The Fifth Time
It's not that they weren't helping people. They just happened to find another way. Not that she didn't miss Green Arrow or being at the layer every night. She did. But it was for their best to just leave that and move with their lives. For the past four months Felicity could say she was very happy. She lived with Oliver in his family mansion. Thea and Roy lived there too. It took them some time to tell Thea who they really were but she took it extremely well, only to find out later that she was trained by this maniac Malcom Merlyn, who apparentlywas her father.
Felicity hated him with all of her heart. But now she was thinking about the good stuff. She had a healthy relationship with her father (as healthy as you can ever have when your father is Tony Stark) and Pepper. She had heard from the team only a few times but that was enough.
Oliver tho was wondering what he could do. He tried to help Felicity with her work but he miserably failed. Now he had decided to run for mayor. She didn't like his idea very much, but hey, he was helping the city!
Her life was a little bit (but only a little bit) boring. She didn't tell that to Oliver, of course. She loved how her boyfriend was enjoying his ordinary life. She did too, don't get her wrong. However, she got a little bit bored. That's why whenever her dad, or Steve or anyone on the team texted her they need help she was always ready.
She helped Barry and Cisco too a few times. Her new company (which Pepper bought for her from Ray Palmer who bought it from Oliver) helped heroes in need of an update like suits, gadgets and so on. They had to tell the press that Felicity and Tony had met in MIT back when she was a student there and then she helped him with his suit (that last part was true tho). So when Stark industries wanted to open a new business they chose her. Everyone bought this story, which was odd. She didn't believed it had actually worked.
So today she was at work trying to negotiate a good price for a little bit of vibranium when her phone buzzed. Her father had texted her and attached an article to the message. It was about an incident in Lagos. Wanda may or may not have accidentally killed more than 90 people.
The United Nations had reported that they wanted to get ahold of the Avengers. Damn! This was fucked. Her father told her that she had to go to the compound and meet with the others (and preferably not to take Oliver). She made a few arrangements first.
She called Mr. Curtis Holt or just Curtis. He was her best employee. She bragged about him to her father. He was really smart, almost like her. Felicity told him she was going to New York to meet with the big bosses (of course she didn't tell him about her secret, yet) and that he was in charge while she was gone. The man's smile broadened and he hugged her, thanked her for her trust in him and then apologized for the hug.
She then called Oliver. He was in his campaign office, of course he would be there. Thea helped him with his campaign, so did Laurel although this guy Alex Davis (who looked like a 12 year old) who was his campaign manager or sort of (Felicity wasn't good with politics and everything around the elections) advised the former vigilante to stay away from the lawyer.
So she took her unbelievably small Jimmy Choo purse (which Pepper bought her) and headed downtown to Oliver's office. Pepper made her go shopping with her for a day, you know, like 8 hours or something. Made her change her whole wardrobe and her style. Not that Felicity had a bad taste in clothing, just Pepper wanted the best of the best for the young blonde (or in that case the most expensive dresses of most expensive dresses). In the end of that torcher neither her father nor Oliver made a difference in her clothing.
Only Thea noticed the difference and she was amazed, and said something like 'I want to sleep here forever' when the younger girl saw her wardrobe.
The thought of this memory made Felicity smile as she was entering Oliver's campaign office. Her heels made sound from which everyone turned to stare her. She hated that. All of Oliver’s workers always watched her like she was some big star walking down the red carpet when she walked in the building. Thea saw her and greeted her but quickly returned to her work.
She knocked on Oliver's office door and entered without waiting for an answer. He was talking to that guy who looked like 12, Alex. They both looked at her and she smiled. There was a long minute of and awkward silence. She looked at Alex, then at Oliver and got back to Alex again. The young boy finally got the hint and excused himself.
"Hey mayor boy!" Felicity said as she walked to where he was sitting and sit on his desk in front of him
"Hey, Felicity!" He said and looked at her. He was looking at her face for a while and then just asked "What's wrong?"
"It’s complicated!" She smiled once again. Felicity loved when Oliver could understand whether she was happy or sad with just looking at her. "The team had messed up and now the United Nations wants to 'rule' over them."
