Chapter Text
“So you’re finally going to do it tonight, huh?”
John sighed wistfully over the phone as he looked down at the ring box in his hand. He flipped it open, looking at the ring nestled inside, then grinned. “Yes, I’m going to do it tonight. It’s about time, don’t you think?”
“I think you should have done it ages ago,” Felicity replied with a soft laugh of her own. “I’m really happy for you John. Mary is a wonderful woman, and I know you two will be happy together.”
“I saw Mrs. Hudson today,” he told her, shifting gears quite abruptly.
Felicity paused. It had been two years since she saw Mrs. Hudson, but she had done her best to check in every month or so. Because of this, she knew that John hadn’t gone to see her since the funeral. She always pushed him to go see her, which was probably why he was telling her that he had. “Oh? And how is she?”
“As opinionated as always,” he replied with a huff, eliciting a giggle from Felicity. “She doesn’t like the mustache either.”
“Because it ages you,” she pointed out.
“So she said,” he grumbled, reaching up to touch the patch of hair. He had only been trying it out, but Mary seemed to be the only one that liked it. “Luckily, I’m not one to take what you or Mrs. Hudson say too seriously.”
“A dreadful mistake, if you ask me,” she joked, smiling over the phone.
“You would say that,” he retorted, shaking his head. “You aren’t always right, you know. Wasn’t it only a year ago that you said Oliver would never be interested in you romantically? And look at you now, living a peaceful life of ‘suburban bliss’ with him.”
“Alright, fair point. When it comes to relationships, I clearly know nothing, but I do know what I’m talking about when it comes to your facial hair,” she insisted. “And for the record, just because I was wrong once does not mean I am not usually right.”
“I know, Felicity. You’re a genius and I should feel honored to consider you a friend,” he teased.
“Yes you should,” she agreed, chuckling with him. “As much as I would love to keep chatting, I have a video conference with the board. They’re getting more and more frustrated with me being so far from the city.”
“You are the CEO. You should be closer to the company you’re supposed to be leading,” John pointed out.
“I know, I know,” she nodded. “But things between Oliver and I are really good right now. I want to stay like this just a little while longer.”
“Oh who are you kidding, Smoak? You and I both know that you hate being in the suburbs. You miss being behind a computer screen, being a… a… What was that phrase you used that one time? Oh right, a bitch with wifi,” he recalled. “Does Oliver even know about all of the work you did when you were on your worldwide trip?”
“No, and he never will, if I can help it. I can’t imagine he’d be too happy with me if he found out I had lied about having a wireless connection,” she muttered, frowning slightly. “We’ll have to go back for my job soon. As much as he’s been enjoying himself here, he knows how important my career is. He won’t jeopardize it twice.”
“Not after the secretary incident, he won’t,” he agreed.
“ Executive assistant ,” she corrected. “You know, I regret telling you so much. You only seem to use it against me.”
“That’s what friends are for,” he declared. “I’ll let you go. I have to get ready for tonight anyways.”
“Alright. Call me tomorrow to fill me in. I’ll want every detail,” she requested, smiling at the thought of her friend finally proposing to his wonderful girlfriend. “And John?”
“Yes, Felicity?”
“Congratulations,” she told him, smiling at the small exhale that followed.
“Thank you. Talk to you tomorrow,” he assured, then hung up.
Unfortunately, he never called. She considered calling him herself to see what had happened, but she figured he and Mary must have been busy celebrating their engagement. Surely he would call her later. Days passed, and no phone call. She tried to keep herself busy, but John had been right. She hated living in the suburbs. When her friends showed up, pleading with them to return and help them, she was relieved to have a solid excuse to return to Starling City. However, the one big difference between the city and the suburbs is that when something big happens, everyone learns about it immediately.
She had been unpacking their things in their apartment, dancing along to whatever was playing on the radio, when she got the google alert. Her brows furrowed. She hadn’t gotten a google alert in quite a while. Two years to be exact. Swallowing dryly, she went over to her phone and opened up the link, her heart clenching when she read the title: HAT DETECTIVE ALIVE . As she stood there, staring at her phone completely froze, she began recieving a slew of text messages.
[TEXT; John Diggle]: I just heard the news. Is it true?
[TEXT; Oliver Queen]: Diggle told me. Are you okay? Do you want me to come home?
[TEXT; Molly Hooper]: Please don’t be mad at me for not telling you… Sherlock made me promise.
[TEXT; John Watson]: I can explain.
It was this last text that had her dialing John’s phone number, her shock quickly turning to anger at the realization that this was why he hadn’t called her. When he picked up, she practically shouted, “You knew ?”
