Arrowverse One Shots

Sara and Felicity - Grieving Together

Sara sat at the bar silently, her eyes fixated on the bottom of her glass. What once was filled with golden liquid was now desolate, giving her an opportunity to be alone with her thoughts once again.

"Another," she murmured to the bartender, sliding the glass towards him without making any eye contact. After a brief look of disdain, the man obliged and refilled her drink before wordlessly passing it back. Sara wrapped her fingers around the glass as another wave of nostalgia washed over her. More images began to dance across her mind.

She saw a young, toothless Laurel sitting on the floor across from her, a dollhouse in front of them. A shaggy haired Oliver and Tommy in the front doorway, pleading with Quentin to let Sara and Laurel come out and play. She saw the dim lighting of a high school dance, Laurel and Oliver holding hands while Sara looked on from across the room. The scene shifted and it was now Sara holding on to Oliver's hand, climbing the steps to the Queen's Gambit while an oblivious Laurel turned her back and walked away.

WIthout hesitation, Sara's grip tightened and she lifted the glass to her lips, downing all of it's contents at once. As the burn in her throat intensified, the images began to finally fade, leaving behind just a dull ache. This is what her life had become ever since Oliver died. When Laurel was murdered, Sara didn't think she would ever recover, after all she hadn't even been in the same century at the time, let alone Star City. And when Sara lost her father it was the same thing all over again. Both Laurel and Quentin died trying to protect others, when Sara should have been there to protect them. Even time travel wouldn't give Sara enough time to forgive herself for that.

The only thing that kept her from spiraling time and time again was Oliver. She spent countless nights at his apartment, his arms wrapped tightly around her while her body shook with sobs. He'd whisper into her ear until she calmed down and then would sit with her for hours just talking. When she'd finally fall asleep, he'd carry her into the guest room and tuck her in, before joining a patient and understanding Felicity in his own bedroom. He never asked questions during these times, just listened to whatever Sara had to say. He understood more than anyone the effect that grieving in secrecy had on people. It tore you apart to lose someone you love and have to hide it from the rest of the world.

Oliver had been in her life since almost as far back as Sara could remember. While they were initially introduced to each other as "Laurel's friend Oliver" and "Laurel's sister Sara," in time they became soul mates. When Oliver died, Sara's entire world turned upside down. She hid it from everyone around her but it was as if the ground was ripped out from underneath her and was left with nothing to hold on to. The one constant that had been with her through every up and down was now gone, and she'd never felt more alone. No sinking ship, deserted island, assassin, alien, or crisis had ever managed to truly separate them. Until now.

A desperate Sara wiped a tear from her eye before pushing the glass forward another time, but was stopped when another hand reached out and grabbed hers.

"Sara?" A quiet voice said. She slowly lifted her gaze to see blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Felicity," Sara whispered, surprised to see her old friend. "How did you find me here?"

"Ava sent me a message, she was worried. She said you haven't returned her calls." Felicity's eyes filled with sorrow as she surveyed the woman in front of her, as well as the multiple empty shot glasses.

"I know... I'm sorry. I just, I don't know what to say to her yet."

"I get it." Felicity reached down and took both Sara's hands into her own. "How about you come back to my place with me? You don't have to be alone right now."

Sara took a deep breath before finally saying "Okay."

The pair drove in silence, an embarrassed Sara looking out the window into the night sky. She wondered if it was at all possible that her fallen family members were up there somewhere, if they were seeing how weak she had become in their absence.

When they arrived, Felicity guided Sara through the doorway and over to the couch, eventually joining her with two warm mugs in hand.

"I just don't know what to do without them. Without him." Sara sniffled after a few minutes of silence.

"I don't either," whispered Felicity. "And I ask myself that question every single day."

"So how do you keep going?"

"I ask myself what Oliver would say, you know, if he were here. And the best I can come up with is that he would tell me to just keep going. Keep helping people, keep doing good, keep being there for our family, for our friends."

"And that works?"

"Not always. But when it doesn't, I have people to give me a reminder and take care of me until I get back on track. And I try my best to be that person for other people," she said as she squeezed Sara's hand.

"Damn you're smart," Sara whispered, a tear falling from her face. Felicity wrapped her into a hug and held her as she too began to cry. The pair sat on that couch together for what felt like forever, engulfed in their sorrows but not overtaken. It wasn't Oliver's arms, but it was just as special.

My heart hurts. Comment a happy story idea if you have one :)