tommy voiced, “Hey, now, no need to hurt anyone.”

The leader pistol-whipped Tommy causing him to fall to one knee. Oliver stood up immediately in front of his friend, the cool metal of the knife flush against his skin and said, “Leave him alone.”

The leader laughed and scoffed, “Oh, no. You both are going to come with us.” He pointed the gun directly into Oliver’s face and added, “I have a feeling your family will pay a pretty penny to get both of you back.”

Tommy laughed and retorted, “then you really don’t know anything about my Father.”

The leader frowned, “You better hope you’re wrong, Merlyn.” Then he ordered them out of the restaurant and into the nearby alley. There was a van parked in front of Tommy’s car, blocking the alleyway.

A man exiting the side building, shouted at the gunmen and was shot dead. Oliver turned around to check on Tommy, when he felt a cold prick on his neck. He reached up and pulled out the small injection dart and started to crumble down to the ground, the butter knife he had been concealing, fell out of his hand and made a clanging noise just as oblivion shrouded him in darkness.

The deluge of cold water induced a coughing fit in Oliver as he quickly regained consciousness. He shook his head to throw off the excess water and evaluate his surroundings. He opened his eyes to see the two masked gunmen standing in front of him. He was seated in a metal chair with his hands zip-tied behind him and a bright light shining down on him. He looked to his left and saw that Tommy was still unconscious on the floor of the warehouse they were being held.

The leader approached Oliver. “Well now rich boy…we have a few questions we want you to answer.”

Oliver looked around him to see exactly where the other gunman was located and saw him standing overhead on a walkway, his gun pointed in his direction. He looked back at the leader and replied, “I won’t have to answer your questions.”

“Yeah…why is that?” scoffed the Leader, “You’re our prisoner.”

“Not any longer,” he replied and held up his now untied hands for the group to see. The leader shouted at his men to fire, when Oliver stood up and used the metal chair as a shield against the gunfire, jamming it into the leaders’ face. Then he dropped the chair and twirled the leader in front of him and used his body as a shield from the additional gunfire, as he pushed the lifeless body toward the other gunman. He used the leader’s own weapon to take care of that other gunman. Now he was down just one remaining one who was running along the walkway, looking for cover. He quickly moved over to Tommy to check that he had a pulse. Tommy was still unconscious, but thankfully alive. Oliver stood back up and took off after the remaining gunman who had escaped out a window at the end of the overhead walkway.

Oliver tracked the lone gunman as he ran along the roof tops of abandoned building after abandoned building in the Glades. He pursued the man into a large metal warehouse down by Star City Wharf. He caught the man as he was about to try and jump down inside a staircase and wrapped his arm around the gunman’s neck, using his other hand to hold him down, Oliver heard the man plead, “Dude, please…please don’t kill me.” Ignoring the man, Oliver flexed his arm and squeezed, breaking the man’s neck and answered, “No one can know my secret.” He dropped the man’s lifeless body and took a deep breath. He knew he would have to dispose of this body and the others, then go back and check on Tommy.

He walked down the staircase and opened the door to see if it led out or if he would have to go back to where Tommy was via the rooftops he had just traversed, when he stopped right where he stood, shocked at what he had discovered. There inside this seemingly abandoned building was his Father’s rebuilt boat, the Queen’s Gambit.

Chapter Text

Chapter Five

“One minute we were sitting in the diner getting ready to eat the best burgers in town,” stated Oliver to the rapt attention of everyone sitting in the main parlor of the Queen Mansion. “Then the next thing I remember is some guy in a black hood is rescuing us from the gunmen who kidnapped us.”

“Some guy in a black hood, huh?” snorted the skeptical police detective sitting on the settee next to the gilt-edged coffee table, “and you conveniently don’t remember anything else?”

“Ollie, you left out the part where we were shot with a tranquilizer dart,” Tommy retorted in defiance of the detective’s doubt, then sat back in his chair and pulled his right ankle up on top of his left knee, smirking at the Detective.

“Detective Lance,” interrupted Moira Queen as she leaned forward where she sat next to Malcolm on the couch opposite the Detective. She glanced at Malcolm, reached out to grab his hand, then looked at the Officer and continued, “Our sons have been attacked in broad daylight and you are here questioning them as if they were the criminals, instead of going out there and trying to track down their kidnappers.”

Oliver sat still in his chair opposite Tommy and watched as his Mother held Malcom’s hand, as if to steady herself as she went on the defensive with the police officer. Was this what Thea tried to warn him about? He watched as Malcolm didn’t react to Moira’s touch. Instead it seemed that he was oblivious to her. Then Malcolm shifted his attention from the Detective and looked directly at Oliver. This was not the occasion to challenge Malcolm, he thought, there would be time for that later. Oliver refocused his attention on the Detective and looked away from Malcolm’s assessing gaze.

“Mrs. Queen, Mr. Merlyn, your sons are material witnesses in the death of Mr. Aldo Romano and the robbery of a restaurant in the Glades. It is imperative that if they have any clues as to who committed this crime, they share this information with us so we can catch the crooks who did this.” Detective Lance looked back and forth between Oliver and Tommy and added, “Are you sure you don’t remember anything else?”

Oliver sat with both feet planted on the floor, his hands relaxed on his thighs, just above his knees. He knew he had to convey an aura of nonchalance so as not to betray his current inner turmoil. He remembered everything that happened. All of his thoughts returned to the shock of finding his Father’s boat’s wreckage locked in a warehouse next to where they departed on their ill-fated trip ten long years ago.

“Look Officer…” interjected Tommy, bringing everyone’s focus back onto him.

“That’s Detective,” corrected Detective Lance.

“Detective Lance,” smiled Tommy. “Our rescuer didn’t wait for a thank you.” He looked across at Oliver, who merely nodded his head at him, and continued, “All I know is that we’re alive because of him.”

“I think you’ve gotten all the answers you’re going to get out of our sons now, Detective,” added Malcolm. He pulled his hand out of Moira’s grasp, stood up and looked down at the Detective. “Now, if you don’t mind, I think it’s time that they get a moment to recuperate from what happened and you get back to finding out who these gunmen were and what prompted this to occur.” Malcolm held out his hand for Lance to shake.

Detective Lance stood up, looked at Malcolm’s outstretched hand and reluctantly shook it. He looked again at Oliver and Tommy and ordered, “You two remember anything, you let me know right away.”

“Of course, they will,” answered Moira as she stood up, not allowing her gaze to be diverted from the Detective. Tommy and Oliver joined their parents and stood where they had once been sitting, and joined Malcolm where he stood in front of Detective Lance. Moira added, “Thank you for your concern, Detective, and thank you for bringing our boys home safe.” Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Raisa had discreetly entered the room. She motioned to Raisa to show the Detective out.

Realizing he wasn’t going to get any more information, Detective Lance replied, “Yeah, thanks,” then he followed the Queen’s housekeeper as she led him out of the parlor and the house.

Once the detective left, Malcolm and Moira focused their attention on their sons. “What happened?” questioned Moira, as Malcolm watched their sons’ reaction intently.

“It all happened just as we described,” answered Tommy. “We were both knocked out and when Oliver woke me up, he told me he saw this hooded guy take down our kidnappers and then just disappeared.”

Malcolm honed in on Oliver. “I thought you both were knocked out due to a tranquilizer dart?”

Oliver looked Malcolm directly in his eyes. “We were. It just happened to wear off in time for me to see some guy all in black standing over the bodies of our kidnappers. He untied Tommy’s knots first, then mine and didn’t stick around for even a ‘Thank you’,” answered Oliver. He looked at his Mother and added, “I scrambled over to where Tommy was starting to come out of it and then we called 9-1-1.”

Malcolm snorted in disbelief, but posed no further argument.

“Malcolm,” Moira ventured in an even tone, “I think they boys have had a horrendous day and could use some rest.”

As if on cue, Tommy stretched his arms above his head and yawned. “I for one could use the rest.” He looked over at Oliver and added, “I’ve gotta get my beauty sleep before the big Welcome Back Party I have planned for you, Buddy.” Tommy smiled and winked at Oliver.

Malcolm looked at his son and stated with irritation, “It’s in two days.”

Tommy laughed, “I know, Dad. I’ve got to make sure I’m well rested,” and earned a frown from Malcolm and Moira.

Oliver noting their respective parents’ disapproval, walked over to Tommy and patted him on the back, “I think this party is a great idea, Tommy. Thank you.”

Tommy gave his friend a surprised, big smile, leaned in and gave him a hug and whispered, “You are not going to regret this, Bro.” He released his friend and moved toward the doorway to exit the room. Tommy looked at his Dad and asked, “We’re all good here, right? ‘Cause I have some things I have to finish ironing out before the party.”

“Will I see you at home later tonight?” inquired Malcolm of his son, stopping him in his tracks.

Tommy’s elation quickly fell after his Father’s question. “Sorry, Dad. I’ve got plans,” he answered, “Don’t wait up for me…” and he left the house for points undetermined.

Oliver looked at his Mother and Malcolm. He added, “I’m pretty exhausted after everything that happened today.” He pointed over his shoulder toward the doorway and continued, “I’m just going to head upstairs and start getting things ready before calling it a night.” He turned in that direction and headed toward the doorway.

Moira’s gaze followed her son as he headed toward exiting the room and asked, “Getting things ready for what, Oliver?”

Oliver stopped, turned around to face them, looked at his Mother, ignoring Malcolm, and informed her, “I’m going to move my things to the pool house.” He looked around the room and added, “I’m just feeling a little overwhelmed with everything and could use the solitude the pool house affords me.”

Moira, saddened at Oliver’s intentions, started to move toward him, when Malcolm placed his hand on her arm and advised, “I think that is a wonderful idea, Oliver.”

Moira looked down at Malcolm’s hand and then back up at him and seethed, “Malcolm…”

“Now, now, Moira,” Malcolm tsked tsked her. “Oliver is a grown man and simply needs his own space. Surely you won’t begrudge your newly returned son a place of his own?” He looked at Oliver who nodded his head at him.

Why was Malcolm being so supportive, he wondered? “Thank you, Malcolm,” Oliver offered.

Moira looked over at Oliver and pleaded, “What if I re-opened the West wing of the house for you? You’d have more than enough space there and we would all still be under the same roof.”

“I don’t mean to hurt you, Mom,” Oliver answered.

“Why would you be hurting, Mom?” Thea asked from where she stood in the doorway.

Oliver turned around to see his little sister standing there looking at him, concern in her eyes. He didn’t want to disappoint her either. “I was just letting Mom know that I’m going to move into the pool house for now.”

Thea’s eyes began to shimmer, then she tilted her head to the side and agreed. “I think that’s a good idea, Ollie.” She entered the room and walked up to her brother. “Most guys your age live out on their own.”

Malcolm snorted, “Unless they’re Tommy Merlyn…”

“Thea,” Moira chided, “We just got Oliver back and him staying at the house will allow us to all get reacquainted.”

“No, Mom,” Thea countered. “We’ll get reacquainted faster by listening to Ollie and making him comfortable in an environment that should be familiar to him, but isn’t right now.” Thea wrapped a protective arm around her brother’s waist and he reciprocated by putting his arm around her shoulders. The Queen siblings stood there, united, facing their Mother and Malcolm.

Knowing she was outnumbered, Moira acquiesced to Oliver’s wishes. “Will you at least continue to take your meals at the house with us?”

Oliver allowed his shoulders to droop knowing that would be a typical reaction expected in this situation. He felt his sister’s arm tighten around his waist in encouragement and nearly smiled at his sibling’s show of support for him. He looked up at his Mother. “I was actually hoping that tomorrow, we might be able to go into the office together so I can see what’s been going on while I’ve been gone.”

Moira’s eyes lit up in delight, while Malcolm’s face remained stoic. “That’s a wonderful idea, Oliver,” she said with joy, “if you think that you’re up for it.”

Oliver nodded his head at his Mother. “I know I don’t have a college education like the rest of the workers there, but I would like to learn more about the company that bears our family’s name.”

“Well, Moira,” Malcolm interrupted, “I should let you and your family continue this conversation without me.”

“No, Malcolm,” Moira requested, “Please stay for dinner with us.”

Oliver could feel his sister’s body cringe at their Mother’s request of Malcolm. What was that about, he wondered.

“While I appreciate any opportunity to eat your housekeeper’s wonderful cuisine,” Malcolm answered, “I think for now I should head home.”

Moira frowned at Malcolm and added, “Let me walk you out the door then, Malcolm.”

Oliver and Thea stood aside separating from each other and said goodbye to Malcolm as they watched their Mother personally escort him outside.

“Why do you want to go to the office, Ollie?” Thea questioned as she turned to face her brother.

“I just think that it’s time for me to take being a Queen seriously, or at least as seriously as I can,” Oliver admitted.

“And venturing out to QC is what, your first step?” Thea queried, then paused to look at her brother, waiting for an answer.

“Every journey begins with a single step,” Oliver replied automatically. How often had his Master reminded him of this?

Thea chortled, “You encounter a holy man on that island of yours, Ollie?”

“Not quite, Thea,” answered Oliver. “I just had a lot of time to ponder life and what really mattered.” No need to go into further details with his sister, yet.

Thea tilted her head, scrutinizing her brother. She knew there was more to it than what he had admitted. Oh, she knew that her brother wasn’t lying to her, he just wasn’t telling her the whole story. Maybe if she just kept supporting him, he’d realize that she was on his side of whatever it was that he was planning. They needed to stick together, especially with what was about to happen. She reached out, gently clasped his arm and offered, “How about I help you move your things to the pool house?”

Chapter Text

Chapter 6

“Oliver, I have someone I want you to meet,” Moira greeted her son a little too enthusiastically as he entered the family sitting room early the following morning.

Oliver paused as he crossed the threshold of the room and glanced over at the man standing stoically near his Mother. He quickly assessed that the man had military training based on his stance and the way he was quickly conducting his own cursory assessment of Oliver. Oliver pursed his lips, walked over to the gentleman and extended his right hand, “Hello, I’m Oliver Queen.”

The man gave Oliver’s hand a firm grip and shake. He replied, “My name is John Diggle, Mr. Queen.”

Oliver looked down at the strong hold Mr. Diggle maintained on his hand. Interesting, thought Oliver, Mr. Diggle is trying to assert his dominance over me. This actually brought a hint of a smile to his face for the first time as he released the older gentleman’s hand. “Oh, no, Mr. Diggle. Mr. Queen was my father. Please, call me Oliver.”

Mr. Diggle nodded his head in agreement and slightly relaxed his stance, never averting his gaze from Oliver.

“Oliver, Mr. Diggle will be accompanying you wherever you go from now on,” Moira informed her son with a cautious smile.

So this is what Thea meant when she warned me that I would get my own ‘Rob’ he thought to himself. He looked at his Mother, “Mom…” started Oliver.

“No, Oliver,” Moira stopped him. “I will not back down on this.” She squared off her shoulders and faced her son. “Someone tried to kidnap you yesterday. Surely you can understand why there is a need to protect you?”

“I understand that you think there is a need to protect me, Mom,” Oliver replied, “but I am able to take care of myself.”

“If that were true, Mr. Queen,” retorted Mr. Diggle, “you never would have been kidnapped.”

Oliver raised an eyebrow as he glanced at the challenging look on John Diggle’s face. “It’s Oliver, Mr. Diggle.”

“Then you should call me John or Digg, if you prefer,” he replied, still obviously assessing every word and action made in the room, including those made by Moira Queen.

“Well, now that this is settled Oliver, Mr. Diggle will be accompanying us to the office this morning,” informed Moira. “I’ve also asked my assistant to prepare an Executive Summary on every Division of Queen Consolidated for you to review, Oliver. Then we will meet with the company’s Chief Financial Officer and our Chief Public Information Officer to discuss any questions you may have and to also prepare a statement announcing you taking a prominent role in the company.”

Oliver looked at his Mother in surprise. He knew he needed to be on the inside of the company to find out exactly how deeply involved the company and any of its leadership was with what his Father had planned. Granted, this would definitely help him, but would anyone take him seriously? All they knew about him was he had been a spoiled rich kid with a high school education. “Mom, I think we should take things a little slow for now,” he stated. “I mean, don’t I need to be legally resurrected from the dead first?”

It was his Mother’s turn to frown, while Digg emitted a slight chuckle.

“I already have our family’s attorney working on that for us, Oliver.” Moira continued, “She was able to secure a court appearance for you tomorrow so that we can get your identity legally restored to you.” Then she looked at Digg and added, “Now, Mr. Diggle, would you please alert our driver that we are ready to leave for the office?”

“Yes, Ma’am,” replied Digg and left the room, but not before giving Oliver a look that said not to try anything foolish while he was away.

Once Digg had departed, Moira looked at her son and praised, “Oliver, it made me very proud yesterday when you announced wanting to go to QC today. I am hoping that you will want to take a more prominent role in the company now that you are back.”

Oliver tilted his head at his Mother and questioned, “Don’t you think I might need to go to University first before trying to take over the company?”

“Nonsense,” reproached Moira, “Your grandfather started QC with less than a high school education and you and I both know how bright you are, Oliver.”

“But even I had a tutor in high school, Mother,” reminded Oliver. If only that tutor was still around, he thought.

Moira ignored her son’s statement and instead pointed out, “Our Chief Financial Officer, Walter Steele, will guide you and help you get more familiar with the company, its subsidiaries, holdings and upcoming acquisition.”

“Wasn’t Walter Steele one of Dad’s friends?” Oliver asked. He seemed to recall meeting the gentlemen at more than a few family Christmas parties. Was he a part of his Father’s plans?

Moira smiled at her son and added with a gleam in her eye, “Walter is particularly proud of an upcoming deal he is bidding on for the company. He calls it the crown jewel for the future of Queen Consolidated.” Then she wrapped her arm in Oliver’s and led him out of the room toward the waiting vehicle.

The journey to QC seemed longer than he remembered. Oliver knew that the quickest way to the family’s business was through the Glades, but was not surprised that their driver took an alternate route, no doubt at the instruction of his Mother. As they approached the building, Oliver could see a bevy of news station vans. No doubt waiting to get their money shot of him entering the building for the first time, he thought.

Mr. Diggle instructed the driver to drop them off in the secured underground parking garage to avoid the throng of reporters and paparazzi crowded around the building’s main entrance. A move that elevated John in his esteem. Perhaps, his Mother should have hired Digg to be Thea’s bodyguard instead, he thought as they made their way to the underground entrance.

Once inside, they headed to the Executive Level Floor and the Boardroom. Oliver recognized Walter Steele upon entering the room, but stopped where he was upon seeing the woman standing by Walter’s side.

Walter strode over toward the group as they entered the room. “Welcome back, Oliver,” he greeted and extended his hand to him.

Oliver nodded his head at the distinguished looking gentleman. He shook the offered hand and added, “It’s good to be back, Walter.” He looked again toward the woman standing behind Walter. Could it be…after all these years? Her hair was not quite as long and was blond now. But it was the eyes that could not be denied. No longer hidden behind a large pair of spectacles, he could see them clearly now. Those crystal-clear shimmering pools of blue that haunted him nearly every night of his time away.

“Oliver,” stated Walter and turned around toward where the young woman stood, “allow me to introduce you to…”

“Felicity Smoak…” Oliver whispered and Moira gasped.

Was his Mother truly unaware that the girl in the photograph on his desk worked for his family’s company? How could she not know who she was?

“It’s Felicity Seldon, now,” she corrected as she stuck her right hand out to Oliver. When he neglected to grasp her hand in greeting, she squeezed her fingers together in a fist and awkwardly moved her hand back to her side.

Oliver looked down at Felicity’s left hand which was conspicuously missing a wedding band. What happened to her while he was gone, he wondered, and if she was married, where was her wedding band?

“Where’s Melissa with Oliver’s briefing packet?” Moira asked of Walter.

“I let her know that I would take care of Oliver’s company briefing, Moira, and requested Mrs. Seldon to do the presentation. She is after all, one of the brightest minds at QC,” Walter answered with a note of finality to Moira and a gentle, approving smile for Felicity. He looked at Oliver questioningly. “I had no idea you knew our Acquisitions Analyst, Mrs. Seldon, Oliver?”

Before Oliver could respond, Moira joined her son and addressed Walter, “Regardless, I didn’t realize that you were going to include anyone else in on this briefing for Oliver, Walter.”

“Well, Moira,” replied Walter, “you were very specific about making sure that Oliver learn as much as possible as quickly as possible about this company and its performance during his absence. Hence, Mrs. Seldon is here to provide that information for him.”

Moira unsettled by Walter’s obvious confidence in the young woman by his side continued, “Are you sure that this is the best use of Mrs. Seldon’s time? After all, we do have the Unidac auction coming up and you know how important that is for our company.”

“I assure you Mrs. Queen,” responded Felicity. “Our bid will be successful and QC will acquire Unidac Industries as planned.”

Moira stared hard at Felicity, unused to such impudence, she warned, “You had better be right, Mrs. Seldon.”

Oliver looked at Felicity with new eyes. The confidence she was exuding was intoxicating. He saw the determined look in her eyes as she stared down his Mother. He also saw the gleam of approval Walter had for her and the barely contained anger his Mother was holding back. He didn’t remember his Mother ever interacting with Felicity when they were in high school. Their tutoring sessions were always in the school’s library and never at his home or hers. What could have caused his Mother to dislike Felicity so intensely, he wondered.

“Moira,” added Walter, “Mrs. Seldon has every reason to be confident about our success for the upcoming auction. If I thought otherwise, I would not have pulled her away to assist me with bringing Oliver up to speed on the company.”

Realizing that she was not going to win this argument, Moira acquiesced, “Very well then, Walter. I trust you have Oliver’s best interests in mind.” Moira headed back toward the door, gave Digg a nod of her head and then exited the room.

“Well then,” Walter started, “Felicity will you start with your presentation?”

For the next 60 minutes, Felicity, with the occasional interjection by Walter, briefed Oliver on the many changes QC had undergone during his time away. She reviewed each Division’s current projects and recent successes. When she got to the IT Department, her eyes began to dance with excitement. He remembered that she had an affinity for computers and all things technical. Had she gone to university for that, he wondered, and when had she acquired the new last name? Would he be able to speak to her alone so he could get answers to his questions?

“Do you have any questions?” she asked innocently, focusing her attention on Oliver.

He did have questions for her, but nothing pertained to what she had just spent an hour informing him about. He merely shook his head no and looked at Walter for guidance.

“Felicity,” interrupted Walter, “Would you mind giving us the room for a moment?”

“Of course,” she replied, smiled nervously at both men and left the room.

Walter looked at Oliver and nodded his head toward John Diggle. “Digg, would you mind giving us a moment, please?” he requested.

John gave them a little grunt of agreement and then stepped just outside of the boardroom.

Once they were finally alone, Walter looked at Oliver and said, “It’s damn good to see you, Oliver. We were all devastated when you and your Father were lost at sea.”

“Thank you, Walter,” Oliver replied evenly.

“I apologize for the request for secrecy, but I have something for you,” informed Walter. He walked over to the credenza, took out a key and used it to open-up a locked compartment in the piece of furniture. He removed what looked like a leather briefcase and walked back over to where Oliver was sitting at the table. Walter set the case on top and opened it, exposing the contents to Oliver. Inside was a bulky laptop that had to be over ten years old. Walter sat down next to Oliver and explained, “Your Father entrusted me with his personal laptop and made the odd request that should anything happen to him, I needed to keep this laptop safe and away from your Mother and anyone who asked about it.”

Oliver looked at Walter with surprise. Had his Father known that something was going to happen to them when they left on that ill-fated sailing trip?

Walter stressed, “He told me to only give it to you.”

“Have you tried to find out what information was contained on the laptop?” Oliver inquired.

Walter shook his head no. “Your Father trusted me to keep this item a secret. I valued our friendship and out of respect for him have kept this hidden away. When you and your Father were first missing and then presumed dead, I almost destroyed it, but thought better of it and was going to give it to Thea once she had graduated from college. Now that you have returned, I wanted to make sure it got delivered to its rightful owner.”

A discreet knock on the door garnered their attention. Felicity opened the door, “Excuse me, Mr. Steele, but it’s time for the tour.”

“Yes, of course, Felicity. Thank you for the reminder,” Walter replied. She closed the door and he looked at Oliver. “I have no idea what you will find on that thing, but I hope it gives you a better understanding of your Father.”

Oliver looked closer at Walter. “Do you have any idea what could be so important that my Father would want you to keep this secret from my Mother?”

Walter once again shook his head no. “Your Father and I knew each other for many years, but there were some things that even I was not privy too.” He nodded toward the laptop as Oliver placed it back inside the briefcase and continued, “I only hope whatever it was that your Father wanted you to know about is on that laptop and that hopefully it gives you some sort of peace of mind.”

Oliver shut the briefcase and extended his hand to Walter. “Thank you, Walter, for keeping this for me.”

Walter shook the offered hand. “We had better get going before it raises any more eyebrows…It is bad enough that no doubt Mrs. Seldon is already curious about our conversation in here.”

Oliver gave Walter a shocked look. “What makes you say that?”

Walter smiled and replied, “She detests mysteries.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 7

After spending the day at the office, Oliver had successfully convinced his Mother that he was simply too tired from the day’s activities at QC and would retire to the pool house for the rest of the evening after dinner. While his Mother had accepted what he said at face value, he noticed the somewhat skeptical look on his recently assigned bodyguard, Mr. John Diggle. Hopefully, Digg was not going to make it difficult to execute his plan.

Oliver looked down at the laptop sitting in front of him on the small coffee table in the middle of the pool house’s main room. He had taken it out of its briefcase and placed it there on the table, knowing that he needed to discover what secrets it may hold. He had left the laptop charging on the table while he had showered and changed out of the impeccably tailored business suit and into his favorite pair of jeans and blue Henley. Hadn’t he waited long enough to open it and find out what it contained, he asked himself?

He hoped that the laptop was charged enough that he could turn it on and see what secrets his Father had entrusted to Walter to keep safe from his Mother and share only with him. Would his Father have left a record of all his transgressions for him to discover? His Master had been very specific about his Father’s wrongdoings. Would the contents of the laptop confirm or refute what he had been told? The other question bothering him was why had his Father been adamant with Walter to not share the laptop with his Mother? Oliver shook his head and thought to himself that his Father had to have known the shame and scorn of all his illegal and morally wrong activities would bring his family. Yet, the man had been too selfish to stop himself. Robert Queen was no pillar of society. He was the epitome of everything wrong with his City.

He lifted up the screen and pressed the power button, but no light appeared. He tugged at the power source cable to make sure that it was inserted correctly and pressed the power button again. Still nothing happened. After waiting a few minutes to try it again, it still was of no avail. The computer simply would not power on. This was something he was going to need some assistance with, but who could he trust?

*********
That evening, Felicity sat in her office a few floors down from the Executive Level. Her back to her office door with her feet propped up on the box of random computer parts she kept behind her chair, she pondered the events from earlier while holding her favorite red pen between her teeth as she gazed out her office window. It had been ten years since she had last seen Oliver Queen.

Back then she had been a naïve, teenager, far too trusting for her own good. Yes, she had a school girl’s crush on him, the star high school athlete she tutored to make sure he stayed eligible to play sports. She doubted he would remember her as anything more than simply a means to an end, a solution his parents had introduced to him to keep their beautiful boy on the playing field. In return, the fees they paid her helped keep her family’s bills paid and she saved what she needed to apply for every scholarship possible to help her fund her college education.

She had truly been a completely different person back then, she remembered. Her plain brown hair, glasses, torn jeans and favorite sci-fi t-shirts weren’t meant to draw attention to herself. She told her Mom it was her camouflage, but it was really her way of not conforming to what her Mom had wanted her to look like. That got a chuckle out of her as she caught her reflection in the window. She looked up at the sky and said out loud, “Well, Mom, you got your wish…”

“Wish for what?” said the voice coming from the doorway behind her.

Startled, Felicity stumbled out of her chair as she was turning around to face her intruder. A sturdy hand managed to keep her upright while her red pen slipped from her mouth and fell on the floor. She steadied herself by placing both hands on the forearms bracing her and stood up, looking into a pair of familiar blue eyes. “Oliver?” she questioned. “What are you doing here?”
He leveled his steady gaze at her, gave a soft chuckle which brought the edge of his mouth into the closest resemblance of a smile he had fully yet to make, stooped back down, picked up her pen, handed it back to her while kneeling in front of her, “Hi…"

Felicity grabbed the offered pen and took a step back away from him as he began to stand up in front of her. Don’t be dazzled by his lustrous blue eyes, she thought as she moved to stand behind her desk chair and place a bit of space between them. She watched as Oliver frowned at her reaction and gave him a questioning look. Why should he care if she maintained her personal space, she wondered? Then she noticed the rather large and bulky laptop he had placed on the edge of her desk and stepped back towards him. “What do we have here?” she asked inquisitively while reaching for the laptop.

Oliver didn’t stop her from picking it up and inspecting it. He replied, “This was something I found at the house and thought I could use it to catch up on what’s happened in the world while I’ve been gone.”

Felicity arched an eyebrow at him and gave him a curious look. “This thing would work better as a paperweight than a computer,” she laughed. When he frowned again, she offered, “but I could see if it works for you?”

“I appreciate it, Felicity,” and sat down in the chair opposite from her.

“Do you have the power cord for it?” she asked, smiling brightly at him.

Oliver momentarily dazzled by her smile, fumbled in his jacket pocket for the cord and handed it to her.

She took the power cord from him and plugged it into the surge protector by her desk.

When the computer didn’t power up immediately, Felicity pursed her lips, then turned around and started rummaging through the box of computer parts behind her.
“Do you think you can fix it?” Oliver inquired.

“Um-hm…” was her reply as she kept her back to him and continued looking through the various items she had collected in the box. He was about to ask her a question when she whipped around with a few tools and assorted items Oliver was unfamiliar with in her hands and placed them on her desk next to his Father’s laptop.

He watched as she put all her focus on getting the laptop to power up. Her bright turquoise blue nail color drew his attention to her fingers as she carefully took apart the laptop. He watched as she grimaced a little when one of the parts she was working on wouldn’t budge.

“This thing is pretty ancient,” she confessed as she struggled with the component, “but I think I…” then the laptop powered on and Felicity raised her fist in jubilation and gave a little shout, “Yes!”

“You got it working,” Oliver said with surprise and admiration for her skills.

“Well I got it to start charging,” corrected Felicity and smiled up at him.

Oliver was about to say something when something outside her window caught his eye. Two rooftops over, he could see billowing, a familiar cloud of purple smoke wafting up into the sky. He frowned and stood up from his chair. “I have to go, Felicity,” he replied and reached for the laptop.

Felicity shooed his hand away saying, “Oh no you don’t, Mister. This baby right here needs a bit of tender loving care and I’m just the girl to provide it.”

Without missing a beat, Oliver leaned down and whispered in her ear, “It’s not the only thing that needs that.”

Completely taken aback by what Oliver commented, Felicity gasped, leaned back in her chair and simply said, “Oh?”

“Can I pick this up from you tomorrow?” he asked the still shocked Felicity.

“Um-huh,” she managed to say.

Oliver took one more look outside her window at the purple smoke slowly dissipating into the sky. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Felicity.” Then he turned on his heel and left her office.

************
"Marhaban beka ya akhi" the beautiful brunette beckoned as Oliver entered the room. "Lam tasiluna akhbaruk wa arad sayeduna an yat-ma-ena anak lam tafqed atarkeez ala al mahamma." The brunette slowly approached Oliver and leveled her sword at his chest. "Hal tam tashteet thehnuk ya ayuha Al Sahim?"

"Lam ureedu etharet intibah usrati we kuntu fi ghayet al hathar ya ukhti", he replied evenly. "Tastate'ina ekhbarahu an al umoor taseeru ala wajh el takhteet"
"Wa hal kanat tilka al shuqaira' al latifah juz'a min al khetah?" his Sister hissed.

Oliver stepped forward against the blade and stated, "Heya laysat belmuhema. Heya mujarad adat tustakhdam le-injaz al matloob"

"Ah ya akhi" the brunette chuckled. "Al-an anta qad hasalt ala ehtemami" She dragged her blade slowly along his chest and re-sheathed it. "Qad yakoon min al daroory al-ta'kod min hathah be-nafsi?"

Oliver stepped forward allowing his anger to slip through, "Nyssa, satatrukeen al mar'a al shaqra' lehaleha aw satastad'een ghadbi!"

"Eni ugheethuka faqat ayuha Al Sahim," was her coy reply. "Tastatee'a an tahtafeth be lu'abateka madamt tabqa mufeedah kama taqool" Then she took a step closer to Oliver and reminded him, "Ladayka fatra muhadada letukmil al mahamma, Al Sahim. Daje'a al fatah etha lazem al amr we ela sa'adh-tar ela al tadakhul letasheeh etijahuk" Then she turned away from him, began to walk away and reminded him, "Sayeduna lan yaqbal bel fashal"

Oliver watched as his Nyssa walked off, disappearing into the shadows. He was furious with himself. He should have known that the League would have been watching him. They must have someone planted inside QC, but who could it be? Now, they were aware that Felicity was someone important to him. How could they have found this out so quickly? No doubt Nyssa was sending off a report of what she had seen. He needed to find out what was on that laptop and soon. Hopefully, it will provide answers to questions he never knew to ask his Father.

Chapter Text

Chapter 8

“Care to explain where you went last night, Oliver?” an obviously upset John Diggle asked as Oliver entered the breakfast room of the mansion.

Oliver shrugged his shoulders and answered, “I just needed to stretch my legs a bit, Digg.” Then he winked at his bodyguard and continued, “You know, I’ve been gone a long time and a guy has needs…”

“Be that as it may, Oliver,” Digg responded, “your Mother is paying me a pretty penny to keep an eye on you and I can’t do that if you don’t let me know when you are heading out for the night.”

“Well, tonight I’ll be heading to my welcome back party my friend Tommy is throwing for me,” replied Oliver tersely. “So, no surprises there.”

John gave Oliver a skeptical look. “No surprises?”

Oliver nodded his head, “No surprises, Digg.” Then he looked around the room, wondering where his Mother and sister could be.

Digg picked up on Oliver’s scan of the room and replied, “Your Mother left earlier this morning and your sister had an early morning study group.”

“Well then, I guess it’s time for me to head to the office.” Oliver stated and headed out of the room with Digg following close behind.

Oliver looked out the window of the car and noticed a small coffee shop and asked Digg to stop the car. He remembered how fond Felicity had been for coffee during their early morning tutoring sessions and thought about bringing her a morning cup to thank her for helping him with his Father’s laptop. Once the car was parked, Oliver stepped out and entered the café.

As he walked up to the counter, he looked to his left and there standing, waiting for her order was Felicity, head down, working on her tablet in hand and a computer knapsack on her shoulder. He walked over to where she stood and said simply, “Good morning…”

Felicity jumped a little where she stood at Oliver’s greeting. She looked up from her tablet. “Oliver,” she gasped, “you startled me.”

Why is she so jumpy this morning, he wondered? Oliver reached out to lay a gentle hand on her shoulder and asked, “Felicity, is everything alright?”

She took a little gulp before answering him and looked around the café. The opening of the door and Oliver’s bodyguard entering the room didn’t ease her jumpiness. “I know this is going to sound crazy,” she whispered to him, “but I think that I was being followed this morning.”

“Felicity!” announced the barista and placed her cup of coffee on the pick-up counter.

Oliver reached over to grab the drink and offered it to her.

Felicity smiled, took a quick sip of the piping hot beverage and sighed. “Ah, this helps…”

Oliver looked down at Felicity and could see the hand clutching her tablet shake a little. What has happened to her to cause such a reaction? He reached for her elbow and directed her toward a nearby table next to the window where they sat down. “Why do you think you were followed?” he inquired calmly.

Felicity took another sip of her coffee and explained, “I only live a few blocks away and prefer to walk to the office every morning…”

Oliver mentally filed that little nugget of information for himself. Didn’t she realize what a dangerous neighborhood this area could be at night, he wondered? He nodded his head at her to continue.

“When I left the stoop of my apartment building, I noticed a woman standing across the street just watching my building. I didn’t think anything of it, until I noticed out of the side of my eye that she was maintaining her pace with mine from across the street.” Seeing that Oliver was not dismissing her concern, she continued, “I decided to duck into this coffee shop to see if she would follow me here or if perhaps it was mere coincidence and she kept going along her way.”

“And did this woman follow you in here?” Oliver asked casually.

Felicity shook her head no, “I entered and pulled out my tablet to see if I could maybe track her location from the security camera feed…” Oliver gave her a curious look and Felicity pushed her glasses back up on her nose saying, “I mean not use the security camera feed to see if she was still out there…”

“And did you manage to see where this mystery woman wandered off to?” he asked quietly.

“Unfortunately, no,” she confessed. “The barista kept asking me for my order and I lost her when I placed my coffee order.”

“What did she look like, Felicity,” Oliver questioned.

Felicity smiled at him, “You believe me? You don’t think I’m crazy in thinking that I was followed?”

“I believe you, Felicity,” Oliver nodded his head in agreement, “now tell me what did this woman look like?”

Felicity took a deep breath in and answered, “She was average height, fair-skinned, with beautiful, long dark hair.”

Oliver looked out the café window so as not to give away his suspicion that

Nyssa had to be Felicity’s mystery stalker. He turned back towards her and asked, “Did you feel threatened by her?”

Felicity shook her head no. “Threatened would be the wrong word for it.” Then she clarified, “It felt more like she was playing cat and mouse with me, waiting to see how I would react.”

Oliver made a mental note to speak with Nyssa about this. It appears that his warning to her last night had merely heightened her natural inquisitiveness about Felicity. He took in a deep breath and replied, “How about you accompany me to the office this morning, Felicity?” Sensing her getting ready to turn him down, he added, “This way you can show me what you were able to do with my laptop and maybe answer a few other questions about the company for me?”

Then almost as if on cue, Digg appeared and alerted from a few feet away, “Sir, your car is ready.”