“What? No, of course not, I’ve only just found out,” he assured her.
“How long ago?” she asked, clenching her jaw as she felt her blood begin to boil.
“...The night I was going to propose,” he answered regretfully.
“Why the fuck didn’t you call me and tell me sooner? You waited until the news broke the story, John! You let me wait until the rest of the world found out. How is that fair?” she demanded.
“I didn’t know how to tell you. After everything-”
“No, you don’t get to use that as an excuse,” she cut him off, shaking her head firmly.
“Felicity, after Sherlock died, you threw yourself head first into your mission with the vigilante. You nearly died, no less than four times, because you insisted on being put in the field more. You let yourself be used as bait, for Christ’s sake. You’re lucky to still be alive,” he reminded, concerned but harsh. “After all of that, I wasn’t sure how you would react if I told you. If I had known he was going to publicly come back to life so soon, I would have told you, I promise.”
She sighed, her head bowing as she recalled how reckless she was the year following Sherlock’s death. She had been so determined to prove her worth, to prove that she could save people instead of failing them, that she had risked her life to do it. It had scared John so much, he had threatened to fly out just to act as her personal bodyguard. Luckily, she had talked him down from that and got herself in order, but that year was definitely a dark time for her. “You still should have told me.”
“I know, and I’m sorry,” he replied. “Can you forgive me?”
A small scoff followed as she shook her head, her teeth biting down on her bottom lip before she answered, “You’re one of my best friends, John. Of course I can forgive you.” She took a deep breath, letting go of her anger, which in turn left room for confusion and curiosity to set in. “How did he do it? How did he trick us?”
“I wouldn’t let him explain. Truthfully, I don’t want to know,” he admitted. “It’s been two years. At this point, would knowing change what we went through?” She knew he was right, of course, but that didn’t make it any easier to take. “Do you want me to pass a message along to him? I could demand he call you, if you want.”
“No!” she exclaimed, then pinched her lips together as she mentally cursed herself. “I-I’m not ready to talk to him. I’m not sure when I’ll be ready, but I know I’m not ready now. In fact, it might be better if you don’t mention me to him at all.”
“And if he asks about you?” he questioned.
Her breathing stuttered at that, her feet carrying her towards the window as she looked out at the city around her. “I doubt he even remembers me,” she joked, but it fell flat as she was met with silence. “I only met him for a day, John. I doubt I’m even a blip on his radar… But if he does happen to ask, just tell him I’ve moved on with my life.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“Why would I lie about something like this?” John asked, sounding tired. She was sure it had something to do with Sherlock, but she had no desire to learn about their latest antics. She had turned off the google alert after the one reporting his resurrection, and she had made it very clear to her team that she had no interest in staying up to date with what they were up to.
“You wouldn’t, but why on Earth would Mary want me to be her maid of honor? We’ve only ever spoken on the phone, and even then, I made a complete fool out of myself,” she reminded, feeling her cheeks grow red from the memory. She had been so nervous talking to John’s new girlfriend at the time that she had gone on a ten minute rant about birth control that ended with a not-so-subtle comment about their biological clocks ticking.
“You did not make a fool out of yourself. She thought you were adorable, and she only ever has nice things to say about you. Besides, you were the one that pushed me to give her a chance remember?” he asked. Felicity smiled softly thinking about it. John had been talking about the lovely woman that worked at the doctor’s office with him for weeks. Eventually, she told him that if he didn’t ask the woman out, she would fly to London and ask her out herself. “Mary’s still a little disappointed I gave in and didn’t let her experience a date with the Felicity Smoak.”
“Oh please, you would have asked her just from the threat alone. You just needed the motivation,” she insisted, but the smile was still firmly planted on her lips. “I’ve never been a maid of honor.”
“That’s okay. Sherlock and Mary seem to have the wedding preparations under control. You’ll need to give a speech and help out the day of, but other than that, we have it all sorted,” he assured her. “Does that mean you’ll do it?”
Felicity sighed, taking a few more minutes to consider it before groaning and giving in. “Fine, yes, I’ll do it. Tell Mary I’ll call her later on so we can start getting ready. I want to make sure that you two have the perfect day.”
“I’ll be happy if we all make it through without any problems. I just want to be able to call her my wife,” he admitted. Her heart swelled at her friend’s happiness, but that joy soon faded when John spoke again. “You do know that doing this will mean working in close proximity with Sherlock, right?”
“I can handle Sherlock for a couple of days,” she assured him, rolling her eyes at the thought.