Oliver looked worried. She told him everything about Lagos and what was the UN statement. Ever since Sokovia Felicty began sharing everything with Oliver. From what she ate at lunch to how her father raised her and basically all her life before she met him. She told him she had to go to New York and that he couldn't go with her because he had to stay here and manage his campaign and that UN could start researching him if they see him with the Avengers and so on.
Felicity let out a breath she didn't know was holding when Oliver told her he could understand perfectly and that she didn't need to worry. The door opened. It was Laurel. Even when Felicity knew Oliver loved her and cared for her and was with her, she would feel a little ball in her stomach when the lawyer was with her boyfriend. She never showed it, however.
Because of that and other reasons too Felicity hadn't told her yet about who she was. She offered Laurel smile and kissed Oliver on the cheek.
"I'll call you when I land" Felicity said and headed for the exit.
"Wait, wait!" Oliver said and Felicity stopped immediately. "Today?" She just nodded. She saw her boyfriend's face becoming sad. "Okay, but please this time don't forget to call me!" He said seriously.
"Okay, love you!" She said and after Oliver told her the same she exited. Yeah, he was a little angry from the last time she went to New York and promised to call him. She forgot a little (don't judge her, she was like, distracted - remember? Daughter of Tony Stark and all) and Oliver was 'slightly' angry with her. Anyway. She rushed to the jet which was landed on the top of her building and headed for New York.
He had a perfect plan. He was going to get home earlier, cook (because Felicity loved his cooking) and then light some candles by the pool, you know, romantic... He even talked to Roy and Thea to go to the apartment in the city they bought last month so they could have all the manor for themselves.
He was going to propose her, or at least try, for like fifth time. Every time something had been happening and every time Oliver couldn't just ask the question. He was thinking about talking to her father first to ask for permissions or something like that. He had heard that some people did that. But he thought it would be a hundred times more easier if he could just gather some courage and ask her.
So in the lights of the recent event (which was Felicity going to New York) he said to Thea that they didn't have to go to the apartment and his sister made a sad face.
"Ollie, don't be sad. We could watch a movie if you want or something like that" Oliver just nodded at his sister and walked into his office again.
He sat on his chair and sank in his thoughts. He could admit that the last maybe five months were the best in his life. He was ordinary, peaceful and happy. He would lie if he told you he believed something like this would happen to him. He had a girlfriend, his sister was living with him and on the top of that he was running for mayor.
His phone distracted him from his thought. It was a text from Felicity saying "Just landed. Sorry but I can't talk, it's crazy out here!"
Pepper told her she had been meaning to share with her something very important. The woman who raised her, of course, told Felicity in the most inappropriate time. On her flight to New York, when the United Nations had demanded accountability from the Avengers. When Felicity called Pepper and told her she was coming the woman announced she was not in the city. Not for a business trip or something like that but because she and her father were taking a break.
They were taking a fucking break. And the worst part was that nobody told her. Come on, guys! She wasn’t a child anymore and these people practically raised her. Well, her father didn’t have much choice because, well you know, he was her father, but Pepper. Pepper chose to stick with them, she was the one who explained the young Felicity hot to manage her hair, how to straighten it or braid it. What to wear and how to behave like a lady. And she was soon to be her step-mom.
And nobody fucking told her! She knew sometimes you needed a break. She understood that. Then again the problem was with communication, sharing some things with her, not the break itself. They landed on the top of the compound and Felicity got out of the plane trying very hard to hide her anger. She walked down the corridors, headed to the living area. Her father wasn’t here, yet, so she decided to check on Wanda.
She went to her room and the door was opened. Steve and Vision were there too. She knocked on the opened door to attract their attention. “Hi guys!”
“See Vis, that is how it’s done!” Wanda said but Felicity couldn’t quite understand what was going on. She however went over Wanda’s bed and hugged the younger girl. She smiled at Steve and Vision too.