“Thanks, Digg,” he replied, watched as Digg turned around and headed back towards the coffee shop’s doorway and then Oliver looked inquisitively at Felicity.

She harrumphed to herself and relented. “Alright, Oliver,” she replied. “I’ll accept your offer.”

Oliver stood up and offered her his hand to assist her up.

Felicity stared at Oliver’s hand for a moment and briefly contemplated not accepting it. She looked up at him and saw the concern on his face for her. Then slowly put her hand in his and felt his hand grip hers ever so slightly as she rose from where she sat. She pulled the computer bag up to her chest with her free hand and turned to face the window.

Oliver was about to take the computer bag from her, when he saw the tell-tale sign of a little red dot displayed on the bag in front of her. Just as the glass shattered around them, Oliver reached for Felicity and pulled her down beneath him as the gunfire continued to pepper the area around them.

Digg ran over to where Oliver was crouched down on the ground, pulled out his gun and returned fire towards the unknown assailant. He shouted to everyone else to stay down. He tried to pull Oliver off of Felicity, but he wouldn’t budge. Noticing that the assailant had stopped firing, Digg looked up and out in the direction from where he guessed the shots must have come from. Seeing nothing, he shouted to Oliver, “Clear!”

Oliver looked around the room and then down at Felicity, “Are you hurt?

Still stunned from what had happened, she uttered, “I don’t think so…”

Oliver quickly scooted off of her and assisted to move Felicity over and away from the window to a more secure area behind a pillar of the café. Oliver moved his hands over her, checking to make sure that there were no wounds that escaped his notice. He reached up and gently cupped her cheek. “Are you hurt, Felicity?” he asked again.

Felicity closed her eyes and leaned into the warmth his hand brought to her face.

“Oliver!” Digg commanded, “I need to get you out of here, now!”

Oliver shook his head no, “I’m not leaving her here, Digg.”

“I meant the both of you, Sir,” Digg replied angrily. “This location is not secure and we need to leave now!”

Felicity opened her eyes and looked at Oliver. “Don’t we need to wait for the police…to answer any questions they may have?”

Sirens in the distance were getting closer and closer to them. Oliver looked at Felicity and nodded his head at her, looked at Digg and replied, “We need to make sure everyone is okay and then assist the police with their investigation into who is responsible for this.”

Digg stood his ground, re-holstered his firearm, helped Oliver stand up and then watched as Oliver helped Felicity to her feet. “If you two are okay, I need to call your Mother and report what has happened.”

Oliver nodded his head in acknowledgment and Digg walked a few feet away from them to make the call. He focused back on Felicity. He wanted to pull her into him and hold onto her to make sure she was truly still there with him, but instead he looked at her and watched as she leaned down and lifted up the computer knapsack she had been clutching.

The laptop she pulled out was riddled with bullet holes. Awareness began to dawn on her that had she not been holding onto this when the shooting started, she likely would not be still alive. Felicity dropped the laptop and began to shake uncontrollably.

Oliver realized that she was beginning to go into shock, removed his jacket and wrapped it around her, pulling her into him and rubbing her arms up and down.
He began to soothe her and whispered in Arabic, gently in her ear, “My Love, you are going to be okay. I will make sure the person responsible for this pays with their life for daring to harm you.” "Hubi, satakoonena be khair. Sa'admanu an al mas'oul saydfa' hataytuahu thamana tajaru'uhu ala dararuki"

Felicity began to nod her head after hearing Oliver’s words. She couldn’t understand them, but the tone was effective and helped to calm her down.

“Well, well, well,” said the skeptical voice from the entrance of the coffee shop.

Oliver and Felicity both turned around to see who it was.

Detective Lance stood there, assessing the damage, glaring at Oliver and Felicity both. “An attempted kidnapping and now an attempted assassination, Mr. Queen? It seems that bad luck has followed you home from that island of yours.”

Felicity began to take a step away from him, but Oliver pulled her behind him.

“Bad luck had nothing to do with this, Detective Lance,” Oliver stated.

Digg re-entered the coffee shop behind Detective Lance and said, “Oliver, your Mother and Mr. Steele are both on their way.”

Detective Lance turned around and focused his attention on John Diggle.

Felicity tried to peek around Oliver, but he stepped to the side, hindering her view. She tried to move around Oliver again, but he looked back at her and shook his head at her. Then he cocked his head down toward where the laptop lay and signaled her to place it back in the knapsack and back on her shoulder.

John looked at Detective Lance and continued, “Detective, my client was simply here to grab a cup of coffee when the shots rang out. I returned fire at the unknown assailant who had to have been positioned on the roof of the building across the street.”

“Lucky he had you then, Mr.?” Detective Lance started.

“Diggle, Detective,” John responded, “John Diggle. I’m with Spartan Security and was recently contracted by Mrs. Queen to protect her son after the attempted kidnapping.”

“Uh-huh,” scoffed Detective Lance as he walked away from Digg and headed toward where Oliver and Felicity stood.

“And this young lady you seem so keen on protecting, Mr. Queen,” Lance started. “You going to tell me she’s just some innocent bystander to all of this?

“Yes,” confirmed Oliver. “Mrs. Seldon is an employee of Queen Consolidated that I happened to run into at the coffee shop this morning. When the shooting started, I merely tried to make sure that she and the rest of the shop’s occupants were okay.”

Detective Lance gave Oliver a skeptical look. He asked Felicity, “Mrs. Seldon, is this something that you can confirm?”

Felicity stepped around Oliver. “Yes, Detective.” She glanced up at Oliver quickly then looked again at the Detective and continued, “We were simply having a cup of coffee when the shooting started. If Oliver hadn’t pushed me to the ground, I don’t think I would be alive right now.”

“Oliver! Oliver!” Moira shouted from the doorway of the coffee shop, Walter Steele a few feet behind her. His mother ran toward her son and wrapped her arms around him. “Oh, my beautiful boy!” she cried. “I was so worried about you!” Then Moira stepped back away from her son and focused her attention on
Felicity. “And you Mrs. Seldon, no doubt this is all your fault,” Moira seethed. “You need to stay away from my son before he meets the same fate as your poor, unfortunate husband.”

“Moira!” reprimanded Walter Steele as he made his way closer to where they stood. “Please do not encourage what you know to be nothing more than innuendoes and falsehoods about one of our most valued employees.”

Felicity looked at Moira in horror, but bolstered by Walter’s support, she recomposed herself and responded, “What happened to my husband was a result of his own misdoings. I would have thought you of all people would have some sympathy for what I have survived.” She looked at Walter and noticed the faint smile of approval at her boldness with Mrs. Queen.

“Mother,” Oliver warned, “Felicity was most definitely not responsible for what happened...” Then he stepped toward his Mother and whispered in her ear, “and if you continue your unfounded accusations about Mrs. Seldon, I don’t believe you will be pleased by the outcome.”

Moira stepped back away from her son, shocked by the tone of his voice, she avoided looking at Felicity and instead turned her attention on Detective Lance. “Well Detective, any leads on who did this?”

The Detective let her know that he was just beginning to interview the witnesses and their forensics team was up on the rooftop of the building next door to see if the shooter left any evidence.

Moira asked, “Detective, is my son free to go?”

Lance huffed, “Yeah, he and his friends can go…” Then he looked pointedly at Oliver and added, “but I may have further questions for you as we continue our investigation into this shooting.” Then Lance looked at Felicity, “Mrs. Seldon, that goes for you too. We may have a few more questions for you as well.”

“Of course, Detective,” Felicity replied. Then she looked at Oliver and Walter and said, “I should get going to the office.”

Detective Lance nodded his head in approval at her and walked back toward where the rest of the investigative team was gathering.

Oliver reached out a hand to stop her. “I’ll escort you to the office, Felicity.”

“No, Oliver,” Felicity replied. “I can make it there on my own.”

Moira smiled at Felicity’s refusal to Oliver, but frowned when she saw Walter step forward.

“Perhaps, you would allow me to escort you back to the office, Felicity?” Walter asked.

Felicity nodded her head at him, smiled and answered, “Thank you, Mr. Steele. I would appreciate that.”

“Well, then,” Walter gave her a gentle smile and replied, “now that is settled, shall we depart?”

Felicity looked up at Oliver and said, “Thank you, Oliver.” Then she left with Walter and headed toward Queen Consolidated.

Oliver looked at his Mother and watched as she gave a disappointed look toward the departing Walter and Felicity. “I have no idea what grudge you bear on
Felicity, Mother, but I suggest either you explain yourself to me or you simply let it go.”

Moira gave her son a stricken look. Then she straightened her shoulders and replied, “This is neither the time or the place for that conversation, Oliver.” Then his Mother walked away from him and left the coffee shop.

Digg stepped forward and said, “Come on, Oliver. We’re not going to get anymore answers about what happened today.”

Oliver nodded his head at Digg and followed him out of the coffee shop. The answers to all of his questions were going to have to wait a little longer.  

Chapter Text

Chapter 9

Once Oliver arrived at QC, he headed straight for Felicity’s office. He had to make sure that she was okay and he needed answers. So many questions kept spinning around in his head. What he thought was going to be a matter of restoring his family name, just became infinitely more complex after the shooting. Could Nyssa be involved? He and Felicity were both visible to the shooter, yet they took aim at Felicity instead and why? Once he and Digg arrived on the floor where her office was located, he looked at Digg and asked him to please give him a moment.

Digg nodded his head in agreement and took a sentry position outside Felicity’s office door.

Oliver knocked on the office’s door frame to alert her to his presence.

Felicity looked up at Oliver and studied him carefully. She began to weigh whether or not to invite him into her office. The man did save your life, she thought to herself, and she had her own questions she wanted to ask him too. She sat taller in her chair and motioned for him to come inside.

As Oliver entered, he closed her office’s glass door and stood in front of her, searching her eyes and body language for any lingering after affects from the shooting. “Hey, how are you doing?” he asked softly from where he stood.

Felicity stared straight into Oliver’s eyes, her uncertainty shining back at him. “I’m thinking I’m going to have to look for a new coffee shop to go to…” she joked, but the smile on her face rang false.

Oliver pursed his lips and knew that she was trying to lighten the mood. He took another step closer to her and prepared himself to speak the next few words out of his mouth very carefully. “Do you want to talk about what happened?” he queried.

Felicity tilted her head at him and studied his posture and demeanor. “Why do I get the feeling that it’s you who really wants to talk about what happened earlier?” she countered.

Oliver sighed. She was always very perceptive about him, except about his feelings for her, he thought. “The police will find out who was responsible for what happened, Felicity, and when they do,” he paused for a moment and looked her directly in her eyes, “they will pay for what they have done.” If they don’t, he thought, I will make them pay, he silently promised.

“I’m sure the police will do all they can to try and solve what happened,” she replied, skepticism dripping from every word she uttered.

Oliver tilted his head at her, shocked at her sarcastic tone. “You don’t think that the police will do everything they can to solve this mystery?” he asked with surprise.

“Why would they? I’m nobody,” she scoffed. “Who am I in the grand scheme of the universe?”

Oliver furrowed his brow and took a step toward her. What has happened to her that would make her react like this? How could she think she wasn’t important? “Who are you?” he asked incredulously. ‘You are the…”

“I’m what Oliver?” she demanded from him. “I’m just an analyst at your family’s company, who happened to have once been your tutor,” she stood up from her chair and walked around her desk toward him and continued, “there’s nothing special about me.”

Oliver shook his head at her, “You are so much more than that, Felicity.”

Felicity shook her head no and snorted. “No, I’m not, Oliver. I’m a fool. I’m a widow who thought she had married for love only to find out that my husband was cheating on me with another woman,” she revealed. She noticed the look of surprise on Oliver’s face and continued, “Oh, yeah, and the only reason I found out was when their private plane crashed and I had to identify his body.”

Oliver could see the tears beginning to form in her eyes and lifted his arm to reach for her, but she shook her head no at him again and took a step back, away from him. Her rejection of his touch wounded him. He dropped his arm back to his side, his fingers rubbing against themselves. What a fool her husband had been, he thought, to have had such brightness and beauty as his own, only to throw it all away. Oliver’s hatred for her husband wasn’t even tempered by the thought that at least he was dead. Instead, Oliver wished the man was still alive so that he could be the cause of his demise.

“I’m surprised your Mother hasn’t filled you in on who I am now, Oliver,” she quipped. “I would have thought she couldn’t wait to warn you how I led her best friend’s son to his ruin.” Felicity strengthened her stance and faced Oliver, waiting to see his reaction. When he shook his head no at her, she continued with a sigh of regret, “Cooper and I met in college when I was eighteen and working on finishing up my Masters in computer science and cyber-security, and he was an incoming Freshman.” She closed her eyes and paused for a moment before adding, “He was the first man who made me feel like I was special…”

Oliver winced at that comment. He had been such a fool in high school. He should have been the one to make her feel special, he thought.

Felicity opened her eyes once more, looked at Oliver and continued, “He and I formed our own group of rebel hackers, going after corrupt government officials and exposing corporate greed. We had some early successes and high on our own believed self-importance, Cooper convinced me to marry him so that we could truly be the power couple of the Dark Web.” Felicity turned away from Oliver and looked down at the floor, then looked up out her window and added, “Just the thought was intoxicating. Here, we were, two kids really, with the power to reveal an individual’s or company’s deepest, darkest secrets for all to scrutinize.” She turned back around to face Oliver and was shocked to not see revulsion on his face. She took a few steps back toward him and continued her story, “We eloped to Atlantic City and immediately his family tried to have our marriage annulled. When the private investigator they hired to learn more about me discovered that I had once been employed by your parents, Cooper’s mother couldn’t wait to get her sorority sister’s help in convincing me to divorce Cooper.”

So, that’s why my Mother doesn’t like Felicity, he thought to himself. He kept still as Felicity continued to approach him and explain what had happened to her while he was gone.

“Your Mother actually flew out to Boston, tracked me down in Cambridge to confront me about Cooper and offered to fund the rest of my education if I divorced him. When I turned her down, your mother swore that I would be the death of Cooper.” Felicity stood once again directly in front of Oliver and said, “I told Cooper that his Mother had tried to get your family involved, so he let me know that he wanted to target his father’s own company for daring to try and separate us. Blinded by what I thought was love, I was all in and ready to bring to light his father’s wrongdoings. Cooper told me that he was going to take a trip back to his family’s home in Colorado to search his Father’s home office while his parents were in Europe and I would stay in Cambridge to start our investigation. But as I began to search through his Father’s holdings and company, I discovered that his family’s business dealings were legitimate. I couldn’t find anything that would have led me to believe that his parents were up to anything unscrupulous. It was while I was sitting in front of my laptop, realizing that something wasn’t adding up, when I got the phone call about the plane crash.”

“I’m so sorry,” Oliver responded with compassion. What else could he say to her?

Felicity shrugged her shoulders. “I was such a fool, blinded by what I thought was love,” she replied. “With Cooper dead, I put all my focus on my education and gave up my hactivist ways. Cooper’s family offered me a settlement if I would sign away my rights to his inheritance, but I shocked them when I not only refused their settlement, but also refused to accept a single penny from Cooper’s trust fund.”

“What happened next?” he asked.

“Right after graduation, my Mother was diagnosed with late stage breast cancer and I had to return back to Star City to help take care of her. She lasted longer than even her doctors expected, but when she died four years ago, I had to find a way to support myself. I contacted my former College Advisor who knew Walter Steele and based on my credentials, he granted me an interview. I learned later that your Mother had tried to talk him out of it and that once she found out he had hired me, she tried to undermine me with Walter at every turn. I almost quit my job because the office gossip about me became so rampant. But Walter, convinced me to stick it out and he did his best to squash any of the rumors being spread, including going so far as to firing an administrative assistant when he discovered that she had been rifling through my desk searching for who knows what to use against me.”

Oliver clenched his hands into fists at his side. How could his Mother have treated Felicity so poorly? Her own experiences with an unfaithful spouse should have at least garnered some sympathy for Felicity’s predicament. He had a new measure of respect for Walter Steele now. At least he had been someone she could count on to support her. “After everything you did for me in high school, please accept my apologies for my Mother’s actions, Felicity.”

“Thank you for saying that, Oliver,” Felicity acknowledged. “But you are not the Queen who owes me an apology.” She took another step closer to him and added, “I’ve done pretty well these past few years of maintaining a low profile at QC working as tech support. It wasn’t until Mr. Steele asked me to work on a special project for him that he realized my analytical aptitude and made me his Acquisitions Analyst. The pay raise helped me finally make progress on paying off my Mom’s hospital bills, while staying current on my student loans.”

The knock they heard on Felicity’s office door caused them both to turn and face the doorway.

“Sorry to interrupt, Mr. Queen,” started John Diggle, “but I just received word that the police are on their way to speak to Mrs. Seldon.” John looked at Felicity and added, “They are looking for some missing evidence from the crime scene.”

Felicity looked up at Oliver and whispered, “The laptop…”

Oliver looked at her and then at John, “Thanks, Digg. Please show the police in when they get here.”

John nodded his head at Oliver and gave Felicity a brief smile before stepping back into the office hallway and closing the door.

Oliver looked at Felicity and offered, “Thank you for sharing all of that with me, Felicity.”

She tilted her head at him, studied his face closely and replied, “I’m not sure why I did…” She took another step closer to him and continued, “there’s just something about you that makes me want to tell you…”

“Oliver,” Digg said from the doorway, Detective Lance standing next to him.

“Hello again, Mrs. Seldon,” Quentin said, walked into Felicity’s office, then nodded his head at Oliver and added, “Queen…”

“Detective,” Oliver replied. “Do you have some additional questions for us?”

Felicity coughed, causing all three men to look at her. “Sorry, just a little congested in here.”

Quentin raised an eyebrow at Felicity, then asked with suspicion, “Mrs. Seldon, we discovered that we found five shell casings from the roof top of the building across the street from the café, however, we only located two bullet holes within the café. We wanted to know if you might have accidently brought back to your office some additional evidence from the shooting?”

Felicity gave Oliver a quick look, then walked around her desk and reached down for her bag containing the laptop he had given her the night before. She lifted the laptop up and placed it at the end of her desk for the Detective to see. “Sorry, Detective. I think after the shock of being shot at, I just grabbed my things and came to my office to try and calm down.”

Detective Lance looked down at the bulky laptop with three bullet holes, picked it up with both hands to study the bullet holes, then looked up at Felicity and remarked, “Looks like this thing saved your life, Mrs. Seldon.” He tucked the laptop under his arm and informed, “I’m going to need to take this with me back to the precinct for our Forensics Team to review.”

Oliver looked at the Detective and asked innocently, “Couldn’t you just remove the bullets from the laptop and take the bullets with you?”

“Sounds like you don’t want me to find out who’s responsible for taking a few shots at your girlfriend, Queen…” the Detective sneered.

“He’s not my boyfriend,” Felicity adamantly denied, while Oliver frowned at the Detective.

“I don’t know, MRS. Seldon. You two looked pretty cozy in here when I arrived,” implied Quentin.

“Detective Lance,” Oliver interrupted, “I’m sure Felicity would like to know when she will be getting her laptop back. Do you know how long your investigators are going to need to keep it?”

Felicity quickly stole Oliver a look, but didn’t contradict him with the Detective. There must be a reason he doesn’t want the Police to know that the laptop was actually his, she thought. She decided to play along, “Yes, Officer Lance…”

“Detective,” Quentin corrected.

“Sorry. Detective Lance,” Felicity responded, then pointed toward the computer in the Detective’s possession, “that laptop is something I’ve had for a long time and I would hate to lose it,” she added.

“We’ll have it back to you as soon as possible, Mrs. Seldon,” Detective Lance advised. He moved the laptop back into both of his hands and looked it over. “It’s kind of clunky, unlike those new-fangled models that can detach their keyboard and have a touch screen.”

Felicity shrugged her shoulders and replied, “It’s something I’ve had since college.” Felicity nodded her head toward the laptop and added, “That clunky machine has a lot of sentimental value to me, Detective.”

“Well, I’m not sure how much good it’s going to be for you,” Quentin added, “with these bullet holes, you might be better off using it as a paperweight.”

Felicity rolled her eyes and looked at Oliver. It was the same thing she had told Oliver last night. “Please, Detective, I’d just like to make sure I get this back as soon as possible. I have a lot of photos and stuff from school that I’d like to try and salvage, so if your forensic experts could try and not damage my laptop any more than it already is, I’d appreciate it.”

“Sure thing, Mrs. Seldon,” then Quentin gave a quick nod of his head to Oliver and Digg, then left with Robert Queen’s laptop in his possession.

Once the Detective left, Felicity looked at Oliver and asked, “Why did you tell the Detective the laptop was mine?”

“I just thought it made more sense if we said it was yours, instead of mine, since you were the one holding it when the shots were fired,” Oliver replied smoothly.

Felicity gave Oliver a side-eyed glance and responded, “Uh-huh…you want to tell me the real reason, Oliver?”

Digg snickered in the corner by the door, causing Oliver to give his bodyguard a slightly menacing look. “Digg, could you give us the room for a minute?” he asked.

“Sure thing, Mr. Queen,” Digg responded. He looked at Felicity and gave her a smile and a quick wink, causing Felicity to blush.

Oliver caught the pink hue now tinging Felicity’s cheeks. Once Digg closed her office’s door again, he looked at Felicity and admitted, “The laptop was my Father’s.”

“I knew it!” Felicity gave a little shout and raised one fist in the air. “There was no way something this old would be laying around your family’s home.”

Oliver tilted his head at her and raised an eyebrow to which she replied, “What? Your Mother never wears the same outfit twice, there’s no way something that old is sticking around your family’s place unless it was bought at an auction at Christy’s…”

Oliver shook his head at her and sighed. She was right about his Mother. Had she known the laptop existed, it would have been destroyed, whatever secrets it held lost forever. He gently asked, “Were you able to get it to power up and find anything on it?”

Felicity smiled at him and replied, “There was a video file…”

Oliver grabbed Felicity by her shoulders and pulled her into him, demanding, “Did you watch it?”

Felicity tried to shrug out of his grasp, but Oliver held her too tight “Ow!” she exclaimed.

“I’m so sorry, Felicity,” Oliver confessed and released her from his grasp. He hadn’t meant to hurt her and frowned as he watched her rub her arms.

She crinkled her forehead at him and replied, “No, I didn’t watch the video, Oliver.” Then she reached out her hand to him and said, “Apology accepted.”

Oliver went to turn away from her, “You’re hurt because of me.”

Instead, Felicity reached out and gently placed her hand on his forearm. “Oliver, I know you didn’t mean to grab me so tightly…”

Oliver didn’t want to look down into her eyes, afraid he was going to see fear radiating back at him, but Felicity pulled him closer to her and lifted her hand to cup his cheek.

“What has you so on edge, Oliver?” she implored.

Oliver opened his eyes and looked down into hers. “Can I trust you?”

Felicity nodded her head slowly at him.

“I mean, you are one of the few people who I remember trusting before the accident, and now that I’m back, I feel like no one is who I remember them to be,” he admitted.

“Except me, right?” she clarified.

He nodded his head at her and whispered softly, “Yes.”

Felicity moved her hand back down to her side, smiled up at Oliver and replied, “Good, then you’ll know I’m telling you the truth when I say that I didn’t watch that video. However, until I get that laptop back and take a look and see how badly the bullet holes damaged the hard drive, I won’t know if you’ll ever be able to see what that video contained.”

It was Oliver’s turn to give her a knowing smile. “I may have an idea about that.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 10

“Hey, Buddy!” and exuberant Tommy Merlyn exclaimed as he saw Oliver enter the posh nightclub followed closely by his bodyguard. “I understand that you had a bit of excitement this morning before the judge officially proclaimed you alive this afternoon.”

Oliver stopped for a moment at Tommy’s over simplification of everything that happened that day and immediately suspected him of knowing more than he should. Tommy’s enthusiastic grin and open arms had him trying to shake off the feeling of doubt toward his friend. This was Tommy after all, his best friend. What possible ill well could he harbor against him, he wondered? He walked right into Tommy’s embrace and gave his friend a strong pat on the back. “Something like that…” Oliver replied, mimicking Tommy’s dismissiveness so as not alert him to his own suspicions. Then he stepped out of his friend’s hug, looked toward Digg and introduced him to his friend, “Tommy, this is John Diggle.”

Tommy shook John’s hand and added, “Dad mentioned something about you acquiring a bodyguard after what happened to us.”

Oliver nodded his head at his friend’s statement, maintaining his demeanor as evenly as possible. How much did Malcolm know about what actions his Mother made, he wondered? “Looks like you lucked out in that department,” Oliver quipped, then glanced at Digg and added, “No offense…”

John shrugged his shoulders and replied, “None taken. It goes with the territory.”

“I just think your parent actually cares about you,” Tommy admitted, then gave John a quick smile, leaned into Oliver and asked, “You’re going to ditch this guy tonight, right?”

John leaned into both men’s conversation and added, “He’ll try…”

Oliver cracked a close-mouthed grin, while Tommy blushed, then led Oliver into the waiting throng of dancing revelers moving to the techno beat playing while Digg followed at a discreet distance behind them.

Tommy paused before they got to the DJ platform, turned to his friend and said, “Are you ready for this, Bro?”

Oliver tilted his head at his friend questioningly and asked, “What do you mean?”

“You’ll see,” Tommy grinned, winked and then stepped up next to the DJ, signaling to lower the music.  He then gave Oliver a nod of his head to join him up on the stage, to which Oliver reluctantly agreed. Tommy flashed the entire crowd a huge grin then shouted in the microphone, “Are you having a great time tonight?” The crowd roared, but not nearly as loud as Tommy hoped, so he asked again, “I asked…are you have a great time tonight?!” This time the crowd roared even louder. Tommy smiled at Oliver and continued, “I know that most of you may not have known our Guest of Honor before he left us…” Tommy wrapped an arm around Oliver, flashed him a smile and continued, “But I’m hoping after tonight, that changes…” The crowd roared. Tommy pulled Oliver tighter into his side, digging his hand into his friend’s shoulder and announced, “So let’s give Starling City’s own Resurrected Favorite Son the welcome home he deserves!” The crowd started chanting “Welcome Back! Welcome Back! Welcome Back!” and the DJ played a rock anthem, with the party strobe lights illuminating the room.

Oliver looked down at Tommy’s hand, causing him to loosen his grip. A few women next to the stage screamed and jumped up and down, trying to get Oliver’s attention. Ignoring their blatant offers, Oliver looked out over the crowd. He saw Digg give him a smirk and shake his head. To think, this would have been something that he would have enjoyed another lifetime ago, he thought. Now, as his eyes searched the crowd, he knew this way of life no longer held sway over him. It was merely a ruse to conceal his real intentions. He needed to get lost within the crowd so he could retrieve his Father’s laptop currently in the Police’s Evidence Room. As his eyes roamed the room, he knew he needed to find someone who would be able to give him the alibi he needed to explain his absence away.

Tommy pulled his friend close and whispered suggestively in his ear, “See anything you like?”

Oliver took a small step back and looked at Tommy, wondering if his friend had any ulterior motives or was he just being the Tommy he remembered? Oliver looked over his friend’s shoulder and noticed a familiar form making its way through the crowd. “I think I do,” he replied.

Tommy’s eyes twinkled, “And does the lovely target of your affection have a friend…or two?”

“Some things never change,” Oliver answered, “do they, Tommy?”

“Depends on if you need me as a wingman or not tonight, Buddy,” Tommy replied with a grin.

“I’ll let you know,” Oliver replied without a reciprocating smile, then hopped down from the stage and made his way through the partiers, while trying not to lose sight of his quarry. As he made his way through the crowd, a red-headed woman in a hot pink, skin tight dress and stiletto heels stepped into his line of sight and placed both hands on his chest, stopping him from reaching his intended target.

“Hey lover,” she purred, “are you looking for a good time tonight?”

Oliver took in a breath and instantly regretted it as she had obviously been too liberal with her perfume application this evening. He coughed into his hand, glared at the woman and growled, “Not with you.”

Not caving due to the tone of his response, the woman removed a card from her little wristlet purse, placed it into his coat pocket and replied, “in case you change your mind.” She gave him a wink, blew him a kiss and walked away.

Oliver shook his head a little. He knew there had once been a time when a woman throwing themselves at him would have turned him on and he would have taken her up on her offer, but not now. He did not want that type of distraction. He needed to find out where his sister had disappeared to at this party. He continued walking, frowning at anyone who dared approach him, not wanting his search interrupted. Then out of the corner of his eye, he found her.

Thea Queen was leaning against a man, kissing him and allowing him to grope her against the pillar of the staircase leading up to an area marked “VIP”. Oliver grimaced and quickly made his way to his sister’s side. He pulled the man away from her and seethed menacingly, “Get out.”

“Hey, dude, you can have her when I’m done,” the drunk offered.

Oliver reached back to punch the man, when his arm was stopped unexpectedly.

John Diggle stood there, holding onto Oliver’s arm, not letting it move. “I wouldn’t want you to cause a scene at your Welcome Back Party, Mr. Queen,” John reminded him sternly.

“Ollie! What…do…you think…you’re doing,” Thea slurred and stumbled a little before catching herself steady by bracing the pillar with her hand.

“Probably wouldn’t have been a good lay anyway,” the drunk man spat out as he unsuccessfully attempted to remove himself from Oliver’s tight grasp.

“Just let him go, Oliver,” replied Digg, sensing the anger in his client and trying to prevent him from making a grave mistake.

Oliver released the drunk, then shrugged out of Diggle’s hold, put both hands on Thea’s shoulders and looked at her eyes. They were bloodshot and glassy. She was obviously high on something. What happened to his sister while he was away? Why was she using drugs? Not that he had been a saint at her age. He had done his fair share of experimenting in high school, but a bad reaction to some psychotropic-laced pot cured him of wanting to try them again.

“Why are you ruining my party?” whined Thea, refocusing Oliver’s attention on his sister.

Oliver looked at John and asked with disgust, “Where’s Rob?”

“Rob the Knob you mean?” Thea giggled and pulled away from her brother. “I gave him the slip hours ago,” she bragged with a smile and sly look toward both men.

Oliver hadn’t thought Thea’s bodyguard could drop any further in his estimation, but now he had. He gave Digg an unhappy look and ordered, “John, I need you to take my sister home.”

“No, Ollie!” a petulant Thea cried. “I deserve this party just as much as you do!”

“Only if you’re coming with us,” replied Digg.

Oliver looked at the hard set of John’s features and watched as his sister sway to and fro where she stood. He felt a hand on his shoulder and quickly turned around while bringing the interlopers hand into a hand lock.

“Ow, Ollie!” hissed Tommy. “I was just coming to see if you found your mark…”

Oliver released his friend’s hand immediately, “Sorry, Tommy.”

Tommy shook his hand and rubbed it with his other. “You learn that practicing with the local wildlife on that island of yours?” he asked.

Oliver ignored his friend’s remark, and asked instead, “Is there a back way out of here, Tommy?” He nodded his head toward his sister and added, “the last thing I need is all the paparazzi getting pictures of my sister stumbling out of my Welcome Back party high on who knows what.”

Tommy looked over at Thea and let out a low, slow whistle, “Whoa, Speedy…don’t worry, we’ll get you out of here.”

“Ha!” Thea scoffed. “Where was your concern, Tommy Merlyn, while Ollie was gone?”

Oliver watched as his best friend recoiled from his sister’s accusation and noticed a guilty look colored Tommy’s features. He knew Tommy liked to play it fast and loose. Had he been idly standing by, watching as his little sister descent down a darker path of booze, drugs and who knows what else? The Thea he met upon his return looked nothing like the young girl he now witnessed.

“Yeah, Ollie, there’s a back door,” Tommy motioned his head toward the left side of the staircase they stood by. “It’s labeled as an emergency exit, but the alarm won’t ring when you open the door. Just follow the hallway and it will lead you to an exit out onto the back alleyway.”

Oliver looked at Digg. “Go get the car and I’ll meet you with Thea in the alleyway.”

John gave Oliver a skeptical look. He didn’t trust Oliver yet and was reluctant to leave him, knowing he wouldn’t likely find him when he returned.

“Go John,” Oliver reiterated, “I’ll make sure that Thea is ready to go once you are there with the car.”

John looked at Thea and could see she was barely staying up on her feet. “I’ll see you in the alleyway,” he replied and then left to go get the car.

Oliver scooped up Thea in his arms, looked at Tommy and ordered, “Lead the way, friend.”

Tommy nodded his head and led Oliver and Thea toward the door he had just shown him.

“I’m sorry I ruined your night, Ollie,” Thea whispered as her brother carried her through the emergency exit door.

“You didn’t ruin anything, Speedy,” Oliver soothed. “I was getting tired of this party anyway.”

When John arrived with the car in the alleyway, he stopped the engine and exited the car, ready to help Oliver with Thea. “Oliver, go ahead and hand me Thea,” he offered.

“Sorry, Mr. Diggle,” Tommy replied as he stepped out of the darkened corner of the alleyway with Thea and faced Oliver’s bodyguard. “Ollie asked that I give you Thea and ask you to take her home for him. He mentioned something about having a prior engagement he refused to miss.”

John let out a strong exhale of frustration, took Thea from Merlyn and put her in the car. He should have known Oliver was going to pull a disappearing act tonight.

Chapter Text

Chapter 11

It was fortunate that the League safe house in Starling City had been well-stocked, almost as if it had been specially prepared for him, thought Oliver. A secondary suit of his League body armour had been left there, including a vast assortment of weaponry and technology. He had assumed that his sister had provided all the necessary equipment he had found. However, there had been no evidence that Nyssa had been there, which troubled him. If she was not staying there, where could she be, he wondered? If she had not left these items here for him to use while on his mission, who did? These questions would have to wait to be solved. He needed to take the information he had discovered on the League computer and use it to breach Police Headquarters.

Oliver, clad in black, stealthly moved amongst the shadowy rooftops outside Starling City Police Department. He made his way carefully down the side of the building to the correct floor where he knew his Father’s laptop was being kept. He silently scoffed to himself at the ease by which he had managed to find and access the Police Evidence Room. He effortlessly hopped down from the window ledge onto the floor of the room, double-checking to make sure that his presence had not alerted anyone. Once certain that no one was aware of his intrusion, he made his way to the Evidence Room computer station and was relieved to discover that the laptop was only a few rows over. As he approached the correct row, he smiled as he found the bullet-ridden laptop. As he lifted it, the room’s alarms sounded and a flashing strobe light illuminated the once darkened room.

Oliver silently cursed under his breath. He must have accidently tripped some sort of alarm in his haste to retrieve the last connection he had to his Father. He placed the laptop in the pouch he carried around his shoulders and turned to head back toward the window he needed to use for his escape.

“Stop!” shouted the police officer from the now open doorway. The footsteps of many more officers could be heard in the background heading their way.

Oliver, secure in knowing that his identity concealed by his League mask and hood, turned to face the officer with his sword drawn.

The officer gasped as his gaze fell to the jagged sword held by the man in front of him.

The officer’s momentary distraction was enough of an opportunity to allow Oliver to quickly disarm and incapacitate the officer. Unconscious, the officer’s body slid down to the floor.

Oliver quickly made his way outside the window and shot his grappling hook arrow to the building across the way. Up on top of the building, he made his way along the rooftops back to the League safehouse. Once inside, he pulled the laptop out of his nap sack and placed it on the table. He lifted up the screen of the laptop to see if it would power up. When the computer did not turn on, he knew he would need help retrieving the data on it and there was only one person he trusted to help him.

*******************************************
“To boldly go where no one has gone before,” Felicity imitated in her best Captain Jean-Luc Picard voice as she watched the introduction of the next Star Trek: The Next Generation episode playing in the TV marathon she had been viewing that night. She was about to pop a handful of popcorn into her mouth, when a knock on her door stopped her. She placed the popcorn back in the bowl and set it on the coffee table next to the half empty glass of red wine in front of her. She grabbed the blanket draped along the back of her couch and wrapped it around her shoulders as she walked over to her front door. Felicity stood up on her tiptoes and looked through the door’s peep hole. Standing on the other side of the door was Oliver Queen looking rather dapper in a light gray suit, white collared shirt and no tie. She gave a quick glance at the clock on her DVR to double check that the time really was 11:30 p.m. Wasn’t he supposed to be out partying like it was 2002, she thought and laughed to herself. She placed her feet back on the ground and moved her hands to unlock the multiple locks on her front door to open it. “Oliver? What are you doing here?” she asked. Then added, “Aren’t you supposed to be celebrating your return to the living?”

“Well the party got broken up early when Detective Lance arrived,” he admitted with a shrug of his broad shoulders. “He let Tommy and I know that the party was making too much noise and the neighbors were complaining,” he explained hoping that she believed him. “Plus, they were done examining your laptop and he let me have it to bring to you,” he added as he held up the damaged laptop to her.

Felicity looked at the laptop, but didn’t take it from him. Instead she grimaced at him in disbelief. “Uh-huh...I see,” she replied, still blocking his entrance into her apartment. Oliver Queen, she thought, always coming up with some sort of lame excuse for what he was doing.

The look on her face let him know she wasn’t buying what he was trying to sell her. Oliver tried relaxing his stance, hoping it lent credence to his story and continued, “Yeah, I thought since you never got a chance to take a look at it that maybe you could see if there was anything salvageable on it for me.” He smiled at her and held the laptop up a little higher. “I mean, you might want to see if you could get the video file you found to play for me?” Then with a solemn voice and somber look, he added, “I was kind of hoping that maybe it was a message to me from my Dad…”

Felicity gave him a resignated sigh, took the laptop from Oliver and stepped back into her apartment, motioning with her head for him to join her inside. She heard him close her front door as she headed over to her small dining table behind her couch, moved a pile of mail out of the way and reached for her tablet. She nodded at the chair next to her, inviting Oliver to join her at the table. After hooking up the laptop to her tablet, she turned to look at Oliver and asked, “Why me, Oliver?”