“Are you sure about that?” he questioned. “You’re still going through rehab, and I’d hate for your health to get worse. We both know Sherlock has that effect on people.”
“I’ll be fine. I can handle him. Besides, I’ll have Oliver. I do still get a plus one even if I’m the maid of honor, right?” she asked, looking up when her fiancé began walking down the stairs.
“Yes, you still get a plus one,” he assured. “Does Oliver know what you’re getting him into by bringing him?”
“Don’t worry, I’ll prepare him. Just… Do me a favor and ask Sherlock to behave himself on the day of the wedding. The last thing I need is him saying something to piss Oliver off,” she muttered, waving a hand when Oliver gave her an inquisitive look.
“I will ask, but you know that Sherlock rarely does something he doesn’t want to do, and that includes behaving,” John reminded her.
“Yeah, I know,” she sighed. They made their goodbyes, and Felicity placed her phone on her desk before turning her chair so she was facing Oliver. “So guess who Mary asked to be her maid of honor.”
“Really? But she hasn’t even met you yet,” Oliver pointed out as he placed his jacket over the back of her chair.
“True, but we’ve talked on the phone loads of times. She kind of reminds me of Sara,” she admitted. She wasn’t sure why exactly, but there was something about her that made her think of her badass best friend. “And I think the bigger issue is she doesn’t have a lot of friends or family. Either way, I’m touched she asked.”
“Well if she likes you just from a few phone calls, then she has good taste,” he declared, leaning down to give her a soft kiss. “Does John have a brother?”
“Huh? No, he has a sister though,” she replied. “Why?”
“Just wondering who his best man is going to be,” he explained, stepping away and going over to sharpen some of his arrows. When Felicity didn’t reply, he looked back at her, took note of her awkward expression, and sighed. “He asked Sherlock, didn’t he?”
“They’re best friends, Oliver. You can’t be that surprised,” she muttered, turning away from him to start working on her initial scans of the city.
“I knew we were going to have to see him when we went to the wedding, but now you’ll be working with him as maid of honor and best man. Do you really think that’s a good idea?” he asked, clearly annoyed by the idea. “You finally seem to have let go of the silly crush you had on him and now you’re going to be forced to spend all this time with him. I don’t like it.”
“First of all, I never had a silly crush on him. I admired his mind. Second, we will not be forced to do anything. I’ll be helping Mary and he’ll be helping John. We won’t even really need to talk to each other.” At least, she hoped they wouldn’t. “And third, you don’t have to like it, but you do have to accept it. I want to be there for Mary and John. I can put up with Sherlock Holmes for a few days if it means making their day special.”
“What if I say ‘no’?”
“Ex cuse me?” she replied, her brows shooting up as she rolled her chair closer to him.
“What if I say I don’t want you to go?” he asked, arms crossed over his chest as she looked over at her. “I know I fucked up by not going to the hospital, but we’re back on track again. I remember how you were when you came back from London, Felicity. You weren’t the same person you were before you left, and I haven’t seen the you that you were before that trip since.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing. Newsflash: you didn’t notice the me I was before London, so if I had been the same person before I’d left, we wouldn’t be engaged right now,” she pointed out. “And you’re right, we are on track again, but we won’t be if you seriously think asking me to stay away from my best friend’s wedding is an appropriate or acceptable thing to do.”
“So what I want doesn’t matter?” he countered.
“Of course it matters, but you shouldn’t want me to miss out on the greatest day of my friend’s life, especially not after I already agreed to be his bride’s maid of honor,” she stated. “And I shouldn’t have to explain that. I would never ask you to do something like this.”
“Well I am,” Oliver declared, clenching his jaw and standing up a bit straighter. “I don’t want you to go to the wedding.”
“ Tough , I’m going,” she snapped, starting to roll towards the exit.
“I’m doing this for us , Felicity, can’t you see that?” he asked, following after her and stopping in front of her so she couldn’t leave.
“No, you’re doing this for you !” she shot back. “What are you afraid of? I already agreed to marry you!” As a reminder, she lifted her left hand to show the ring on her finger.
“How do I know you’ll still want to after you see him?” he questioned. “Digg told me how heartbroken you were after you thought I had died, but you bounced back once I came back. When you thought Sherlock died, it destroyed you, and don’t pretend like it didn’t. I don’t know what happened between you two, but there’s more there that you’re not telling me.”
“Nothing happened between us, damnit!” she shouted. “I met him for a day. One ! Then he fell off the grid before faking his suicide. And yes, it destroyed me, but not because I had feelings for him.”
“Then why?”
