Arrow: Visceral Barrage Part 1

Ashes to the Wind

The police presence at the hotel was sustantional considering the action had been over for awhile now. Officers were scattered around the room interviewing and speaking to the many witnesses as the paramedics attended to the wounded. Lance stepped toward the door as Felicity reentered the room after being checked for injuries by the paramedics on the ground floor. Lance placed his gentle yet firm hands on Felicity's arms and leaned toward her as he visually inspected her for wounds.

"Are you alright?!" He frantically asked, holding her as a worried parent would.

"Yeah. I'm fine Captain." She replied, still somewhat shaken from her freefall from the top floor.

"Are you sure?" Lance asked, looking her over again for any injuries. Felicity placed a hand on Lance's face and smiled.

"I'm sure. Thank you Captain." Felicity answered, her voice reassuring and strong. Lance nodded, smiling back at her with a hint of pride for her bravery she had shown before the incident.

"Next time you decide to ditch your own party please use the elevator." He added, attempting to lighten the mood. Felicity laughed and nodded.

"Are you okay?!" Riley began, running up beside Felicity and scooping her into a hug. Thea stood beside him, placing her hand on Felicity's shoulder to prove to herself that she was in fact alive.

"I'm fine. Really, I'm okay. Believe it or not it's not the first time I've jumped out a window." Felicity replied, remembering the time Oliver had grabbed her and threw them both out a window to excape the Copycat Hoods. Riley pulled back to inspect her, his hands cupping her face as he nervously looked over her. Felicity smiled and touched his hands, she enjoyed having someone worry about her so much but there was something in his eyes that still caught her attention. That same look of protection that he never lost, which made it nearly impossible for her to truely believe that he was relieved that she was safe. It wasn't that she didn't think he cared, quite the opposite she knew he cared but it was a different type of caring that he had for her. Not one of love but that of assurance, almost as if he needed her to be safe because of some hidden motive.

"Well, atleast your dress didn't get too damaged." Thea joked, smiling to her friend. Felicity laughed, dusting herself off a bit. Diggle stood back from the group and nodded to her, his eyes filled with concern. Felicity smiled to him, nearly fighting back tears at the sight of his overly worried facial expressions. She had seen many sides of Diggle, but never this caring and concerned. It touched her that he was so worried for her safety that he himself seemed to be fighting back tears. The group turned toward the door as they heard Oliver refusing help from a paramedic.

"Ollie!" Thea began, moving to his side to inspect his wound. A large gash above his eyebrow had nearly covered the side of his face in blood. Thea carefully inspected his wound as he continued forward into the room.

"Are you okay?" She asked trying to stop him.

"Yeah." He replied, stepping forward visually inspecting Felicity once again for any wounds he might have missed. Felicity gently reached up and checked his wound, thinking to herself what had happened.

"You're bleeding!" Felicity stated, stopping him in his tracks as he slightly unwillingly allowed her to inspect his wound.

"I don't need to be told that." Oliver replied, somewhat laughing as he looked directly to her. Felicity shot him a warning glance, understanding his refrence when she had found him bleeding in her car.

"What happened?" Lance asked, leaning in to check the wound himself.

"I went out into the hall to take a call when this guy in a mask hit me on the head with something...then I woke up in closet." Oliver explained, looking to the Captain and hoping his lie would hold up. He knew that simply walking back into the room without a scratch would be somewhat strange, so he used one of his arrows to cut a small gash above his eye followed by ripping his jacket somewhat to complete the illusion of being attacked.