“Anyway, Captain Rogers wished to know when Mr. Stark was arriving.” Vision said with his Jarvis voice
“Yeah, thank you. Be right there!” Steve said tired. Felicity assumed he hadn’t been getting much sleep. Of course. Another thing her father didn’t told her – that he was here. Vision exclaimed he would be using the door and walked out of the room. Stopped and the exit and added
“Oh, and apparently he’s brought a guest. It appears to be the secretary of state.” Felicity added that to the long list ‘things my dad didn’t told me but I found out eventually’
They quickly stood from Wanda’s bed and headed to the conference room. Steve asked her quietly how she’s been on their way to the meeting, she just smiled. She saw her father with Secretary Ross. He gave him an angry look when Tony looked at her. Ross also acknowledge her.
“Are the Avengers have a new member?” Ross asked and looked at Tony.
“Oh, no this is my daughter” Tony said smiling and put a hand on her waist. Ross looked like he saw a ghost. It must be scary to claim to know everything and find out something has been so well hidden. “Felicity, this is Secretary Ross”
They both shook their hands and Felicity went to sit on one of the chairs in the corner of the room while the Avengers sat on the table. She saw Uncle Rhodey and smiled gently. Her father joined her and smiled at her sadly. He was tired, his eyes were sad. She felt bad for being angry at him. Ross started talking about his heart attack five years ago and Felicity rolled her eyes. Her father watched the secretary talk but she could see that he was like seeing through the old man. He was surely listening to him but his mind was elsewhere.
“While a great many people see you as heroes, there are some who would prefer the word ‘vigilantes.’” Ross said and Felicity’s whole body tensed. ‘dangerous’ was the word that the secretary described them as. He started showing them videos captured by citizens, caught in the crossfire. These people died just because they happened to go to the park in Washington or got to their works downtown in New York. Or just live there – in Lagos.
Felicity looked at her feet. Her heart literally ached. When she looked at the Avengers she met Wanda’s scared and sad eyes. “I think that’s enough” she said demandingly. She then met Steve’s eyes. He nodded discretely at her as a 'thank you'
“For the past four years, you've operated with unlimited power and no supervision. That's an arrangement the governments of the world can no longer tolerate. But I think we have a solution.” Ross said and put in Wanda’s hands thick folder. “The Sokovia Accords. Approved by 117 countries… it states that the Avengers shall no longer be a private organization. Instead they'll operate under the supervision of a United Nations panel only when and if that panel deems it necessary.”
“The Avengers were formed to make the world a safer place. I feel we've done that.” Steve talked for the first time.
“Tell me Captain. Do you know the whereabouts of Thor and Mr. Banner?” Ross asked and then he looked at Tony “If I misplaced a couple of 30 megaton nukes you can bet there would be consequences” Ross then told them they have three days to decide what they are going to do. It was a simple choice – be ruled or retire. Why not? Felicity thought.
When Thaddeus Ross left they moved to the living room. Felicity made herself a glass of coffee and one for Steve, who was reading the accords. She texted Oliver that things were getting pretty shitty pretty fast and sit next to her father. He had his hand on his face and was awfully annoyed from the fight Sam and uncle Rhodey had.
“I have an equation” Vision said and her dad rolled his eyes. Sam and Rhodey shut up. “In the eight years since Mr. Stark announced himself as Iron Man the number of known enhanced persons has grown exponentially. During the same period the number of potentially world-ending events has risen at a commensurate rate. The same statistics was seen in Central City since the Flash made himself a heroic figure, not to mention Star City now.”
Felicity thought about Vision’s words. He had a point. If Oliver hadn’t become the Arrow maybe Slade wouldn’t happen or the other psychos who just wanted to defeat him just for the fun. Ever since her father became Iron Man she had seen so many people stand up just so they can proof they can be something more than the red and gold hero. Same thing happened when Oliver became the hood.
“Vision is right!” Felicity said. Steve looked at her and ask if that was their fault. “No! But think about it. Loki came here, you know, not long time ago. He came here to destroy you. Hydra… Hydra came out of the shadows so they could beat you” she pointed at Steve “I’m not saying that these things weren’t going to happen, but I’m thinking they would have happened very differently. Without an army of chitauri for example. Because there would be no one to fight them.” Felicity said and stood up. She started walking around the room nervously. “And there is no point in arguing with the fact that Ultron wouldn’t have happened. “ She made a pause and tried to find courage for her next words. “If it wasn’t for us”
Her father looked at her. She could see a glimpse of proudness in his eyes. She smiled him discretely without no one else noticing. Natasha commented that he was oddly quiet.