“Because I failed!” she exclaimed, her breathing more labored than before as she felt her emotions starting to get the best of her. “I went to London to save him, and I failed. That’s what destroyed me. Knowing I wasn’t good enough, wasn’t fast enough, wasn’t smart enough broke me. And then you pulled your ‘I can’t be the Arrow and Oliver Queen’ bullshit and I spiraled. So if you’re going to start pointing fingers for why I acted the way I did after he died, start by looking in the mirror.” She went to roll herself around him to get to the exit, but he blocked her path again, this time taking a knee to make eye contact with her.
“I’m not going to go all the way to England just to watch you get wrapped up in another man,” he told her, trying to keep his voice gentle, but she could hear the bite to his words. “And if you love me, you will stay here with me.”
Felicity shook her head, in complete disbelief that he was doing this. “If my choices are staying here to satisfy your ego or going to John and Mary’s wedding alone, then it looks like I won’t need that plus one after all,” she stated, managing to push past him and to the elevator, her eyes meeting his as the doors closed. She only caught a glimpse of him, but she was sure she had never seen him look so betrayed.
While several of her friends offered for her to stay with them, Felicity decided to use her CEO resources to stay in a nice hotel. She also insisted on having a car take her, although she did miss seeing John grumpily holding a sign with her name on it like he had so long ago. Over the past few months, she and Mary had spoken on the phone or over text message regularly. While she couldn’t be there in person, she helped Mary pick out her dress over Skype. Time seemed to pass so quickly, and while she and Oliver and moved past their fight, he was still adamant on not going to the wedding. It was disappointing, especially since she wanted him to meet her friends from London, but once he made his mind about something, it was practically impossible to change it.
The night before the wedding, in lieu of a traditional bachelorette party, she decided to treat Mary to a luxurious day in the hotel spa. Afterwards, they got dinner and drinks at a fancy new restaurant nearby, then ended the night with an exceeding amount of wine and a few romcoms. They were both a little hungover the next morning, but after some mimosas, they were ready for the big day. Felicity did her best to help Mary with her gown, but being in her chair restricted her quite a bit. It made getting dressed just as difficult, but by the time the limo showed up to take them to the church, they were both stunningly ready. Luckily for her, because the bride and groom couldn’t see each other before the wedding, Felicity managed to avoid Sherlock until after the ceremony.
Her eyes blinked a few times to clear the spots from her eyes after all of the flashes from the photographer, her hands straightening out her dress for what felt like the millionth time before glancing over at him. Finding him staring down at her had her eyes darting away, her cheeks turning a soft pink as she began rolling away.
“Felicity, wait,” he called after her, striding up to match pace with her as she kept going. “We should talk.”
“No, we shouldn’t,” she insisted, trying to move faster, but with his long legs, he was able to keep up with her easily enough, so she decided to stop to save herself the energy. “We have nothing to talk about Sherlock.”
“I would disagree,” he replied.
“Of course you would. It’s in your nature,” she retorted, shaking her head. “Today is not about you, and it’s certainly not about me. I’m here for John and Mary. That’s it. By the time they leave on their honeymoon tomorrow, I’ll already be on a flight back to Star City.”
“There are no flights back to Star City tomorrow,” he argued.
“I have a private plane. Perks of being CEO of Palmer Technologies,” she stated, folding her hands in her lap. “For someone who claims to be able to pick up on everything, I’m surprised you didn’t figure that one out.”
“Yes, well, you have always been a bit of a mystery to me,” he admitted, his expression neutral but his voice sounding almost vulnerable.
“What are you talking about? When we talked on the phone that first time, you knew why I was trying to reach you and that I was at the airport on my way to see you. You had me pegged from the beginning,” she reminded, her brows cinching together.
“Yes, but then I met you,” he muttered. “You were not what I had been expecting, and you continued to surprise me throughout our day together.”
“In what ways did I surprise you?” she questioned, crossing her arms over her chest as she looked up at him.
“Well, first of all, your appearance. Only so much can be gathered over the phone, and while I gathered you were young, I did not expect someone so… bright. Full of light, even,” he explained. “Then, when you were texting your friend, you saw going to a scene of a kidnapping as an adventure. Most people would consider it a tragedy, but being involved in the kind of work I deal with every day was exciting to you. Next, you believed that I, for whatever reason, was ‘out of your league’, as you had so eloquently put it. I never really understood that concept, but either you did not see your own worth or you felt I was somehow better than you which I would normally agree with, but you are not like the rest of the ordinary people I meet. However, what really took me by surprise was how you jumped to Molly’s defense. I had been aware for some time her feelings for me, and I will admit I mistreated her because of this. Most people, besides John, do not have the courage or conviction to reprimand me when I misbehave, but you did. It seemed that every moment we spent together, you challenged and impressed me, which are two things I am not accustomed to experiencing. You took me by surprise, Felicity Smoak, and in the two years since that day, my mind has not strayed far from your memory.”
