Taken

Found

Felicity slumped forward in the chair, the ends of her ponytail brushing the handle of the knife protruding from her stomach. She desperately tried to keep her eyes open, knowing she only had to hold on until Oliver could get to her. She tried to focus on the fight in front of her; Oliver in all his handsome glory ducking and weaving around Slade and his sword. But the images were blurred and she wasn't sure if it was from the lack of glasses or blood loss. She hoped the former. An irrational part of her brain wondered where her glasses were and she hoped Oliver would find them for her after he finished dealing with Slade.

Felicity's eyelids drooped, her eyes closing. The last view she had was Slade's blade slicing into the side of the Arrow, as Oliver failed to retreat fast enough.

Oliver winced in pain and backtracked away from Slade. His retreat took him closer to Felicity, but he did not dare to turn and look at her. Instead he focused his mind on the fight ahead of him, praying that Felicity was strong enough to last that long.

"Give up, kid." Slade snarled. "You can't beat me."

"I did it once before, I'll do it again." Oliver replied. "You made a mistake Slade. You put her in danger. This time there's more than just my life on the line."

"Pity she'll be dead in the next few minutes then."

"She's stronger than you could ever imagine." Oliver launched himself at Slade once again, ignoring the pain that came from the wound in his side. He stepped right avoiding the sword, then ducked underneath it and came up with an arrow in his hand. Slicing down with his arm he drove the arrow into Slade's shoulder. Rolling away he regrouped, knowing that the arrow would merely slow his former friend down; killing him would take a lot more.

Slade winced and pulled the arrow out.

"You'll have to try a lot harder than that." Slade said, tossing the arrow to the side.

"I'm just getting started." Oliver replied.

"I've alerted Detective Lance. He and an ambulance are on route now." Dig said in his ear. "Should be with you in 5."

"Copy." Oliver grunted as he deflected another of Slade's blows. The force of it knocking him backwards. He pulled his final arrow out of his quiver and sighted it at Slade. Taking a breath, he released it. It flew true to his mark, but Slade sliced the arrow in half before it ever touched him. He moved forward and punched Oliver twice in the face, before hauling him off the floor and delivering another punch, this time to his stomach. Oliver collapsed on the floor his hand landing in a pool of blood.

Felicity.

The sight of her blood covering his hand gave him the strength to stagger onto his knees. If he died in that building tonight then he died, but he would be damned if he let Felicity die down there with him. She had her whole life to live. She was a genius and would change the world with that brain of hers. That much he was certain of. She deserved better than to bleed to death in an abandoned building because of mistakes he made.

Twisting round, he reached up taking Felicity's face in his hands, kissing her forehead gently. Slade laughed behind him.

"It's too late to save her Oliver. Tonight, you both die."

Slade raised his sword intent of driving down through Oliver's back and into Felicity. Oliver spun, yanking the knife out of Felicity's stomach and into Slade's heart. Slade dropped the sword in shock, staggering back before collapsing on the floor. Oliver spared him a glance, making sure he was dead, before turning back to Felicity. Blood seeped from the now empty wound in her stomach. Oliver prayed that the ambulance would get here soon. He knew she didn't have long left.

He untied her from the chair and sunk down in the middle of the room not far from Slade's body, Felicity's head cradled in his lap. He ran his hand through her hair, releasing it from the elastic, letting it flow over his leg in long, wavy, blonde, and slightly matted locks.

He heard the cops arrive and the police, along with the paramedics burst through the apartment door, but he couldn't bring himself to move and hide in the shadows. He couldn't bring himself to leave her, even if that meant risking his identity.

The cops entered the room, guns drawn. Only, Detective Lance's arm lowered upon seeing him sat there.

"Felicity," he gasped and crossed the room in long strides. "Get the paramedics now!"

"Save her," Oliver muttered, "please save her."

"Clear the room. Paramedics only." Lance ordered. "You need to leave." he said turning to the Arrow.

"Not until she's safe."

"There's nothing more you can do for her." Lance said. "Now go before I have to arrest you Queen."

Oliver looked up in shock. He had sometimes wondered if the Detective knew his real identity, but they had always stayed on the side of plausible deniability. Apparently, that was over.

"Detective..."

"Go. I'll meet you at the hospital once you've changed into something a little less conspicuous."

Oliver stood up and slipped out of the window just as the paramedics came rushing in. He grabbed his bike and headed back to the Foundry intent on getting to the hospital as quickly as possible. He just prayed that Felicity would still be alive when he did.