Oliver sat back in the chair and contemplated his answer. He knew she was seeing right through every line he was feeding her. He didn’t want to lie to her anymore, but could she handle the truth, he wondered? How would she react if there was something on that computer about everything his Father had done or been a part of?

Felicity continued when he didn’t respond right away, “It’s just that all I’ve ever been to your family is an employee and not really your friend.” She watched as Oliver shook his head no, but continued, “I doubt Detective Lance would have shown up at your party just to give this laptop to you to give to me…” Felicity started tapping the laptop, looked again at the clock on her DVR, then shifted her gaze back to Oliver and added, “plus, it’s getting to almost midnight and the Oliver Queen I remember would not be at some Geek’s house at this time of night, unless it was to pick-up his finished homework assignment...which this laptop is starting to feel like...”

“Felicity…” Oliver pleaded.

“No, Oliver,” she countered and sat straight up in her chair, her eyes demanding the truth. “I’m not going to let you use me to get what you want, without telling me what this,” she waived her hand over the laptop, “is really all about,” then settled her hand back on top of it and rolled her fingers, gently tapping it.

It was Oliver’s turn to sigh deeply and rub his hands over his face and head as he realized that there was no getting around this if he were to ever have a chance to find out what was on this computer. “You’re right, Felicity. You deserve to know the truth.” He gently placed his hand on top of hers to stop the tapping of her fingers on the computer and gave her a slight squeeze. “I wasn’t always on the island.”

She looked down at the strong, callused hand, amazed at how tenderly he had clasped onto her own. Then she looked back up at him and inquired without moving her hand away from his gentle touch, “If you weren’t always there,..where were you?”

Oliver returned her steady gaze and began, “Our ship was boarded and I was taken prisoner by an organization my Father owed a debt to.” His admission felt like a weight lifting off his shoulders as soon as he said it. What was the old saying, ‘The truth shall set you free’, he thought.

Felicity gasped and grabbed onto Oliver’s hand tightly. “You were kidnapped?” she asked, trying to keep the shock in her voice to a minimum.

Oliver shook his head no. “Not exactly,” he replied. He looked down at their joined hand and he turned his in her grasp face up and gently stroked the inside of her wrist with his thumb. “The crew was killed in front of us while my Father decided it would be easier to commit suicide leaving me to pay the price for all of his transgressions.”

“Oliver, I’m so sorry you had to witness your Father’s death like that,”  she sympathized as her hand tightened around his, stopping the intoxicating touch of his thumb against her wrist. She needed all of her faculties to consider what she was about to ask him and assess what his answer may be. “What did you mean by transgressions?” she questioned. “What could your Father have possibly done?”

Where did he begin? His Father had been involved with corporate espionage, embezzlement, bribery, human trafficking and possibly much, much worse. Oliver pulled his hand away from hers, stood up from the table and walked over to the window to look out at the night sky. He allowed his mind to go back to that night now so long ago. He had no idea what his Father had been up to. He remembered standing on that deck thinking that they had simply been boarded by pirates and that his Dad would just pay them off and they would be back on their way to celebrate his birthday. Instead, his Father took the coward’s way out and left his son to deal with whatever happened next. Did he hate his Father for what had happened to him? He hated what his Father had done, but Oliver knew that it had also set him on the path of redemption for his family. He turned around to face her inquisitive eyes. The man who turned to face her was no longer Oliver Queen. It was Al Sahim who replied, “The organization that took me showed me proof of all the illegal activities my Father was guilty of, then when I said I wanted to make amends for how he had failed not only his family but this City, they showed me how.”

Felicity had never seen that steely gaze from Oliver before. It was as if he had transformed into a completely different person in front of her. She watched him carefully as he stood there looking like he was ready to attack the next thing that moved near him. She slowly stood up where she sat, aware that Oliver’s eyes never left her, as if he was assessing her threat level. She held up both hands to remind him she wasn’t his foe. “Where did you go right now, Oliver?” she asked from where she stood.

His gaze softened the minute he heard her voice. “No where you will ever be,” was his solemn reply..

Felicity pushed her chair back and slowly took a step toward where Oliver stood. “You were just a teenager when they took you. What good were you to them with your Father dead?” she asked.

Oliver took a few steps closer to Felicity, still maintaining space between them. “With my Father gone, I needed to pay the penance for his crimes. The group took me back to their Leader who saw something in me and gave me the opportunity to learn from him so I could right my Father’s wrongs.”

He wasn’t making any sense to her. “What does that mean, Oliver? What sort of opportunities did they offer you?” she asked as she took another step closer to him.

He knew he couldn’t stop now. She had listened to everything he said and hadn’t kicked him out yet. “I learned a certain set of skills that I can now use to protect myself, my family and those I care about as I work to find out if anyone else was working with my Father or if he truly was working alone.”

Felicity stood still and stared at Oliver for a moment. She knew he was telling her the truth. The question now was what would she do with the information? What kind of organization would take a young kid and make them think that they were responsible for their parent’s misdeeds? Was there something that she could do to help him? Was this her opportunity to truly make a difference? Wasn’t this exactly what she had originally set out to do when she was in college - to make those pay for their crimes against humanity?

The beeping of her tablet diverted both of their attentions. Felicity stepped back to the table where her tablet lay and Oliver followed her. She reached to pick up her tablet and review what it was able to download. She looked up at Oliver and said, “It looks like I’ve been able to find something.”

Oliver stood closer to her, looking over her shoulder at the tablet. A flurry of files began to appear on the tablet screen. Confused, Oliver asked, “What is it? What have you found?”

“It looks like some of the video file is recoverable. If I take it with me to the office, I should be able to clear up the majority of the video and be able to play it all for you,” Felicity informed him.

“Is any of it visible now?” he inquired softly.

Felicity shrugged her shoulders. “You might be able to view bits and pieces, but it may lead to more questions rather than providing any answers for you.”

“Try,” was the only word he uttered.

Felicity nodded her head and propped her tablet up on the table.
A fuzzy picture of Robert Queen appeared with no audio, then they heard him say, “...I have failed...fam-...and this…-ty...I should have…” There was a long pause and the video cut out before reappearing with Robert who added, “...your Mother...I should have...Mal-...” Oliver and Felicity looked at each other while the screen once again showed static. Felicity was about to say something when the video continued, “Walter...trust...luck.” then the video stopped.

Felicity looked at Oliver, “Did any of that make any sense?”

Oliver shook his head no. “My Father’s final message to me mentions my Mother, possibly Malcolm Merlyn and I’m assuming Walter Steele.” He looked at Felicity, “What do those three possibly have in common?”

“Whoa, Oliver,” Felicity stopped him. “I’m not sure that all three have anything in common. Your Dad said Walter’s name and then the word ‘trust’. The Walter Steele I know has been a veritable saint who has always stood up for me and believed in me. I’m not going to start doubting him now that his name may have been mentioned in this video.” She reached for her tablet and closed the case and added, “besides, until I am able to recover the rest of this message, all we have is conjecture and assumptions. Maybe you can do a little digging your way and I’ll do a little digging my way, then we can compare notes over coffee next week?”

Oliver looked at Felicity in surprise. “You want to help me?”

Felicity smiled at him and nodded her head. “Yes, absolutely, yep…” Then she held out her hand for him to shake.

Oliver looked down at the delicately offered hand and hesitated for a moment. When he noticed she started to pull away, he quickly reached for the offered hand and shook it. “Thank you, Felicity.”

She shrugged her shoulders, “I hate mysteries, Oliver, and you’ve just handed me one that I need to solve.”

When she pulled her hand out of his grasp and looked away, Oliver frowned at the loss of contact. He coughed and straightened his stance where he stood. “It’s late and I think I better head home now before my security detail alerts my Mother that I’ve gone missing,” he replied. “Thank you, Felicity, for all of your help.”

As Oliver stepped away from her table, she stood up and followed him to her door. “You know, Oliver, I will keep your secret, right?” she asked.

Oliver leaned down and whispered in her ear, “Yes.” Then he took one final gaze at the shocked look on her face, opened the door and left her apartment to make his way home.

Chapter Text

Chapter 12

“Good morning, Oliver,” Moira stated with irritation as she ruffled the pages of the newspaper she was reading.

Oliver paused for a moment as he entered the breakfast room upon hearing his Mother’s tone. John Diggle must have updated her on his elusiveness last night. “Good morning, Mother,” he replied cautiously as he took the seat opposite her at the table. The smell of the recently baked blueberry muffins was too enticing to ignore. Oliver reached his hand out to place one on his plate and then poured himself a cup of coffee from the carafe next to the muffins, while Moira carefully folded her newspaper and set it down next to her place-setting.

“Your sister arrived home last night safely, thanks to Mr. Diggle,” his Mother stated, visibly irritated at him. Oliver grimaced at his Mother and opened his mouth to respond, but she shook her head no at him and continued, “Perhaps, you would like to explain why you left the care of your sister in the hands of your bodyguard instead of escorting her home yourself?”

“Don’t you think maybe you should try holding me accountable for my actions, Mother?” queried Thea from the doorway of the dining room.

Oliver turned around to look at Thea, who was giving her Mother a belligerent smile.

“Thea…” Moira started, her shoulders sagged and head tilted to the side.

Thea interrupted her Mother, “Ollie was looking out for me last night when he found me,” putting the focus back on her brother. “At least I know he still cares about what happens to me in this family…”

Moira slammed her hand down on the table catching both Oliver and Thea by surprise and stood up. “You will not disrespect me like that in my house, especially after everything...,” a defiant Moira countered but stopped herself before finishing her sentence.

Thea jumped at her Mother’s action and tone, giving Oliver a shocked look.

At Thea’s reaction, Oliver stood up in front of his sister, blocking her from their Mother’s view. “Mother, “what do you mean?” Oliver questioned with concern in his voice.

Moira lifted her hand to smooth her hairstyle, recomposed herself and replied, “Oliver, this is an old and tiresome battle your sister and I have.” She looked around Oliver at her daughter and added, “When you’re ready to discuss what happened like an adult, please let me know.” Then she turned on her heel and left the room. The siblings looked at each other in disbelief as they heard the front door open and slam shut upon their Mother’s exit.

Oliver studied his sister’s face and watched as it transformed to an air of aloofness, once again masking any sign of fear or heartache. He turned his head toward the doorway his Mother had exited the room. Where could his Mother be headed so early on a Saturday morning, he wondered?

“So was she worth it?” Thea asked him.

She must think I left the party to chase after some girl, he thought. Oliver didn’t want to arouse any further suspicion, so turned his countenance back toward his sister and confirmed her thoughts with a cocky smile.

Thea shrugged her shoulders and shook her head in disgust. “I guess Ollie Queen really is back...or at least the Ollie Queen I often heard people talking about when they thought I wasn’t listening.” She walked away from her brother and left the room without a second glance back.

Who was talking about him while he was away, he wondered? He heard his sister say “Thank you” to someone in the foyer of the Front Room, then footsteps heading his way.

John Diggle gave Oliver a speculative glance as he entered the room. He walked right over to where Oliver was standing. “You know when I came in this morning, I offered your Mother my Letter of Resignation,” he informed Oliver. “I told her that it was a waste of her money to hire a bodyguard for someone who found a new and different way to elude his protection detail daily.”

Oliver nodded his head in agreement. “I won’t argue with that logic,” he responded casually to John’s consternation.

“But your Mother insisted that there is a very real threat to you and your sister, Mr. Queen…” John paused as Oliver shook his head in disagreement. He continued, “I understand that being a member of a wealthy family usually puts you on the defensive because of potential kidnappings or trying to keep golddiggers at bay…” Oliver nodded his head in agreement at that statement so John added, “but for some reason, I got the feeling that there was a hidden reason or meaning for why your Mother was so adamant that I not submit my Letter of Resignation.” John strengthened his stance in front of Oliver and folded his arms in front of him. “I got the feeling that perhaps there is a very real...a very credible threat that exists to you and your Sister’s safety and she is doing everything she can to try and protect you from it.”

Oliver shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, trying to hide his own wavering doubts about his Mother’s recent actions. “She’s probably just worried that the upcoming acquisition of Unidac Industries goes as planned,” Oliver quipped.

John gave Oliver a questioning look.

“What?” Oliver asked. “I paid attention this week while I was at Queen Consolidated.”

“Hmmph,” John snorted. “It seemed like you paid more attention to a particular Acquisitions Analyst during the tour of the building than on the inner workings of your family’s company.”

“Excuse me, Mr. Oliver,” Raisa interrupted from the doorway.

Both men turned to face the housekeeper.

“Security just alerted me that a package was delivered to the pool house for you,” Raisa informed.

John gave Oliver a questioning look.

“Thank you, Raisa,” Oliver replied softly,

Raisa nodded her head, gave Digg a short smile and left the room..

“She was just someone I knew in high school, John,” Oliver replied. No need to draw any further attention to Felicity, he thought. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a package waiting for me.” He was going to be really impressed if Felicity had managed to crack the laptop and have it delivered to him so soon.  He had hoped she would have brought it to him herself, even though he knew to have her at his house would have brought increasing scrutiny her way.

John reached up, gripped Oliver’s upper arm, and said, “While you are in your own home, I will give you space, Oliver. But the minute you set foot outside this property, consider me your shadow, permanently attached, impossible to shake.”

Oliver grinned at the challenge John had just presented to him. “Looking forward to it,” he admitted and left John in the breakfast room so he could find out what had been delivered to him.

Oliver arrived at the pool house, but didn’t see the package waiting for him at the door. Instead, he was greeted by a slightly ajar pool house door. Oliver’s gut instinct told him that something was amiss. He avoided entering into the little house by the front door and made his way toward the back door of his new home, hidden away from any possible sight-lines from the small house. Oliver stealthly entered the little house, armed himself with a weapon out of the knife block on the counter and cautiously made his way out of the kitchen to see if anyone was waiting to ambush him.

“You are getting lazy, Brother,” Nyssa warned from the comfort of the small sofa, her back to him as he stood there, “the longer you stay here.”

“And you are over-confident, Sister,” retorted Oliver as he walked toward the sofa. “You should know better than to greet me with your back turned.”

Nyssa stood up, turned around to face her brother and said in English. “Al Sahim, need I remind you that your time here is limited.”

“Need I remind you to stay away from those who don’t concern you?” He retorted earning a smile from his sister.

“I believe the words you are looking for are ‘Thank’ and ‘You’, Al Sahim,” Nyssa admonished.

Oliver raised an eyebrow in curiosity at this sister’s words. “For what?” he asked.

“Why your little blond one of course,” she quipped. Oliver narrowed his gaze at her and she continued, “had I not been following her, I wouldn’t have been able to subdue and capture the shooter before the police were able to track him down.”

Oliver quickly stepped in front of Nyssa and demanded, “Where is he?”

Nyssa smiled coyly at her brother and replied, “Now, now, Al Sahim. You have nothing to worry about. I have him primed for your interrogation.”

“Lead the way…” Al Sahim responded.

Chapter Text

Chapter 13

“I do not understand…” Nyssa exclaimed as she and her brother entered her secluded cabin only a few miles away from the Queen Mansion. “I left him right here!” She pointed to where a pair of shackles now laid, blood coating them.

Al Sahim walked over to his sister, grabbed her by the throat, slammed her against the wall and held her there using his forearm to brace her torso and keep her elevated above the floor. “Where is he?” he growled at her.

Nyssa placed her feet flat against the wall and pushed with all her strength, knocking her brother enough off balance that it allowed her to escape his grasp. Coughing after she collapsed to the floor, she held up both hands and answered, “I swear to you Brother, he was right here when I left.”

Al Sahim took a menacing step toward his sister, when his cell phone rang unexpectedly. He almost didn’t answer the call when he saw the phone flash “Caller ID Unknown”, but he answered it gruffly, “What?!”

“Um...Oliver?” he heard Felicity ask carefully.

He turned away from his sister and stalked over to the other side of the room.

Felicity continued, “Sorry to bother you, but Raisa gave me your cell phone number…”

He could hear the hesitancy in her voice and mentally face-palmed himself for not giving her his phone number last night.

“She told me that you wouldn’t mind if I called you, and I knew you’d want to know once I was able to recover what you were looking for…” she explained, getting ready to start one of her trademark rambles..

He turned around to see his sister eyeing him with a raised eyebrow from her place on the floor. “Listen to me carefully, Felicity,” Oliver warned, “Make sure all of your doors are locked and your security system is armed.”

“I don’t understand, why I need to arm my system while I’m here in my own home?” she questioned.

“I’ll explain when I get there,” he replied harshly, ended the call and leveled a stern look toward his sister.

“So who’s the master and who’s the servant,” Nyssa asked with a smug smile then quickly added with a hint of scorn, “that has you scurrying away so quickly.” “Man al rayes wa man al khadem, wa man alti tastatee’ an taj’aloka tajri behathihi al sur’a?”

Al Sahim strode back toward where his sister was now kneeling and accused, “You have allowed the shooter to escape, Sister.” “Laqad tarakti al qanas leyahrub, ya ukhti” He lifted her up and added menacingly, “Should he or anyone else harm her, you and the people who have sent him will know my wrath!” “In athaha, huwa or ghayruh, sawa’an kan anti aw shakhsan akhar, satroon ghadabi!”

She shrugged out of her brother’s grasp and took a step back from him. “This nemesis you seek is mine to deal with,” “Hatha al ‘adu huwa lee liltasaruf” countered Nyssa. “No one escapes my binds without assistance...no one.” “La ahad yahrub min quyoodi bela musa’ada” She walked over to a double-door closet, opened it wide and smiled with appreciation at its contents. “Come, Brother and choose your weapon to protect your Beloved.” “Haya, ya akhi, ekhtr selahak letahmi habeebatok”

“She is not my…” “Heya laysat…” Al Sahim started his reply only to be interrupted by his sister.

“Do not think you can dissuade me from believing this woman means more to you than you want to admit, Al Sahim,” she retorted in English as she turned away from the weapons closet and faced him. “You will need my assistance to protect her, so stop being your usual obstinate self and allow me the honor of protecting someone who obviously means something to you even if you refuse to admit it to the one person who knows you best.”

Al Sahim groaned at his Sister’s statement. Throughout their time with the League, learning together under the tutelage of the Master, Nyssa had always been his staunchest supporter and ally. Hadn’t the Master trusted them with his most difficult assignments? Could he trust her now? Especially when someone currently being targeted means so much to him?

“You are wasting time, Brother, as you stand there contemplating your next move,” Nyssa stated breaking his chain of thought as she sheathed her sword, added her quiver full of arrows to her back, then held out the compound bow she knew he preferred and said, “We need to go now.”

Al Sahim knew she was right. He took the bow she offered, then added a quiver full of arrows and completed his cache by adding a Beretta M9 and several cartridges to his belt. “Let’s go,” he ordered to his Sister’s delight.
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The incessant knocking at her front door soon gave way to pounding that had Felicity jumping out of her seat and moving quickly to her door. She looked through the peephole and saw Oliver standing there with a grim look on his face.

“Felicity!” she heard him shout. “Open this door!”

Felicity disarmed her alarm,  unbolted her front door’s two locks, then removed the chainlink latch and opened the door. “You know, there’s no need to yell. I’m pretty sure my nosy neighbors are getting ready to call..” She stopped mid-sentence after watching Oliver enter with a bow in his hand, “Is that a quiver on your back?” she asked as he entered her apartment and began to shut the door, her eyes following his form as he walked over toward her window and shut the blinds.

Her door wouldn’t close, forcing her to turn back around to find out the cause. “You!” she exclaimed as she glared at Nyssa and took a step back away from her. “You were the one who followed me to the cafe!”

Nyssa smiled coyly at Felicity, shut the door, bolting it quickly and stepped toward her purposefully. “I am Nyssa, Daughter of the Master, Sister to Al Sahim…”

“Felicity Seldon, MIT Class of ‘09,” she replied, standing her ground in front of the woman armed much like Oliver was, then asked, “Now, who the hell is Al Sahim?” Felicity watched as Nyssa’s gaze focused on Oliver. “Oliver?” she said in disbelief as she turned to face him.

With the window blinds closed, Oliver turned around and strode forward to the middle of the room to face Felicity and his sister. He hadn’t wanted her to find out about who he had become...who he was now. Would this be the moment where she would see who he really was? Would she be able to accept him? She would have to for her own safety, he thought.

Felicity observed Oliver for a moment. He stood there with a glare meant to intimidate, armed with a bow, quiver full of arrows and who knows what other weapons he might be concealing. What happened to him while he was gone, she wondered? Felicity walked over to where Oliver stood in the middle of her living room and asked, “Oliver, I need you to start explaining to me what is going on here?”

“We cannot stay here, Brother,” Nyssa interrupted. “Our position here is not as defensible as we would prefer.”

“Defensible?” questioned Felicity. “What is there to defend?” she asked while looking back and forth between them.

“Agreed,” Oliver replied to Nyssa. He looked at Felicity and said simply, “We have to go.”

“Go?” Felicity gasped. “I’m not going anywhere until you explain why the woman who was stalking me is calling you ‘brother’ and you’re carrying a bow and arrow like you’re Robin Hood and she’s…” Felicity nodded her head toward Nyssa and finished, “Will Scarlett.”

“Felicity, you are not safe here right now,” Oliver deflected, adding, “It’s imperative that we move you to a more secure location.”

Felicity looked at him, searching his eyes, hoping to see the truth shine through them. She saw his eyes turn steel blue with determination. Well, she could be just as determined too, she thought. “I don’t know what is going on here or what you are mixed up in Oliver, but I need you to talk to me before I’m willing to go anywhere with you right now.”

Nyssa sauntered past Oliver and gently lifted one of the blinds to survey the street below. She stepped away from the window and looked around the room, continuing to assess their location. “Perhaps you two could continue your Lover’s quarrel at a later time, Al Sahim,” she drawled and shifted her gaze to Felicity, “before we have any unexpected visitors.”

“Nyssa…” Al Sahim seethed at his sister who was still giving him a teasing smile. Then he turned his attention back toward Felicity, looked straight into her questioning blue eyes and offered, “I promise that I will answer all of your questions once we are in a more secure location, Felicity.”

Felicity gave him a reluctant sigh, leaned down to pick up her tablet and portable hard drive,  shoved it straight into Oliver’s chest for him to grab. “Fine,” she replied, “but I expect you to answer ALL of my questions, Oliver.”

“I will answer everything I can,” Oliver vowed, holding onto her electronics, while Nyssa smirked behind him. He ignored his sister and added, “Please, Felicity, we need to leave now.”

She walked around him and closer to Nyssa who was by her bedroom door. “Let me just grab a few things out of my room…” she responded, her voice trailing her as she entered her room and screamed.

Nyssa was first in the room, arrow nocked and ready to fly, when she saw the man she had captured standing there with Felicity braced in front of him like a shield while he held a knife to her throat.

“You should have killed me when you had the chance, girlie,” the shooter taunted Nyssa from behind Felicity.

“Only a coward would use an innocent to hide behind, instead of facing the consequences of their actions,” Nyssa informed him calmly, ready to let her arrow fly the instant she got a clear shot.

“I just need the information this little lady here has on that relic of a laptop my client wants and I’ll be out of here…” he replied coldly.

“If that were true,” Nyssa responded, “then you would not have targeted my Sister “ukhti” for death by a sniper’s bullet.”

The shooter smirked, “My client wasn’t particular about my methods, only that I succeed in my task.”

Felicity cringed knowing that she was in the grasp of the person who shot at her. She didn’t understand why Nyssa was being so protective of her and she wondered why Oliver hadn’t acted yet. Was he waiting for some sort of signal from her or Nyssa before he did something? Maybe he needed some sort of distraction, she thought. “You destroyed that laptop when you shot at me,” Felicity claimed out loud. Then she added for emphasis,. “Your client’s going to be pretty pissed off at you for that…”

The shooter tightened his grasp and Felicity leaned all of her weight against him. Then, she lifted up her heel and stomped his foot, catching him by surprise, causing him to lose his balance for a moment and loosen his hold on her.

It was exactly the type of distraction Oliver needed to mask his entry into Felicity’s bedroom via the window. With Felicity no longer securely in the shooters grasp or with a knife to her throat, he was able to wrestle the shooter away from her. “Nyssa! Get her out of here!” “Akhrejeeha min huna” Al Sahim shouted at his sister.

Nyssa tried to usher Felicity out of  her bedroom while the shooter and Oliver battled, but she didn’t want to move. Oliver moved with a fierceness and strength she could never imagine. Mesmerized by the graceful physicality of each punch and counterpunch he threw and landed, she stood there and watched the two men battle until finally with a thud, both men landed on the ground, no one moving. “Oliver!” Felicity screamed and tried to shrug herself out of Nyssa’s grasp to no avail.

“Patience Sister “ukhti”,” Nyssa whispered in Felicity’s ear. “My brother is not so easily defeated.”

Felicity turned her head to give Nyssa a speculative look.

“See...” Nyssa smirked with a toss of her head toward where the men were. Felicity turned her head back toward the men to see Oliver begin to rise up and take a step away from the body of the shooter. “Al Sahim has no equal, save me, in battle,” Nyssa claimed with confidence as she relaxed her hold on Felicity, but didn’t release her. “However, give my Brother a moment to calm himself, then you can go to him and reassure him of your safety,” Nyssa warned.

Felicity heeded her words and paused for a moment to watch the man standing in front of her transform back into the man she knew to be Oliver Queen. A moment later Nyssa let go of her. She tentatively approached Oliver and asked, “Is he…”

Oliver looked at her with a hooded glare, but she also saw a tinge of trepidation in the look he gave her. Was he concerned about what she would think of him now, she wondered? She slowly to another step closer to him and held her hand out to him. “Oliver, is he…?” she began to ask.

“This man will no longer pose a threat to you, Felicity,” Oliver swore to her.

She could hear the sincerity of his words and did not need to look down at the lifeless body as it lay there on her bedroom floor. She continued to hold her hand out until it reached its intended target and clasped onto his own and gently squeezed his in reassurance.

Oliver looked down at the simple gesture she had made by holding onto his hand. Her touch caused a shiver to course up his arm and reach him at his deepest core. She was still alive and that was all that mattered to him. He took in another calming breath, exhaled and said, “We should go back to my home and figure out our next steps.”

Felicity looked up at him with fear in her eyes. “We can’t do that, Oliver,” she told him.

“You can’t stay here, Felicity,” he warned her. “Especially, now that we know someone else is after my Father’s laptop and they know that you have it.”

“Oh, I’m not arguing with you about not being able to stay in my own apartment, Oliver,” Felicity replied. “I’m just letting you know that there is no way I can go to your home again.”

Oliver gave her a questioning look. What could have her so adamant about not going back to his family home? It was the safest place she could go to with their limited options, he thought.

“Brother, we must leave this place before this man’s back-up plan comes looking to either confirm his mission accomplished or finish the job themselves,” “Akhi, yajib an natruk hatha almakan qabal an ya’ti mus’edu hahtah al rajul leta’akod min enha’ al muhima aw ekmaluha be anfusihim”  Nyssa reminded Al Sahim.

“Dispose of the body and I will take my Beloved to the safe house until you return. Then we will decide how to proceed with my mission,” “Takhalsi min al jutha, wa sa’akhoth mahboobati ela almanzil al amin hata ta’oudi.  Endaha sanuqarer kayaf sanataqadam belkheta” Al Sahim replied, causing Nyssa to give him a knowing grin, then nod of her head in agreement.

Felicity watched as Oliver interacted with the woman who claimed to be his sister. Was she a by-blow from one of Robert Queen’s infamous affairs? The way they spoke to each other was part sibling teasing and part soldier strategizing with a fellow soldier, she mused.

“Come, Felicity,” Oliver stated as he wrapped his arm around her and led her out of the room, leaving Nyssa in her bedroom.

“Oliver, you need to watch your Father’s video before I am willing to go anywhere with you...” Felicity whispered to him once they were in her living room and out of earshot of Nyssa. Then she added, “and we are most definitely not going back to your house.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 14

“Oliver...If you are watching this video, I am so very sorry. I had hoped I would be able to tell you this in person, but it seems the timing was never right. By now, you know I have failed our family and this city. I should have told you about the circumstances surrounding your 18th birthday and protected you, but the constant struggle of maintaining our family’s lifestyle required all of my focus. No, that’s a lie. I had hoped that there would be some way out of the bargain struck long ago, but your Mother...well, your Mother made a promise we both had to keep. If we hadn’t, then...but I guess it doesn’t matter now...I should have known better than to trust Malcolm Merlyn. He and your Mother...when I learned that Thea was really his daughter and thereby exempt from the promise made by your Mother, it gave me a certain amount of relief. My little girl wouldn’t have to pay the price for your Mother’s actions. I hope Thea never finds out who her biological father is, as she will always be my daughter and I will always be her Father. If she does, you must be the strong one for both of you. I know that you will learn to survive whatever trials you face and when you come back, you will be twice the man I ever was. A man like Walter Steele. He is a good man. I gave him this message for safekeeping. You can trust him. Good luck.”

With the video played, Oliver handed the tablet back to Felicity and sat back in his chair, still in disbelief. Had his Father known when they left on their boat trip that the League was going to take him from his family? Had his fate had been sealed the moment he was born? What could his Mother have possibly done? Was he still paying the price for her? What role did Malcolm play in it, he wondered? Then his thoughts focused on Thea. Had she found out the truth? Was that why she acted the way she did around the Merlyn’s? He felt a delicate hand touch his arm lightly.

“I’m sorry, Oliver,” he heard Felicity say gently as she gave him a reassuring squeeze on his arm.

Oliver nodded his head in acknowledgement, rubbed both hands over his face, then stood up from the table, separating himself from Felicity’s gentle touch to allow him to focus on what he had just heard. Was the last ten years of his life really a penance his Mother owed to the League? He wasn’t sure whose words he could believe. The Master had shown him the proof of all the wrongs his Father had committed. But not once had he said anything about his Mother. He had thought his Mother innocent of his Father’s crimes. Even after hearing his Father’s own words, he had a hard time believing that his Mother could have done anything to warrant such a warning from him. He knew his time with the League was his opportunity to learn how to right all of his Father’s wrongs.

“Oliver?” he heard Felicity say as she was approaching him. “Is there anything I can do?”

Oliver turned around to face her and answered, “I need to speak to my Mother.”

“I thought as much,” replied Felicity and she turned around her tablet to face him, “and that’s why I tracked her down to Queen Consolidated.” A video feed of his Mother’s office appeared on her tablet showing his Mother sitting at her desk.

Oliver’s jaw hardened. He needed answers and the only person who would be able to give them to him was his Mother. He strode over to the door, but before leaving he turned around to face Felicity. “Do not leave this place for anything. Do not open this door for anyone. Do you understand me?”

“What if Nyssa shows up?” Felicity asked. “I think she might break down that door trying to get in here,” she added while rocking back and forth on her feet, “you know, wanting to make sure I don’t play with any of your...” she paused and turned around to point toward where he had placed his weapons and finished, “...toys.”

Oliver lifted one eyebrow, then stepped away from the door, walked back over to her, leaned down until his forehead was almost touching hers and looked her directly into her baby-blue eyes, “You don’t mess with my toys, I won’t mess with yours…”

Felicity eyes never wavered, a bright pink hue stained her cheeks as she looked up at him and softly said, “Okay...”

Oliver smiled at her reaction, straightened up and walked back to the door, “I’ll be back as soon as I’m done speaking with my Mother.”

“Be careful, Oliver. She’s not who you remembered.” Felicity warned, giving him a worried look.

“Felicity, she’s my Mother,” Oliver winked at her and left the room, locking the door behind him.

“Except, you don’t know her like I do,” she said to an empty room. Felicity stood there for a moment and tried to assess what had just happened. She could tell that Oliver was doubting what his Father had said on the video. Even after watching it for the second time now, she could tell that Robert Queen was telling the truth. She wondered what story Moira Queen would concoct to place the blame squarely on the shoulders of her deceased husband?

She walked back over to the table and sat down with her tablet in her hands. She didn’t want to think about Moira Queen. She did want to try and figure out why Oliver had invaded her personal space and what could have happened to him while he was gone for ten years. They hadn’t had time to talk about what had happened, let alone have time for Oliver to explain to her when did he learn what she was pretty sure was Arabic and how he had  acquired a sister during his absence. The answers to her questions were going to have to wait a little longer, she mused as she started to do research on everything about Oliver Queen since he had been rescued.
**************************************************************
“Oliver?” a surprised Moira stated from her seat behind her desk. “I wasn’t expecting you to come into the office this weekend.” She rose from her chair and walked over toward her son, kissed his cheek and remarked, “I thought you would have been spending time with your sister learning about all of my missteps as a Mother.”

“Mom...” Oliver started as he took a step back from his Mother. How do you ask your Mother how she was affiliated with an international organization of assassins? Instead, he decided to start with another question he had wanted to ask. He didn’t understand why his sister and Mother didn’t get along and queried, “What is going on with you and Thea?”

Moira took a step back from her son and sighed, “I just consider it typical teenaged angst. I don’t think I’ve been able to do anything right where your sister’s concerned since she turned 13.”

Oliver put both hands in his front pockets and rocked slowly back and forth from his heel to his toe. “Mom, don’t you think that maybe what happened to me and Dad might have caused some of it?”

Moira frowned and shook her head no, “Absolutely, not, Oliver.” Moira took a step toward her son and gently stroked his arm, “What happened to you and your Father was truly a travesty. I only wish I hadn’t given up hope of ever finding you...hadn’t called off the search and rescue party after only two years.” Then she walked back around her desk, picked up the eleven year old photo of Oliver and Robert, gently stroked it, looked back at Oliver and continued, “If I hadn’t lost hope and instead kept up the search, they might have found you sooner.” She placed the photo back down, walked back over to Oliver to wrap her arms around him and apologized, “I am so sorry I gave up on you, my beautiful boy.”

Oliver wrapped his arms around his Mother and held her tight to him. There was no way his Mother was involved with anything evil. His Father had to have been mistaken. It had to be Malcolm. That’s who he needed to investigate. Malcolm had to have been the one to find his Father’s boat and store it in a warehouse in the Glades. Malcolm had to be the one behind it all. Didn’t Thea even try to warn him about Malcolm? “It’s okay, Mom,” Oliver reassured her. He took a step back from his Mother and added, “I’m just glad I’m home now.”

Moira leaned back in son’s embrace, smiled at him and replied, “So am I, Oliver. So am I.”
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Felicity was still sitting at the table when the door to the small apartment, where Oliver had left her, opened. She looked up from her tablet to see Nyssa enter the room and shut the door.

Nyssa cautiously walked toward where Felicity sat at the table and inquired, “So Felicity Seldon, M.I.T. Class of ‘09, what draws my brother to you like a moth to a flame?”

Felicity placed her tablet face down on the table, sat back in her chair and looked at the formidable woman. “Oliver and I were merely classmates in high school,” she replied with a clearly uncomfortable tone. Then she straightened her shoulders, turned in her chair to fully face Nyssa and continued, “I think the questions I should be asking are: Who are you; who is the Master; and why do you call Oliver, Al Sahim?”

“I’ve told you, Ukhti (Sister), I am Nyssa, daughter of the Master, sister to Al Sahim. The Master is the One who trained us to right the wrongs of those who have lost their way. It is our duty to show those who have lived in darkness, the path to the light and redemption of their souls,” she answered solemnly.

“And why do you call Oliver, Al Sahim?” Felicity pushed.

“That is a question that only my Brother can provide the answer,” Nyssa grinned at the young woman. Then she took another step closer to Felicity and added, “There is a fire within you, Ukhti. Had my Brother not already claimed you, I would be sorely tempted to instead…”

“First off, I’m flattered that you think that,” Felicity started as she stood up from the table and pushed back her chair, “However, I am not someone to be claimed. I’m not a possession that can be stamped with a ‘Property of Oliver Queen’ sticker!” a clearly outraged Felicity stated.

Nyssa gave Felicity a confused look. “It is a great honor to be claimed by Al Sahim, especially since he has claimed no other.”

“I think you are making a lot of assumptions based on nothing, Nyssa,” replied Felicity. “Oliver is barely my friend and I am merely an employee at his family’s company.”

Nyssa shook her head in disagreement, “You are so much more than that, Ukhti. You will see. You are so much more than that...”

Chapter Text

Chapter 15

Oliver entered the League safehouse to find Nyssa and Felicity seated at the table huddled together watching something on Felicity’s tablet. He was about to greet them when he noticed that Nyssa was getting agitated.

Nyssa sat back in her seat in disgust. “How dare they?!” she cursed at the tablet. “They would leave a comrade in arms, injured, in a tent, on the side of the mountain? That is completely reprehensible!” Nyssa stood up and glared at the tablet. “Mulan has more than proven herself to be a worthy warrior. Her quick action was the only thing that saved her fellow soldiers from the Huns.”

Oliver chuckled softly, not wanting to incur his sister’s wrath. He remembered that cartoon and how much Thea enjoyed watching it over and over again. It was actually one of the last things he remembered doing with his little sister before leaving on the Gambit.

Nyssa and Felicity both turned to look at Oliver where he stood. “Do you wish to weigh in on this, Brother?” Nyssa asked while critically scrutinizing Oliver’s reaction.

“Perhaps you should finish watching the movie, Sister, and then pass judgment on what you see?” he suggested. “I need to speak with Felicity for a moment.”

“Of course, Brother,” Nyssa responded, turned to look at Felicity and gave her a knowing grin. “If your Be-...” Felicity gave Nyssa a silencing scowl, so she amended, “If Felicity and you require privacy…” Felicity shook her head no, but Nyssa ignored her and added, “I shall complete my review of this animated movie in the other room.” Then she picked up Felicity’s tablet, moved to the other room and partially closed the door.

Oliver walked over to the table and stood by Felicity’s chair. “It looks like you and Nyssa have bonded over your appreciation of Disney movies,” he mentioned with a gleam in his eye.

“It was the only thing I could think of to pass the time until you returned,” Felicity replied quietly, then she asked, “How did it go with your Mother?”

“My Mother is innocent,” Oliver stated definitively, his face set in a no-nonsense stare.