Felicity had been so stunned by his speech, her eyes wide and her stomach simultaneously twisting and fluttering. It was this last sentence that had her shaking her head. “Don’t. You don’t get to do this. Not now, and certainly not here,” she insisted, starting to roll away again, but he got in her way. “Please, Sherlock. Let this go for now, and… And I promise I’ll come find you later, okay? I won’t leave until after we’ve talked.”
Sherlock paused, seemingly conflicted over the offer, but eventually bowed his head in acceptance. “Very well. We will speak later then,” he agreed, moving out of her way. She rolled away, her heart hammering in her chest as she tried to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat. She had prepared herself for a lot in terms of this wedding, but she could have never anticipated what had just happened, and it shook her to her very core.
Sherlock’s speech had been going so well, and even Felicity had to admit that it was funny, heartwarming, and just the right amount of insulting that people knew he was the one that wrote it. Of course, when he realized someone was going to be murdered, things took an odd turn. She watched as he began to unravel, her eyes meeting John’s when their friend said an out-of-place phrase that she could only assume was a code, as John jumped into action. As John, Sherlock, and Mary left after Major Sholto, Felicity did her best to wrangle the rest of the guests. She had a demanding enough voice, but being in a wheelchair made it a little more difficult. Eventually, she was able to get everyone back into their seats, and she suggested another round of champagne to keep them all calm.
An hour or so later, once the bride, groom, and best man returned and the dancing began, Felicity found herself in a side room, looking down at her phone. She contemplated calling Oliver and apologizing for coming without him, but then she reminded herself that it had been his choice not to come. Twisting her ring on her finger, a soft sigh escaping her as she watched the light reflect and refract in the gem. For so long, all she had wanted was to be with Oliver, but then things had changed. She had changed, and she feared that she wasn’t the same woman that had been so painfully enamored with him.
“Your speech was better.” She looked up and found Sherlock hovering in the doorway before taking a few steps into the room. “Of course, I had the dramatics of a case to solve to make mine more memorable, but your anecdotes about John threatening to be your bodyguard and video chatting Mary while she tried on dresses were both humorous and sentimental, which I have read are two very important qualities to a speech such as this,” he continued, his hands locked behind his back. “May I ask you a question?”
“Since you just complimented me, I guess I can give you one question,” she joked, smiling softly up at him.
“Why are you still in that chair?” he asked.
“Pardon?”
“You don’t need it,” he stated, being the know-it-all he always was. “You only think you need it.”
“I am paralyzed, you ass,” she shot back, glaring up at him.
“Yes, I read the article after your engagement. Congratulations by the way. Your fiancé may be a murderer and a liar, but I suppose he’s handsome enough, by society’s standards at least.” He paused when Felicity scoffed indignantly, her mouth opening to argue, but he cut her off. “Oh please, I knew the first day the vigilante surfaced that it was him. He may have changed his mantle over the years, but I am not as naive as the rest of the public. If it wasn’t already completely obvious, your conversation in the lab with Molly that day confirmed my suspicions,” he explained, his eyes locked on hers, almost challenging her to contradict him. “You can do better, you know.”
“I love Oliver,” she insisted.
“Do you?” he questioned, taking another step towards her. “I will admit, I don’t entirely understand love, but spending time with John and Mary has given me at least an inkling into what it means. From what I have gathered, loving someone means becoming a better version of yourself, not because they deserve it, but because they inspire you to be your best self. I may have only met you that one day, but the you I met was fiery and so sure of herself. I don’t see her before me today.”
“It’s more complicated than that, Sherlock, and I don’t have to explain myself or my relationship to you,” Felicity replied, glancing back down at her ring. “As for my ability to walk, I really am paralyzed. I may have a chip in my back, courtesy of my friend, but it doesn’t seem to be working.”
“It is working,” he corrected. “You just don’t believe enough in yourself to try.”
“How on earth would you know it’s working? Last I checked, biotechnology is not one of your specialties,” she countered, pinching her lips together in annoyance.
“Because I saw your leg move. During my speech,” he told her. “When I mentioned plain bridesmaids, your leg twitched in correlation with your annoyance with me.”
“It… It didn’t twitch,” she insisted, shaking her head.