“It’s because he had already made up his mind.” They heard Steve said judgingly. Her father rolled his eyes again. He stood up and showed them a hologram picture of a boy.
“That's Charles Spencer if you were wondering. Good kid, smart, Computer engineering degree, 3.6 GPA. Something like our Felicity here. You now, the girl who happened to be my daughter. Today this boy’s mother met me. She told me had a floor-level gig at Intel planned for the fall. But first, he wanted to put a few miles on his soul before he parked it behind a desk. See the world. Maybe be of service. Charlie didn't want to go to Vegas, Fort Lauderdale, which is what I would do. He didn't go to Paris or Amsterdam, which sounds fun. He decided to spend his summer building sustainable housing for the poor. Guess where. Sokovia.” Tony stopped to calm his anger “He wanted to make a difference, I suppose. We won't know because we dropped a building on him while we were kicking ass.” Everyone looked at the ground ashamed.
“Now imagine this was Felicity. What would you do?” He asked. Felicity didn’t like how he was using her to made up their minds, but if it worked she would be glad. “I personally would hunt every guy responsible and kill them without my eyes blinking.” He then looked at Steve “What would you do, Steve?” he asked more harshly that he actually had to.
Steve closed his eyes for a second, trying not to imagine if Felicity was under that building. He had accepted that she had new life, new people in it but that didn’t change the way he felt about her. He couldn’t imagine losing her. If that happens, however, he wasn’t sure he would be in peace leaving just a few corpses. He would want revenge, although nothing would bring her back. He stopped himself from imagining the bloody dead bodies. If something like this happens, he could manage to somehow revenge. But the boy’s mother couldn’t and most importantly shouldn’t. She was left only with her hate for the team and nothing more.
“There's no decision-making process here. We need to be put in check! Whatever form that takes, I'm game. If we can't accept limitations, if we're boundary-less we're no better than the bad guys.” Said Tony.
“If we sign this, we surrender our right to choose. What if this panel sends us somewhere we don't think we should go? What if there is somewhere we need to go and they don't let us? This is run by people, and people have agendas. Agendas change. We may not be perfect, but the safest hands are still our own.” Steve argued.
“If we don't do this now, it's gonna be done to us later.”
“Maybe Tony is right.” Natasha said and everyone turned at her.
“Sorry, what?” Felicity said. She was on her father’s side but Natasha being on it too seemed a little unrealistic.
“Focus up. I'm sorry. Did I just mishear you or you agreed with me?” Stark asked.
“Oh, I want to take it back now.”
Steve smiled at that. His attention shifted quickly at his buzzing phone. He got a message from an unknown number. It said ‘she’s gone. In her sleep.’ He got up and excused himself. He wanted to be alone. He exited the room and tried to think a place where he wouldn’t be bothered. He went to the emergency stairs and sat on one of them. He didn’t know how to control his emotions. So he just cried. Like a kid. He heard someone coming a while after he had left the team. The sound of heels.
Felicity sat to him but didn’t say anything. She just hugged him. He saw tears in her eyes too. She knew Peggy too. The woman was godmother to Tony and it was basically her aunt. They stayed like this for a while. Then finally Steve’s voice returned allowing him to speak.
“I have to go to London” Felicity just nodded and said she knew. With every muscle on his face Steve tried to smile. “I love you” and kissed her on her forehead.
“Steve, I…” Felicity said. He knew she loved him too, but not in the way he did.
“I know Felicity!” he said and got up. His destiny was to stay alone apparently.
When Oliver got his sister message to stop working and see what’s happening on the news he thought she texted him because it was like 6 am, he didn’t go to sleep at all so he thought she was worried for him. He did what his sister was asking tho. He searched for a channel that was broadcasting news in this hour of the morning. His heart froze. They were showing footage of a building in Vienna where the United Nations had a meeting about the Sokovia Accords. He knew Felicity was there. The reporter said that there were over 70 injured and at least 12 were dead, including Wakanda’s King T’Chaka. He stopped breathing hoping they would not say Felicty’s name. Then another scene was shown.