Felicity sat back in her chair and gave him an incredulous look. “Oliver, how could you even say that? Didn’t you ask her about what your Father said on the tape?”

Oliver strengthened his stance as if he were going into battle and shook his head. “You don’t know my Mom like I do, Felicity,” Oliver countered.

“I know her better,” Felicity retorted. “I know not to think her incapable of doing something so evil or selfish that it would result in the loss of her family.”

Oliver cringed at Felicity’s words and what they were implying. There was no way his Mother could be involved. He believed that...he had to believe that. It was his Mother. “If my Mother has done anything,” Oliver started and watched as Felicity rolled her eyes at him, “it would have been to protect me and my sister from the crimes my Father had committed or to keep us safe from the machinations of someone else.”

Aghast, Felicity could only look down and shake her head in disgust. She raised her face and looked straight into his steely gaze through her own shimmering eyes. “If you are going to stand here and ignore everything I’ve told you about your Mother and everything your Father confessed to you in that video…” Felicity started.

“I am not,” Oliver interrupted succinctly. He could see that she was getting upset with him. He took in a deep breath, exhaled and replied, “I just think the real culprit is someone else,..someone who has known my family for a very long time.” He paused for a moment and then asked, “I would like you to assist with my investigation of Malcolm Merlyn...starting with this address.” Oliver handed her a folded piece of paper.

Recomposing herself, Felicity opened the paper and mentally noted the address. She recognized the street name as being located in the section of the Glades closest to the docks. She knew Oliver was trying to deflect her focus from his Mother and on to someone else. She only hoped that when he finally got his head out of his ass, it wasn’t too late. She inhaled deeply, and then exhaled, blowing a few whisps of hair out of her face. “What do you need to know?” she asked out of exasperation.

“Everything,” was his simple reply.

“And if what I find points toward your Mother?” she asked defiantly.

“It won’t,” Oliver stated emphatically.

“But what if it does?” Felicity asserted.

“Then I may have to reconsider my interrogation of her,” he admitted reluctantly.

Felicity tilted her head at him, still in disbelief at his reluctance to admit that his Mother was probably guilty. She stood up and took a few steps away from him, needing the space to process her next move. She was just going to have to pull him out of his denial, she thought. She knew she didn’t want him looking over her shoulder or questioning her about her methods. She walked over to the room where Nyssa was still watching the movie on her tablet. “Nyssa, if the movie’s over, I’d like my tablet back please. I need to get some research done and I can’t do it here.”

Nyssa got up from where she had been reclining on the bed, watching the movie and walked over to where Felicity stood. Felicity grabbed her tablet and ran out the door to the apartment.

Nyssa stepped out into the room, looked at Oliver and asked accusingly, “What have you done, Brother?”

Oliver looked at Nyssa perplexed and then to the door Felicity recently closed. An exasperated Nyssa shouted, “What are you waiting for? Go get her!”

Oliver sprinted out of the apartment, headed down the stairs and caught up with Felicity just outside the building. “Felicity!” he shouted causing her to pause and stand still.

Felicity refused to make eye contact with him as he approached her.

Oliver reached out for her and placed his hands on her shoulders, “Felicity, it’s not safe for you at your apartment. It would be best for you to stay here...with me.”

Felicity looked up at him, expecting to see a pair of steel-cold, hard set eyes. Instead she saw a man struggling with everything he has learned, trying to maintain that faint glimmer of hope he held in his eyes. She held up her tablet and replied, “I either need to go back to my apartment or to my office to get the research done that you’re asking for and I can’t do it on just my tablet.”

“Is there a problem here, Oliver?” John Diggle asked as he stepped out from the side of the building, startling Felicity.

Oliver quickly turned around in a defensive position, keeping Felicity shielded behind him. He watched carefully as John Diggle moved to stand in front of him, arms crossed in front of him.

“Oh, hey Digg,” Oliver replied nonchalantly, relaxing his stance, but still keeping Felicity behind him. “What brings you into this neighborhood?”

Digg shook his head and smirked, “well, your Mother gave me a head’s up that you had met with her in her office, so as you were leaving QC, I followed you here and have been patiently waiting for you to reappear.” Digg leaned forward, peered around Oliver, extended his hand and said, “Hello, Mrs. Seldon. I don’t believe we’ve officially met. I’m John Diggle.”

Felicity stepped around Oliver, shook the offered hand and replied, “It’s nice to meet you, too.”

“So, you must be the reason Oliver keeps giving me the slip,” John said teasingly.

Felicity blushed, started to shake her head to deny his assumption, when she felt a strong arm wrap around her.

Oliver pulled her in close and whispered in her ear, “Play along.”

Felicity stood very still as she felt Oliver gently kiss the side of her forehead.

“Felicity and I have been trying to make up for lost time, Digg,” Oliver claimed. “We didn’t want to go public with our relationship until we were both ready.”

Digg gave Oliver a skeptical look and then gazed at Felicity.

“I’m a very private person, Mr. Diggle,” Felicity replied as calmly as possible. “I hope that you will respect that.”

Digg knew there was more to the two of them and their relationship than they were either willing to tell him. “Okay, you two,” he answered. “I’ll give you the space you are looking for, if you both agree not to give me the slip when you two need alone time.”

Felicity nodded her head quickly, “Of course, Mr. Diggle!” she agreed.

“Please Mrs. Seldon, call me John or Digg, if you like,” he suggested.

Felicity gave him a bright smile, that had Oliver seeing green. “Okay, John,” she replied. "Then you should call me Felicity." The two exchanged mutual smiles.

“Well, John,” Oliver redirected the conversation toward him, “Felicity and I were just about to head back to her place for the rest of the weekend…”

“Oliver…” Felicity seethed. “I have to finish working on the project...at the office...remember?”

Oliver smiled at her, then looked at John and said, “We’ll be at Felicity’s place for the rest of the weekend. If you have to sit in the car to keep watch over me, that’s your choice. But, I have no plans of leaving her apartment all weekend long.” Oliver finished by pulling Felicity in closer to his side and kissing the side of her head.

Chapter Text

Chapter 16

Felicity continued typing while looking up from her keyboard at the man standing next to her front room window. She couldn’t see the expression on his face, but intrinsically knew it wasn’t a happy one. She could see how rigidly he held his body with his feet slightly apart and arms crossed in front of him. She watched as he surveyed the street in front of her apartment building for what had to be at least the 20th time that day. When he wasn’t reviewing the comings and goings of her normally quiet neighborhood, he was patrolling her apartment, reviewing every window and door lock, although she highly doubted they were any less secure than they were the first 19 times he had checked them. It seemed that once night fell, he checked more often. What must he have lived through to make him this paranoid?

“You will never have to know that, Felicity...” he definitively answered what she thought was an unspoken question causing her to wince. Oliver turned around to face her, walked towards her and continued, “and it’s called vigilance, not paranoia.”

Felicity stopped typing, looked up at him, and asked with a bit of sarcasm,  “Isn’t Mr. Diggle down there sitting in your family’s town car, also being vigilant?”

Oliver pursed his lips, tilted his head at her in exasperation and answered, “Although, Mr. Diggle ably served our country on three tours in Afghanistan, none of that training will prepare him for those who wish to do you harm.”

Even though his words frightened her, she still knew she needed to tell him who she thought she had the most to fear from. “The only person who has tried to do me harm has been your…”

“My Mother may have her own faults, Felicity,” Oliver defended, “but she has always done her best to protect her family. Plus, we still don’t know who the gunman was who shot at us in the cafe. I truly believe that once we find out who owns the building at the address I gave you earlier…”

“Well, the search protocols I’ve set-up will hopefully give you the answers you need...” she interrupted and then added softly under her breath, “...to hear.”. Exasperated and not wanting to retread this road again with him, Felicity stood up from her place at the table and walked over to the kitchen. She needed to put a little space between herself and Oliver. How could he so blindly trust a woman who his own Father warned him about, who she warned him about, she questioned  herself. She pulled out her coffee grinder and started making a fresh pot of coffee. She had a feeling it was going to be a long night. Thankful that he had not followed her into her small galley kitchen, once her coffee-maker worked its magic, she poured herself a cup of coffee, savoring the aroma, then appreciating the warmth it gave her as it slid down the back of her throat. She placed the cup down and looked up at her cabinet. She pulled down a travel mug, filled it to the brim and placed the lid on top of it. She walked back into the room to find Oliver once again at his post, ever watching, ever waiting for something bad to happen. “I’m taking this out to Mr. Diggle,” she informed him while holding up the tumbler filled with hot coffee.

At the sound of her voice, Oliver turned around and demanded, “You should stay here…inside.”

Felicity’s eyes narrowed at him. She retorted, “I am more than capable of walking this coffee out to where Mr. Diggle is keeping watch.” Then she opened the door and slammed it shut for emphasis.

Oliver was about to open the door to follow her when Felicity’s computer started beeping, so he went to take a look at why….
**************************************************

Felicity shut the front door to her apartment building with significantly less force than she had used closing her own door. She was still fuming that Oliver had once again tried to dismiss the possibility of his Mother’s involvement. She looked up to see John Diggle watching her walk over to his location. She saw him unlock the car doors. Taking that as an invitation to join him in the car, Felicity opened the door and sat in the passenger seat beside him. “I just made a fresh pot of coffee and thought you might enjoy this Mr. Diggle,” she smiled brightly, trying to elevate her mood.

“It’s Digg, remember?” John replied. “And, thank you Mrs. Seldon for bringing this to me,” he continued and saluted her with the coffee tumbler.

“I’ll remember Digg, if you remember Felicity,” she answered, “...and you are welcome.” Felicity gave him a wide smile of approval and sat back in the car’s seat, trying to discreetly look up at her apartment’s window, wondering if Oliver was still acting like a sentry at his post in front of her window.

John took a sip of the offered coffee and gave her a sigh of approval. “I don’t mean to pry, Felicity, but I’m kind of surprised Oliver let you out of his sight,” he inquired.

It was Felicity’s turn to sigh and turn away from looking up at her window to face John. “I just needed a moment to myself,” she admitted.

John gave her a skeptical look. “Um-huh…” He placed the coffee tumblr down and asked, “You know, I’m not sure what that boy’s been through wherever he’s been these past ten years…”

“You don’t think he was on that island?” she interrupted.

John gave her a sardonic smile. “Oh, I think he’s been on an island, just not the one in the middle of the South China Seas.” He waited and watched for Felicity’s reaction. When she nodded her head for him to continue he added, “I’m just waiting for him to trust me with the truth.”

Felicity snorted. “Yeah, well, when you convince him to open up to you, maybe he’ll finally be willing to listen to me…”

John gave her an incredulous look and teased, “Not everything rosy in paradise?”

Tilting her head at him and recognizing the teasing tone of his voice, she replied, “Something like that.” The familiar ping of an incoming text message on her phone diverted her attention. She pulled it out of her pocket and saw that the message was from Oliver.

Oliver: Have to go. Be back soon. Don’t tell John.

She placed her phone back in her pocket, looked at John, nodded her head up toward her apartment and said, “I should get back to the apartment.” Then she moved to open the car door, paused and added, “We’re going to order Chinese food. Do you want me to have them drop something off for you here at the car, Digg?”

John smiled at her and responded, “Mushu Chicken with brown rice, please and thank you again for the coffee.”

Felicity gave him another smile, nodded her head and said, “One order of Mushu Chicken with brown rice coming up in about 40 minutes.” Then she opened the door and headed back up to her apartment, wondering where Oliver was headed.
******************************************

“Moira Queen! You have failed this city!” Oliver bellowed at his Mother, using an enhancer to manipulate his voice so it was unrecognizable. He stood there, dressed in his League body armor, arrow nocked and ready to fly if necessary. Felicity’s tablet had finished its search and the file it pulled up showed that the warehouse currently housing his father’s boat had been purchased a month after his disappearance by the Dearden Family Trust, a trust his Mother was Executor of for her children. His Mother’s signature, something he had forged more than once when he was in school to excuse his absence, was easily recognized on the property deed and on all the cancelled checks that had been used to pay for the utilities and security for the property Felicity’s search had discovered. All her talk of calling off the search too soon was obviously a ploy to gain his sympathy for a supposedly grieving Mother. Felicity was right. His Mother was evil enough to find his Father’s boat wreckage and then call off the search for any possible survivors. Was she really the mastermind behind everything his Father had been accused of, he wondered?

Moira Queen stood by her desk, looking out over the Starling City skyline. She heard the deep voice behind her and slowly turned around to face her accuser. “I have saved this City,” she replied, her hands gripping the back of her executive leather chair. “If I hadn’t done what I did, this City would be a ghost town…” She paused for a moment, turned away and looked down at the photographs framed on her credenza. Then she added, “...and I couldn’t let that happen.”

Oliver heard a slight tremor in her voice and knew she was feigning confidence. He needed answers and he wanted them now. He took another step closer toward her. “You sent your Husband and Son to a watery grave,” he accused. “How does that help you save this city?” he questioned sarcastically.   

Moira reached down, quickly pulled a picture frame off the credenza and held it in front of her. “My children are the most important thing in my life,” she stated. “I had no choice but to let fate have his way and separate me from my family.” She pointed to the picture. “If my Son had not gone on that boat with my Husband, my daughter would have been cursed to live a life I renounced years ago when I chose to move to Starling City. If I had not made that sacrifice, THIS city would be a pile of rubble.”

Shocked, Oliver lowered his bow. What did his Mother mean that Thea would ‘have been cursed to live a life I renounced years ago’? Why was it so important that he go with his Father on the boat trip? Had his Father known what was going to happen? “I’m not going to hurt you. I just need a few questions answered,” he replied.

Moira’s hand began to shake and she dropped the picture she had been holding.

Oliver stepped forward as his mother dropped to her knees.

In the blink of an eye, Moira pulled out a gun and shot several times at the intruder.

Taken by surprise, Oliver grasped his bow, and ran toward the window to escape, leaving a blood trail behind him.

Moira stood up and watched as the injured intruder leaped out of the window. “My son is home...” she stated, the wind whipped her hair around her face, her eyes and posture hardened. She vowed, “...and you cannot have him back!”

Chapter Text

Chapter 17

“Have to go...Be back soon...Don’t tell John,” Felicity said in a deep voice trying to imitate what she imagined Oliver sounded like saying what he had texted her earlier, while she heaved her trash bag up and into the garbage container at the back of her building. She paused for a moment to look up at the Star City skyline and saw the large blue “Q” glowing in the night sky. “Well, Oliver, I hope you know what you’re doing…”

“Felicity…” someone gasped from behind the garbage bin.

Felicity reached into her pocket, pulled out her pepper spray and warned, “I’ve got pepper spray and I’m not afraid to use it!”

“Fe-li-...city...” She heard her name gasped again. Curious, she walked around the bin and saw a black clad stranger laying on the ground, a dark puddle of liquid underneath his torso and a black hood was obscuring its owner’s face.

The stranger pulled back his hood to reveal Oliver laying there.

“Oh my God, Oliver!” Felicity exclaimed and knelt down next to him. “What happened,” she asked, “and why are you wearing this?”

“Felicity, I need you to take me to Nyssa,” Oliver coughed while making the request, a small amount of blood appearing at the corner of his mouth.

Felicity gasped as she noticed the blood. “Oliver, you don’t need Nyssa, you need a hospital,” she pointed out to him.

Oliver shook his head no. “Promise me...Felicity,” Oliver asked as he reached for her hand and looked deep into her scared blue eyes. “Promise me no hospitals and that you’ll take me to Nyssa...to the safe...house...I show-...showed...you earlier...” Then Oliver’s hand relaxed and fell to his side prompting Felicity to plead, “Oliver? Oliver? Oliver?!” Felicity shook him by his shoulders, but he didn’t respond. He was too big for her to move, so she stood back up and ran.

Felicity pounded on the car window, startling John Diggle. “Digg! Digg! Come help!” John started to get out of the car, when Felicity opened the passenger door and got in the car. “No! We need to drive to the back of the building,” she demanded.

“Felicity, what’s happened?” Digg questioned her.

“I’ll explain later,” she pleaded. “Please, Digg, we need to move now. It’s Oliver!”

John turned on the car, pulled it out of the parking spot and drove around to the alleyway in the back of the building, stopping as soon as he saw the body laying next to the large trash bin. “Is that…?” John began as he turned off the engine and looked at Felicity.

“Come on!” Felicity ordered and they both exited the car to where Oliver lay.

John reached down and felt for Oliver’s pulse, taking note of the pool of blood forming below him. “He needs a hospital, Felicity,” John stated definitively.

She shook her head at him. “I promised him I’d take him to his sister, Digg,” Felicity admitted. “You have to help me get him there to her.”

“I don’t think Thea Queen knows how to deal with this,” John replied as he was lifting Oliver up and placed him into the back seat of the car.

“Not Thea, John,” Felicity answered. “We have to take him to his other sister.”

John gave her a quizzical look. Once Oliver was inside the car, John opened the trunk, grabbed a towel, handed it to Felicity and said, “Sit in the back with him and keep applying pressure to that wound while you give me directions on where to go.”

“Thank you,” she mouthed as she got into the back seat, lifted Oliver’s head into her lap and applied the recommended pressure to his blood-oozing wound.

Within a few minutes, John had them parked and entering into the safe house building located in the Glades. John had looked around their surroundings to see if anyone was paying attention to their exploits, but evidently a man carrying an unconscious individual inside this building in The Glades wasn’t enough to garner any interest from the locals. He followed Felicity up several flights of stairs to a door at the end of the long hallway.

“Nyssa? Please open up!” Felicity pleaded as she banged on the door.

The door opened and Digg raised an eyebrow at the petite young woman standing there dressed similarly to Oliver. “Ukhti, what has befallen my brother?” she asked
Felicity while appraising John Diggle as he stood there holding onto Oliver.

Felicity pushed past Nyssa without answering her question, John following her into the room, placing Oliver down onto the empty dining room table. “I only have a suspicion,” replied Felicity with disgust. Then she looked toward where John was with Oliver and added, “he was adamant that we bring him to you, Nyssa, instead of taking him to a hospital. Can you help him?”

Nyssa frowned. “I am a warrior, not a healer,” she replied. Then she looked toward where her brother lay on the table. “Who could have done this and why?” she demanded.

John prodded Oliver’s armor, looking for the location of the injury causing Oliver’s blood loss. Then he lifted Oliver to his side and saw a small area where the armor had been pierced. “I’ve had some field medic training in the Army and can remove the bullet provided I have the proper tools,” he said while giving Nyssa and Felicity a look of concern. “Plus, with all the blood loss he’s experienced, he’s going to need a blood transfusion.” He looked around the room, saw the refrigerator in the apartment, nodded toward Nyssa and asked, “I don’t suppose you happen to have secret cache of Oliver’s blood type and medical supplies?”

Nyssa rushed to the refrigerator, pulled the door open, produced the requisite bag of blood, then opened the drawer next to her and pulled out everything he would need to set up the IV in Oliver’s arm and remove the bullet. “We are prepared for anything...John Diggle,” Nyssa proclaimed as she handed John the items, ignoring his surprised look at her use of his name and stood back to watch as he began to work on Oliver’s wound.
****************************************************

Oliver woke with a start and sat up on the cold, stone floor. He looked around trying to focus on his surroundings, when he recognized the place where he sat. He looked at the impressive, iron-bar reinforced, wooden door to his right and then to his left at the top of the wall was a small iron-bar covered window allowing a small square of light to enter the room. This was the holding cell he had been placed in on his first day with the League of Assassins. What was he doing back here and why had they taken him away from his mission, he wondered. That didn’t sound right, he thought to himself and shook his head to try and help clear his thoughts. The last thing he remembered was lying on the ground in the alley behind Felicity’s apartment building. He moved to stand up, but was unable. That was when he realized his wrists and ankles were shackled. He tugged on them once more testing their worthiness, to no avail.

The heavy wooden door opened slowly but revealed nothing as his gaze turned to face whatever was ready to enter. All he saw was a lit torch illuminating the hallway outside of cold stone room where he currently sat. He moved toward the door and noticed that his shackles had disappeared. What was happening to him? He felt a sharp pain on his side and remembered that his Mother had shot him, piercing his League uniform. How had that happened? Was this all an illusion, he wondered? It had to be, he thought, but how? He stood up, once again looking around the all too familiar room. So long as he remained in Nanda Parbat, he knew he had to cease thinking like Oliver Queen. He needed to be Al Sahim. He took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Then, he exited the room, making his way down the long hallway toward the one place he knew he would find the answers to the questions he had.
******************************************************

Felicity stood there watching as Digg worked on Oliver and noticed him simultaneously maintaining a wary eye of Nyssa’s movements within the apartment. “Is Oliver going to be okay,” she asked with a tremor in her voice. She knew he was badly hurt, but unsure as to how badly. Digg had been working on him for a while, the occasional grimace marring his features.

“Al Sahim is our strongest warrior,” Nyssa reassured as she approached Felicity. “He will be awake soon, once again claiming you as his beloved.”

Felicity blushed as Digg gave her a questioning look before returning to what he was doing. “I’m just his friend, Nyssa,” Felicity whispered to her, causing Digg to roll his eyes and Nyssa to grin knowingly. A metal clink sound caused both women to look at John. The bullet slug covered in Oliver’s blood, sat in the small metal pan Nyssa had given John.

“He’s lucky that bullet didn’t go any deeper than it had,” John admitted while continuing to stitch up Oliver. “This get-up he’s wearing slowed down the bullet enough to keep it lodged close enough for me to remove it without too much trouble.”

“Why hasn’t he woken up yet?” Felicity asked looking at both John, who shrugged his shoulders, and Nyssa, who gave the bullet a concerned look.

“What is of more a concern to me is how whoever did this knew exactly where his armor’s weak spot was located and pierced it with a bullet expertly shot from a gun,” Nyssa posed, then reached over to grab the metal pan containing the bullet to inspect it. She took the pan to the kitchen counter and pulled out a dark colored bottle from the cabinet above the small microwave by the refrigerator.

Felicity watched as Nyssa poured a clear colored liquid on top of the bullet causing the blood to coagulate and turn a strange cobalt blue color. She heard Nyssa gasp. “What’s wrong?” she quizzed causing John to pause for a moment as he set up both a saline drip and blood transfusion.

Nyssa turned around to face both of them. “My brother has been poisoned,” she announced. “He will sleep until the poison works its way out of his system…”
******************************************************

Al Sahim stood under the arch at the entryway to the chamber he knew he had to enter. He looked around the room, searching for the person he hoped would be able to answer his questions. Then he saw her sitting with her back to him, looking regal and serene next to the one place he swore he would never use. He knew not to allow his guard to lower. The woman he sought answers from had on more than one occasion subdued the mightiest and weakest members of the League before his very eyes. He approached her cautiously, never taking his eyes off of where she sat.

“Done with your mission already?” “Hal entahayed min al-muhima?”the woman asked with a hint of disbelief, still facing away from the entrance where Oliver had entered the chamber.

Oliver continued to approach the woman who had yet to turn around to face him. The dark robes she wore accented with an elaborate gold embroidered dragon were nearly as dark as the long jet black hair cascading down her back. “It appears that my Father may not have been guilty of all that he has been accused of,” ‘yabdo an abi lam yakon lewahdihi al muthneb,”  he replied coolly.

The woman turned around to face him after hearing his comment. “Oh, your Father is definitely guilty, Al Sahim,” “Abaka qat’an kan muthniban ayuha Al Sahim” she responded knowingly. “I just think that you have finally realized that perhaps he was not alone in his guilt or misdeeds…” “Wa laken yabdu anaka akheeran ektashafat anahu laysa al muthneb al waheed fi ma fa’al” She watched as the weight of her words crashed down on him and smiled.

“Didn’t you think that I deserved to know the truth and not blame my Father for all that went wrong? “Ala ta’taqedi anahu kan yajeb an a’alam al haqia, hata la aloom abi ala kol ma sar fi madinati?” That perhaps my Father was not solely responsible for all that was wrong with my city?” he spat out, the contempt he felt clearly dripped from each and every word he spoke.

“I think that you do deserve to know the truth, Al Sahim,” “A’taqed anaka tastaheq an ta’lam al haqiqa”  the woman replied. She tilted her head slightly to assess him as he stood before her. “However, I am not the one who can give you that information.” “Wa lakenha laysat qesati le’ahkeeha”

Al Sahim took a menacing step towards her, stopping once he was in front of where she sat. “No more riddles or games,” “Yakfi alghaz wa asrar” he demanded. “I need to know what role my Mother played in all that has happened. I need to know why she is involved!” “Yajeb an a’alam mada tawarut Umi fi hathehi al makeeda.  Ahtaju ma’refat matha fa’alat!”

“What you need to do is wake up, Oliver…” he heard, but it was no longer the voice he expected to hear. “ Ma tahtajuhu huwa an tastayqeth ya Oliver…”
*******************************************************

“Wake up Oliver,” he heard Felicity pleading with him, “please wake up.”

Oliver’s eyes began to flutter and then slowly opened. As his eyes began to focus on the sight surrounding him, he turned his head to see Nyssa frowning and John sitting there looking perplexed. Felicity’s gentle tone when she said, “Oliver…” had him turn his gaze back to her.

Felicity smiled at him, tears brimming in her eyes, “you’re alive,” she said gently.

“Cool,” was his completely inadequate response.

Chapter Text

Chapter 18
 
Oliver moved to sit up and immediately regretted that action. Nonetheless, he continued to move until he was fully sitting up on the table, maintaining the IV drip line that was connected to his arm. They must have removed his armor while he had been unconscious as the room temperature felt cooler than normal.
 
“Oliver,” Digg chided tersely, “I haven’t spent the past several hours trying to keep you alive to have you rip those stitches out.”
 
Oliver looked toward Digg, raising his right eyebrow and added a defiant pursed-lip stare his way. He was about to say something when a soft warm touch distracted him and he turned to see Felicity gently touching his arm as she drew her body closer to his side.
 
“I was so worried about you, Oliver,” she said softly.
 
He looked straight into her eyes, saw the mixture of concern and fear shimmering from them and replied, “You did everything I asked...Thank you.” He gently reached for her hand, gave it a squeeze and did not let it go.
 
Felicity tilted her head down and stared for a minute at her hand that Oliver still held. She thought about pulling away from him, but knew she didn’t want to. Instead, she looked back up at him, gave his hand a gentle squeeze back and said, “You’re welcome,” as a slight pink hue tinged her cheeks. A not-so-gentle cough caused her to look away and see a smiling Nyssa in the background. Felicity pulled on her hand to escape Oliver’s grasp, but ceased when she saw him wince when he held tight onto her hand.  
 
Ignoring Nyssa’s knowing smile, Oliver made sure Felicity’s hand was still in his when he looked over at John and added, “Thanks Digg.”
 
John nodded his head at him and asked, “Are you ready to explain to me exactly what happened to you?” John took another step toward Oliver and added, “Don’t forget to tell me why you were wearing that black get-up  and when did you acquire another sister…” John nodded his head toward where Nyssa stood.
 
Felicity looked back at Oliver with inquiring eyes. She too wanted to know what had happened to him after he had left her apartment that led to him getting shot. She had seen the information about his Mother that had been pulled up on her tablet. She wondered what about Moira Queen purchasing and maintaining a warehouse by the docks in The Glades could have caused him to leave? What could possibly be housed there? Had he left her apartment to go confront his Mother about the warehouse? Who else would he have gone to see? Did it have anything to do with those people who had kidnapped him so long ago? As realization began setting in, Felicity’s eyes grew large with awareness. She knew it had to have been Moira who shot him, but why? She knew his Mother was evil, but not capable of shooting her son.
 
Oliver could sense a change in Felicity without her saying a word. The almost inaudible gasp she made told him that this brilliant and beautiful woman at his side was piecing the puzzle together. He didn’t dare look at her now. He knew there would be shock and disbelief alternating across her face. He knew Felicity and John both needed answers to their questions. They would get them, but first he needed to speak with his sister. Oliver looked over at Nyssa and asked, “What did you find?” “Matha wajadti?”
 
Nyssa strode forward to show him the slug that John had removed from him. “Whoever shot you knew exactly where to pierce your armor, Al Sahim.” “Man Atlaqa arassas aleika kan yae’ref ayn yusaweb hata yekhtareq der’ok” She handed him the small metal tray and added, “And they knew to incapacitate you with a poison-laced bullet.” “wa kan ya’lam an yastakhdem rassa musammama”
 
“As much as I hate interrupting a family reunion, I’d appreciate you two keeping us…” Digg motioned to him and Felicity, “in the loop by sharing your information in English, please.”
 
Nyssa merely smiled at John in response, looked at Oliver and asked, “Give the order and I will hunt your shooter down, Brother…” “A’teni al-amr wa sa’utared qanasuka ya Akhi”
 
Oliver clenched his jaw tight. He knew exactly who his shooter was and still had a hard time believing that his Mother had actually shot him. Granted, she didn’t know it was him. Was it just dumb-luck that her aim had managed to hit him precisely at his armor’s weakest point, he wondered? One thing for sure, dumb-luck could not account for her gun firing poison-laced bullets. A buzzing noise next to him broke him out of his reverie.
 
A series of texts were arriving on his phone. He reached over with his free hand to see who was trying to contact him.
 
Thea: WHERE ARE YOU????
Thea: Mom was attacked at QC last night
Thea: She’s freaking out because you and Mr. Diggle can’t be found
Thea: CALL ME!!!!!
 
Oliver looked over at John and asked, “I take it you’ve been ignoring your incoming phone calls, too?”
 
Digg crossed both arms in front of him and replied, “I’ve been a little too busy making sure my client didn’t die on me to keep track of my phone.”
 
“It’s Thea,” Oliver said to Felicity as he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “I have to make a phone call.”
 
“Oliver?” Felicity questioned softly.
 
“It’s my Mother,” He answered. “Thea just let me know that she was attacked while at the office last night.” Oliver grabbed the IV bag and took a small step away from the table, testing his ability to stand on his own.
 
Stunned, Felicity took a step back from him without releasing his hand. Is that why his Mother shot him, she wondered? Had he attacked Moira Queen in an effort to get to the truth? How could a Mother shoot her own child, unless, she didn’t know it was her own child, she thought as she glanced quickly at his black armour and then looked back at him.
 
Reassured that he wasn’t going to collapse, Oliver took a step toward Felicity, closing the gap between them, leaned in close to her and whispered, “Everything is going to be okay. I just need to speak to Thea.” He released her hand, slowly stepped away from her, walked into the bedroom carrying the IV bag with him and closed the door.
 
Felicity looked at both Nyssa and John and asked, “What are we going to do now?”
 
John pulled out his phone to see the many missed phone calls from both his employer and Moira Queen. “Looks like Mrs. Queen has been trying to reach me.”
 
“Don’t call her back,” ordered Felicity. Right now, the less Moira knew about Oliver’s true whereabouts the better, she thought. Felicity looked at Nyssa, who was watching them carefully, then she walked over to John and requested, “Text her back letting her know that Oliver and I are still holed up in my apartment.” Felicity gave a quick glance toward the closed door and added, “Then ask her if everything is alright.”
 
John gave Felicity a questioning look, but complied with her request. The ping back on his phone had him look down at the recently received message. John looked up at Felicity, gave Nyssa a quick glance, then looked back at Felicity and said, “Mrs. Queen wants me to make sure Oliver returns to the Mansion right away. She even requested you come with us if he refuses to leave you behind.”
 
Felicity gave the door Oliver had closed a questioning look. Then she turned back toward John and said, “Well, I need to go back to my place to get changed and pick up my tablet.”
 
John nodded his head at her, looked at Nyssa, but before he could say anything Nyssa volunteered, “I’ll retrieve the items you need from your place of lodging and will return shortly.”
 
Felicity gave Nyssa a worried look to which Nyssa replied, “Fear not, Ukhti. I shall gather all that you require.” Felicity knew that she and John needed to speak to Oliver and it would be easier without Nyssa there, so she nodded her head and watched Nyssa opened the door and departed the safehouse.
 
John looked at Felicity and asked, “We’re going to talk about that, right?”
 
Felicity nodded her head at him, “We will, but first we need to get some answers from Oliver.”
 
At that moment, Oliver stepped back into the room, he had removed the IV line and replaced it with gauze and medical tape.
 
Felicity and Diggle stood there, each giving him a look of expectation.
 
“Where’s Nyssa?” he asked, looking around the room.
 
“She went back to my apartment to pick up a few things I’ll need before we head over to your Mom’s home,” Felicity answered.
 
Oliver shook his head no vehemently. “Absolutely not! You are not going anywhere near my Mother.”
 
It was John’s turn to give Oliver a quizzical look. “Oliver, it’s just your Mother.”
 
“Exactly!” shouted Oliver  causing Digg to take a step back in recoil. Oliver turned away from John and Felicity to rub his hands over his face. How did he admit that it was his Mother who shot him and quite possibly was the reason why he had gone through everything he had over the last ten years. He needed answers from his Mother and he needed them now. He heard Felicity’s soft footsteps as she tried to quietly approach him.
 
“I don’t care to be around her either,” Felicity informed as she approached him, “and I certainly don’t think you should be around her without backup.”
 
Oliver sighed and looked at Felicity. The look on her face told him that she had figured out it was his Mother who had shot him. She obviously hadn’t told Digg about it. She must be waiting for me to explain things, he thought.
 
“Look, man,” John started, “your Mother just wants to make sure you’re safe. She even mentioned bringing Felicity with us if that was the only way to get you there.”
 
Oliver looked at John carefully. He knew from his research about him that he maintained a strong moral code. How would John react once he learned that it was his Mother who had shot him. That it was his own Mother who had condemned him to ten years in Hell. He looked again at Felicity, who nodded her head at him, encouraging him to finally tell them what he knew they needed to hear. Oliver eased into a deep sigh, trying not to let his exhale tug at the stitches John had so carefully sewn. “I wasn’t always on the island…”
 
Felicity smiled at him encouraging him to continue, while John merely nodded his head, carefully studying Oliver for any signs of prevarication.
 
John looked at Felicity and asked, “Did you know about this?”
 
Felicity blushed and nodded her head yes. She knew that Oliver had only told her a very small part of his story and she was hoping that he would finally open up to them about it all.
 
Oliver continued, “I’ve spent most of the last ten years training to become a weapon capable of righting my Father’s,” Oliver paused for a moment and corrected, “...my Family’s wrongdoings.”
 
“And what exactly are your ‘Family’s wrongdoings’?” John asked curiously.
 
“I’m still trying to figure all that out, John,” Oliver admitted. “My Father was in business with some questionable people who were involved in some pretty serious crimes...” Oliver stopped and looked at Felicity briefly, then focused on John and added, “...and I think my Mother may have been involved as well…”
 
John gave Oliver a skeptical look, until he looked at Felicity and saw that she believed everything Oliver was saying. In his experience working for the rich and powerful, he knew to expect the unexpected, even criminal activity, but this was all becoming very hard to believe.
 
Oliver recognized the look on John’s face and could feel the skepticism radiating from him. Then he looked at Felicity, standing there, believing in him, believing every word he was uttering. Her unshakeable faith in him had not wavered once. It was exactly what he needed to continue. “The place where I trained is called Nanda Parbat,” Oliver admitted.
 
“Nanda Parbat?” Digg said incredulously. “When I was in the Army, our local guides used to tell us stories about a place called Nanda Parbat.” Digg looked over toward where they had placed Oliver’s black body armour and asked, “Are you trying to tell us that you are a member of the League of Assassins?”
 
“League of what?” questioned Felicity.
 
“League of Assassins,” Digg clarified for her. He gave Oliver a long hard look. The scars scattered all over his torso made so much more sense now. “A group of men and women who extract their own version of justice without a court of law,” John answered Felicity. Then he turned back toward Oliver and asked, “So, what, you’re some sort of vigilante now?”
 
Oliver shook his head. “My name is Al Sahim or The Arrow and I returned to my city to complete the final steps in my training by rectifying my Father’s crimes, then and only then would my Father’s debt be repaid and I can be released from my servitude.” He looked at Felicity and said, “But, I wasn’t planning on several things happening.”
 
Digg turned to look at Felicity who blushed and looked away. “So what does all this have to do with whoever shot you?” John asked. He watched as Oliver pursed his lips and said, “You know who it was that shot you, don’t you?”
 
Oliver nodded his head. “Felicity discovered something about my Mother that I wasn’t aware of, so I went to confront her dressed in my League garb to hide my identity. She was terrified and in her fear, she took me by surprise and shot me”  
 
Digg snorted his disbelief. “I find it hard to believe that an alleged member of the League could be taken by surprise like that,” John countered.
 
“I let my guard down, because it was my Mother I was confronting,” Oliver admitted. He looked at Felicity and saw that he had confirmed what she had thought all along. “I barely made it back to Felicity’s apartment building. Thank goodness she took the trash out when she did or I would not have made it.”
 
“What about the fact that your Mother shot you with a poisoned bullet?” Felicity asked. She looked at John and he nodded in agreement. “Nyssa seemed to recognize the poison and its effects, but she never told us what it was.”
 
Oliver knew that Nyssa was far more skilled at recognizing poisons than he was so he replied, “I don’t know it’s name, and the League long ago banned their use on any of our weapons.”
 
“So you’re an assassin with a sense of honor?” John jeered. “I thought you guys were more the type to get your mission accomplished by any means necessary?” John’s disbelief dripping from every word he uttered. He looked Oliver directly in his eyes and added, “And now you want me to believe that your Mother, who hired me to protect you, who hired my company to protect your sister six months ago, shot you with a poisoned bullet when you confronted her in her office dressed up as Ninja Warrior?” When Oliver didn’t react to his words, John just shook his head in disbelief and added, “Next thing, you’re going to tell me that your female assassin friend really is your sister.”
 
“Nyssa is my sister, my League sister. Her father is the one who trained us and who told me about my Father,” Oliver said trying to ascertain if Digg was finally starting to believe him.
 