“Have I ever been wrong in an observation?” he replied, quirking a brow. She bowed her head in surrender, knowing he was right. “So again, I must ask, why are you still in that chair?”
She looked up at him dubiously, gaping for a few moments before glancing back down at her legs. She took a deep breath, then focused all of her energy into sliding her foot from the rest onto the floor. A sharp inhale escaped her when it moved, her focus shifting to her other foot until it did the same. Without even realizing, she took his hands when he extended them, then lifted herself up and onto her feet. “The chip… It’s working.”
“So it seems,” he muttered softly, a hint of a smile on his face as she looked up at him. Her heart skipped a beat as his eyes locked on hers, her mouth closing as she swallowed dryly. “May I have this dance?” A breathy laugh escaped her as she nodded, one hand remaining in his as the other moved to his shoulder before he began moving her slowly and gently across the floor. “You are better than I expected.”
“I grew up in Las Vegas to a single mom who loved Dancing with the Stars. I took classes at the local Y up until high school, when I refused to go,” she admitted, shaking her head as she remembered how upset her mother had been when she decided to stop her classes. “You’re better than I expected too.”
“I’m going to let you in on something, Felicity,” he decided, that hint of a smile returning.
“And what’s that?”
“I love dancing,” he whispered. “I’ve always loved it.”
“Oh really?” she laughed softly, surprised by his answer.
He hummed his confirmation, then twirled her expertly before pulling her close and dipping her, all with the grace of someone who clearly knew what they were doing. “It rarely comes up in crime work, but, you know, I live in hope of the right case.”
She let out another laugh, her head shaking slightly as he lifted her upright again, their bodies closer together from the way he had held her. “Consider me impressed,” she stated, a soft smile settling on her lips. She could feel the tension building as they both remained silent, her stomach fluttering once more at the way he was looking at her.
“Felicity, I-” he began, but was interrupted by John entering the room.
“Well isn’t this a pretty picture. You know, I was hoping he was wrong when he told me you could walk, but I will say I am relieved to see Curtis’s technology is holding up,” John said as he walked over to them, then began teasing Sherlock about the murderer. Lestrade soon joined them, the photographer right behind him, and the moment was lost. If she was being honest, she couldn’t tell if she was relieved or disappointed.
Standing in the crowd with the rest of the guests as Sherlock played his composition for John and Mary’s first dance, Felicity was struggling to sort through her emotions. She was obviously thrilled for the newlyweds, who were embarking on the greatest adventure of them all. But then she was conflicted. Conflicted over her own marriage to Oliver, which was supposed to be happening at some point in the near future. Conflicted over the tension she kept feeling every time she and Sherlock were alone. Conflicted over the idea of leaving England without really knowing why things were so different with him than any other man she’d ever met. She was angry at him for letting her believe he was dead for two years and then returning only to tell her that she had apparently been on his mind while he was away. She was heartbroken thinking that, if Moriarty hadn’t forced him to fake his own death, there could have been something for them. Something great. Something life-alteringly wonderful.
She glanced up at the man in question, only to find him already looking at her as he played. A shaky exhale escaped her as he finished the piece, then grabbed the boutonniere on his music stand and tossed it to her. Her eyes shifted from the flower in her hand to him as he started giving his little speech.
“Ladies and gentlemen, just one last thing before the evening begins properly. Apologies for earlier, a crisis arose and was dealt with,” he began. “More importantly, however, today we saw two people make vows. I have never made a vow in my life and after tonight, I most likely never will again.” His eyes darted to Felicity for a moment before refocusing on John and Mary. “So, here in front of you all, my first and probably last vow. Mary and John… Whatever it takes, whatever happens, from now on, I swear I will always be there, always, for all three of you.” Felicity’s eyes widened at the implication, then shot to the couple to gauge their reaction. “Uh, I’m sorry, I mean two of you. All two of you. Both of you, in fact, I just miscounted. Anyways, it’s time for dancing. Play the music again, please. Thank you.”
He encouraged the guests to start dancing as he made his way to the newlyweds, Felicity listening from the outskirts as he apologized to them and explained why he believed Mary to be with child. She couldn’t help but laugh softly as they all started panicking a bit, a smile soon following at Sherlock’s comments about how they had done a good job parenting him. “Dance!” he said suddenly, causing John to look up at him with a confused hum. “Both of you now, go dance. We can’t just stand here, people will wonder what we’re talking about.”
“Right,” John nodded, looking around.
“What about you?” Mary asked, reaching out to smooth a hand over his jacket lapel.
