Please Don't Take My Sunshine Away

Part 6

"Everybody stop," she said, staring at Oliver.

Diggle froze at the disturbing sight: A girl who was once loyal to him and his friend, perhaps had even loved his friend, now held a gun to his head, showing no emotion whatsoever. Then Malcolm had his arms in a steel hold. 

"That's my girl," Malcolm said to Felicity.

But Felicity was focused on Oliver. She looked at him, feeling nothing. The way he looked at her though, that made her pause. His eyes were pleading, but there was something deeper inside of them. She couldn't identify the emotion. 

"Felicity," he whispered, speaking only to her. "Put down the gun." 

"Why should I?" she asked in a determined voice.

"Because I love you." He saw her eyes flicker. "And deep down, you still love me."

"No," Malcolm cut in, still holding Diggle. "He lied to you, he told you he loved you to get you kidnapped by a madman!"

Felicity looked back and forth from Malcolm to Oliver, her expression confused. "He's right, you're lying." 

Oliver shook his head, his voice quiet. "Felicity, look at me. You know me. You know me better than anyone. I can see it in your eyes that you still care about me. About Diggle." Her eyes flicked to Diggle. "Yeah, you see him? That's the man who spent five months with you when I left. You two never stopped searching for me. I am so grateful you never gave up on me." 

Her eyes shimmered with tears. As she spoke, her voice shook. "I... I remember that. But I can't... I can't feel anything." She looked at Merlyn. "You told me they didn't care about me, they never did. You told me you cared about me." 

Malcolm could see a problem unfolding. He still was holding Diggle as he said, "Felicity, listen to me."

"Don't you dare say her name," Diggle growled.

Merlyn continued. "They are liars, I would never lie to you. You trust me." 

Oliver reached over and touched Felicity's hand. She jumped and directed her gaze back from Merlyn to him. He ran his hand up to her shoulder, then to her neck.

"Come back to me," he breathed. Her hand holding the gun was shaking now. Oliver could see she could no longer make a clear decision, she was too conflicted. "You could never hurt anyone." She began to lower the gun.

"Felicity, no!" Merlyn said. He dropped Diggle and pulled out a gun, pointing it at her. "Felicity, aim the gun at Oliver." She didn't listen. Malcolm stepped forward. "Do as I say, Felicity, or I will shoot you instead."

Her body shook with terror and confusion. Her brain couldn't take much more, the serum was still messing with her memories but Oliver's words seemed so truthful. She looked down at him, the gun at her side. 

"Do as he says," Oliver finally said. 

"Felicity no!" Diggle shouted as she lifted the gun.

Oliver closed his eyes, preparing himself. A gunshot went off. Felicity screamed. A man roared in pain.

It was Merlyn. He fell to the ground, clutching his shoulder. Diggle had taken the shot, using a gun from the floor. 

Oliver let out a breath then reached for Felicity, but she backed away. He tried to hide the hurt as he looked over at Diggle. "Thank you."

Nodding, Diggle looked down at Malcolm who was crawling backwards on the floor. "What are we going to do with you?" 

Oliver bent reached for his bow just as Malcolm stood up and sprinted out of the room. "Dammit!" he yelled and followed him out. He called back to Diggle, "Watch Felicity!" 

He chased Merlyn up to the roof. There, Malcolm was holding a gun he had had in his jacket. "Don't move, Oliver."

Oliver was still pointing his bow at Merlyn. "I don't see you getting out of this, Merlyn. Your leverage is gone, all your men are taken down, where do you have to run?" 

"I can still kill you." Blood trickled down his head, probably from when he fought with Oliver and Diggle.

"Maybe. But then again Diggle could come out at any moment and end this." 

"I don't think he has it in him to kill anybody," Malcolm argued.

A gunshot fired and Oliver's ears rang. He stagged back to see Diggle coming onto the roof. 

"Maybe not, but how many shots can a man take in one day?" He shot again, this time at Malcolm's leg. 

Malcolm was on the ground, howling in pain. Oliver approached him, aiming his arrow at him. 

"Oliver, don't do it," Diggle said from behind.

"I promised I would kill him." 

"Be the better man." 

Merlyn spat at Oliver. "Do it. Come on Oliver, be the better man." He was smiling with blood stained teeth. 

"Oliver," a voice came from the doorway on the roof. He looked back to see Felicity standing there, her eyes begging. "I remember your promise not to kill anymore people. The only time you broke that promise was to save me. Even with Slade, you found another way." 

"He hurt you Felicity," Oliver said. 

"But I'm here. He doesn't have me anymore." 

Oliver turned back to Malcolm. He raised his bow again, aiming it at his chest. Clenching his jaw, he dropped his weapon but knelt down and knocked Merlyn unconcious. Then he turned back to face his friends. 

Diggle just nodded and stepped forward and picked up Malcolm. He carried him through the doorway and disappeared from the roof.

"Thank you for stopping me," Oliver said, walking towards Felicity. 

She stood still, her expression pulled into a frown. "I still can't remember what you were like before Malcolm. All I understand now is that he brainwashed me." 

Oliver's face flashed with pain and anger. "He won't hurt you again."

Felicity nodded. "I know." 

He thought he saw a flicker of rememberence in her eyes.