John continued to shake his head in disbelief. “I’m going to need some time to process everything you’ve told me, Oliver.” He looked at Felicity, then back at Oliver and asked, “Can I count on you to make it back home safely?” John chuckled and added, “What am I saying? I’ve got a genuine member of the League of Assassins here. He can protect himself, unless it’s from his Mother.” John looked at Felicity and asked, “Just make sure he gets home, okay?”
 
Felicity nodded her head at John and watched as he exited the apartment leaving them behind.
 
Oliver looked at Felicity and asked, “You’re awfully quiet…”
 
Felicity shrugged her shoulders. “I’ve had a bit more time than Digg has had to be able to process everything that you have already admitted to me, especially in light of everything that has recently happened.” She walked over to Oliver and gently placed her hand on the bandaged wound on the side of his torso. “I’m just worried that you will continue to allow your feelings for your Mother to blind you to the truth about her.”
 
Oliver drew her into his embrace and asked, “How do I not have a blind spot when it comes to my family?”
 
Felicity nuzzled closer to him and replied, “I think you need to remember that your Mother is no innocent. Plus, you need to figure out how she managed to shoot you precisely where it would do the most potential damage to you and why would Moira Queen have a gun with poison-laced bullets?”
 
Before he could reply, Nyssa returned and entered the apartment with the items Felicity had asked for. She gave Felicity a knowing wink after seeing her in Oliver’s embrace. “Perhaps, I should not have been so quick with my retrieval of the items you requested, Ukhti?” Nyssa teased. “I can leave these items here and begin my hunt for the shooter,” she offered with an eager smile.
 
Oliver released Felicity and she took the retrieved items from Nyssa with a polite, “Thank you.” Then she entered the bedroom to get ready for the trip to the Queen Mansion. Once she was done, Felicity exited the bedroom to find Oliver there all alone, dressed in a fresh set of clothing, his skin still pale, but his countenance showed he was mentally preparing himself for the next confrontation with his Mother. “Where’s Nyssa?” she asked.
 
Oliver looked at Felicity and replied, “She left to go check out a few things.” He took in a deep breath and said, “I don’t think you should go with me.”
 
Felicity tilted her head at him and responded, “Like you have a choice…”
 
Oliver smiled and held out his hand toward her. It was Felicity’s turn to take in a deep breath and she stepped toward the offered hand, placing her hand in his, tilted her head toward the door and said, “Come on, let’s go.”
Oliver grabbed the keys John had left on the table to the sedan and led them down to he waiting vehicle. The drive to the Mansion was a quiet one. He lost in his thoughts just as much as Felicity. When they entered into the security gate and drove around to the carport, Oliver stopped the car looked at Felicity and asked, “Are you ready?”
 
Felicity looked toward and said a little too cheerfully, “No time like the present!”
 
Oliver nodded his head, exited the car and made his way around to open Felicity’s car door and help her out. “It’s going to be okay…” he reassured her.
 
Felicity gave him a weak smile as she stepped out of the car and began walking next to him toward the front door.
 
Just as Oliver moved to open the door, it opened.
 
Malcolm Merlyn stood there smiling at the two of them and said. “Welcome home, Al Sahim…”

Chapter Text

Chapter 19

Thirty years ago…

“Mother, I beg of you…please!” the young girl with chestnut blonde hair pleaded in front of the regal looking woman sitting in front of her on a dais made of stone. Aware that the older woman had not tried silencing her with her steely gaze, the young woman pressed further, “I love him!”

At her daughter’s declaration, the woman’s countenance grew severe and she scoffed, “Love? What do you know of love?” The woman rose from her seat, looking as hard and cold as the stone beneath her feet and continued, “You have not been preparing all these years to throw it all away for something that will wither and fade away.”

The young girl stood up and looked up into the eyes of her Mother, “Our love will last…our love will not…”

“Enough!” shouted the older woman, causing her daughter to fall to her knees in penance. She glanced over to the dark-haired young man standing in the corner of the room, his crystal blue eyes betraying no feelings or opinions on the scene in front of him. “And what do you have to say for yourself, Al Saher? Hmm?” the older woman quizzed. “You bear some responsibility for this,” she accused.

Al Saher took a cautious step forward. Not allowing his watchful eyes to waver from the older woman he replied, “My Lady, my duty was to keep your daughter safe while she finished her education at the University you insisted she attend.” He took a few more steps further and stood next to the kneeling girl, who now watched as he spoke with her Mother. “I have done what you asked and have brought her dutifully back to you to finish her training.”

Upon hearing Al Saher use the word “dutifully”, the older woman raised her right eyebrow at him and grinned menacingly. “My daughter was to learn the ways of the world, Al Saher…the business ways of the world.” She looked down at her daughter and added with disbelief, “You are willing to give all of this up for some boy?”

Her daughter stood up to face her Mother, Al Saher still standing by her side. “Yes,” she replied, “I am.”

The woman looked away from her daughter at the slight figure that was hovering by the entrance to her receiving room. “There is no use trying to hide, Talia,” the older woman admitted. “What I choose to do at this moment will have a direct impact on you too.”

The young woman with flowing long black hair who stood near the entrance, stepped out of the shadows and moved toward where the older woman stood. “Yes, Mother,” she answered respectfully, maintaining her awareness of where her sister and Al Saher now stood. She walked over to stand next to Al Saher, away from her sister, causing a barely noticeable frown to appear on her Mother’s face.

The older woman breathed in a deep sigh, looked at her daughter standing defiantly in front of her, obviously ready to renounce all she was born to have and sighed, “You are too much like your Father, Little One. He could never understand our ways and abandoned me to rule…alone.” The older woman gave her daughter a surprisingly sympathetic look.

Her daughter looked at her Mother with surprise. “Does this mean that you are willing to release me?” the young woman asked with temerity, causing the older woman to smile with approval at her daughter’s boldness.

“There is always a price that must be paid, My Daughter,” the older woman warned looking at the three-young people standing in front of her. “Are you absolutely certain this is what you want to do?” she asked, a hint of sadness tinging her speech.

Her daughter took a step closer to her Mother and with resolve, claimed, “Yes!”

The older woman nodded her head and said, “Very well, then...” She raised one arm up as if giving a blessing and added, “I shall release you from your responsibilities to our League…” She paused for a dramatic moment and continued, “provided you commit your first-born daughter to serve as Heir in your place.”

The young woman gasped in horror. She looked at Al Saher who stood their stoically and then her sister who frowned. How could she compel her daughter to live a life she herself wanted no part of?

Her sister took the momentary silence and spoke up, “Mother, we have no need for an infidel to serve as your heir,” she gave her sister a slant-eyed look of contempt and added, “I am here to pledge my life as next in-line to serve you.”

“Silence!” ordered the older woman and watched as her daughters stood there, eyes downcast, both lost in their own thoughts. Only Al Saher, she noticed, watched her with frigid, blue eyes that always seemed to bore a hole right down to her very soul. She shuddered and continued with a hardening glare at her eldest daughter, “You will deliver your eldest child to me upon her eighteenth birthday as your tribute to my granting your release from your obligation to the League.” Her daughters both looked up at her in disbelief. Then the older woman looked at her younger daughter and said, “You shall rule by my side until the arrival of my grandchild who shall rule in my place once you have trained her to my satisfaction.” Without waiting for a response from her daughters, she glared at Al Saher and ordered, “And you shall accompany my daughter to the outside world and ensure that my orders are followed.”

“No!” shouted Talia in defiance of her Mother. “Al Saher…”

“Al Saher is for me to order…” her Mother clarified with finality, “and as punishment for allowing my daughter to go astray, I order him to live the rest of his life in exile with my daughter, guarding her from any-and-all threats and for him, when the time is right, to bring me my heir.”

Talia turned to glare at her sister. “You! I shall never forgive you for what you have taken away from me!” she vowed.

“Talia, you know I have never meant you any harm,” her sister pleaded.

Talia turned to reach out and strike her sister, but Al Saher, mindful of his duty grabbed Talia to prevent her from doing any harm. Talia collapsed in his arms, hoping to feel some compassion in his embrace.

Al Saher let her fall to the floor to wallow in her despair. He took a step away from Talia and stood next to her sister. He looked up at the girls’ Mother and complied, “I consign myself to your orders, My Lady.” Without a glance at either daughter he added, “I pledge myself to the protection of your daughter and fulfillment of your command.”

The older woman pursed her lips at the young man standing before her. Had he followed her initial orders, none of this would have happened and her daughter would now be prepared to rule at her side. But now, she was forced to rely on her less-favored, second-born, until the ascension of her grandchild to her rightful place. She looked at her oldest daughter with contempt and seethed, “You could have ruled here, in the land of your ancestors, revered as a Goddess, the keeper of all our traditions and secrets…”

“But, I will be a Queen, Mother,” her defiant daughter proclaimed. “I will be forever known as Moira Queen.”

28 years ago…

“It’s a boy!” the doctor proclaimed as he set the wailing newborn on his Mother’s chest.

She smiled down at the glistening skin of her young son and kissed his tiny head. She quickly counted his fingers and toes. “My beautiful boy,” she cooed, “my beautiful baby boy…”

Nineteen years ago…

“Have a cigar, Merlyn!” Robert Queen boasted while sticking the aforementioned cigar in Malcolm Merlyn’s hand. “My beautiful wife is going to gift me with a daughter who will no doubt rival her Mother one day!”

Malcolm smiled at his best friend and replied, “Congratulations, Robert.” He turned to give the expecting Mother his best wishes when he noticed the momentary look of fear as it crossed her beautiful features.

Moira hoped she hid her distress at the announcement that she was expecting a daughter. She looked over at her husband and asked sweetly, “Darling, would you mind getting your beloved wife some of those fresh blueberry muffins, Raisa baked this morning?”

Robert smiled at her in acquiescence and answered, “As you wish, my Love.” Then he lightly slapped Malcolm’s arm and teased, “See there, she’s started her cravings already. Remember when she and Rebecca were both pregnant with Oliver and Tommy? They both craved potato salad from that little delicatessen in The Glades?”

Malcolm smiled at the memory and chuckled, “I remember paying an exorbitant amount of money for the recipe to keep both ladies’ cravings satisfied.” Then his face fell and he looked at Moira, “If only Rebecca was here to help us celebrate this occasion.”

An uncomfortable Robert gently patted Malcolm’s shoulder. “I wish that too,” replied Robert and then he left to acquire the requested muffins for his wife.

Once he was out of earshot, Moira looked up at Malcolm. “You know what this means don’t you?” she queried.

Malcolm stared down at the still beautiful woman before him. “I promised to protect you, Moira. That promise includes my daughter.”

“Robert must never know...” she pleaded, “He has been so attentive recently and I don’t want anything to come between our reconciliation…” Then she rose from where she sat and added, “and I don’t want my daughter forced into a life I relinquished long ago, Al Saher…”

Malcolm smiled at the use of his real name. “You haven’t called me by that name in a long time, My Lady.”

“I need Al Saher once again,” she proclaimed. “I need him to go to my Mother and bargain for my daughter’s life…our daughter’s life.”

“Are you sure this is what you want?” he asked with a hint of ambition. “Our daughter would rule all that we once knew…”

“And in the process, would have to lay waste to all that she has known,” Moira answered. “We cannot place that type of guilt onto her shoulders.” Moira walked away from him toward the window looking out onto the gardens below. She could see her son, Oliver, and Malcolm’s son, Tommy, playing a game of catch on the expansive lawn. “No Al Saher, we must make a different bargain with my Mother…one that will finally leave us free from her.” Moira turned back around to face him, waiting for his reply.

Al Saher bowed to her and simply responded, “As you wish, My Lady.”

Ten years ago…

“Robert, don’t go on this business trip,” Moira asked quietly.

Robert Queen gave his wife a knowing smile and answered, “It’s only going to be for a few weeks, plus I promised Oliver I’d take him to Hong Kong for his birthday.”

“I have a bad feeling about this,” Moira warned.

Robert walked over to his wife, wrapped his arms around her and whispered in her ear, “I know, Moira…” He felt his wife stiffen in his arms so he hugged her closer to him. “I’ve always known this day would come and I’m prepared for it.” He kissed his wife’s temple, loosened his hold on her and left her where she stood.

She took a few steps to follow her husband, but instead collapsed on the settee next to her. She could hear her son, exuberant at getting the chance to travel with his Father for his eighteenth birthday and no doubt thinking of all the debauchery he could convince his father to let him do. She could hear them saying their goodbyes to Thea, the little eight-year-old sobbing that her two favorite men in her life were leaving her for several weeks. If she only knew exactly how long both men would be gone from her…from them…As the front door slammed shut, she could hear her daughter’s rapid footsteps making their way toward her. Her bedroom door opened and little Thea ran into her Mother’s arms. She wrapped her arms around her daughter and tried to soothe her little girl’s fears. “Don’t worry, my Dear. Daddy and Ollie will be back and then we can all plan our trip to the cabin for the Fourth of July,” she said as reassuringly as possible. She knew her daughter’s happiness was coming at a steep price. One, her son was unknowingly paying.

Thea, ever perceptive, even for an eight-year-old, lifted her head and looked at her Mother. She gave her a doubting look and asked with a sniffle, “Are you sure?”

Moira gave her daughter a smile and soothed, “Of course, Darling. They will be home soon and all will be as it should…”

Now…

Oliver pushed Felicity behind him and readied his stance for battle, while Malcolm smiled at his action.

“I have no wish to engage in combat with you, Al Sahim,” Malcolm admitted as he closed the front door to the Queen Mansion behind him and joined them on the front steps of the elegant manor home. “But your antics last night at Queen Consolidated have forced my timetable up a bit.”

Oliver didn’t relax his stance, while maintaining one hand behind his back to keep Felicity safely protected while he continued to assess the situation.

However, Felicity was no shrinking violet. She asked innocently, “What happened at QC last night?”

“Oh, come now, Mrs. Seldon,” Malcolm sneered. “Your question has me doubting your highly touted intellect.”

Felicity bristled at Malcom’s retort. She volleyed back, “Your use of Oliver’s other name means you are a member of the League of Assassins too.”

Oliver’s grip on her tightened, but she didn’t make a sound. How did he not know that Malcolm Merlyn was a member of the League of Assassins, he wondered? Did Nyssa know about this? Oliver tried to school his features, but Malcolm’s eyes brightened at the knowledge he had surprised him.

“Well done, Mrs. Seldon,” Malcolm replied. He continued to keep a watchful eye on Oliver and informed him, “Your Mother does not know it was you who attacked her last night Oliver. She thinks it was one of her Sister’s minions sent to retrieve her prized pupil.” Malcolm took a step toward Oliver. “I know you have questions to which I have answers, but for now, you must follow my lead as we deal with your Mother. Understood?”

Oliver nodded his head in agreement begrudgingly.

“Excellent,” said, Malcolm as he opened the front door once more and beckoned the young couple to follow him into the parlor.

Chapter Text

Previously: Moira Queen had a flashback that shed light on her past with Robert, Malcolm, that she has a sister named, Talia, and a bargain was struck that changed the lives of her children.

Chapter 20

Moira Queen stood at the large bay window gazing out upon the idyllic scene her gardener was paid handsomely to maintain. Her thoughts straying to a life she gave up so very long ago. One that she thought she would never have to worry about again after the bargain she had struck and then how Malcolm modified it once she found out she was going to have Thea. That modification led to the sacrifice her son had unwittingly made. A sacrifice that forced him to leave his family, the only family he had known and live with the family she herself wanted nothing to do with. She hadn’t known how to broach the subject of his time away. How did she ask her son about his life in the League of Assassins? Had her sister kept her promise to not expose their connection to him, she wondered? She knew that if he found out everything was her fault, she would lose her son forever. Since he hadn’t come home accusing her of betraying him, she had to assume that Talia had maintained their sisterhood a secret. She had to learn more about how he escaped from Talia’s clutches. The attacker last night merely proved to her Oliver’s escape from her sister’s shackles would be short lived, she thought. She’d recognize that familiar black armor anywhere. The only thing that left her perplexed was the intruder’s accusation that she had “failed this city.” It was more like she had failed her family. The sounds of footsteps heading in her direction reminded her of what she needed to do next. She reached for the glass containing the amber colored beverage and took one long last drink before placing it back down on the table, empty. She turned to face the coming storm.

Oliver and Felicity entered the parlor, with Malcolm behind them. Moira strode across the room and wrapped her arms around her son. “Oh, thank god you are safe, Oliver,” Moira proclaimed. She hugged her son tightly and took the opportunity to give a quick, questioning glance at Malcolm to which he merely nodded slightly in reply, his cold blue eyes conveying no reassurances. She pulled back in her son’s arms and smiled at her son. Then she looked at Felicity with a softened gaze, nodded her head at her and said, “Thank you for coming, Mrs. Seldon.”

Felicity gave Moira a slight nod of acknowledgement, then looked up at Oliver to gauge his own reaction to his Mother. She only saw concern and confusion displayed.

Moira witnessed how Felicity was studying Oliver’s face. If only this young woman had stayed away from her son, she thought, it would prevent her future heartbreak. “Please, won’t you both take a seat?” she asked while pointing out the small settee to her right. “I need to tell you about what happened last night.”

The door to the parlor burst open as Thea ran into the room, followed by a sleepy-eyed Tommy Merlyn. She headed straight for her mother to give her a hug and then reached over to give Oliver a swat at his shoulder, “Where were you last night?” she demanded as she stayed standing next to their Mother.

“Yeah, Ollie?” Tommy questioned while allowing a long, loud yawn to escape from his mouth. “Where were you?”

Oliver pursed his lips and looked at Felicity who turned a beautiful shade of bright pink, blushing as all eyes turned toward her.

Tommy gave a Felicity a wink and knowing grin. “So, catching up with the Merry Widow, Ollie?” Tommy quipped as he reached to pat Oliver on the back

Oliver grabbed Tommy by the arm, spun him around to lock Tommy’s arm behind his back and demanded, “apologize to Felicity this moment, Tommy.” Oliver looked at Felicity who’s face alternated between embarrassment and fear at Oliver’s actions, but didn’t release his hold on his best friend. As Malcolm inched closer to where Oliver currently held his son, Oliver shook his head at him making Malcolm pause in his movement.

“Okay, okay, okay, Buddy…I was just having some fun,” Tommy replied through the pain of having his arm wrenched behind his back. He looked over at Felicity and offered, “Deepest apologies if I have offended you…”

“Apology accepted,” Felicity replied. She looked at Oliver who still hadn’t released his friend and added, “please Oliver, let him go.”

Oliver gave her a slight nod of his head in agreement and released his friend who grimaced in pain while rubbing his formerly bent elbow.

“Now that my brother and his best friend have stopped acting like cavemen, can we please find out what happened last night?” Thea pleaded as she looked at her Mother while ignoring the snicker on Malcolm’s face as she spoke.

“Thea…” Moira groaned in reprimand toward her daughter.

“What?” Thea questioned toward her Mother.

Moira just shook her head and replied, “Could we all just take our seats so I can tell you what happened last night?”

Everyone focused their attention once again on Moira and took their seat on the chairs and couches in the room. Malcolm was the only one to remain standing, looking like a sentry near the door thought Felicity to herself.

Once Moira saw that everyone was focused on her, she began to tell her tale. “Last night while I was finishing up at the office, an intruder burst through my office window and tried to attack me.” She gauged the looks on everyone’s faces and saw nary a disbelieving face. Then she glanced at Malcolm, who gave her an encouraging nod and she continued “The police arrived to conduct their investigation, but I wasn’t able to provide much information as the intruder was wearing a mask and distorted his voice when speaking.”

Felicity reached for Oliver’s hand as they sat there on the couch listening to Moira’s version of the events that had transpired the night before. She gently rubbed her thumb over his index finger and watched how that simple action caused him to intake a deep breath, then exhale as she moved her fingers to intertwine with his.

“What?!” exclaimed Tommy. “Are you alright?” he added with concern for the woman who was like a second mother to him after he had lost his own.

Moira smiled at Tommy and answered, “I’m fine, Thomas. The police were able to get a blood sample from my assailant,” Moira added, causing Felicity to once again focus on Oliver’s mother. “And I hope that it will allow them to identify whomever he was,” Moira finished with a final look at Malcolm.

Oliver turned to look at Felicity, who simply squeezed his hand in reply and whispered, “I’ll explain later.” Oliver turned his head to look again at his mother.

“Why would someone want to attack you, Mom?” asked Thea. “Does it have anything to do with why you made Oliver and I both have a bodyguard now?”

Moira paused for a moment, took in a deep breath and replied, “A long time ago, your Father made a deal with some questionable people, that allowed him to expand QC internationally.” It was Oliver’s turn to squeeze Felicity’s hand as his Mother continued, “Eleven years ago, they contacted us about collecting on a debt he owed. When your Father refused to pay, they swore that he would pay a heavy price.”

This must have been the debt his Father owed to the League, Oliver thought. He looked from Felicity back to his Mother and asked quietly, “Do you think that they caused the sinking of the Gambit?”

Moira looked her son directly in his eyes and said simply, “Yes.”

Oliver sat back in his seat and squeezed Felicity’s hand, tethering himself to her as a flood of emotions began to bombard himself. A wave of confusion threatened to overwhelm him, but the ever so gentle and reassuring squeeze of Felicity’s hand in his, calmed him. His Mother was sitting here blaming his Father. His Master blamed his Father. But his Father’s only defense was a short video he had left for him in the trusted protection of an employee he knew to be an honorable man, a man that Felicity trusted. He looked over at Malcolm who stood close to the doorway, his countenance betraying no emotions. “So, you think these people are also behind the attack on you last night at your office?” Oliver quizzed gently, focusing his entire attention on his Mother.

Moira nodded her head in answer to her son’s question, then added, “I fear that they are going to target you and your sister, Oliver.” Moira took in a deep breath and wrung her hands together. “I think that those who meant to kill you and your Father, now that you are home, are coming back to finish the job,” she suggested.

“Now, Moira,” Malcolm interjected, “let’s not jump to any conclusions.”

Oliver frowned at Malcolm, turned to face his Mother and asked, “How much do you really know about the people Dad was in business with Mom?”

“Oliver, what are you suggesting?” demanded Thea.

Oliver looked as his sister and replied, “I’m not suggesting anything. I’m merely trying to find out more about the people our Father was doing business with.”

“Your Father worked with many different people, Oliver,” interrupted Malcolm. “I think the real question we should be asking is what do we need to do to be prepared for what is yet to come?”

“Malcolm,” Moira seethed. “Our children have every right to ask us any questions they may have.” She directed her gaze to Oliver and Thea. “Your Father borrowed heavily against the principal in your trust funds. When it came time to pay back the loans, he was unable to and turned for assistance from some rather nefarious people.”

“Why wouldn’t you help Robert, Dad?’ questioned Tommy with a look of disgust.

“Robert was a proud man, Tommy,” Malcolm answered. “By the time Moira came to me to try and help, it was too late.” He looked at Moira with an unexpected softness and added, “All I could do was be here to support her after the Gambit went down.” He looked back at Tommy and added, “It was the least I could do after all she and Robert had done for you after your Mother died.”

“Killed, don’t you mean, Dad?” spat out Tommy. “Just another one of Starling City’s unsolved mysteries…” he added, stood up and headed toward where his Father stood by the door. “If it hadn’t been for the Queens, I might as well have been an orphan for all that you were around to be there for me.” Tommy looked away from his Father. Years of pent up anger toward him was now surfacing.

Moira walked over to Tommy, wrapped one arm around him and said, “Tommy, it was a dark time for all of us after what happened to your Mother. Your Father coped the best he could.”

Tommy looked at Moira with disbelief, then focused on Oliver and said, “I don’t know about you, Ollie, but I’m not willing to sit here and listen to our parents re-write history. I’m out of here.” Tommy shrugged out of Moira’s grasp, walked past his Father with nary a glance and stormed out of the house.

Felicity looked at Oliver with a confused look. He just slightly shook his head at her and she could tell that he would answer her questions later.

Thea watched as Oliver silently directed Felicity to not ask any questions, which flummoxed her. How could her brother not want answers to his questions? “Mom…” Thea began, only to be interrupted by voices coming from the hallway.

A frazzled Raisa appeared at the doorway’s threshold. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Queen, but the Police are here to ask you some more questions about what happened last night.” As Raisa turned to move out of the way, the group assembled watched as Detectives Lance and Hilton entered the room.

Moira walked over to greet the officers. “Gentlemen,” she greeted, “how can I be of assistance?”

Detective Lance was uncharacteristically close-mouthed, but Detective Hilton replied, “Thank you Mrs. Queen for your willingness to speak with us.” He pulled out his notepad and asked, “We were hoping you might remember any distinguishing marks or features of the man who attacked you in your office.”

Moira frowned at the Detective, shook her head and said, “I’m sorry, Detective, but the man was wearing a mask and covered from head to toe in a black outfit.”

“Yeah, we know a ninja warrior attacked you,” Detective Lance sneered in disbelief.

“Quentin!” Detective Hilton chastised. “I’m sorry Mrs. Queen, but we were hoping you would be able to give us more to go off of,” Detective Hilton stated.

“You collected a blood sample from my attacker. Can’t you use that to identify him?” she asked with an air of superiority. “Surely, that was enough evidence to be able to search your database for potential suspects?”

“That’s the thing,” huffed Detective Lance. “The blood samples collected were destroyed due to a mix-up at the lab.”

Oliver caught the slight smile that appeared on Felicity’s face at that reveal. He turned toward the Detectives and asked, “Does this mean that you won’t be able to find out who attacked my Mother?’

“Why so concerned, Queen?” scoffed Detective Lance. “You have anything to do with what happened last night?”

“Of course, not Detective,” Felicity piped up. “Oliver was with me all night long, last night,” she volunteered, then blushed when she realized how what she said sounded.

Oliver smiled at her, wrapped his arm around her, pulling her in close to him and concurred, “That’s right, Detectives. Felicity and I were together all night long,” then he pulled her into him and gentle kissed the side of her head while his hand gently stroked her arm.

Thea groaned, “TMI big brother…T-M-I…”

Malcolm interjected himself into the conversation and added, “Thank you Detectives for making the trip out here, but Mrs. Queen simply does not recall any other details that might help you solve this mystery.” Malcolm moved to stand closer to Moira, but never invaded her personal space. “If she does recollect anything, I’ll make sure that she lets you know.”

“Is that right, Merlyn?” questioned Lance. “Well, I’d rather hear that from Mrs. Queen seeing as how she was the person we want to speak with.”

Moira took a step toward the Detectives and replied, “I’m sorry Detectives. I truly don’t remember anything else that might help you with this case.” She reached her hand out and gently touched Detective Hilton’s arm. “If I do remember anything else that might be of assistance, I will be sure and contact you.”

Detective Hilton looked briefly down at Moira’s hand, then she stepped away from the detectives and retreated back to where she had been standing next to Malcolm. “Very well, Mrs. Queen. We’ll wait for you to contact us if you remember anything.”

Detective Lance gave his partner a disbelieving look. “That’s it?” he asked.

“Come on, Quentin,” Detective Hilton stated. “We’re not going to get anything else here.”

Quentin one last disgusted look around the room and left with his partner.

Once they were out of earshot, Thea asked, “If the evidence is destroyed, how are they going to be able to find out who attacked you, Mom?”

“They won’t,” answered Malcolm. “The Starling City Police Department can’t even solve petty thefts in their own backyard.” He looked over at Oliver to see if there was a reaction, but he didn’t rise to the bait. Malcolm looked at Moira and suggested, “It’s been a rough 24 hours, Moira. Perhaps, it would be best if you rested.”

Oliver looked up at his Mother, who for the first time looked like she was bearing the weight of the world on her shoulders.

Moira nodded her head, agreeing with Malcolm, let her shoulders droop and sighed. She looked at her children and Felicity, then turned back to Malcolm and said, “I think I need to lay down.”

Thea rushed over to her mother’s side, whatever differences they may have had, put aside. “Come on, Mom,” Thea said as she wrapped her arm around her mother. “Let’s get you upstairs and into bed.”

Oliver waited for his Mother and sister to depart the room. Once they were gone, he rose and strode toward Malcolm. “How do you know my name?”

Malcolm snorted, “Your dear Mrs. Seldon already gave you that answer, Al Sahim.”

“If Malcolm Merlyn was a member of the League of Assassins, I would have known that,” Oliver countered.

“Not everything you think you know to be true is, Oliver,” intoned Malcolm. “You have always only been a means to an end.”

Felicity stood up and strode over to where both men stood. “What are you talking about?” she demanded of Malcolm.

Malcolm seemed to enjoy the agitated state he had instigated. “Just like you seem to be under the impression that you are here to right your Father’s wrongs, Al Sahim,” Malcolm said to Oliver, “perhaps you should inquire with your Master as to the real reason for your return to Starling City.”

Chapter Text

The previous chapter had Moira answering questions from the police, some bloodwork went missing at the crime lab, Malcolm posed an interesting question to Oliver.

Chapter 21

“I know exactly why I am here, Malcolm,” Oliver retorted as Felicity placed a reassuring hand upon his forearm that flexed at her touch as he clenched his fist. Her calming presence was a godsend. He didn’t think he would be able to maintain his demeanor without her. He maintained a steady gaze at Malcolm and continued, “and if you have been a part of what my Father has been accused of, then your actions against the people of this City demand retribution.”

Malcolm smiled sinisterly at Oliver’s accusation. He noticed Oliver’s reaction to Felicity’s touch and sneered, “Perhaps, you should worry less about what I may or may not have done, and instead focus on who really was the one to send you home and why, before anything happens to those you love...”

Oliver pulled Felicity behind him with his right arm and swung his left fist straight for the smug grin on Malcolm’s face catching him unaware and causing him to stagger backwards from the unexpected blow.

Malcolm reached up with his left hand to rub the smarting area of his jaw and admitted with a scoff, “I may have deserved that.” He looked at the young couple standing in front of him and realized that he may have to re-strategize his approach to them if his plan was going to work.

“You seem to think you know all that has happened. However, your ‘Master’ is a mere puppet in the grand scheme of things, Al Sahim,” Malcolm claimed. “Ra’s Al Ghul has only ever followed the directions given to him by the true guiding hand of the League of Assassins…”

“My Master…” Oliver began.

“Your Master is a fool!” Malcolm slandered from where he stood. “A fool who was always so blinded by his emotions that he could never stand on his own two feet without the permission of the woman he loves.”

“While I may enjoy a good mystery to solve,” interjected Felicity, “why do I get the feeling that you already know the answer to your question posed?” She focused her gaze on Malcolm to see his eyes twinkle back at her with appreciation.

“Maintaining your focus on the real threat. Excellent! You are a very astute young woman, Mrs. Seldon,” Malcolm praised as he scrutinized her. “Far too astute for the likes of Robert Queen’s son.”

“And you would never be one to make that mistake?” challenged Felicity as she maneuvered her way to Oliver’s left side and wrapped her right arm around his left arm.

Malcolm grinned at Felicity’s question. “Oh, I have definitely made my own fair share of mistakes, Mrs. Seldon.” He looked directly at Oliver and added, “starting with your Mother.”

Felicity felt Oliver’s posture tense at Malcolm’s words. “Well, don’t just leave us hanging, Merlyn,” Felicity demanded. “Please, continue.”

Malcolm took a few steps backward maintaining eye contact with the couple and sat down on the couch he had shared earlier with Moira. “Well, it’s a long story so we might as well be comfortable.”

Felicity gave Oliver’s arm a gentle nudge. He looked down at her and she nodded her head at him. Oliver took in a deep breath, intertwined his hand with hers and led her to the couch opposite where Malcolm now sat. Once seated, Oliver, still holding onto Felicity’s hand said, “You have our undivided attention, Malcolm.”

Malcolm nodded his head in understanding, sat back on the couch and placed his right ankle on top of his left knee in a relaxed position. “You’ll be able to corroborate everything I tell you upon your return to Nanda Parbat, Al Sahim.”

“I will,” promised Oliver, causing Felicity’s posture to stiffen. Was Oliver planning on leaving her? Of course, he was, she thought. Doesn’t everyone eventually leave her. She pulled her hand free of Oliver’s grasp. In reaction, he wrapped his left arm around her shoulders, pulled her closer to him and reached over with his right hand to clasp back onto her right hand. His left hand gently stroked her left shoulder in reassurance, easing away the tension in her body.

Malcolm continued, “Your Mother has always been an impetuously beautiful woman, used to getting her way. When she wanted to attend University, she came to me to help persuade her Mother to allow her to move to Starling City. The only reason why her Mother consented was because I volunteered to accompany her. What your Grandmother didn’t know was that I had my own agenda, where your Mother was concerned.”

“Why am I not surprised,” quipped Felicity, causing Oliver to flinch and Malcolm to frown.

“Yes, well, your Mother had her own agenda as well, once she met Robert Queen,” Malcolm stated with a frown. “I had thought by getting her away from the influence of her Mother, I would be able to secure her affections for me.” Malcolm paused for a moment and glanced out toward the window, then looked back at Oliver and Felicity. “Unfortunately, I chose the wrong sister,” he admitted with disappointment.

Oliver gave Malcolm a questioning look, but didn’t ask the question that was on the tip of his tongue…Who was his Mother’s sister and why should even trust anything that Malcolm was saying?

Malcolm, sensing Oliver was not going to rise to the bait, continued, “Once your Mother met Robert Queen, there would be no one else for her. Even when I brought her proof of his unfaithfulness toward her, she always found some excuse for his behavior and would welcome him back with open arms. For four long years, I had to bide my time and hope that she would eventually realize that Robert was not the right man for her, but it would take longer than that,” he huffed in disappointment. “When the time came to return home, your Mother negotiated with her Mother a deal to secure her life in Starling City with Robert Queen. What neither of us was counting on, was what happened next…” Malcolm paused for a moment and asked, “Would either of you like a drink?” When they shook their head no in unison, he smiled, stood up and made his way to the credenza behind him and poured a generous portion of amber-colored liquid in the highball crystal glass. “Your Mother always keeps my favorite Scotch on hand these days,” Malcom observed. “There’s nothing quite as smooth as a well-aged bottle of Scotch.” He swirled the contents of his glass and took a moment to appreciate its rich aroma. Then he took a drink and made his way back to the sofa. “I was ordered to remain in Starling City to make sure your Mother’s promise was fulfilled.”

“Ordered?” questioned Oliver. “Are you trying to tell me that you’ve been a member of the League of Assassins since your University days and that you have been protecting my Mother ever since?”

“I have been a member of the League of Assassins since I was just a boy, Al Sahim, and your Mother is so much more than just someone we protect,” Malcolm informed him. “Although, I must say that I am not surprised you do not know this story. I am sure your Aunt and Uncle have purposefully kept you in the dark about all of this.”

“Enough riddles, Malcolm!” Oliver finally exclaimed with exasperation. “Who are my Aunt and Uncle?”

“You mean you haven’t figured it out by now?” questioned Malcolm with scorn. “Had I played my cards better, I’d be your Uncle now, instead of that usurper calling himself, ‘The Master’.”

Oliver sat back in his seat with a shocked look on his face. There was no way Malcolm was telling the truth. How could Ra’s Al Ghul be his Uncle? That would mean…, Oliver didn’t want to think about it. But, how could he not. Was this the real reason why his Father owed a debt to the League?

“Don’t take too long to figure this all out, Oliver,” Malcolm volleyed. “I’m sure if Mrs. Seldon knew the names of all of the players, she would have figured it all out by now.”

“Maybe you should enlighten me?” Felicity countered.

Malcolm could see the disbelief currently on Oliver’s face. “Since your boyfriend seems so caught up in his own thoughts,” he replied looking at Felicity, “allow me to explain.” Malcolm placed both his feet on the floor in front of him and leaned forward where he sat, looking far too relaxed for Felicity’s comfort.

Felicity ignored Malcolm’s assumption as to the status of their relationship. She knew he was enjoying how much he had upset Oliver and Oliver lost in thought was unsettling for her as it was.

“No, Malcolm,” a voice from the doorway insisted, “allow me to explain.”

All three heads turned to see Moira Queen standing there, looking more like her regal self than the shell of the woman they had witnessed earlier.

“I thought you were going to rest a while, My Lady,” Malcolm asked deferentially, to Oliver’s and Felicity’s surprise.

“I think it’s time I told my story, don’t you?” she asked Malcolm as she walked into the room.

“As you wish, My Lady,” was his reply.

Moira nodded her head at him and moved to sit down on the couch by his side. She placed a gentle hand on his knee and praised, “You have been so very loyal, Al Saher, thank you.”

Oliver’s head snapped up at his Mother’s use of that name. He had heard stories of Al Saher during his years of training with the League. He had been the most feared warrior the League had had, but his downfall had been his emotions. Which is why his Master or should he say, Uncle, used Al Saher as an example of the perils of allowing your heart to guide you. Based on what Malcolm had said earlier, maybe his Uncle hadn’t bothered following his own advice.

His Mother watched him carefully. “I had hoped to never have to tell you any of this, Oliver,” his Mother began, “but I fear if I do not tell you my side of the story, you will never be able to forgive me.”

“I’m not sure who to believe, Mother,” Oliver warned while squeezing Felicity’s hand. He turned his head toward Felicity for reassurance. She gazed up at him and gave him a weak smile in return. Felicity had her own reservations when it came to his Mother, he knew. He only hoped that whatever may be revealed with his Mother’s story, didn’t irreparably change anything between them.

Seeing that she had everyone’s attention, Moira sat back in her seat on the couch and began telling them her story. “You see, it all began when Melisande, my Mother, first met my father, Dearden, many, many years ago. They had two daughters. They named me Moira after our paternal grandmother and my sister after our maternal grandmother, Talia. My Father did not agree with the how we were being raised, but knew he could do nothing about it, so he abandoned us to live as our Mother saw fit.”

Felicity gasped at that revelation and felt a certain amount of sympathy for Moira Queen. Hadn’t her own Father abandoned her and her Mother when she was a little girl? She wondered if Moira had been a little girl when it happened, just like her. “I’m sorry,” Felicity sympathized.