“Well, we can’t all three dance, there are limits,” John reminded.
“Yes there are,” Sherlock agreed, then looked over his shoulder and locked eyes with Felicity. “Don’t worry. I have someone else I need to speak to anyways,” he told his friends, giving them one last smile before walking past them as they began dancing.
“Took him long enough,” Mary muttered, shaking her head as she watched him approach Felicity.
“Long enough to what?” John asked, following her line of sight as Sherlock offered his arm to the blonde. Felicity hesitated, then slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow and allowed him to walk her off the dance floor and outside. “Are they..?”
“I know you’re not Sherlock, but surely you must have seen that coming,” Mary teased, cupping his cheek before giving him a sweet kiss.
Outside of the hall, it was much colder, but they had grabbed their jackets on their way out. It still felt so strange to be walking again, but after everything, she sure as hell wasn’t complaining. She wrapped her arms around herself as she stepped further into the cold, her head tilting back to look up at the stars below. “So Mary’s pregnant, huh?”
“Yes, but that is not why I asked you to come out here with me,” he replied, drawing her attention back to him. “I wanted to finish what I had started saying back in the side room.”
“Sherlock, you don’t have to-”
“I know, but I want to,” he insisted, stepping closer to her and taking one of her hands in his. “Felicity, I am not a man of emotion, but somehow you elicit them from me just by existing,” he began. “Your exuberance for life is contagious, and all it took was one day for me to know that you are someone I very much want to keep in my life. I know that I hurt you, as well as many others, when I faked my death, and one day I would like to explain why that was necessary. Now, however, I simply want to say that I am sorry. I am sorry for pulling you into my life only to sever that connection soon after. That was unfair to you, and knowing that my actions had such a negative effect on you was difficult for me to acknowledge and accept.” When he looked up and found her with a confused expression, he sighed and explained, “John may have let it slip that you became a bit reckless after I was gone.”
“He wasn’t supposed to mention me to you, even if you asked,” she muttered.
This time it was her turn to look down, but he quickly and gently lifted her chin to make her look at him. “I know that you are engaged to someone else, and that I may be assuming a bit more than I should, but is there any possibility that your heart is not completely closed off from me?”
Felicity inhaled slowly, then exhaled abruptly as she tried to formulate an answer. Her mind was reeling from being so close to him and knowing that he cared for her more than she expected, but even through the haze, there was a clear, singular word echoing inside of her: yes. Of course there was a possibility that she could reciprocate his feelings, but she couldn’t just say that. “It’s not that simple, and you know it,” she said, her voice soft as she shook her head. “Oliver didn’t want me to come to the wedding, you know. He was worried that I wouldn’t want to marry him after I saw you again.”
“I don’t blame him. I’m obviously far superior to him in all ways except perhaps physical,” he replied, wincing when Felicity smacked his arm. “Sorry, not the point. Proceed.”
“My point is that I made a promise to him. The day he proposed, I agreed to marry him, and I…”
“You can change your mind,” he pointed out, reaching up with his other hand to brush a stray hair behind her ear. “I told you I did not know what love was, that it was beyond the reason I hold dear, and that is true,” he admitted. “But you are beyond reason. You make me want to be a better man, Felicity. I feel a pull towards you that is greater than anything I have felt before and I fear that if I let you go, I will never feel this way again. I am not asking for now. All I ask is for someday. Someday, when the appeal of being the wife of Oliver Queen loses its shine and you’re ready to let me into your heart completely. If you give me someday, I will wait as long as I must for that day to come. All you have to do is say yes.”
Tears were welling in her eyes as he finished, her face leaning into his touch as he cupped her cheek. It was all so crazy. She had watched his career, admiring him from afar, for so long. They had met for one day, and it was enough to turn both of their worlds upside down. For him, he realized a part of himself that he had hidden from most of his life. For her, she had been left with a ‘what if’ that she was now given the opportunity to answer. She did love Oliver, but was it enough to love someone when they weren’t the right person? When they had begun their journey that day in her office, she had always thought that if things didn’t work out, it would be because she wasn’t right for him. Now that they had been together, she was starting to realize that maybe it was the opposite. Sherlock had been right about his concept of love. When you loved someone, they inspired you to be better, but she and Oliver hadn’t been inspiring each other. They weren’t becoming better. If anything, they were becoming worse versions of themselves together. He was growing jealous and kept trying to put his wishes and desires before her own. She was hiding her own light to make him feel better. Their relationship was severely flawed, and while most working relationships had their problems, there were just some things that she couldn’t ignore. Not anymore. She knew her answer, and this time, she didn’t try to talk herself out of it: “Yes.”