‘This happened later that day in Bucharest where Captain America was arrested along with the suspect of the bombing in Vienna – James Buchanan Barnes also known as The Winter Soldier, a Hydra agent who was linked to numerous acts of terrorism and political assassinations’ the reporter told.
He took his phone and waited for and answer. She didn’t pick up. When he was about to touch the red button someone had picked up.
“Yes”
“So far, nothing's happened that can't be undone, if you sign. We can make the last 24 hours legit.” Tony said. Steve looked at him and actually started to imagine how this whole thing would maybe end soon. He looked outside of the room they were in. The walls were made of glass and he was able to see everyone from where he was. He saw Felicity talking over the phone with someone.
“There would have to be safeguards, for Bucky, I mean” Steve spoke.
“Sure. Once we put out the PR fire, those documents can be amended. I'd file a motion to have you and Wanda reinstated and her papers do-“
“Wanda? What about Wanda?” Steve asked
“She is in the compound for now…”
“Every time I think you see things the right way…”
“It's 100 acres with a lap pool. It's got a screening room. There's worse ways to protect people.” Tony said.
“Protection? Is that how you see this? This is protection? It's internment, Tony. She's a kid!” Steve yelled at him.
“Give me a break!” Tony stood up “I’m trying to stave off something worse! What do you think would happen to her? She doesn’t even have a visa! Since that little fiasco you made in Bucharest Felicity is doing whatever she can to stop the US government from breaking into the compound and taking Wanda!” Tony said and pointed at his daughter who was still on the phone and clearly yelling at someone.
“Oh, now I see. This is why she is here, right? For me?” Steve asked as soon as he understood Tony’s actions. The billionaire asked him what he meant with a confused face “That’s why she is here. So every time I start hesitate whether or not to sign you bring her name?”
“Oh, yeah, really? That’s what you’re thinking? Well me tell you something Rogers, I don’t use her, she made her mind in the minute she heard Ross talking about the damn accords. She came only to make sure we were alright!”
“She did agree with the accords only because she saw you made up your mind already. Because she is your daughter!”
“You think that Rogers? Let me give you a hint. Why don’t you use this little thing of yours called a brain and start thinking with it? Maybe then you’ll find out why she did what she did.” Tony went to the door but before he could exit Steve stopped him.
“What are you trying to say Stark?”
“What I’m trying to say is that maybe, just maybe, after all these years I’m starting to think she actually made the right choice, even if that costed me losing my daughter!” Tony said and exited the room. Steve traced him. The man saw how Felicity asked something her father and he just shook his head no. Then the woman threw Steve an angry look and turned her back at him only to continue her call.
“Why didn’t you call me?” Oliver asked
“Well, many reasons actually… First, I didn’t want you to worry, second, I didn’t want you to just leave everything and just come here, which you did” Felicity said worried. They were sitting in this café in the same building where Bucky was hold and where Steve, Tony and everyone was. Oliver could admit this was pretty interesting building.
“And how did that work for you?” Oliver asked her with a little smile
“Well, not as planned” she said offering him a sorry smile.
As they were talking the electricity stopped. An alarm sounded in the whole building. She asked her dad what was happening. Apparently Bucky had escaped. Hearing this Oliver made her go somewhere safe. She just gave her com to him and went somewhere.
“Stark, it’s me.” Oliver said hoping Tony would not get mad that he was here.
“Yeah, I figured that, thank you very much! Where are you now?” Tony asked him. Oliver tried to explain him but he was cut off by a man with a metal arm who entered the café. “Okay, I need you to lay on the ground when I give you a signal!”
Oliver tried not to get involved before Tony gave the signal. He heard Natasha saying that they were in a position. That’s when Tony showed “Now” and Oliver lied on the ground immediately. Tony blasted some kind of an ultrasound at the Winter soldier. When Oliver was able to get from the ground Bucky had pointed a gun to the billionaire head. The Arrow jumped on the back of the Winter soldier and tried to remove the gun. Natasha and another blond woman came out of nowhere and attacked him as well.
In a minute they all were on the ground. The winter soldier managed to take them down without having a hard time at all. Oliver managed to get up after a minute or two trying and helped Tony and Natasha. They showed him the way to the main area and they all headed that way.