Moira nodded her head at Felicity and continued, “My Mother focused all of her attention on making sure my sister and I were prepared for the life we were to lead. In doing so, she understood that times were changing and the more I knew of the outside world, the better I would be able to lead our people when the time came.”

“What do you mean ‘lead’?” Oliver asked his Mother.

“Patience, Al Sahim,” Malcolm cautioned. “Your Mother will get to that part.”

Moira flinched at the use of Oliver’s League name. She didn’t want to dwell on thoughts of that name for fear of the guilt she kept carefully locked away making its way to the surface of her soul. Instead, she took in a deep breath and started again. “After, I met your Father, I knew that I could never go back home. Robert Queen, even with his faults, was the man I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with,” she admitted as Malcolm took a moment to look away from her. Moira squeezed his knee, forcing him to refocus his attention on her and added, “I wanted to live my life with him, here. Raise my family here in Starling City.”

Oliver sat there listening to what he was being told, wondering why it had taken so long for all of this to be revealed to him. Felicity sensing his discomfort gave his hand a gentle squeeze. “So, then what happened,” asked Felicity, prompting Moira to continue.

“I made a bargain with my Mother that allowed me to be able to live the life I wanted to live,” she answered succinctly.

“Except, you hadn’t counted on me being a part of that bargain,” Malcolm interrupted her. He turned his gaze away from Moira and directed it at Oliver and Felicity. “I stayed with her and allowed myself to believe that I could get your Mother to choose me over Robert.” Malcolm slide his knee away from Moira’s touch and added, “Instead, it took nine long years after they got married before she would ever look my way.”

Moira reached her hand back toward Malcolm, but he turned a scathing look her way and she placed her hand back on her lap.

Malcolm turned his attention back to his captive audience and continued, “Even after playing the grief card with Rebecca’s death, your Mother succumbed to temptation only once.”

“Are you trying to tell us that you never loved Tommy’s Mother?” Oliver asked with disgust.

“I owe you no explanations, Oliver Queen,” Malcolm countered. “Rebecca was a dutiful wife, but a poor substitute for who I really wanted.” Malcolm gave Moira a resentful look and added, “I thought for sure she would leave Robert once she discovered she was carrying my child, but she turned me down because Robert had turned over a new leaf. He had professed his love for her and promised for the hundredth time he would mend his ways, but he never did.”

“Malcolm, enough!” Moira commanded. “My transgressions will be aired when I am ready and not based on your words or actions,” she seethed.

“That’s just it, My Lady,” Malcolm replied. “What you call transgressions I consider to be opportunities accomplish my goal.”

Oliver removed his arm from around Felicity and stood up at Malcolm’s words. “What goal do you have?” he demanded.

Malcolm genuinely smiled at Oliver, causing Moira to recoil. She knew that smile and what it meant. “Al Saher,” Moira intoned warningly, “you are still my servant and loyal to me.”

“What I am…is your daughter’s Father,” he reminded them, giving Moira a pointed look, “and as Thea’s father, it is my duty to ensure she reaches her full potential.”

The look of horror on Moira’s face had Oliver confused. “Will someone please tell me what is going on,” he demanded with frustration.

“As much as I would like to stay here and chat, my time table is progressing quicker than originally planned,” He looked at the three people in front of him and finished, “I think this is my cue to depart.” Then he detonated a League smoke bomb and disappeared.

Moira sat back in her seat, closed her eyes and placed her hand on her forehead.

“Where did he go?” asked Felicity while coughing and looking up at Oliver.

Oliver shook his head at Felicity, sat back down next to her, looked at this Mother and said, “You need to finish your story, Mother. I think after everything I’ve been through, I deserve to finally find out why.”

Moira used her hand to smooth down her hair and repositioned her seated posture to square her shoulders toward the young couple sitting across from her. The fact that her son had not tried to throttle her and still patiently sat there waiting for her response, she knew was a testament to the calming effect Felicity had always had on her son. She knew that everything she had ever done to dissuade that young woman from any involvement with her family or friends was for naught. Oliver was always drawn to her like a moth to a flame. She had merely hoped to spare this young girl any further pain, knowing in advance the life her son had in store. Yet fate continued to have Felicity cross paths with the Queen family no matter what. Even, after Oliver’s departure, she couldn’t ever completely get away from this girl. From her involvement with the Seldon family to her eventually charming Walter Steele and getting hired at QC, Felicity was a constant reminder of her son and that she had failed him. She hoped that if he lived long enough to have a child, he would understand why she had done what she did. Now, Moira thought, another innocent life was in peril simply by being associated with her family. She shifted her focus to her son. How could she tell him what happened to him was her fault? That in order to protect his sister, Malcolm bargained his life away in servitude to an organization she herself wanted nothing to do with.

“My patience is growing thin, Mother,” Oliver warned.

It was enough to bring Moira’s focus back from her musing. “Yes, Oliver you are correct. You deserve to know the truth.” She took in a deep breath in preparation, then began her story once more. “My family has ruled the League of Assassins for over 20 generations. My sister Talia and I were raised with the expectation that I would rule and she was the spare. Our Mother allowed me to study abroad to learn more of the evils of this world so that when time for their retribution came, I would not hesitate. What she didn’t count on was how quickly and deeply, I fell in love with your Father. I knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him in Starling City. When I let my mother know that I never wanted to come back home, as punishment for abandoning her, she made me promise to deliver my first-born daughter to her on my daughter’s eighteenth birthday.”

“WHAT?!” exclaimed Oliver. “You are going to have to send Thea to join the League of Assassins?!”

Moira shook her head no to him. “When I found out I was going to have Thea, I knew that I could never send her to that place. I never wanted her to live that life I renounced years ago. I asked Malcolm to plead with my Mother and to alter our bargain so that Thea would never have to pay that price.”

Felicity looked in horror at Moira and squeezed Oliver’s hand tightly. “How could you trade one child for the other?!” she spat out at Moira. “What kind of Mother willingly turns over a child to on organization like that?!”

Moira’s gaze narrowed at Felicity, “I owe YOU no explanations. Malcolm was the one who bargained away my son’s life, not I. When he went to see my Mother to negotiate on our daughter’s behalf, my Mother locked him away in her dungeon for five years, as punishment for leaving my side to return to Nanda Parbat, before she was even willing to hear what he had returned to say. Once he was finally released to stand in her presence, the solitary confinement he had suffered, altered him. All he knew was that he had to protect his daughter and he did that, unfortunately, by compelling my son to live a life of servitude to pay for his Father’s crime of convincing me to relinquish my inheritance. Once he returned so many years later to let me know what had happened, there was little that I could do to change your fate.” She leveled her most sorrowful look at her son. “All I could do was to help raise Tommy during Malcolm’s absence and try to give you some happy memories to hold onto once you were taken away from us.”

Oliver closed his eyes and sat back in his seat in shock. The last ten years of his life made absolutely no sense to him at all now. Everyone in his life had lied to him. Did Nyssa even know the truth?

“Oliver?” he heard Felicity ask gently causing him to open his eyes and focus on her again.

“Oliver, I’m so sorry…” he heard his Mother finally say.

He turned and stared at his Mother. “You are the reason why my Father took his life in front of me, aren’t you?” he demanded. “You are the cause for all the broken bones, the beatings, the scars, and the nightmares I have suffered!” he accused.

His Mother burst into tears and nodded in agreement with her son’s accusations. “Yes, Oliver…” she sobbed, “I am the reason for everything that has happened to you since your eighteenth birthday…”

A loud scream from outside the parlor room diverted their attention. Oliver leaped up and readied for the footsteps he heard running toward them.

Raisa ran into the room yelling, “Mrs. Queen, Mrs. Queen…It’s Miss Thea…Miss Thea is missing!”

Chapter Text

In the previous chapter: Malcolm tells his version of past events and Moira offers a bit more clarification on her past and apologizes for her actions. Oliver has no idea who to believe anymore.

  
Chapter 22

“Has Al Sahim succeeded in his mission, Daughter?” the gruff looking man asked impatiently from the small screen displaying his image to Nyssa.

“There has been an impediment, Father” Nyssa stated flatly. “One that is being dealt with,” she said with more certainty, as she thought of increasing her efforts to track down the deceased shooter’s contractor and to find out if it was the same person who shot her brother with the poison-laced bullet.

“You are my finest student, Daughter,” Ra’s al Ghul reminded her. “I expect more from you and your Brother. This so-called ‘impediment’ must be removed. Al Sahim knows that his Father’s debt will not be fully paid until his Father’s accomplices have been eliminated.  Then, and only then, will he be released to return to his former way of life.”

“Al Sahim has a very good reason for completing his mission, Father,” Nyssa stated emphatically, piquing his interest. Nyssa noticed the inclination of her Father’s head, the curious look that crossed his features and instantly regretted her words.

“And what reason would that be?” her Father inquired with a beady eyed look of a snake ready to strike.

“Why so that he can be with his family, of course,” Nyssa replied, hoping it put an end to any further inquiry by her Father.

“Of course,” Ra’s repeated doubtfully. He steeled his gaze and added, “You shall ensure that Al Sahim fulfills his duty and then you must return immediately to complete your ascension as your Mother’s heir.”

“We may need a bit more time…” Nyssa started.

“There is no more time to be had!” shouted Ra’s to his daughter’s dismay. “An interloper is anticipated to make a challenge to your claim as Heir,” he seethed.

“Who dares challenge me?” Nyssa demanded as she stood up and pushed away in disgust from the table where her tablet rested.

A gleam of approval appeared in Ra’s’ eye and he replied, “A Magician’s Daughter…”

Nyssa tilted her head at her Father’s words and asked carefully, “I thought the Magician was merely a fable you used to keep our warriors focused?”

“He is very much real and his devil spawn is the only person who could try to usurp you,” he warned.

“Let her try,” Nyssa dared. “I have no equal in combat save my Brother and he will surely be at my side,” she stated with conviction.

Ra’s smiled sinisterly at his daughter and agreed, “Surely…” Then, without waiting for his daughter to reply, Ra’s ended the video chat abruptly.

Nyssa closed the blank video window and opened the tracking window. The glowing red dot indicated that Felicity was still located at Queen Manor. If Felicity was there, then Al Sahim must still be with her. She smiled to herself at her foresight to put a tracker on Al Sahim’s beloved. She closed her tablet and grabbed a few things to take with her. His mission had been delayed long enough. She needed to let her Brother know that she would be leaving him to return home to deal with her challenger. As she headed out, she contemplated her Father’s eagerness for Al Sahim to accomplish his mission. Granted, she too wanted to be done with Starling City. It troubled her that Al Sahim’s assailant knew exactly where his armor was weakest and that they had shot bullets laced with a poison once used by the League. The only way that was possible was that someone here must be a former member of the League. Nyssa shook her head at that thought. The only way you were a former member of the League was if you were dead. Death was the only release from League service. Who could be League trained and considered to be dead by the League at the same time, she wondered. Unless, the person who shot Oliver was the Magician or his Daughter?

Gun shots rang out in the distance causing the group assembled to look at each other in shock. Oliver raced out of the room towards the direction the sound came from to find John Diggle, gun drawn, rushing inside Queen Manor.

“Oliver!” John shouted as he joined him in the foyer of the house. “I just saw Thea being dragged into the back of a van as it sped away right in front of me! Is everyone else inside okay?!”

“We’re fine!” Oliver answered incredulously, not expecting to see his bodyguard so soon. “I heard shots fired?” Oliver queried in haste.

John looked around him to see Felicity with her purse, rushing over to Oliver’s side. “Digg, what is going on?” she asked.

“I was just coming to the Manor to tender my resignation, when I saw Rob and another member of your Family’s security detail struggling with four men who were pushing your sister into a waiting cargo van.”

“Where’s my sister?” demanded Oliver.

John just shook his head and admitted, “I don’t know. I exchanged gunfire with the men once they overpowered Rob and the security guard, but they managed to get Thea in the van and sped away.”

At the sound of the loud gasp, they turned around to see Moira Queen standing there, a hand covering her mouth and fresh tears streaming down her cheeks. “My daughter is gone and Malcolm Merlyn has her,” she stated definitively.

“Well if that’s true, Mrs. Queen,” started Digg, “then we need to alert the authorities…”

“Absolutely not!” she seethed. “This is a private family matter.” Moira steeled her posture as she faced off with John. Oliver and Felicity both stood there watching

“Not after two of my men got injured trying to protect your daughter,” Digg countered, his arms folded in front of him. “Thank you for asking about them, by-the-way. They are going to be fine, they just had through-and-throughs.”

“Guys!” Felicity interrupted. “This is not helping us find Thea!” She gave Moira and Digg a stern look, then walked over to John and asked, “You didn’t by any chance happen to place a tracker on Thea Queen as a precaution?”

Oliver’s eyes grew large at the thought of his family’s privacy being invaded so intrusively. He watched as John nodded his head and answered, “We did, actually.”

Moira snapped her head toward him and demanded, “I never authorized that!”

It was John’s turn to strengthen his posture as he faced the Queen matriarch. “I did the minute your daughter first successfully eluded her security detail.” He pulled out his phone, activated an app that showed a red dot blinking on the screen. “I know exactly where your daughter is at and we will get her back, but right now, I need to see my men get medical attention.”

“Your men, Mr. Diggle,” Nyssa, no longer in League garb, intoned from the doorway of the manor, “are of no use to you anymore.” Then she fully stepped into the foyer of the great house and studied each person standing there. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the older woman standing there defiantly in front of John Diggle. She looked so familiar to her. Dismissing her intuition for a moment, Nyssa swiftly looked over at Oliver and added, “It would appear your
shooter used similar bullets on Mr. Diggle’s men as...” Nyssa took a few more steps closer to where the group stood inside the foyer, discreetly keeping a wary eye on the older woman in the room.

“Nyssa…” Oliver warned, silencing his sister from finishing that sentence.

Moira’s attention turned toward their newest visitor at the mention of her name.

“Those were good men,” John said solemnly refocusing the group’s attention.

“And they were compensated appropriately for providing security for my daughter,” Moira countered coldly as she angled her head to look at John, but maintained a close eye on their most recent guest. “I only hope that we will get my daughter back before something happens to her or their sacrifice was for naught.”

“Mom!” Oliver gasped at his Mother’s callous statement, while Felicity shook her head in disgust at Moira’s thoughtlessness. He turned to look at John, “My family will take care of your men’s next of kin, John, as payment for their service to us.” He looked at Felicity and asked, “Can you track down Thea’s location?”

“Yes,” Felicity replied as John handed her his phone. “The van seems to be heading towards the Starling City Executive Airport.”

“Can you pull-up any current flight plans that might have been filed for departing planes?” John asked.

Felicity rolled her eyes at him, handed the phone back to John and reached into her purse to grab her tablet. After a few moments of quick key-strokes and a couple of puffs of air to blow her bangs out of her eyes, she answered, “I think I found it…It looks like they are headed to…” Felicity paused for a moment to give Oliver a scared look, then she finished, “Nanda Parbat…”

“Malcolm is taking my Daughter home,” Moira voiced in defeat. It was the one place she had never wanted anything to do with, but now was going to have to return to get her daughter back.

Oliver grimaced at his Mother and looked at Felicity and John with concern. Nanda Parbat was the last place he wanted to be.

“Al Saher is going to use Thea to lay claim to control of the League,” Moira finally admitted. She walked right in front of her son and said, “You have to stop him, Oliver. You have to bring my baby home to me and keep her away from that place.”

Nyssa’s eyes grew wide with awareness. She took a few cautious steps forward while watching Al Sahim still give his Mother a wary look. She stopped once she was standing next to him, looked directly at his Mother and said, “Your daughter is the one Father warned me about today.”

Moira gave Nyssa a cold appraisal and replied, “You would do well to mind your manners while you are in my home…Niece.” Nyssa frowned, narrowed her eyes, but nodded her head at Moira. An unspoken truce agreed to between the two of them.

Felicity cleared her thoat loudly to gain their attention and informed, “I took the liberty of ordering the QC jet fueled and ready to depart, guys.” She looked at Oliver and said, “Let’s go get your sister back.”

Chapter Text

Previously, John Diggle returns to the Queen Mansion, Nyssa shows up at the Queen Mansion, Moira talks to Nyssa, and Felicity takes charge...

Chapter Twenty-Three

Oliver pensively sat in his seat as the jet made its long journey to the only airport closest to Nanda Parbat. He had never wanted to make this trek ever again, let alone with someone he loved. He glanced down at the slumbering form of the woman seated next to him. Nyssa was right. She was his beloved and he had vowed that she would never know the place that fueled his nightmares. Now, they were both traveling there to face a challenge he could never have expected.

Ten long years he had served the League, yet no one told him the truth about himself. He looked over to where Nyssa sat, staring out the window, lost in her own thoughts. It was apparent that she was shocked just as much as he had been by all the revelations. Why would The Master and The Mistress…or should he call them Uncle and Aunt, allow him to think that he was merely there to absolve his Father’s sins, when they were really his Mother’s?

His Mother, he thought in disgust. She hadn’t even expressed interest in joining them on their journey to rescue Thea. Instead, she had focused her concern on herself and lamented how she could never return to the place of her birth. When he had asked her to join them, she had recoiled from him, as if the words he had spoken had burned her flesh. Her reaction caused him to finally realize the level of selfishness that ruled his Mother’s heart.

His thoughts wandered back to his time in Nanda Parbat. He had never expressed any interest in remaining with the League after the debt was repaid. All he had ever wanted was to be able to return home. But home was no longer where he wanted to be. He only wanted to be wherever his beloved was. Felicity stirred next to him, almost as if she could hear his inner troubling thoughts. Even in sleep, she gently reached for him and he obliged her by settling his hand in hers. She gripped his hand briefly, murmured something in her sleep and nuzzled closer to him.

This fierce and independent spirit had taken command of the situation and ordered the QC jet ready for them. She had calmed down Raisa enough to get her to pack a few items for them all and had the presence of mind to ensure that their trip was being masked as a trip to familiarize him with QC’s East Asian business holdings. She had been like a force of nature, getting them organized and ready to make this journey. She had even told him on the tarmac with her very loud voice that there was no way he was leaving without her by his side.

That simple memory brought the briefest semblance of a smile to his face. He leaned down and brushed a gentle kiss on top of her head, hoping to not disturb her much needed sleep. It was hearing his name whispered that broke him out of his thoughts of Felicity. He turned toward the sound of his name and looked at the man sitting across the aisle from him.

“You know that we may not make it back, right?” Digg stated ominously.

“Yes, you will,” Oliver solemnly replied. “You and Felicity will make it back.”

Digg gave a soft chuckle. “Somehow, I don’t think Felicity will agree to leaving you behind…”

“If all goes well, she won’t have to worry about that,” Oliver countered, “but, you, John…you have to be prepared to run with her if I tell you to.”

“We won’t leave you behind,” John argued quietly.

“You won’t be leaving Oliver behind,” he replied. “It will be Al Sahim.”

John shook his head and was about to respond when he noticed Felicity starting to awaken next to Oliver.

Oliver fell silent as Felicity’s eyes fluttered open. She stretched her arms over her head and her legs in front of her. “Are we almost there yet?” she asked quietly, stifling a yawn behind her hand.

Nyssa turned her gaze away from outside the window and finally broke her silence, “We are almost home, Ukhti,” (Sister). Then she gave Oliver a slight nod of her head.

His mouth formed a hard, straight line as he looked at Nyssa. “Did you know?” Oliver finally asked her.

She shook her head at him and replied, “No, I did not know.” She glanced back out her window at the familiar terrain below and continued, “I knew none of it.”

************************************************************************
After landing, the group made the several hours journey toward the fortress where Nyssa was raised and Oliver had spent years paying a debt he had never accrued. There, waiting for them in the darkness, an army standing amid the torches and banners flanking their presence. As the group approached them, the warriors looked even more ominous. Felicity looked at Oliver ahead of her and noticed his posture stiffen as they got closer to the armed forces standing sentry at the entrance to Nanda Parbat. Felicity turned her attention to the man and woman standing regally at the front, each in matching black robes with gold embroidery.

“Welcome back, Daughter!” the man proclaimed with a sinister smile and open arms.
Nyssa dismissed her Father’s open arms and walked straight to her Mother. “I believe you owe me and your Nephew and explanation,” she hissed.

Talia al Ghul smiled at her daughter’s statement, while keeping a wary eye on her now acknowledged nephew, Al Sahim. Who knew better of what he was capable of than the two people who had trained him? “Come, my children,” Talia announced, “a feast has been prepared to welcome the return of my daughter and nephew to their rightful home.”

Al Sahim held his arm up behind him to halt Digg and Felicity behind him, then looked at Talia and started, “Mistress…”

Talia raised an eyebrow at Al Sahim. “Surely, Nephew we can dispense with the formalities now that you know who I am.” Then she looked around him toward the other two members of their group and added, “Ah, yes, Mrs. Seldon and Mr. Diggle…Welcome to Nanda Parbat.”

*******************************************************************************************
The group was led inside the fortress to a suite of rooms located along the western edge of the ancient structure. Nyssa showed Felicity to a room next to her own, with Oliver across from Felicity’s room and John’s across from Nyssa’s. “Come, Ukhti,” announced Nyssa, “We must prepare you for the feast tonight.”

“Nyssa, we need to talk,” Al Sahim interrupted.

“We will,” Nyssa agreed, “but first we must humor Mother and Father with this façade of a welcome feast.” Then she shook her head toward his room and John and informed them, “Your dress robes should have been set out for you.” Next, she ushered Felicity into her room and closed the door.

“I’ll meet you in the hallway in one hour,” Oliver informed John.

“Do you have a plan?” John asked succinctly, while quickly assessing the massive rock walls that made up the hallway and surrounding rooms.

“First, we have to try and find out what my Aunt and Uncle are up to. Then, we need to figure out where Merlyn has my sister and how he plans to use her to claim leadership of the League,” Oliver replied.

“Any suggestions on where to start?” John inquired.

“I may have a recommendation for you,” offered a deep voice from the shadows down the hall, causing both men to turn and face their intruder. An older gentleman dressed in an older version of Al Sahim’s own uniform, took a step forward and walked straight up to him. “Welcome home, Al Sahim.”

“Al Awal, thank you for not making me search you out,” Al Sahim admitted.

Al Awal assessed John Diggle, then looked back at Al Sahim and said, “We should take our conversation away from prying ears.”

“Agreed,” replied Al Sahim, “but John Diggle is someone I trust and needs to be included.”

“It would have been wise to not bring back,” Al Awal said, then paused to incline his head toward John and warned, “so many reminders of your past when it is your future I am concerned about.”  

Al Sahim pursed his lips as he opened the door to his room to lead both men inside. Al Awal nodded his head and followed Al Sahim and John into the room and closed the door.

Once inside, Al Sahim asked, “What do you know?”

John Diggle said nothing, but folded his arms across his chest and strengthened his stance to prepare for whatever Oliver’s ally was going to tell them.

“Al Saher is going to use his daughter…” Al Awal began.

“You mean my sister…” Al Sahim interrupted.

Al Awal nodded his head and began again, “Your sister is the rightful heir to the League of Assassins and Al Saher is going to use her to challenge Nyssa’s claim as heir.”

Al Sahim shook his head in disbelief.

Al Awal frowned, “Do not underestimate Al Saher’s ambition, Al Sahim. He has been planning this move since the day she was born.”

“Then why would he bargain away my life?” Al Sahim questioned.

“He didn’t bargain away your life,” Al Awal responded. “He offered you as a sacrificial lamb to appease your Aunt’s concern that your Mother would try to come back and take back what is rightfully hers. Your Uncle came to admire your skills and thought you would be a better asset to the League. It’s why you were kept here for so long…”

“You mean Oliver should have returned home sooner than he did?” an incredulous John asked.

Al Awal narrowed his gaze at John Diggle’s judgmental tone. “Al Sahim is a rightful Lord of the League of Assassins, Mr. Diggle.” Then he looked at Al Sahim and added, “All you need to do is say the word and I can have 200 of our strongest warriors at your command.”

Al Sahim took a step back at the force with which Al Awal had made his offer. He shook his head in disagreement. “Nyssa is the rightful heir, not I or my sister.”

“Nyssa is a worthy warrior, however, she is not the daughter of Moira Queen,” Al Awal admitted. “Some of us have been waiting, patiently, for your sister to come of age to claim her place as rightful heir to the League of Assassins.”

“No!!” shouted Al Sahim. “I will not support whatever Malcolm Merlyn or Al Saher has planned for Thea!”

“Then you must be prepared to choose a side in the upcoming battle, Al Sahim,” Al Awal warned, “for a battle will be raged if Al Saher demands his daughter’s claim as heir be heard by the Warriors’ Council.”

“What’s the Warriors’ Council?” asked John.

“The Warriors’ Council is only invoked when there is dispute as to leadership of the League,” replied Al Awal. “The last Warriors’ Council occurred upon your Grandmother’s death and right before your arrival at Nanda Parbat. It was when your Aunt and Uncle were able to rise to power and the decision to bring you back to start your training under the guise of settling your Father’s debt was made to appease their opposition on the Council.” Al Awal paused for a moment to look directly at Al Sahim and continued, “Not Talia, or Ra’s had wanted you anywhere near Nanda Parbat. However, enough of us knew about the bargain struck between Al Saher and your Grandmother, that they could not deny your entry into the League.”

“So, what happens now?” asked Digg.

“Now, we get ready for the welcome feast and find out if my Aunt and Uncle have anything else in store for us,” Al Sahim replied.

Chapter Text

Chapter 24

Previously: Oliver, Felicity, John and Nyssa arrive in Nanda Parbat. An old friend offers some advice to Oliver.

Eleven years ago…

“Baby Doll, are you heading up to the Big House after school today?” Donna Smoak asked with a teasing smile as she set the box of Lucky Charms down in front of her daughter. She knew Felicity was harboring a not-so-secret-to-her-but-secret-to-the-world crush on the young man she was tutoring. Donna thought it would do her daughter some good to focus on something other than all the wires, devices and electronic equipment she kept in her little bedroom in their place in The Glades.

Felicity rolled her eyes at her Mother as she reached for the cereal box and began to make her favorite breakfast. She knew it was one of the few things neither she nor her Mother could ruin. She replied, “Yes, Mom…Oliver has an important Chemistry exam next week I need to prep him for.”

“I think you’re working on the wrong type of chemistry, Sweetie,” Donna replied with a grin while wriggling her eyebrows up and down. She wished her daughter saw what she did. Felicity Smoak was a remarkable young woman any boy would be lucky to have on his arm. She also hoped that, one day, preferably sooner rather than later, the Queen boy would wake up and finally realize the amazing girl who helped him with his homework every week.

“Mom, I’ve told you already that he has a girlfriend and she’s gorgeous.” Felicity looked down at what she was wearing, and chuckled to herself. She loved the comfy clothes she wore. Granted most of it was second hand, but she was most proud of all the vintage science fiction t-shirts the lady at the thrift store saved for her. It was also the kind of thing that didn’t usually draw any attention, which was exactly what she wanted. Felicity had one goal on her mind. She wanted to go to M.I.T. and study computer science. She wasn’t going to let whatever romantic fantasy her Mother was thinking about distract her. So, better to just help Oliver the best she could with his grades and not waste time thinking about something that was NEVER going to happen.

Now…

“Felicity...Felicity…Felicity?!” Nyssa quizzed.

“What?!” Felicity jumped as Nyssa’s words brought her out of her memories.

“Your thoughts have taken you away from here, my sister.” Nyssa tilted her head at Felicity and asked, “Anything I should be concerned about?”

Felicity shook her head no in response. Nyssa wouldn’t believe how unthinkable she and Oliver were after everything that had happened. Ten plus years really can make a difference, she thought.

Nyssa smiled and said, “Come, let us go show your beloved how beautiful you are dressed in League formal attire…”

Felicity looked down at what she was wearing now. It was definitely not a t-shirt and jeans, she mused. She smiled as she brushed the palm of her hand over the black silk fabric she wore. The bodice of the gown had an intricate pattern in gold thread of two ornate arrowheads interlocked that reminded her of a Celtic love knot. Nyssa had also given her a gossamer-thin veil made of the most delicate, shimmery golden material she had ever seen. As she placed it on her head in preparation to meet Oliver and John in the hallway, she paused for one moment to take a look at herself in the full-length mirror against the wall of the room.

Nyssa watched Felicity pause. She walked away from the door back toward the small vanity on the opposite wall of the mirror. She opened the small chest on the vanity table, pulled something out of it and walked toward Felicity. “I believe you are missing this,” proclaimed Nyssa as she held a thin circlet of jewels out to her.

Felicity gasped as she looked at the dazzling, gold item Nyssa held in her hands. The gold circlet had marquise-cut onyx cabochons embedded in a chevron pattern all around it.

When Felicity didn’t readily take the beautiful and delicate item, Nyssa reached up, placed it on her head and secured the veil with it. “There,” Nyssa added as she brushed a stray lock of hair out of Felicity’s face. “My Brother will have to be extra vigilant tonight during dinner. Our finest warriors will surely be tempted by your beauty, Ukhti (Sister),” Nyssa teased. Felicity reached up to remove the jeweled circlet from her head, but Nyssa stopped her. “Please, Felicity, do not remove this trinket. I was merely teasing,” a contrite Nyssa requested.

Felicity pulled her hands away from her head. “I don’t want Oliver getting into any trouble as a result of me being here, Nyssa,” she informed her. “Oliver is going to need all of his focus in order to deal with whatever happens next.”

“My Brother is more than capable to deal with whatever comes his way, so long as you remain by his side, Ukhti (Sister),” Nyssa proclaimed. “Besides, he is not alone in wanting to get to the bottom of all that my parents and Al Saher may be up to.” She moved away from Felicity, headed toward the chamber door and added, “I am no pawn on the chessboard they have concocted,” she vowed.”

“Then we are agreed that this feast is just another part of their plan?” Felicity asked, causing Nyssa to pause where she stood.

Nyssa took a deep breath, exhaled, turned around and answered, “I think this feast is a way for my parents to gauge where Al Sahim’s loyalty may lay.” She took a few steps back toward Felicity and continued, “We will all have a part to play moving forward. My concern is not so much what Al Sahim will do, but rather WHEN he means to accomplish whatever plan he sets in motion.” Then she reached both hands up and placed them on Felicity’s shoulders. “Come, Felicity, let us show my parents we are a united front.” She led Felicity to their chamber’s door, but stopped her from exiting. “Wait here for one moment,” Nyssa commanded, a mischievous grin on her face.

Nyssa, wearing a flowing black dress robe over her League body armor, adorned with a similar pattern as the one her parents wore earlier, stepped out of her chamber and looked to where Oliver, John and Al Awal stood in their shared hallway. She quickly gave them an appraising gaze as each man wore formal League robes. Then a knowing smile graced her lips and she teasingly quizzed, “So Brother, are you ready to see your Beloved?”

Oliver gave John a questioning look, to which Digg shrugged his shoulders. Then Nyssa moved away from her Chamber’s doorway. There stood Felicity, her blond locks swept up and away from her face, hidden beneath the beautiful, delicate veil she wore. Oliver inhaled sharply as he was awestruck with Felicity dressed in a beautiful black silk gown that bore the same double arrow symbol he wore on his own dress robe over his own armor. “You look beautiful,” he commented softly.

Felicity blushed at Oliver’s words. “Thank you,” she muttered softly in reply as she followed Nyssa into the hallway. She paused as she noticed they were not alone and a member of the League had joined them.

Al Awal, cleared his throat and interrupted, looking at Nyssa and Al Sahim, “My Lady, My Lord, we do not want to be late to the feast.”

Oliver looked at Nyssa who nodded her head at him. Then he extended his arm out and Felicity wrapped her arm in his. “After you, Nyssa,” he said.

Nyssa led the group, followed by Oliver and Felicity, then Al Awal and John brought up the rear.

“Oliver,” Felicity whispered, “who is that man?”

Oliver leaned his head down slightly toward her as they walked arm-in-arm and answered, “He is Al Awal and was my first instructor when I got here.”

“Do you trust him?” Felicity questioned with concern.

Oliver nodded his head and whispered, “With my life.”

Felicity inhaled then asked, “What happens now?”

“Now, we walk into this farce and see what game they are playing,” he replied. Then he tugged her closer to him and whispered as close to her ear as possible, “No matter what happens, stay by my side or John’s.” Oliver turned his head and gave John a quick look and John nodded in response.

“I’m not leaving you here, Oliver,” Felicity vowed quietly, but vehemently.

Oliver brought her hand up to his lips and gently kissed it. “It won’t come to that,” he responded. Then he dropped her hand into his own and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

As they walked through the various passageways, Felicity realized that there was no way she was going to be able to find her way out of there on her own. Each tunnel they entered looked like the next. Finally, they arrived at the Great Hall. The large stone walled room had a U-shaped head table that could easily seat 50 people. There were four rows of additional tables and seat in the center of the room perpendicular to the head table. Felicity noticed that Ra’s and Talia al Ghul sat at the center of the head table with several seats on either side of them empty. She followed Oliver as he led her to their seats next to Ra’s while Nyssa and sat on the other side next to her Mother. She watched as Al Awal led John to a seat next to him at the table to their right. “I don’t think I should be sitting at the head table,” whispered Felicity to Oliver.

“You are exactly where you should be,” Oliver replied for only Felicity to hear. Then he turned to Ra’s and stated, “Master, thank you for this feast to welcome us home.”

Ra’s cocked his eyebrow up at Al Sahim’s words, carefully studied his nephew’s face, gave Felicity’s presence at their table a cursory appraisal, then answered, “We have much to celebrate, Al Sahim. Your return home brings great joy to your Master’s and Mistress’ hearts.”

Oliver heard Felicity give a soft snort of disbelief and reached for her hand under the table to give it a squeeze of caution. He knew if Ra’s believed she was being disrespectful, it would pose trouble for them all.

Ra’s ignored Felicity’s reaction and instead turned his attention to his wife and asked, “Won’t you let the festivities begin, My Love?”

Talia looked at Ra’s, nodded her head, stood up from her seat and proclaimed, “Let the feast begin!” Upon her command platters of meat, fruits, flatbread and sumptuous delicacies to delight the senses were placed on every table for those assembled.

Felicity marveled at the display of grandeur presented in front of her. She gazed out at those assembled, noticing several hostile glares from some of the women and the men, but realized that most were just stolen curious looks at her. When one of the servers filled her cup with wine, she made eye contact with her and said, “Thank you.” The young girl smiled slightly at her as if hoping not to get caught, then nodded in response and continued filling the glasses of the occupants of the head table. Felicity took a drink of the wine offered and smiled as the full-bodied flavor of the blood red liquid traveled over her tongue, eliciting a subtle groan as it made its way down her throat.

Oliver turned to watch her enjoy her beverage. He knew he couldn’t get distracted by Felicity, but knew that her presence there would also help him to focus on what he might have to do next. As a platter was placed before them, he remembered that Felicity was allergic to nuts and showed her which items to avoid. As they ate, he kept a watchful eye on all the occupants of the room, occasionally exchanging a glance with Digg or Al Awal. Oliver could feel the tension in the room. He noticed that there were an inordinate number of sentries standing at each entrance of the Great Hall. This show of force heightened Oliver’s suspicions that his Aunt and Uncle were anticipating Malcolm to do something. The sudden onslaught of shouting from outside the Hall caused everyone there to rise from their seat and face the Great Hall doorway, weapons drawn. Oliver signaled to Digg and Al Awal, who both rushed over to them and stood beside him and Felicity. Oliver then directed his attention toward Nyssa who showed him that she was prepared with her own weapons ready.

At that moment, the guards at the doorway moved out of the way and allowed entry into the room by the very person who had caused the disturbance outside the Great Hall.

Chapter Text

Chapter 25
Previously:
Oliver, Felicity, John and Nyssa head to the “Welcome Home” feast. Guess who’s coming to dinner????

Now:
Oliver braced for battle from the expected onslaught. He looked out at the crowd and noticed that not everyone appeared to be concerned about what was about to happen. Then he looked back at his Aunt and Uncle who remained seated, but anxious at their perch. Oliver looked back toward the doorway as the guards moved away and allowed entrance to the person they had all been anticipating arrived. Oliver searched for any sign of Thea, but couldn’t locate her among the people accompanying Malcolm.

Malcolm Merlyn sauntered into the Great Hall followed by an entourage of men and women dressed in League armor, weapons still sheathed at their sides. “Please…everyone…don’t stand on ceremony for me,” Malcolm announced as he entered the room and surveyed his surroundings. A wry smile appeared on his countenance as he nodded his head at Al Awal, who nodded back at him, his face steady and unreadable. Malcolm continued, “Let me introduce you to the rightful Heir of the League of Assassins…” He held out his hand while his bevy of followers parted like the Red Sea and two figures made their way toward him. “Moira Queen, the true Mistress of our order and our daughter, Thea,” Malcolm proclaimed with relish. He looked like a man about to realize his deepest fantasies were about to finally come to fruition.

Felicity reached for Oliver’s hand and whispered, “Oliver?”

He gave her hand a gentle, but firm squeeze, without looking at her. Upon releasing her hand, Oliver rose from his seat as his Mother and Sister entered the room.

“Your presence is not welcome here, Sister,” Talia proclaimed as Malcolm ushered Moira and Thea to the middle of the room. Talia’s reproachful gaze never left her sister. “You abandoned your people and heritage when you left us to pursue your own selfish needs.”

“Mother?” Oliver questioned tersely, waiting for an explanation from her. He watched her give him a slight shake of her head and then he looked over at his sister and noticed her eyes were vacant and face without expression. They had to have given her something to make Thea so compliant, he thought to himself.

Ra’s, ignoring Moira, stood up next to his wife and added, “Al Saher, you and your spawn have no place in our domain.”

As Ra’s began to raise his hand to command the warriors within the room, Moira interrupted, “I demand a trial by Warriors’ Council.”