The day Oliver is appointed mayor, Felicity submitted her visa application. The day her visa came in, she booked a flight. She didn’t tell anyone what she was planning, especially since most of the team had already disbanded and went off to live their own lives. Over the weeks leading up to her flight, she signed a rental agreement on a flat in London, packed all of her belongings, and shipped them out right before she was going to leave. The day of her flight, she made her way to Oliver’s office, her stomach swirling with uncertainty as she walked through the door.
“Hey, what are you doing here?” he asked as he stood from his desk, a brow lifting when she closed the door to his office. “Felicity, is everything okay?”
“I’m leaving,” she told him, meeting his eyes and watching the words hit him. She saw confusion, then heartbreak, and finally realization flash across his face.
“You’re going to be with him , aren’t you?” he questioned, lowering himself back down into his chair. “After you promised me you weren’t ending things between us because of him, you’re leaving for him.”
“I’m leaving for me,” she corrected, shaking her head. “And I meant what I said when I ended things. It wasn’t because of Sherlock. We’re not right for each other, Oliver, and I think you know that,” she pointed out, sighing when he looked down. She walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder as she continued, “There will always be a part of me that loves you. You were the first man that ever proposed to me. You were the first man I ever saw a future with… But I fell out of love with you a long time ago. With the team going their separate ways, I think it’s time I go see what my life could be away from all of this.”
Oliver nodded, reaching up to take her hand and kissing her knuckles. “I hope that you find what you’re looking for, Felicity. After everything we’ve been through together, all I want is for you to be happy. I wish that could have been with me, but you’re right. If we had stayed together, our relationship would have taken a lot out of both of us. You deserve better than that. I’m not sure it’ll be with him , but you deserve the chance to try.”
“Honestly, I’m not sure it’ll be with him either, but I don’t want to live with anymore ‘what ifs’. I’ve had enough of those in my life,” she shrugged. She leaned down and kissed his cheek, then gave his hand one more squeeze before letting it go and making her way to the door. “Oh, by the way, I set Curtis up in the Arrow Cave. He’ll be able to help you when you’re in the field, but I hope you’ll consider what I said.”
“First of all, stop calling it that. Second, I don’t want a new team, but I promise to think about it some more,” he gave in. “And third, no one will be able to compare to you, Felicity. You were the heart of our team, and we might be able to get by, but it won’t be the same without you.”
Felicity teared up at that, a shaky exhale escaping her as she smiled softly. “Goodbye, Oliver.”
“Goodbye, Felicity.”
A sense of déjà vu filled Felicity as she pulled her bag off of the belt and began dragging it through Heathrow. John Watson was not waiting for her this time, as he had no idea she had packed up and moved to London, so she had to call her own cab. “221B Baker Street, please,” she told the driver, settling into the seat and watching the now more familiar scenery pass by. She couldn’t believe she was doing this. She had moved to a completely different country, and while she should be nervous about it, she wasn’t. She felt calm, and at peace, like this was where she should have been the entire time. As she got closer and closer to Baker Street, she was filled with a different kind of nervousness and excitement that had her biting at her bottom lip.
Stepping out of the cab, she took her bags and stared up at the apartment. She took a deep breath, then knocked on the door. When Mrs. Hudson answered, she put her finger to her lips, left her bags by the door, and began climbing the stairs. The sound of a violin being played echoed down the hall as she made her way towards the door. Pausing once more, she waited for some sort of hesitation and self-doubt to kick in, but it never came. With a small smile, she opened the door, waiting until he finished the song before speaking up. “I guess you haven’t heard the news.” He nearly dropped his violin, turning to face her with an actual shocked look on his face. “It’s someday.”
A smile broke out on his face as he placed the violin down and strode across the apartment to her. He lifted her into his arms, spinning her as she laughed before settling her on her own two feet again. His forehead leaned against hers as she closed her eyes, breathing him and the moment in. “Are you sure about this?”
She opened her eyes and pulled away a little, surprised to see the question in his cloudy blue eyes. “Do you really have to ask?” she replied, her smile matching his as they recalled him posing the same question over the phone that first day they spoke. She cupped his cheek, her smile softening as he leaned into the touch before she lifted herself on her toes to kiss him. It was deep and passionate, the kind of kiss that left your heart racing, your stomach flipping, and your skin a few degrees warmer. It was a kiss full of promise and the beginning of something truly magnificent. Sherlock may not have known much about love, but that kiss alone told him that there was no one he would rather learn from than Felicity Smoak.