Fighting for the Heart

Epilogue

ONE YEAR LATER

Oliver stepped out onto the patio of the beach house they had rented for the next two weeks. He looked out over the water, the blue reminding him of the color of his wife's eyes. They had been married for three days and it amazed him still that she had chosen him. Recovery had been a long slow process for Felicity. Because the arsenic had seeped into her muscles she had dealt with muscle control issues the first few months out of the hospital and so Lyla had worked with her three times a week for over six months.

Walking had been one of the most difficult things for her to do. And the parallel between what she was experiencing and what Oliver had gone through had strengthened their relationship. It had made it stronger.

Oliver had been recovering from his own injuries from the fight but he had been by her side every step of the way.

MMA Magazine had done a full magazine spread after his win, the story talking about his and Felicity's relationship from the moment she became his manager until their wedding. It ended up being their most popular issue.

He had several photo shoots over the weeks after the fight as well as interviews but he always came back to Felicity's side. He was there for every single part of her journey.

He felt arms slide around his waist and a small chin hit the back of his shoulder and he smiled. "Good morning beautiful." He turned and gave her a kiss on the head before he pulled her around in front of him and pulled her back to his chest. They both stood watching the waves, the gold of the sun rising making the water look like liquid gold.

"What were you out here thinking about?" Felicity gripped his hands on her stomach tightly.

"I was thinking about retiring." He said the words softly, and Felicity turned to him in shock. But is face was serene and he looked the happiest she had seen him since the day she had accepted his proposal.

"I've achieved my goal Felicity. I won the Championship. And after working with Lyla on your PT, I am even more convinced that it is the path I want to take for the future." She rubbed his arms and she could see in his eyes that he meant what he was saying.

"But don't you want to defend your title?" She had to ask.

Oliver thought for a moment. "No. I am good. I am happy. I achieved my goal Felicity." He paused for a moment. "I thought that I wanted to continue fighting and follow that career until I was forced to retire, but this last year with you has changed my perspective. I want to help others Felicity."

She placed her cheek on his chest and smiled. "You realize that means that we can start thinking about starting that family sooner."

Oliver hugged her closer. The thought of her having his child sent a primal sense of possessive energy coursing through him. They had been talking a lot over the last few months about kids, their family and had even started looking for houses close to Felicity's office and to Verdant. Oliver had enrolled in classes and was to start his first semester upon their return from their honeymoon. Everything was falling slowly into place for both of them.

Felicity had taken on both Slade and Tommy as clients and it was two of the best decisions she could have made. After seeing Oliver's fight it had inspired them both and so they had been working hard with John over the last few months and were both slowly moving up in their respective divisions.

Oliver grabbed a blanket that was draped over the lounge chair and took her hand and walked down to the beach, the sand nice and warm underneath their feet. Their beach home boasted a 150 foot private beach and so there was no one in sight but the two of them. Felicity was still a little shaky sometimes when she walked so she held his hand tightly. He stopped and spread the blanket before helping her lower carefully to the ground. He sat down behind her and pulled her back to his chest, feeling her shiver just slightly.

"Felicity, I would love nothing more than for us to start a family, but what about your career? Are you sure you are ready?" He wanted to make sure she was ready for the changes a family would create.

"Oliver, I have wanted a family my whole life. And when I met you and you asked me to marry you, I actually was able to start dreaming that it might happen. The doctor said that the arsenic should not affect me getting pregnant." She knew he was worried about her health, even though he didn't say it."

"I know." he said softly, his eyes still haunted by what she had endured.

She saw the look in his eyes and cupped his cheeks with her hands. "Hey, I am fine." She said it softly, but earnestly.

He closed his eyes at her touch. She was here, she was safe, and they were married.

She turned in his arms and smiled up at him. "Getting pregnant might be the best medicine for me."

He laughed. She looked so earnest and as he turned her so she could straddle his lap. He kept his arms loose around her waist. "Well I guess we could start working on it Mrs. Queen. I mean we are here for another week with nothing to do but sun and lounge in bed. I said I was going to keep you naked for most of the trip so........."

She leaned forward and kissed him passionately as her body settled against him. It had been a hard year, a year of ups and downs of mental and physical trials, of highs and lows. But now, their future together looked bright, expansive. They had dreams that were slowly coming true and as Oliver laid down on the blanket, Felicity held tightly to his chest they both knew that their future was going to be magical, blessed.

Because they had each other. They had love.