The collective hush in the room had heads turning everywhere. Oliver watched as the smile on Malcolm Merlyn’s face was mimicked in a much more sinister way by Ra’s Al Ghul. Was there something more at work here than what was visible on the surface, he wondered? He turned around to look at his mentor, Al Awal, who merely nodded his head at him to turn back around to see what was to happen next.

“Will no one here stand as my Thani (Second).”

“I will serve you as your Thani (Second), My Lady,” replied Al Awal, as he stepped around from behind the table, walked toward Moira, gave her a formal bow and took a place at her side, as several of the feast attendees stood up from where they sat and joined him in support of Moira’s challenge.

Talia narrowed her gaze as she watched a majority of their strongest warriors fall into place behind their teacher. “Well, Sister,” Talia seethed, “it appears you will get your request…but be careful of what you wish for…” Then she announced to everyone present, “We shall convene the Warriors’ Council in four hours,” and swept out of the room with a flourish through the doors behind the head table, followed by her husband and Nyssa. Moira turned and left through the door she entered followed by Thea, Malcolm, Al Awal and their supporters.

Oliver, Felicity and John were left in the dining room alone. “Oliver, you ready to tell me what the hell we just witnessed?” John asked from where he stood behind them.

Oliver turned to face both John and Felicity and pursed his lips together tightly. He was still trying to figure things out in his own mind.

“I think we’re witnessing a coup,” chimed in Felicity from where she sat. She turned her full attention toward Oliver and added, “and I think that your Mother has been planning this for a very long time.”
********************************************************

“Mom, I thought we were going to be heading home now?” Thea asked with a drowsy tone.

“I’m sorry, Darling, but your Father and I have some unfinished business to attend to in a little while,” Moira cooed to her daughter. She motioned for her to join her. “Come, Thea,” Moira said as she directed her daughter toward the beautiful bed at the center of the room. “You need your rest after the long flight and travel to bring you here.”

Thea yawned and agreed, “I am feeling very…sleepy…” She crawled up on the bed and settled under the bed covers.

Moira waited a moment to make sure her daughter had truly fallen asleep. The elixir Malcolm had given their daughter worked almost too well. She was surprised how compliant Thea had become almost as soon as the drug had entered her system. As she exited the room, Moira commanded two of Malcolm’s followers to guard her daughter’s door. Then she made her way down the hallway in search of where Oliver may be. She had to get to him to explain her actions and hope she hadn’t lost her son forever.
********************************************************

“Okay, Felicity,” John answered, “let’s hear your theory.”

Felicity rose from her seat and walked closer to John, while surveying the room to make sure that they really were truly alone. She positioned herself between both men, looked up at Oliver and continued, “I know you might not want to hear this, Oliver, but hopefully after what we just witnessed, you finally realize that your Mother is capable of anything.” When Oliver didn’t immediately interrupt her, she added, “I think your Mother is in this for the long game. That she used Malcolm Merlyn to help get her out of the League and then when she realized she could never truly escape let alone control him, she figured out a way to possibly get rid of him.”

“Get rid of him?” John questioned. “How does she get rid of him if she’s here with him?

Oliver sighed and looked down at the ground where he stood. Was Felicity, right? Was his Mother truly the mastermind behind everything?

“She had no choice but to come with him to insure he never comes back,” Felicity replied, not waiting for Oliver to reply.

John gave her a questioning look. “Are you saying…”

“I’m saying that Moira Queen allowed her son to be kidnapped by the League of Assassins so they would train him so he would one day be able to defeat Malcolm Merlyn and finally free her from the League forever,” Felicity stated as she gave Oliver a hesitant look to see if he was about to contradict her.

Momentarily stunned by Felicity’s theory, John gave Oliver an uncertain look and asked, “How could a Mother be so cold-blooded?”

“Because I was raised that way,” was the response from the doorway they all heard.
************************************************************

“You saw the show of support Al Saher had tonight, Husband,” exclaimed Talia in disgust. “We may not have enough votes to maintain our leadership position now that my sister has returned!”
She gazed at her husband and grew more frustrated with her husband’s lack of a reaction once they were ensconced in their quarters. “How can you be so calm when we are on the verge of losing everything?!”

Ra’s maintained his calm demeanor. “Al Saher thinks he has enough votes to force us out, but he is mistaken,” reassured Ra’s. “We have an unlikely ally in this whole farce.”

“You have piqued my interest, Husband,” Talia replied intrigued. “Please do enlighten me.”

“Ah my dear, Wife,” he replied, “you will need not fear for anything for I have confidence that we will be victorious in the outcome.” He then walked over to his wife and whispered in her ear.
***********************************************************

After answering John’s question, Moira Queen walked closer to where the trio stood. “I know that you don’t want to hear me, but I’m hoping that you will listen to what I have to say.”
Oliver shook his head. “You are not my Mother,” he claimed and then turned away from her.

“Please, Oliver,” his mother pleaded. “what I have to tell you will save your life.”

Oliver turned back around, moved in front of John and Felicity and countered, “No, I will not listen to you. You are the reason why I spent so many years away from home, from my sister and those I love.” Oliver turned on his heel and stormed out of the room.

John followed Oliver, but Felicity stayed back and cornered Moira. “Did you really think he was going to listen to you?”

Moira took in a deep breath. “I think he’ll listen to you and I think you should be the one to let him know what is going to happen next.”

Felicity gave Moira an uncertain look. “How do you know what is going to happen next?”

“Because I would not have agreed to come with Al Saher unless I had a plan of my own in place,” Moira smiled as she could see how surprised Felicity was with that bit of knowledge. She stood straighter and leveled her gaze at Felicity. “I have no wish to reclaim my position with the League. It’s quite to the contrary in fact. I expect my son to kill Al Saher and free me and Thea, once and for all, from any obligation we have to my family, the League and Nanda Parbat.”

“And how do you expect that to happen?” Felicity quizzed with condescension.

“Because Al Sahim will be named the House of Al Ghul’s Champion. He will challenge Al Saher to a trial by combat. Once he defeats Malcolm, Nyssa will be declared the rightful Heir by the Warriors’ Council and we will all be allowed to go home, never to set foot back in Nanda Parbat ever again.”

“And how exactly do you know all this?” Felicity demanded.

Moira arched her eyebrow at the young woman and answered, “Because I HAVE been planning for this since the day Thea was born.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 26
Previously:
Malcolm, Moira and Thea arrive in Nanda Parbat with a bit of fanfare. Felicity’s speculation gets verified by Moira.

Now:
“Oliver!” John shouted as he sprinted to catch up with Oliver, who was making haste down the long stone tunnel that led from the Banquet Hall toward their sleeping quarters. He watched as Oliver opened a door to a side room, entered it and then heard the door slam shut. John reached the door and without bothering to knock, opened it to find Oliver pacing around the room. “Oliver,” John said tersely and watched as Oliver stopped where he stood.

“I need to figure out what my next steps are going to be, John,” Oliver responded.

“No, YOU don’t, Oliver,” John replied. “WE need to figure out OUR plan for this ‘Warriors’ Council’ being held tonight.”

“Your plan is set, Nephew,” intoned a gravelly voice from the shadows of the room. Ra’s al Ghul stood there, seemingly materializing from the rock wall opposite where John and Oliver stood.

John made a motion to stand in front of Oliver, but Oliver’s tight grip on his forearm and a shake of his head had John instead stepping to the side. allowing Oliver to move in front of him. “And what plan might that be, Uncle?” Oliver questioned with disgust.

Ra’s gave his nephew a careful and methodical look. “For you to fulfill your destiny, Al Sahim,” he answered with an air of great expectation. He took two steps closer toward the younger men facing him.

“A destiny according to whom?” John countered, causing Ra’s to smile evilly.

Ra’s took another step closer to the men. “Al Sahim will be proclaimed the Champion of the House of al Ghul.” He looked directly at Oliver and added, “and you will defeat the usurper, Al Saher.”

“You mean murder, Malcolm Merlyn,” John argued.

Ra’s gave John a dismissive look and focused on Oliver. “Al Saher thinks to use whatever supposed influence he may have…”

“Supposed?!” John interrupted with a snort, “From the amount of your warriors that followed him out the door, it seemed to me he has plenty of influence here…”

“John…” Oliver whispered warningly. Then he looked at Ra’s and added, “Are you sure the Warriors’ Council will decree that there is to be combat to settle the dispute?”

Ra’s eyes gleamed with the prospect of battle and confirmed, “It is the only way the Warriors’ Council settle disputes.” Ra’s took a few steps away from the men toward where a red crystal decanter and matching glasses set upon a credenza in the room. He uncapped the decanter and poured out three glasses of a dark, burgundy liquid and motioned for the men to come join him. “Come, Nephew,” he paused, looked at John and added, “Mr. Diggle…” and handed them each a glass.

“No thank you,” John said defiantly.

Oliver reached for the glass in Ra’s hand and gave it to John. Then he took the other glass, raised it to his lips and said, “Al Nasr! (Victory!)”

Ra’s smiled and drank the liquid he had poured into his own glass with a toss of his head.

John gave Oliver a questioning look as he watched him drink the beverage Ra’s al Ghul offered to them. Upon Oliver’s nod, he followed suit and drank the liquid offered. The beverage stung as it made its way down the back of his throat and filled his belly with its warmth.

Ra’s nodded at both men in approval. “The Council will convene in less than two hours now, Al Sahim.” He looked at John, then back at Oliver and asked, “Have you chosen your Thani (Second)?”

Oliver took in a breath, exhaled, looked at John and said, “I was just about to ask…” to which John shook his head in agreement and then held out his hand to Oliver. Oliver once again nodded in agreement and shook the offered hand.

“Now that the formalities are concluded, we must fit you both in your new League armor,” Ra’s informed them.
**********************************************************************

After hearing Moira Queen confirm her own worst speculations, Felicity needed a moment to process everything she had witnessed and heard. She knew Moira Queen was capable of anything, but to have her actually admit to it, was surprising. A sudden clanging coming from the corner of the room, diverted her attention. She looked around to see servants preparing it for the upcoming Warriors’ Council. Not wanting to stay there, Felicity scurried away toward where she hoped was the location of her chamber. She left the banquet hall and exited through a door she hoped would lead her in the right direction. Instead, it led to a garden filled with blooming rose bushes containing blood red blossoms. In the middle of the garden, she found a stone bench and sat upon it.  She closed her eyes and inhaled the rich aroma of the roses surrounding her. How could a place so inherently evil have a place as beautiful and peaceful as this, she wondered?

“Because this place was my Mother’s sanctuary,” replied Talia from the doorway of the garden.

Startled, Felicity looked up with alarm as Talia approached her where she sat. She began to rise from her seat, but Talia held up a staying hand and she sat back down on the stone bench.

“My Mother would come here and sit exactly where you sit now, child,” Talia informed her with a slight smile, making Felicity uncomfortable. Talia walked past Felicity to a rose bush behind where she sat, cupped the blossom, leaned down and inhaled the rose’s scent. Then she turned back around to look at Felicity and added, “My sister and I would make sure to leave our Mother alone to her musings whenever she escaped to this place.”

“Escaped?” Felicity questioned. “Your Mother wasn’t a prisoner here.”

Talia raised her eyebrow at that comment and frowned. “Every life has a prison of their own making, young one,” Talia replied sorrowfully. Then she took a step closer to Felicity, but still maintained a healthy distance from her and changed the subject, “My Daughter tells me Al Sahim has claimed you for his own.”

Felicity shook her head in disagreement. “I’m just Oliver’s friend,” she replied unconvincingly.

Talia’s lips slowly curled up into a grin of disbelief. “Al Sahim does not have friends,” she countered. “He needs allies…especially for what is yet to come…”

“What exactly is yet to come?” Felicity asked.

“My Nephew will defend the House of al Ghul. He will eliminate all threats to my family’s rule and he will ensure that the name Queen is never uttered within our sacred walls ever again,” Talia proclaimed. Before Felicity could respond, Talia urged, “Once the Council has been convened and the Champions for each House proclaimed, you must go to him, little one. Go to him and give him the confidence he will need…give him the words he needs to hear and you need to express…”

Felicity began to shake her head no, when Talia shook her own head at her and countered, “Do not deny what has been written on your face since you arrived in Nanda Parbat.” Then Talia nodded her head once at her and added, “Do not hide your feelings for him. It will only bring you disappointment and regret.”

“Speaking from experience?” Felicity inquired.

Talia pursed her lips in response, paused, then motioned with her hand for Felicity to follow her and said, “Come with me, child. As our champion’s beloved, you must sit with me and my Daughter.”

Felicity gave Talia an unsure look and asked, “Where will Oliver be?”

“Al Sahim is with my husband, preparing for battle,” Talia replied.

“Battle?” gasped Felicity in confusion.

Talia gave Felicity a quizzical look and answered, “Of course…you were expecting the League of Assassins to settle disputes some way else?”
*****************************************************************

It had been over an hour and Felicity still had not seen Oliver or John yet. Instead, Talia had kept her by her side with Nyssa, waiting in what she supposed was Talia’s antechamber. A small table held an assortment of fruits, meat, cheeses and bread for them to enjoy while they waited. When she had tried to speak with Nyssa, all she got was a discouraging shake of her head and then a quick glance toward one of the servants standing in the corner of the room. Felicity took that to mean it wasn’t safe to talk, looked at Talia, purportedly reading a book and sitting in the opposite corner of the room and turned her attention toward the small bunch of grapes she had on a pewter plate in front of her.

“Excuse me, Mistress,” came the timid voice from the servant at the entrance of the room. “It is time.”

Talia placed the book down, rose from her chair and dismissed the servant with a nod of her head. She looked at where her daughter sat, then at Felicity and ordered, “Come, Children. It is time for the Warriors’ Council to begin.”
***********************************************************************

Felicity kept an anxious eye out for any sign of Oliver or John. She looked around the room and saw Moira sitting at the opposite end of the room facing her. There was no sign of Thea, which could be a blessing, she thought to herself. She only hoped that her lack of attendance did not portend to something any more sinister than their current predicament. Slowly, men and women dressed in League of Assassins armor entered the room and took their seats around the room. She watched as Malcolm entered with Al Awal closely behind him. Malcolm sneered at Talia then, with a flourish sat down next to Moira. For a moment, Felicity thought she saw her flinch to the side the minute Malcolm joined her. But how could that be, she wondered? Another round of footsteps pulled her attention back to the warriors continuing to file into the room. Now entering the room was Ra’s al Ghul, with a knowing smile. Felicity gasped as she saw who followed him. Oliver was completely dressed in a different black body armor than she had ever seen. It fit his muscular form more snugly than she had ever seen. His hair had been freshly cut, very close to his scalp. His gaze looked dark and his eyes never diverted toward her. She noticed John was walking behind him in his own League armor, that was looser fitting than the one Oliver wore. She watched as Oliver stayed focused on what was in front of him and turned her head so she could watch as he sat on the opposite side of Talia, away from her. Felicity leaned forward, but only managed to catch John’s watchful eye as he frowned at her.

Talia rose from her chair and announced, “The Warriors’ Council shall begin.”

Moira nodded her head in agreement and rose from her seat. “I have returned to claim what is rightfully mine and my daughter’s.”

“Your claim is null and void after your bargain made by your emissary, Al Saher,” replied Talia. A collective groan of disagreement from the gathered crowd gave Talia pause. She looked at her husband, then at Nyssa and finally at the faces surrounding her around the room. She added, “But, we shall settle this disagreement per Warriors’ Council tradition.” Her eyes fixed on Moira and asked, “Where is your champion?”

Moira was about to answer, when Malcolm stood and interrupted, “Our champion is here, and proud to defend the House of Merlyn.” Moira frowned as Malcolm turned away from the crowd and extended his arm out as a series of heavy footsteps approached. A man entered the room in traditional League armor, with his face covered by both a hood and mask. A quiver filled with black arrows, a black bow and double swords crisscrossed his back.

Moira looked at Malcolm and quietly seethed, “Who is this?”

Malcolm turned to face Moira, smiled and replied knowingly, “Were you expecting someone else to be your Champion?”

Instantly, Moira recoiled from Malcolm and turned to see who this new player in the game was.

She watched as the man stopped in front of where she stood, faced her directly and slowly removed his mask. She audibly gasped and immediately looked at Oliver, who stood stoically, waiting for his foe to turn around and face him. She watched, frozen where she stood as the man removed his hood, turned around and heard him say, “Hi Ollie…”

Chapter Text

Chapter 27
Previously:
The Warriors’ Council has begun and a new player has entered the game…

A clenched jaw was the only telltale sign of shock, Oliver allowed to show.  His eyes hardened as he took in the identity of his new opponent. He never considered the possibility that Tommy Merlyn, his supposed best friend, would be the man he needed to defeat to ensure his sister would never have to live a life that involved the League of Assassins. He knew he had to stop thinking of Tommy as his friend. Tommy was his opponent now. An obstacle he needed to get past to secure his sister’s future. What about your own future, his inner self questioned. Shaking off his inner doubts, he quickly assessed his opponent standing opposite of him. The League armor Tommy wore was not as updated as the one he currently wore, Oliver noticed. But the confident stance he maintained showed that Tommy was ready for battle. Oliver knew what his last ten years of training with the League had prepared him for. The question now was: What had Malcolm done to his son to prepare Tommy to challenge the sovereignty of the House of al Ghul?

“Your Champion is accepted,” Talia announced bringing Oliver’s attention back to her. Then she focused her attention back to Oliver, then Tommy and ordered, “Champions, present your Thani (Seconds).”

Oliver looked at John and nodded his head. Dig stepped from where he was, moved in front of where Talia stood and was joined shortly by Al Awal. Then Oliver moved his gaze back toward Tommy, only to be met with cold, ice blue eyes staring with a devious grin. Oliver pursed his own lips into a firm line, then looked away to his right. Felicity sat there with a pensive look on her face. He watched as Nyssa pulled her attention away from him and whispered something to Felicity which caused her to frown.

“Champions, your battle shall commence tomorrow at first light,” pronounced Talia diverting their attention back to her. Then she looked around the room and added, “The House of Merlyn shall maintain themselves and their followers in the Eastern Palace.” Then she focused back on John and Al Awal and said, “Thani (Seconds), you shall maintain The Watch and will be relieved once the Champions are presented for battle.” Then Talia swept out of the room, followed by her husband.

Oliver watched and frowned as Nyssa prompted Felicity to follow her out of the room. He longed to go after her, but knew he had to speak with John for a moment. He watched as John held out his hand to Al Awal, who shook it and then turned to follow Tommy, Malcolm and his Mother to the Eastern Palace. Then John approached him, a determined look in his eyes.

“Hey, man, are you okay?” John asked. “I mean you must be totally blindsided by this, right?”

Oliver nodded his head in agreement. “I had no idea Tommy knew about any of this,” Oliver replied with a wave of his hand as he looked around the now empty assembly room.

“Oliver, you do remember that this fight is to the death, right?” John quizzed.

Oliver took in a breath and exhaled. “I know I was prepared to kill Malcolm to free my sister…I’m just not sure what to do now that I know it’s my best friend…”

John shook his head no and admonished, “You need to be prepared to do whatever you have to, Oliver, because I believe your friend is prepared to do whatever he needs to do to you.” Then he reached out and placed his hand on Oliver’s shoulder. “I know this man is someone who you remember as a brother,” John paused for a moment and then continued, “but from the looks he was giving you, I don’t think he remembers you that way.” Then John added, “Think about it Oliver, even after you returned home, was Tommy really being a good friend to you or was he testing you?”

Oliver was taken aback by John’s statement. Had everything that happened right after his return home actually been caused by Tommy? He needed to think about what John had just brought to his attention. Oliver reluctantly nodded his head in agreement, even though he thought there might be something left of the friend he remembered inside Tommy. “I need to go and prepare myself for tomorrow,” he answered, then noticed one of the warriors standing at the threshold of the room. Oliver nodded toward where she stood and said,  “Miriam, will show you to your post John and I will see you in the morning.”

John extended his hand to Oliver and replied, “Copy that.” Then the two men shook hands and exited the room through separate doorways.
**********************************************************
Felicity paced across the stone floor of the chamber where Nyssa bade her to stay. So many different questions were going through her mind, swirling around, needing answers. Nyssa had told her that John would be required to stand watch at the entrance of the palace, as would Al Awal at the entrance of the Eastern Palace. She assured her that it was mostly ceremonial, but that their presence was mandatory there throughout the night. Meanwhile, the Champions would be bathed, robed and left to spend their potentially last night on Earth, as they saw fit. Then Nyssa had left her in the room without any other words or advice. A chill ran down Felicity’s back and she rubbed her hands up and down her arms as she shivered. She looked to the other side of the room and saw the door ajar and walked towards it. Noticing that it opened onto a balcony, Felicity exited the room and walked out into the cool night air. The full moon shined down on where she stood at the edge of the balcony. Looking up, she could see several familiar constellations in the sky staring down at her. Was this the calm before the storm, she wondered? Was Talia, right? Was this the time for her to speak to Oliver about the feelings he had reawakened within her? Would there ever be a right time to talk to him? She knew he needed to be focused on what he had to do next. Her finally realizing that her feelings for him still ran deep may not be exactly what he wants to hear the night before facing the ultimate battle of his life. The opening of her chamber door had her re-enter the room to see who was there. As she stood in the doorway of the balcony, she gasped in surprise. There stood Oliver, clad in a black robe tied with a burgundy sash, wearing a pair of soft suede slippers. She slowly approached him. “Are you okay? Do you need to talk?” she asked softly.

Oliver lifted his arm and extended his hand towards her. “Will you come and sit with me for a while?” he asked.

Felicity nodded her head, placed her hand in his and followed him to the small chaise lounge in the middle of the room. Oliver sat down and Felicity joined him, their hands remaining entwined. She reached her other hand over to cover his hand on top of hers. “What can I do to help you?” she asked and gently squeezed.

Oliver removed his hand from her grasp and wrapped her in his embrace. “Is this okay?” he asked her.

In response, Felicity curled her legs up on the chaise and leaned against him, prompting Oliver to lie back on the lounge. “Very okay,” she whispered in response as she snuggled with him.

Oliver gently rubbed his hand in small circles on her lower back. The gentle motion helped him relax as he felt her body slowly mold itself against his. “I’m not sure I can kill my best friend,” he admitted out loud for the first time. He felt Felicity shudder against him, but she didn’t pull away from him. Instead he felt her hand move to his chest and tighten a fist around the robe he wore, tethering him to her. He moved his free hand to cover her hand where it was wrapped in the folds of the garment he wore.

“You’ll find another way,” Felicity answered confidently. “I know you will.”

“How can you be so sure?” Oliver asked.

Felicity pushed herself up, looked at Oliver and replied, “Because ever since you’ve come back to m---" Felicity paused for a moment and corrected herself, “come back home from here, you’ve shown me that you aren’t the boy I remember any longer. You’re different…better, I mean.”

Oliver stared deep into Felicity’s gaze. Her unwavering confidence in him gave him the strength that he would need to deal with what was going to happen tomorrow when he would be forced to face off against his best friend. Oliver reached up and gently pushed a strand of Felicity’s hair away from her face, then allowed his finger to trace a soft line down her cheek, until his hand delicately cupped her face. “If I’m a better man,” he began, “it’s only because I want to be that man for you.”

Felicity gasped in surprise, then smiled at him as the words he had just uttered began to sink in with her. She leaned her cheek into his tender touch, closed her eyes and sighed as the warmth of his hand caressed her. When she felt him adjust his body underneath her and reach up to cup her other cheek with his other hand, she opened her eyes to see him lean forward then pause, as if seeking her permission to move forward. In response, Felicity leaned down to close the distance and tentatively placed her lips against his.

Oliver moved his hands from her face and wrapped them around Felicity to pull her closer to him and deepen the kiss. He had wanted to do this for so long and didn’t want to waste a moment. Sensing Felicity’s ferventness as she matched each kiss of his with one of equal measure, Oliver stroked her back up and down, enjoying the feeling of having the one thing that kept him tethered to a life he longed for. He gently tugged at Felicity’s lip then let go as he lifted his head up from her to look in her eyes.

Felicity groaned in protest when Oliver stopped. She opened her eyes and looked at him for a moment. She saw a man who was looking at her as if she were the only thing that mattered in his life at that moment. It made her feel…loved. Nyssa told her that each Champion was allowed to spend their night before combat anyway they chose. He had chosen to spend that time with her. She smiled at him and nuzzled his chin with her nose. She gently wrapped her arms around his neck and said, “Anta li wa ana lak (I claim you as mine as I am yours)”

The look of surprise on Oliver’s face was quickly replaced with a wide smile. Felicity had just given him a gift. The gift of a life he wanted to live for.

Chapter Text

Chapter 28
Previously:
Oliver and Felicity both have a revelation as they spend the night in Nanda Parbat…

“This was not what we agreed to, Al Saher” seethed a very unhappy Al Awal to Malcolm Merlyn, momentarily stopping in the middle of the main entryway to the Eastern Palace.

Malcolm chuckled sinisterly. “You agreed to support the true heir to the League of Assassins, old friend,” he replied, looked around to confirm they were alone and added, “or have you forgotten who reached out to whom?”

Al Awal took a step back and reached for the sword still sheathed at his side, only to feel cold steel against the side of his neck. A voice behind him announced, “I believe you are needed at your post?” Tommy Merlyn had his sword ready and his hand around Al Awal’s arm.

Al Awal released his hold on his sword and held up both hands.

Sensing his acquiescence, Tommy released his hold on Al Awal, but maintained his sword pointed in his direction. Al Awal may not have his sword in his hand, but Tommy knew enough to respect the older man’s abilities.

Al Awal took a step away from Tommy, looked at Malcolm and vowed, “I will always support the true heir to the League of Assassins.”

“Then resume your place,” Malcolm ordered, “and stand your watch.”

Al Awal gave him a resentful glance, sneered at Tommy and walked back toward the main doorway to fulfill his duty as Thani (Second).
Once Al Awal was out of earshot, Tommy looked at his father and asked, “Do you believe he is going to cause any trouble?”

Malcolm looked at his son calmly. “Al Awal swore his allegiance to Moira,” he answered. “He would no sooner betray our efforts than he would cut off his right hand.”
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“We have been betrayed,” an unsettled Al Awal admitted to the person standing in the shadows next to the doorway he guarded. “Al Saher was to be the combatant, not this interloper.”

“I know I can count on you to correct Malcolm’s treachery,” Moira whispered as she stepped away from the shadows and approached him. “You served my Mother and served me by keeping my son safe while he learned League ways from you. I will never forget your loyalty to me and my family, Al Awal.”

Al Awal bowed to his Mistress at her praises. Then stood up, gave her a serious look and offered, “My Lady, you honor me with your gracious words. Al Sahim is more than ready to do what needs to be done.” He looked over both shoulders to ensure that they were still alone and continued, “Should he falter, I will always look out for what matters most to you.”

Moira rewarded him with a smile and nod of her head, then turned away and deftly made her way back to her chamber.
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Oliver wrapped his arm around a slumbering Felicity and pulled her closer to him. He smiled as she sighed in her sleep and snuggled closer to him. Their first night together had been tender, sensual and a perfect expression of his enduring feelings for her. The moment when she had told him she was his in Arabic solidified his confidence that she really was. Uncertain of what was going to happen once he and Tommy faced off against each other, he craved the stability Felicity’s presence provided him. He knew he had to do the unthinkable to save his sister from a life within the League. He gently untangled himself from Felicity’s side and dressed as silently as possible. Once garbed, he leaned over her to admire her once more. She truly was the most beautiful woman he knew. With a last kiss to her brow, he stood back up and reassured himself that he would do whatever necessary to come back to her.
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Felicity, anxiously awaiting what was about to happen next, sat on the cold stone chair on the dais next to Nyssa. She looked to her left and saw Oliver’s Aunt looking regal and his Uncle looking supremely confident. Nyssa caught her eye and nodded toward the opposite side of the small sunken arena. There entered Moira Queen wearing burgundy colored dress robes, closely followed by a still unusually subdued Thea and a smiling Malcolm Merlyn. Once they reached similar stone chairs as their own, the small group sat in them and their followers filed in behind them.

She watched as Talia rose and announced, “Champions and Thani (Seconds) shall enter the arena!” Entering from opposite sides, a shirtless Oliver and shirtless Tommy made their way into the arena, followed by John and Al Awal. Each group walked over to a small bench on their respective side of the small arena. Behind each bench stood a small assortment of weaponry, including swords, daggers, a bow and a quiver full of arrows. She took in a deep breath as she admired Oliver’s glorious muscles as his skin shone in the light illuminating the arena. She said a silent prayer that Oliver would be victorious today. She had caressed each scar and gently kissed each healed wound on his body last night and hoped he wouldn’t suffer from anymore injuries. She didn’t want last night to be their final night together. Then Talia proclaimed, “Champions shall face off in the center of the arena with their weapon of choice.”

Tommy headed toward the bow and quiver, snickered, then shook his head at Oliver, reached for a sword, sliced the air around his body with the sword in a swift motion that made the blade shimmer in the morning light, then sauntered toward the center of the arena.

Oliver watched as his friend turned away from him and saw the series of scars that scattered around his back. He recognized the scars and knew that a leather whip had caused them. What had his friend been through to prepared him for today, he wondered. Just as Oliver was turning toward his weapons, he noticed a look of derision cross Al Awal’s face. He quickly let go of any further contemplation when he heard John say, “Oliver, you need to choose your weapon.” Oliver looked at him, nodded his head and choose a sword with a curved blade and a leather banded grip. Oliver tested the weight of the weapon by swinging it in a back and forth motion, mindful of his surroundings, then he too headed toward the center of the arena to finally face-off against his best friend.
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Moira flinched at the first metallic thud of the Champions’ swords meeting. With each clang of metal, she cringed. In her mind’s eye, she conjured a vision of two little boys, one with sandy blond hair and the other with hair as black as night battling each other with wooden swords they had gotten after Robert had taken them to watch a showing of “The Three Musketeers” at the old Starlight Theatre. In all her plotting and planning, she had never thought this scenario would unfold as it had. A collective gasp from the crowd drew her attention back to the middle of the ring.
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Malcolm jumped to his feet, a wide smile appeared on his face as he watched the action occurring before him. His son was fighting even better than he expected. He knew that Moira had thought he would be the one to face off against Oliver. It was evident by her shock yesterday when Tommy arrived to serve as champion. Instead, he watched as his son was finally living up to his full potential as a Merlyn. Tommy had managed to momentarily disarm Oliver of his sword and that had him standing up, savoring the taste of victory on the tip of his tongue.
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Oliver rolled away from Tommy, causing his blade to strike the ground. He reached out and grabbed his sword, laying on the ground, in his left hand, ready to block his opponent’s next blow. His best friend’s skills were impressive, but Oliver knew this was not the time for admiration. He had to focus on the battle at hand. He stood back up and met each sword stroke with a parry of his own.

“Come on, Ollie,” grunted Tommy, then grinned. “Or should I refer to you as the Great Al Sahim?” he teased.

Oliver’s blade struck the opposing sword and this time Tommy’s blade and stride faltered. “I will not kill you,” Oliver vowed, “and I won’t have my sister subjected to a life in the League.”

Tommy narrowed his gaze at Oliver. “You can’t have it both ways, Ollie, and you know it,” Tommy replied as their swords clashed again. The two men fought around the arena to the collective shouts, gasps and cheers of their overly eager audience. Each man meted blow after blow against each other with their weapons. Oliver could sense that his opponent was tiring and knew that it would be only a matter of time before Tommy’s endurance would wear out. Tommy must have sensed what Oliver was thinking and he sliced his sword at Oliver even harder. “I’m not done with you yet, Ollie,” Tommy spat out as their blades met, each man pushing against each other.

Oliver groaned, pushed his friend away and sliced down on his friend’s forearm causing Tommy to wince and momentarily lose his grip on his blade. Oliver, anticipating Tommy’s distraction, knocked the sword out of his possession and pointed his blade directly at his friend’s heart, listening to the crowd on his side of the arena roar with approval while the other side fell silent. “I will not kill you, Tommy,” Oliver reiterated to his friend. “I only have to defeat you.”

Tommy raised both hands up and stood up slowly. “But this isn’t just about what you want to do, Ollie,” Tommy countered softly. “Your death will bring my Father back to his rightful place within the League of Assassins.”

Oliver cocked his head to the side in disbelief. “Since when have you wanted to do anything that helps your Father?” he asked while maintaining his stance in front of his friend.

Tommy smiled evilly. “The moment you disappeared, my Father began my training.” Tommy placed both hands on top of his head and took a deep breath in and out. “He told everyone that I was away at college, when really I was being trained…preparing for this moment.” Tommy briefly turned away from Oliver and glanced at his Father, turning back around only after hearing Ra’s al Ghul yell, “What are you waiting for, Al Sahim?! Finish him!” To which Tommy added, “So go ahead, ‘Al Sahim’,” he taunted. “Do what you’ve spent the past ten years working toward.”

Oliver looked at his friend and for that moment, all he saw was the person who had been his best friend growing up. Oliver took in a deep breath and dropped his sword to the ground. The sound of the metal hitting the ground with a thud was masked by the collective gasp of the assembled audience. He heard his Mother shout, “No!”, then Oliver turned his back toward Tommy, faced Talia and Ra’s and proclaimed, “I have defeated my opponent and claim full my right as Champion to decide his fate.”

The grumblings of the crowd were soon silenced by the solitary laughter coming from the arena audience. Malcolm scoffed loudly, “You think you have defeated MY son?” Malcolm narrowed his gaze at his son and shouted, “You know what needs to be done!”

Tommy nodded his head at his Father, reached behind his back, pulled out a dagger and prepared to battle Oliver again. Then it was Malcolm’s turn to shout “NO!” as Tommy’s eyes grew large and he stopped in his place, the dagger falling from his raised hand. Then Tommy fell forward to the ground, a familiar gold dagger sticking out of his back.

Oliver’s eyes grew wide as he stared at Al Awal who was standing up from the crouched throwing position he had just struck. “Why?!” he shouted at his former teacher, then rushed to the side of his friend and kneeled next to him. Oliver turned Tommy’s body to the side, then cradled Tommy’s head between his hands. “Come on, Tommy…come on, Tommy…stay with me, Buddy,” he pleaded. Tommy gasped and whispered, “It’s about her…it’s always been about Mo-…” Then Tommy exhaled his last breath. Oliver bent his head down for a moment, then looked up suddenly in the direction of his former teacher.

Al Awal moved to take a stride forward, but was stopped by the sudden appearance of Malcolm at his side brandishing a sword and promising, “You will die for your betrayal of the House of Merlyn!” Al Awal stepped aside, grabbed a sword from the rack of weapons and quickly met Malcolm’s blade with a parry of his own. “I AM loyal to the House of Queen!” Al Awal proclaimed. The two men battled around the arena.

Oliver looked up at where his Mother sat in horror and his sister looked to be in shock, finally awake from whatever stupor they had caused her. John appeared at his side. “Come, on, Oliver, he said, “we have to get you out of here.” John gripped Oliver’s arm to pull him back, but Oliver shook his head no. “Help me, John,” Oliver asked and then they both dragged Tommy’s body away from where Malcolm and Al Awal were battling. Hearing a loud shriek, John and Oliver turn their gaze toward what has now caused the crowd to grumble. Breathing hard, an exhausted Malcolm, brandishing his bloodied sword above the non-moving body of Al Awal. Oliver looked at Ra’s and Talia who were both frowning. Ra’s looked at Oliver and commanded, “Al Sahim, the Champion of the House of Al Ghul must defeat the Usurper!”

Malcolm looked at Oliver and sneered.

Oliver looked at Malcolm, then his Mother and finally at his Aunt and Uncle. “My name is Oliver Queen!” he proclaimed.

Ra’s turned red with anger. He leaped down from the dais and raced toward where Oliver and John stood. “You are Al Sahim and the Champion of my house!”

Another gasp from the crowd had the men divert their attention as Nyssa leaped down from the dais, strode over to the weaponry assembled, grabbed a sword and challenged, “This is no longer Al Sahim’s battle, Father.” Then she looked up at her Mother, who nodded her head at her daughter. Nyssa nodded in return and raced to battle Malcolm.

Chapter Text

Previously:
The Warriors’ Council has begun and taken an unexpected turn…

Chapter 29

When Moira was a little girl, she became very ill. Doctors tried everything they knew, but nothing healed her of her ailment. Her parents, Melisande and Dearden, worried that their lineage would end with their daughter’s untimely death, decided to have another child. The arrival of a new, healthy baby shifted the focus away from Moira and toward her new little sister.

There were those within the League who were not pleased that the Heir to the League was being ignored in favor of the newborn child. Moira’s Murabiyah (Nanny), Noura, adhered to League traditions. She was disappointed that Melisande had not used the sacred waters from the Lazarus Pit to heal their sickly daughter. Noura knew what needed to be done and exactly when she would have the opportunity to do so.

Finally, the day arrived to present the new baby to the League and proclaim her name to all their members. Everyone in the League assembled in the Great Hall. This was Noura’s chance to revert things back to their proper order. With everyone preoccupied with the celebration of the newborn’s naming ceremony, she carried Moira away from her bed and down the stairs to the sacred place that held the cure to heal her charge.

Just as Melisande was announcing Talia’s name, a healthy and vibrant looking 4-year old, Moira ran toward where her Mother stood on the dais. A frowning Dearden recoiled from the embrace of his eldest daughter. Instead, he reached for Talia and removed the slumbering child from his wife’s hold. He looked accusingly at Melisande. A confused Moira then ran to her Mother’s side and tugged at her robes. “Mama, I’m all better,” Moira announced. Melisande reached down, picked up the little girl and cradled her daughter to her. Then she held her daughter aloft and proclaimed, “The Heir to the League is healed! Let us rejoice and celebrate!” Then the crowd roared again in jubilation.

Dearden turned away from his wife in anger, clutched his infant daughter close to him, stormed off the dais and out of the Great Hall. Melisande turned her head toward where Noura stood, motioned her toward her, handed her daughter back to her, leaned in and whispered, “We will speak of this later.” Then she left the dais where Noura held aloft her charge, exulting in the cheers erupting around the room. Melisande exited the hall and headed toward where her husband had retreated from the Great Hall.