“Oh thank god you’re okay!” Felicity exclaimed. “We have a little problem tho!” Felicity told her father and pointed at an old man with a moustache.
“I don’t suppose you have an idea where they went” The man asked
“We don’t. But we’ll handle this” Tony said
“No! I'm putting Special Ops on this.”
“What happens when the shooting starts? What, do you kill Steve Rogers?” Felicity asked.
“If it’s necessary” Wow, Oliver thought. He didn’t imagine it was that serious. “Barnes would've been eliminated in Romania if it wasn't for Rogers. There are dead people who would be alive now. Feel free to check my math.”
“You gotta let us bring them in. 72 hours, guaranteed.” Tony said
“36 hours. Barnes.” He looked at Natasha “Rogers.” Then his eyes moved to Felicity “Wilson. And what is your name boy?” The man asked
"He's my son in law." Tony said and both Oliver and Felicity looked at him shocked. Ross nodded and walked away.
“We’re seriously understaffed.” Natasha said. And looked at Oliver. He couldn’t quite understand what was happening yet. “I got an idea”
“Me too” said Tony and looked at Felicity. “Where’s yours?” the question was to Natasha but he was still looking at Felicity.
“Downstairs. Where’s yours?”
“Talk to him. I’m taking the couple and we’ll meet, let’s say tomorrow.” Tony grabbed Felicity’s and Oliver’s shoulders “Come on, I’ll explain everything.”
And so he did, on their way to New York. Felicity explained to Oliver about the accords and what happened in Vienna. Then Tony told him about The Winter Soldier – who he was, his story, what he could do and why Steve was against the whole deal. Then Tony said they were gonna need a lot of helped, which was the reason to come back to New York.
When they landed in New York Tony went to do his job while Felicity took Oliver to the compound to take some stuff. She showed him to a room and told him she knew that he would be pissed at her for this. And he was a little pissed, yes. She had a full room with green arrows, bows, she even made a suit for him. He might have been pissed but he was more amazed.
“You did that for me?” Felicity just nodded “Even though you knew I was going to retire?”
“Yeah, well, it never hurts to be prepared. I know you don’t want to be the Arrow right now but we really need your help. But if you don’t want I won’t make you”
“Felicity thank you so much!” he said and kissed her.
They were on the plane, waiting for someone. The door opened and Happy walked in there. Felicity jumped on her feet and went to hug him. Then a kid entered the plane. A kid? Her dad made them came all the way from Berlin to New York for a kid. He must be really desperate. The kid was holding a phone as if he was filming. The moment he saw them he immediately shoved it in his pocket.
“Hey, kid! What’s your name?” Felicity asked. The kid saw her and Oliver and blushed.
“I, uh, I’m Peter… Peter Parker” he said and looked over to where Oliver had been sitting. Apparently the kid knew who he was or something like that. He blushed even more.
“Okay Peter Parker, my name’s Felicity” she reached out for a handshake. When the kid took her hand she added “Stark”. The kid’s eye widened. “Yeah, and this is Oliver Queen”
“Mr. Queen, it’s a pleasure to meet you” The kid said and Oliver and Felicity shared a look.
“I’ll leave him to you guys, I hope you’ll get along” Happy said and exited the plane.
“So, Peter, tell us why did my father decided to take you to Berlin” Felicity sat next to Oliver and Peter, following her example, sat in front of them. “Is this your first time on a private jet, Peter?” she asked smiling.
“This is my first time on a plane!”
“So tell us Peter, why did Tony came to you?” Mr. Queen asked.
Peter was still in shock. He was in shock when he saw Mr. Stark in his apartment. He was in even bigger shock when Iron Man himself asked him for help. Now he had met his daughter that Peter didn’t even know she existed and Mr. Queen, who was, in Peter’s opinion, the Arrow, so please, don’t judge him that he was speechless. However, he managed to tell them about his accident with a spider and how he got his powers. He showed them the web shooters that he designed himself.
“But I still don’t know why we are going to Berlin” Peter said a little bit shy.
“Peter, do you know what happened in Sokovia six months ago?” Mr. Queen asked him. Peter just nodded “So I guess you know what happened in Lagos and in Vienna?” Peter nodded again. Felicity and Oliver both started explaining.