When she found him, Dearden was placing the still slumbering Talia in her crib. “I warned you this might happen,” she whispered from the doorway of their daughter’s chamber and watched as her husband’s shoulders slumped down, bearing the full weight of the words she had spoken.

He turned back around to face his wife. “We agreed to never use that unholy shrine ever again, Mel,” seethed Dearden.

“WE did not use it,” she reminded him as she took a step closer to where her husband stood.

Dearden stormed toward his wife, grabbed her upper arm and led her out of their daughter’s room. “I know we did not use it,” he countered. “It was that crazy old woman YOU insisted take care of my daughter.”

Melisande shrugged her arm out of her husband’s grasp. “That crazy old woman did what I should have done months ago,” she argued. “I told you the League was only as strong as the traditions are respected.” She shook her head at him and added, “Noura is a League Member who values those traditions. In doing so, she believes she is being loyal to the tenets of the League and to my Heir.”

It was Dearden’s turn to shake his head at his wife. “Being loyal to the League or being loyal to the vows we made to each other?”

Melisande straightened her stance as she fully faced Dearden and reminded him, “You made a vow to support my decisions...”

Dearden shook his head no and admitted in disgust, “And I’ve never regretted it more than right now…”

Later that same night…

“Mistress! Mistress! Mistress!” shouted one of the new initiates as he ran through the garden toward where Melisande sat in the middle of favorite place.

She rose from her seat and looked at the young man kneeling before her with his head down. “Speak, child,” she demanded. “What has you shouting through my sanctuary looking for me?”

“Mistress,” the young man started, “your daughter has gone missing.”

Melisande stood straight up and demanded, “Where is my Heir?”

“No, Mistress, not your heir. The infant, Talia,” he clarified.

Melisande scowled and strode out of the garden toward the Great Hall to assemble a search party. As she entered the building, the head of her security rapidly approached her.

“Mistress, we’ve found your daughter,” he informed her, then leaned in and whispered, “and your husband.”

Melisande stepped back and away from her guard in disbelief. She looked him in his eyes and watched as he nodded his head for emphasis that he spoke the truth. She took in a deep breath and commanded, “Lead me to him.”

“As you command, My Lady,” her guard acquiesced and led her toward where they had Dearden held.

Melisande followed her guard as they headed toward the catacombs below the Great Hall. Her daughter was nowhere to be seen. She turned her head to look toward her guard who answered her questioning look, “The child has been returned to her Nursemaid.”

Melisande nodded her head in approval, then focused her attention on her husband. She walked to where her guards had Dearden in shackles and queried simply, “Why?”

Dearden snorted at the question and replied, “I wanted one of our children to have a normal life.” He tugged on the chains causing them to jangle. “Talia deserves better than the constraints of the life she will be forced to live if she remains here.”

Melisande looked around the room at her guards. She knew from the looks on their faces, her husband’s fate was already determined. They were merely waiting for her command. It was immediately apparent this moment would be a turning point for her rule if she did not act as expected.

“Mel…please…” Dearden pleaded. He tried to move closer to his wife, but her guard placed his sword between them, stopping Dearden where he stood. “You have Moira,” he begged, “let me take Talia to my home.”

“Silence!” Melisande seethed. “You agreed to live by League laws when we married. By attempting to steal away an heir to the League, you have sealed your own destiny.” Melisande turned her back on her husband looked at the Leader of her guard and ordered, “Do what you know needs to be done and never speak of what has happened here again.”

“Mel! Mel! Mel!” her husband screamed.

Melisande turned away from him, ignoring his pleas and left the catacombs. She made her way toward her daughters’ rooms. No one she encountered dared speak to her. They bowed low and scurried away. First, she checked on the infant. Talia was slumbering away in her crib, too young to be aware of what had happened. Then she walked to Moira’s room and found her daughter seated on the floor, playing with a set of dolls. Melisande entered her daughter’s room.

Moira looked up at her Mother expectantly. “Play with me, Mama?” the little girl asked.

Melisande shook her head no, a single tear escaping her eye and stayed standing just inside the doorway. She quickly wiped away the evidence of her sorrow and disappointment and answered, “I’m sorry, child. I cannot.” She noticed the frown on her daughter’s face and thought it would not be the last time she would see it.

Little did Moira know that it would not be the only disappointment she would feel that day.

“Daughter, your Father has chosen to leave us” she began to explain.

“Where’s Daddy?” Moira inquired innocently, not understanding what her Mother had said.

“Your Father is gone and his name will never be mentioned again,” Melisande proclaimed.

“But Daddy said…,” Moira started as she began to cry.

Her Mother interrupted her, “All you need to know My Child, is that your Father has left us and is never coming back.”

“It was the new baby’s fault! I know it!” Moira cried out indignantly before her tears turned into heavy sobs. Melisande dropped down next to her and hugged her. “Do not blame your sister,” her Mother reprimanded, then vowed, “You will be alright, child…We will all be alright.”

From that moment on, Melisande left her daughters supervision to the League nursemaids assigned to them since the day they were born. Moira grew confident, entitled and cruel. The focus of her cruelty was often her little sister, whom she blamed for their Father leaving. All she knew of her Father’s departure from the League was that it coincided with the birth of her little sister, therefore, Talia had to be responsible.

Talia, overshadowed by her sister, was often left to her own devices. She did her best to stay out of the crosshairs of Moira. However, when Talia turned ten, her Mother decreed that she would join her older sister, Moira, in all her lessons as a League initiate. Moira balked at including her younger sister, but their Mother would have none of it. Melisande realized that Moira was becoming complacent in her studies and needed additional competition. Since none of the other initiates could compete with her eldest child, the obvious choice was her youngest.

Talia was thrilled she would be able to leave her separate studies and join her fellow initiates in their League training. This would be her chance to prove to her Mother she too was a worthy daughter. She knew as the youngest child, it was not in her future to rule the place she was born. But she hoped if she did well enough, it would make her Mother proud of her.

To her Mother’s surprise and Instructors’ delight, although smaller than the other pupils, Talia’s speed, agility and intellect allowed her to keep up with her older classmates. Her real talent shone most brightly during tactical & strategy sessions. When she was thirteen, her analysis of the reconnaissance data from a League operation in a province in South America led to a successful mission against a regional dictator. Talia’s recommendation provided the League with a lucrative foothold in the Southern hemisphere and access to important natural resources capable of sustaining League activities there for many years to come.

Although she knew her strength was really her mind, Talia put more effort in her physical lessons. During those lessons is when she met the handsome and ambitious, Al Saher. His clear, ice blue eyes mesmerized her. Talia loved to watch the young boy execute combat drills. He moved with confidence and unquestioned lethal grace. Throughout the years they trained together, her admiration of him grew until it morphed into a teenage first love.

Talia did not mind that Al Saher rarely trained directly with her. She preferred being able to watch him surreptitiously as she trained with the other initiates. On the rare occasion he did, Talia always attacked first, much to his amusement. She chose to believe that his smile was genuine and not a snicker at her feeble attempt to best him.

Moira noticed Al Saher grin at Talia’s efforts. She grasped what he paid no attention to – the infatuating glances of her younger sister. Moira knew her sister’s crush made her ripe for exploitation. She recognized that Al Saher truly was her little sister’s only weakness. Moira took great delight in teasing Talia about her not-so-subtle fascination with Al Saher. Moira also comprehended the not so subtle looks Al Saher directed toward her.

Once to Talia’s detriment, she allowed herself to become distracted in her admiration of Al Saher training. She got clipped on her left shoulder by her training opponent’s blade. Her cry in pain hadn’t even caused Al Saher to stop his own exercises. Her own sister barely spared her a glance and continued with her own combat training. The only one who noticed and tended to her wound had been another fellow initiate. A quiet, but stoic young boy named Ra’s al Ghul.

Ra’s helped her to the infirmary and stayed until her shoulder had been bandaged. Talia knew as the daughter of the Leader of the League of Assassins, her fellow initiates would try to ingratiate themselves with her and her sister. She was skeptical of the assistance Ra’s provided her that day. But, every day after that, he would give her small encouraging nods of his head when she did well during their lessons. She was doubtful of this attention and considered it a distraction from her real objective…Al Saher.

Talia’s efforts to gain Al Saher’s attention were subtle enough to not be noticed by her Mother. Her sister was another matter. When Moira saw Talia’s furtive glances sent Al Saher’s way, she used it as her opportunity to inflict pain on her sister. Moira always chose those moments to give Al Saher the attention he craved from her. The desired result of a fleeing Talia was a quick and easy, way to put a smile on Moira’s face. A smile that Al Saher assumed was for him.

Melisande knew the time would come when Moira would need to lead the League and needed the life experience of time away from the confines of Nanda Parbat. She knew there would be peril involved in allowing her daughter to travel abroad to University, but it was necessary for her education to be complete. The time came for her to announce that the Heir would be traveling to America to study. When her sister had been sent abroad to University, Talia knew better than to ask her Mother not to send Al Saher with Moira to America. Her Mother would want her best warrior to protect her daughter while abroad. Instead, Talia focused all of her efforts on her own studies. Surely, if her Mother sent her best warrior to protect her sister at University, she would do the same for her.

At first, when her sister returned home from University and relinquished her claim as Heir to the League of Assassins to be with Robert Queen, Talia rejoiced. She thought now it would be her and Al Saher to lead the League. She had not realized her Mother would do the unthinkable. How dare she send her ungrateful oldest daughter away with the man she loved. After, Moira left, Talia for the first time in her life, cornered her Mother to demand an explanation. Melisande finally admitted she had allowed her eldest child to blame her youngest child for the death of their Father. With every word out of her Mother’s mouth, Talia grew more and more angry. How could a Mother allow the animosity develop between her daughters? There had been a time when Talia would have done anything Al Saher asked of her. She blamed her Mother and her sister for taking him away from her. But that was the thinking of a little girl. She knew that Al Saher was never hers. She knew that he only ever had eyes for the one person he would never have. As she walked away from where she learned the truth from her Mother, a tall shadow approached her slowly. Wary of whomever it could be, Talia slid her hand into the sleeve of her opposite arm and felt the warm leather wrap around the hilt of her trusty dagger.

“Peace, Talia,” Ra’s al Ghul greeted and held up both hands to her. Then he paused for a moment and added, “I only wanted to make sure you are well.”

Talia stopped where she was a few feet away from him, released her grip on her hidden blade, moved her arm out of sleeve, down to her side, then tilted her head to appraise him. “Is that all?” she questioned suspiciously.

Ra’s al Ghul smiled. “You have always been the brightest star of the League, my Lady.” He took three more steps closer and kneeled in front of her. He added, “I only wish to be by your side…and prove my loyalty to you for as long as you will have me.”

Talia looked Ra’s directly in his eyes and saw no hint of untruth. Ra’s had always shown her respect, all while never asking for anything in return. With Al Saher and her older sister gone, but not dead, there would be those who question her ascension to Heir. She knew some would look for ways to restore her sister as the rightful heir. She needed allies. Those who would be loyal to her, especially when it came time for her to succeed her Mother. Talia held out her hand, palm down toward Ra’s and said, “Then let us begin…”

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Now…

Talia watched with pride as her daughter defended the House of al Ghul. She grinned with approval when Nyssa’s blade slashed across Al Saher’s arm, inflicting intense pain on their adversary. Likewise, she could see her husband’s posture radiating how proud he was of their daughter. Nyssa spent her entire life training for a moment such as this. Granted, Talia mused, she had always thought it would be fighting the niece she had not seen until Al Saher paraded her about as his power grab to take over the League of Assassins. She looked away from the battle for a moment to across the way where her sister sat. Talia took great pleasure in seeing Moira shaken and uncertain of what was about to happen next. The continued clash of swords refocused Talia’s attention and the deadly grace that was her daughter.

“Finish him!” shouted Ra’s at his daughter.

Nyssa gave her Father a quick nod of her head and ran her sword straight through the overmatched Merlyn. Upon removing her sword from his body, Malcolm Merlyn breathed his final breath. His lifeless body collapsed with thud.

The crowd seated around Moira gasped while those seated around Talia cheered.

Al Sahim approached his cousin slowly. “Peace, Nyssa,” he announced. “I have come to you to beg mercy for my sister.”

“And what of yourself, Brother?” Nyssa asked with her bloodied sword pointed in his direction.

Al Sahim fell to his knees. “Surely as the Champion of the House of al Ghul, I have proven my loyalty to you?”

Nyssa smiled at him, re-sheathed her sword and extended her hand to him. “You are my brother, now and always,” she announced.

Al Sahim nodded his head, took the offered hand and stood next to Nyssa, turning their back on his Mother and facing Talia and Ra’s al Ghul.

Talia rose from where she sat prepared to proclaim her daughter the victor. Then she noticed Moira stand up. Talia narrowed her gaze at her sister and shouted, “You dare to rise now that your Champions have been defeated?”

Moira shook her head no and admitted, “I only ask for mercy for my child to leave this place and never come back.”

“That devil spawn shall be executed for daring to question the House of al Ghul’s leadership of the League!” Ra’s spewed.

“No!” exclaimed Al Sahim. “I beg of you Mistress to allow my sister and friends to depart from this place. I will gladly serve any punishment you deem necessary for what has happened.”

Felicity gasped at Oliver’s outburst. They had just found their way to each other and now she may lose him forever. She turned her head to look at Talia and Ra’s, eagerly awaiting their response. However, it was Nyssa who spoke first.

“Al Sahim has fought loyally to the House of al Ghul and defeated the first Champion of the House of Merlyn,” Nyssa began. “He deserves to choose the fate of those who remain.”

“Daughter!” seethed Ra’s. “Unless, that usurper is destroyed, your rule will never be unquestioned.”

A slight chuckle escaped from Talia, causing every eye in the room to turn her way. She countered, “The true usurper has been defeated, Husband.” Then she looked at where her daughter and nephew now stood, proud that her daughter was showing so much leadership and her nephew showing respect and sacrifice. Then she looked over at her sister and her daughter. Confusion and fear played across their faces. “Sister, do you and your daughter relinquish any claim to the League of Assassins?” Talia queried causing a surprised look on Moira’s face.

“I relinquish any claim,” Moira answered. Then, turned to Thea and whispered, “Honey, you need to say it too.”

Thea gave her Mother a quizzical look. “I have no idea what any of this is all about,” she admitted.

“I will explain everything, Thea,” Moira said then looked around at the people who had sworn allegiance to Malcolm who were looking at her in disbelief. “Now, please Thea, you must say you relinquish any claim.”

Thea pushed away from her Mother, turned to look at her brother standing away from her and giving her a pleading look. “I relinquish any claim,” she finally said, not truly comprehending what it meant.

Moira reached for her daughter to join her. Thea shrugged out of her Mother’s grasp and ran toward her brother. “Ollie? What is going on here, who is that?” she asked pointing toward Nyssa and her mother, “and why are you shirtless?”

Before Oliver could answer Talia demanded, “Now take your daughter and leave this place, never to return again.” Before Moira could respond, Talia looked at the members of the League who had sided with Al Saher and added, “Those who do not believe I am the true ruler and my daughter is the only Heir to the League, then leave Nanda Parbat and never return.” She glared at everyone standing across from her, waiting to see if anyone would truly leave their home and their heritage like her sister had. When no one moved, Talia gave them a knowing smile.

“Mistress, may I have an audience with you to discuss what shall happen next?” Oliver asked his Aunt.

With a nod of her head, Talia granted Al Sahim’s request and dismissed the crowd from the room. The only ones to remain with them were Ra’s, Nyssa, John, Felicity, Thea and his Mother. “Now that my Mother and sister have both relinquished any claim to the League, I would like for them to be able to return to Starling, never to step foot in Nanda Parbat ever again.”

“And what do you want, Al Sahim?” Talia asked.

“I am not in a position to ask for anything for me,” was his response, causing Talia to nod her head in approval of his deference.

“Yes, you are!” countered a livid Felicity. She strode forward, in front of Oliver, and looked up into his eyes. She lifted her finger and poked his chest. “You are done being everyone’s sacrifice for what they want,” she pointed out. Oliver raised his left hand and clasped her fingers to his chest and sighed. Felicity left her hand in his grasp, turned slightly away from him to face Talia and asked, “Hasn’t your nephew done enough to satisfy any debt the Queen family owes?”

Ra’s moved his hand toward his sword at Felicity’s perceived insolence. Oliver quickly moved Felicity behind him and dropped into a defensive stance.

“Peace, Father,” Nyssa announced as she walked over to join Felicity and Oliver where they stood. “My Sister speaks the truth,” she stated. Ra’s released his hold on the hilt of his sword and took a step toward his wife. Nyssa turned to face her Mother. “Al Sahim deserves to be released from any further bonds of servitude to the League of Assassins.”

Chapter Text

Chapter Thirty
Summary:
Here is the conclusion to this story…
Notes:
I do not own the characters in this story based upon the TV Series Arrow. I merely hope that I do them justice and that if you read this story, you understand how much of a fan I am of the show. Any new characters introduced are mine.
Please check out my Tumblr blog which has a beautiful piece of artwork created by @mel-loves-all for this story. It is gorgeous! I am so very thankful to her for it.
Another huge THANK YOU to my dear friend @almondblossomme for reading this story before posting. I really appreciate your help with it.

Previously:

You learned a little bit of back story on Talia and Moira. Nyssa defeated the usurper and a decision on the Queen Family’s future us upon us…

Chapter 30

Talia nodded at her daughter, placed a calming hand on her husband’s arm, then strode over to her nephew and Felicity. “My daughter is right, Al Sahim,” she concurred, while assessing Oliver’s defensive posture. “You have proven your loyalty to the House of al Ghul and deserve a reward.”

Felicity moved back around Oliver to stand by his side and looked up at him. Hope radiated from her glance, only to be tempered by the skeptical look on his face. He knows something is up, she thought. She reached for his hand and intertwined her fingers with his. When he didn’t look at her and maintained his focus on his Aunt, she turned her head to look at Talia. The seemingly serene and knowing smile on Talia’s face had Felicity mirroring Oliver’s reaction. Did everyone have ulterior motives here, she wondered?

“You have earned the right to return home,” Talia insisted, then added, “but with a caveat.”

Oliver felt Felicity’s hand clench down on his, but he maintained his level gaze at his Aunt.

Nyssa warned, “Mother…”

Talia whipped her head to the side and admonished her daughter, “Silence, child.” Then she looked back at Oliver. “My Mother once sent a member of the League with her daughter to ensure that her wishes were followed.” Talia looked at her sister and added, “This time, the member I choose to go will ensure my orders are followed.”

Moira shuddered, hoping her sister wouldn’t do anything too extreme. The last thing she wanted was someone spying on her and her family. “Please…” Moira begged.

Talia silenced Moira with a single look, interrupted her sister and proclaimed, “Al Sahim will escort his compatriots and the House of Queen back to Starling City.” Talia looked at those in the room and proclaimed, “There he shall stay until his Mistress has need of his skills in service to the League.”

Oliver rose to his full height, nodded his head in agreement and agreed, “By your command.”

Felicity felt Oliver squeeze her hand. She wondered if he was trying to reassure her or himself.

Talia gave Oliver a regal nod of her head, saw that her husband was about to countermand her, but silenced him with a stern glance, then swept out of the room, robes flowing and Ra’s following behind her.

“Oliver, what happens now?” Felicity asked quietly as Nyssa approached them.

He turned to gaze into her eyes and whispered solemnly, “We go home…”

Thea raced over to Oliver and re-emphasized, “Ollie, what is going on here?” She held up her arms, allowing the billowing sleeves to flutter, “and why am I dressed in these heavy robes?”

“Speedy, we have a long flight home for me to be able to answer as many of your questions as I can,” he replied. Then, Oliver looked at Felicity, pursed his lips, looked over at John and said, “Digg, please escort my Mother and sister to our rendezvous spot outside the gates of Nanda Parbat. Felicity and I will follow shortly.”

“Copy, that,” John acknowledged and led Moira and Thea out of the room.

Once they had left the room, Nyssa looked at Felicity and then spoke to Oliver, “Brother, you have been given a great gift.” Then she stood next to Felicity and warned him, “Do not squander it…”

Oliver nodded his head in agreement. He understood what Nyssa meant. He pulled Felicity into his side and vowed, “I won’t…”

“He won’t,” Felicity concurred at the same time, wrapped her own arm around him and leaned herself into him.

Nyssa nodded her head in approval and looked at Felicity. “Oh, my dear Sister, if only I had seen you first…” Nyssa signed, eliciting a low growl out of Oliver. She smiled at her brother, while Felicity simply shook her head at Nyssa, hoping to quell her teasing. “Now, you must both go…Return to your homeland and worry not about my Mother and Father,” she stated. “But be vigilant of whatever plotting your own Mother may have in store for you both.”

Felicity nodded her head in agreement with Nyssa’s warning. She knew exactly what Moira Queen was capable of and now Oliver knew it too. “Thank you, Nyssa,” she replied. “I’ll make sure we keep an eye on her.”

Oliver nodded his head in agreement. He would never underestimate his Mother again.

Felicity smiled at Nyssa’s teasing, pulled Oliver closer to her and answered, “Well, if I have any issues with your Brother, you’ll be the first to know…”

Nyssa held out her hand to Felicity. “You have only to activate this,” Nyssa informed her as she passed a small object on a delicate hand-wrought gold box chain into Felicity’s possession.

She looked down at the small gold disc with a cabochon star sapphire in the center, sitting in the palm of her hand. “It’s beautiful,” Felicity gasped, “thank you.”

“Not as much as its owner,” Nyssa admitted, then added, “simply press on the center stone and I will find you.”

“We will both find you,” Oliver concurred and nuzzled the top of Felicity’s head. He added, “we have to go now.”

Nyssa nodded in agreement, "Go and I will do my best to keep my parents out of your affairs.”

“Thank you,” Oliver replied. He looked at Felicity and she back at him. “Let’s go home,” he whispered and led Felicity to where John and the rest of his family were waiting.

Eleven months later…

Felicity stood by the window of her office on the 36th floor of the Queen Consolidated building. It was amazing how much her life had changed over the past year since their return from Nanda Parbat.

Moira had refused to share anything else with them about her life in Nanda Parbat and why she had done so many evil things. Once they were back home, she resigned from any daily duties at QC and had become a recluse within her stately manor home. Oliver had tried to get more answers from his Mother, but she refused to speak of what had happened. Thea, disgusted by her Mother’s actions, moved to Gotham and enrolled in the University to finish working on her Art History degree. Oliver was opposed to his sister’s departure at first, but Felicity helped him understand her need to discover who she was and create a life that she wanted to lead.

Moira’s only venture out had been to her final QC Board of Directors meeting where she insisted Walter Steele assume the Chief Executive Officer position and Oliver was appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors. She left the meeting as soon as these two items were approved without any explanation to the astonished faces sitting in the room.

Walter’s first action was to appoint Felicity to the position of Vice President of Acquisition and Development. In this new capacity, she worked to identify new start-up software companies that would enhance QC’s Technology division and strategized their acquisition. Since her appointment, she had proven her abilities to the rest of the QC Board, resulting in QC stock growth of an unprecedented amount.

Walter, Oliver and Felicity worked together as a team, running QC. Walter made his intentions clear to the two of them. He considered himself a caretaker of the company Robert Queen had started. When the time was right, he would retire from CEO and hand over the reins of the company to the best person to run it. He made sure the Board of Directors understood the person he was preparing for the job as CEO was Felicity. He reveled in reminding them of her qualifications for the position. The fact that over the past year every project she led had enhanced QC’s bottom line, proved he was right.

Felicity sighed to herself as she thought of how happy she was now. Oliver had purchased his own apartment only a few blocks away. While she still maintained her own condominium, Oliver’s loft was becoming slowly, but surely theirs. They would sit out on the terrace after dinner and Oliver would tell her stories of his time away. Sometimes, she could tell he was editing some of the information and would gently remind him that no matter what he had experienced, she would never judge him. He would nod his head in understanding, but she knew he would still edit his stories, for now. Felicity shook her head and rubbed her hands over her arms up and down as a cold chill ran down her back. The diminishing sunlight of the setting sun reminded her of the flickering light from the torches that lined the entrance to Nanda Parbat. To erase that memory, she turned away from her window, reached for her phone, and called Oliver to find out what was for dinner.

Three more years later…

“…I now pronounce you man and wife,” stated the Rabbi. Then she winked at the happy couple and added, “You may kiss the bride.”

Felicity wrapped her arms around Oliver’s neck as he reached around her waist and tugged her close to him. Their kiss caused many a heart to flutter within the cheering crowd.

Digg leaned in from his place as Best Man and whispered, “Okay you two, we have a reception we need to get to…”

The two pulled apart reluctantly, exposing a blushing bride and her equally smitten groom. Oliver gave John a genuine smile, then guided Felicity back down the center aisle toward the lavishly decorated reception area Thea had designed for them on the south lawn of the Queen Mansion gardens. As they walked toward the entrance of the tent, Oliver’s attention became momentarily distracted by a fluttering curtain from the top floor of his family’s home. He suspected it was his Mother, who had refused to attend the wedding and remained in seclusion. He would not ruin his happiness with thoughts of her, instead turning to look at his beautiful wife, returning her smile as he thought of their future together.

Four more years later…

Oliver smiled down at his daughter as she nuzzled closer to him, poking her head back and forth, looking for something he could not provide. "Okay, little one, let me hand you back to your Momma,” he cooed as he gently handed her back to Felicity. “I think our daughter is hungry again.”

Felicity sighed, “Well, luckily for little miss hungry, her momma seems to have no difficulty producing milk for her.” Then she shifted her position in bed, adjusted her Boppy pillow around her and placed their daughter in front of her to begin nursing.

A discreet knock on the door drew Oliver’s attention away for a moment. He walked over to the door as it opened. Raisa stood there, a pensive look on her face. “Mr. Oliver, you have guests in the parlor for you.”

He and Felicity agreed to raise their daughter in the home he grew up in, knowing that they would create new and pleasant memories to cherish. They wanted ample space for their family to grow and prosper. Oliver and Felicity exchanged a worried look, picking up on the nervousness in Raisa’s voice. “I’ll be right back, Babe,” he closed the door as he left the room following Raisa down the hall toward the unexpected visitors. At the bottom of the stairs, Raisa looked at Oliver for reassurance. He winked at her and headed toward where his guests were waiting.

As he entered the parlor, he noticed several well-dressed men and women inside. Then a familiar face greeted him. “Brother, you have my condolences on the recent loss of your Mother,” Nyssa intoned somberly.

His Mother had passed unexpectedly four months ago. Raisa had entered her room one morning, only to find Moira, slumped over in her bed. The coroner had ruled it as natural causes, but he wondered, if with all her League training, maybe it was something else. He only hoped his Mother had finally found her peace at last. Having Nyssa here was certainly unexpected, but perhaps she truly only wanted to wish them well. Oliver warily nodded his head in acknowledgment and simply asked, “Why are you here?”

“Why? Why to congratulate you on the birth of your daughter!” a pleased Nyssa commented as she approached Oliver slowly. There had to be more reason than a simple welcoming for his daughter. The tension within the room spoke volumes. Each of Nyssa’s guards under their carefully tailored suits was carrying an assortment of weapons. Without even looking he knew exactly where each carefully concealed weapon he had in the room was should he need them. Let’s play this out, he thought curiously. Nyssa’s presence had to be a warning. “Thank you, Sister,” Oliver replied and added cautiously, “Felicity and the baby are upstairs. Would you like to meet, your niece, Melissa?”

Nyssa turned to her security detail and ordered, “Leave us.” She waited until the last person left the room, turned back toward Oliver with a close-mouth smile and answered, “Bring me your little one.”

Oliver exited the room but did not see Nyssa’s detail anywhere. He sprinted up the staircase as fast as he could. Once at his room he opened the door quickly to see Felicity cradling their now-slumbering daughter.

“You have growly face,” Felicity teased. “Who was downstairs?”

Oliver’s face maintained its frown. “Nyssa has arrived,” he replied, “with her League guards.”

Felicity inhaled sharply and pulled her daughter tighter to her causing the baby to cry in protest. “I’m sorry, Pumpkin,” she apologized softly and cuddled her daughter tenderly until she settled back to sleep. Felicity looked up at Oliver and asked, “What does she want?”

Oliver walked over and sat down on the bed next to Felicity. “She’s asked to meet our daughter.”

Felicity tilted her head at him and studied his face. “You don’t think that’s it, do you?” she queried.

He frowned at her words; but could find no fault in them. Instead, he leaned forward to kiss his wife’s forehead and answered, “Come on, let’s take our daughter to meet her Aunt…”

Felicity lifted her arms to hand Melissa to her Father and then stood up, adjusted her robe arounds her, making it secure, wrapped her arm around Oliver’s arm and walked side-by-side with him to greet their unexpected visitor.

As they entered the room, Nyssa turned away from her perusal of the gardens outside and smiled as she watched Oliver and Felicity approach her with her niece. “Please introduce me to this little one,” she greeted them.

Felicity looked up at Oliver and nodded her head at him. Then he stepped forward, gently placed his slumbering daughter into Nyssa’s arms and announced, “May I introduce our daughter, Melissa Smoak Queen.”

Nyssa smiled at the baby and looked up at Felicity and Oliver. “Oh, my Brother and Sister, this is your greatest gift,” she praised, then added quietly, “I envy you…” Felicity raised her arms back to Nyssa, who promptly handed the baby back to her. “Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to meet my Niece,” she added and backed away slowly from the little family. “I know my visit was unannounced and hope I have not unduly upset you with my presence.”

“You are always welcome in our home,” Felicity assured her. Then asked, “Would you like to stay for dinner?” She felt Oliver’s arm tense around her back but maintained her smile at Nyssa.

Nyssa gave a tilt of her head and slow perusal of Oliver, before she responded, “Thank you, Sister, but unfortunately, League business requires my attention elsewhere.”

“But not in Starling City…” queried Oliver sternly, eliciting a teasing smile out of Nyssa.

“Keep your arrows in your quiver, Al Sahim,” Nyssa retorted causing Oliver to take a defensive stance in front of Felicity and their daughter.

“What Oliver meant to say…” Felicity interpreted as she stepped around from her husband and faced her guest, “was that we are delighted you found time out of your busy schedule to visit and we wish you well on your travels and journey home.”

Oliver nodded his head in agreement very slowly and muttered, “Ummm-huh.”

Nyssa genuinely smiled at Felicity. “You are truly luminous, my Sister,” she flattered. Then Nyssa pulled out a small leather pouch from her pocket and handed it to Felicity. “Here is a small token of my affection for my Niece.”

Oliver frowned, while Felicity clasped the small pouch in her hand and shifted the still slumbering Melissa into the arms of her Father. Then she opened the pouch and poured out the contents into the palm of her other hand. She lifted the item up and smiled. It was a pendent on a delicate gold chain, only the center stone was a cabochon ruby, Melissa’s birth stone. “Thank you, Nyssa, for this lovely gift.”

Nyssa nodded her head in approval. “See to it, Sister, that your daughter never takes it off.” She added slyly, “This trinket is similar to the one you wear around your neck now.”

Felicity touched the pendant tenderly. She never took it off. It had become her good luck charm since returning home so very long ago from Nanda Parbat. She nodded in understanding and promised, “Of course.”

Confident that her gift would grace the neck of her niece, Nyssa looked at Oliver, exchanging knowing looks. “I shall leave you now, Al Sahim, to your family,” she stated and started toward the door.

Felicity and Oliver exchanged curious looks as Nyssa moved away from them. They clasped hands and quickened their pace to catch up with Nyssa and escorted her out of the house to her waiting League entourage.

Before exiting the house, Nyssa turned around, moved to hug Felicity, pulled her in close and whispered, “Sister, my parents know of your treasure.”

Startled, Felicity realized that this visit from Nyssa was a warning. With Moira dead, Talia and Ra’s probably were trying to assess whether her daughter was a threat to them. After all this time, didn’t they realize that they wanted no part of the League of Assassins? Felicity squeezed Nyssa back and whispered, “What do I do?”

In response, Nyssa took one step back away from her, gazed longingly at her slumbering niece and looked at Oliver. “Guard them well, Al Sahim,” she cautioned, then turned away from them, shouted orders at her guards, and swept herself into the waiting vehicle, departing from Queen Manor.

As they watched the cars depart in the dimming light of the setting sun, Oliver slowly adjusted his still sleeping daughter in his arms, then turned to his wife and simply stated, “My Aunt and Uncle are up to something.”

Felicity gave a weary sigh. It had been almost ten years since they had been to Nanda Parbat. During that time, Oliver had made upgrades to their loft for added protection and was in the process of upgrading the security at their new home. She acknowledged that they had stopped being as vigilant as they were when they had first returned home. She looked at her husband and could see his thoughts were mirroring her own. They needed to be prepared for anything…

The years passed without hearing again from Nyssa or anyone else from the League of Assassins. Regardless, they remained vigilant, both at home, at QC and wherever Melissa went to school. Oliver and Felicity hired John’s company to enhance their security measures both at their home and offices. Felicity oversaw the technology upgrades to their electrical and alarm system. Oliver also began Felicity’s self-defense training and once she was old enough, Melissa too.

As Melissa grew older, Oliver recognized her adeptness at the hand-to-hand combat skills he taught her. He and Felicity enrolled her in Taekwondo, where she excelled in sparring competitions. By the time Melissa was in Middle school, she was representing the United States as a member of the Junior Nationals Team. Master Kim encouraged them to let her train at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, once she was in high school. By her Senior year, she was selected to compete at the Olympics. After four tough preliminary matches, Melissa made it to the semi-final round. To celebrate, Oliver and Felicity took their daughter out to dinner at a small restaurant next to the Athlete’s Village.

“Sweetheart, your Mom and I are so proud of you,” Oliver toasted his daughter and lovingly caressed his wife’s shoulder as she sat next to him. John Diggle and his wife, Lyla clinked their glasses together and raised them to Melissa in agreement

“Thanks, Dad,” Melissa blushed. “Thanks, Mom, Uncle Digg and Aunt Lyla. I’m here because you all supported me and gave me the encouragement I needed to be here.”

“Nonsense, child,” a familiar voice reprimanded, causing Oliver, John and Lyla to immediately stand up in a defensive position to face the interloper. “You are your Father’s and Mother’s daughter after all…” Nyssa commented.

Felicity placed a calming hand on Oliver’s arm, stood up from her seat and greeted, “This is an unexpected surprise, Nyssa.” Then she gave a quick glance to John and Lyla making sure they were ready should they need be.

Melissa sat there with a questioning look on her face. Her hand moved to grasp the small pendant she wore around her neck. The action made Nyssa give her a nod of her head in approval.

“Thank you, Niece, for wearing the gift I bestowed upon you,” Nyssa commented. “You are a true warrior…”

“Why are you here?” Oliver interrupted with restraint so as not to alert the other guests at the restaurant.

“I am here to revel in the accomplishments of my niece,” Nyssa responded quickly, then grabbed a chair and sat down closest to Melissa. Everyone else at the table sat back down as well.

“Oliver?” John questioned, Lyla giving them all a concerned look around the room. They could not identify any potential threats in the restaurant.

Melissa gave her parents a questioning look. Then she looked at the woman who had caused her family to have growly faces. “Are you my Aunt Nyssa?” she asked causing a shocked look to appear across her parents’ faces.

Nyssa genuinely smiled at her question, turned toward Melissa and confirmed, “Yes.” Then she looked at Melissa’s parents and added, “Thank you for telling her about me.”

“Oh, they haven’t exactly told me all about you,” Melissa admitted, “they simply haven’t learned to make sure Mom’s dampening fields aren’t hackable by their genius daughter.” Then Melissa leaned over and wrapped her arms around her Aunt to hug her. “I’m so happy to finally meet you,” she whispered in Nyssa’s ear.

“Perhaps, we should take our family reunion elsewhere?” Felicity interjected. Oliver and Nyssa looked at each other, nodded their heads in agreement. “Now that’s settled, let’s go back to our suite at the hotel and talk,” Felicity recommended. Then she looked at her daughter and added, “and it’s time for you to head back to your apartment in the Village to get a good night sleep before your match tomorrow.”

“No way, Mom,” Melissa argued, “I am not going to miss this conversation.”

Oliver gave his daughter a stern look. “You will do as your Mother asks, Mel,” he ordered in an authoritative voice his daughter had never heard before. He looked at John and Lyla.

“Come on Kiddo,” Lyla added. “Your Uncle John and I will make sure you get there safely.”

“Fine,” she consented, “but you had better fill me in with all the details.” She looked at Nyssa, smiled and added, “I’m so glad I get to finally meet you.”

Once John, Lyla and Melissa left the restaurant. Oliver took his wife’s hand and led her out of the building, Nyssa following close behind. They quickly reached the hotel they were staying at during the two-week long competition and escorted Nyssa to their penthouse suite. “Okay, Sister, we’re here and want to know why after all this time you are coming back into our life again.”

Nyssa sat down on the ornate chair in front of her and beckoned them to join her. Once Oliver and Felicity sat down, she announced, “My Mother is dead.”

Felicity reached her hand out, grasped Nyssa’s and gave it a comforting squeeze. “We are so sorry to hear of your loss,” she replied. Then she looked to Oliver to encourage him to reach out with a similar sentiment, but saw his eyes turn to steel.

“I will ask this question only once, Sister,” Oliver warned. “Why are you here?”

“I am to ascend to Mistress of the League of Assassins in a ceremony that must have a witness,” Nyssa informed them.

Oliver’s eyes grew wide with awareness at this announcement. “Choose someone else,” he stated coldly.

Felicity gave her husband, then Nyssa a look of confusion. “Choose who?” she asked for clarification.

Nyssa’s face grew stoic. She released Felicity’s hand, stood up from her chair, looked them both in their eyes and commanded, “I choose Al Sahim to be my witness and will announce your daughter as my Heir.”