Adrenaline!

Untitled Part 7

Felicity and Roy were headed to pick up the bumper at a nearby auto body shop. Roy had noticed the tension between her and Oliver but had not said anything. He decided now might be a good time.

"So what's the deal with you and Oliver?", he said

Felicity shifted a little uncomfortably. "What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that John said he saw you two joined at the lips this morning. And the fact that you were baiting him about me making you happy. What gives?", he asked, glancing at her before looking back at the road.

Felicity shrugged, "I don't know Roy. I don't understand it myself."

Roy approached the next topic with a little hesitation, "Does he know about the accident?"

"No! And I don't want him to know. You have to swear you won't say anything Roy.", she said looking a little panicked.

"Look Lis, I am not trying to get in your business......"

"Then don't!", she said.

"BUT! If you like Oliver, and I think you do, then you need to tell him at some point. He's going to find out you know. Now that your back people will be talking. That excuse about going to help your Mother was a good one, but there are going to be questions.', he said softly.

Felicity sighed looking out the window. She knew that now she was back that the gossip would start in the racing scene. But she was hoping that people's interest had moved else where. She knew that had been wishful thinking. That accident had changed her life in more ways than she could count. Being back in the racing scene was making the emotions that came along with it bubble to the surface.

"Look Roy, I appreciate your concern. I promise to tell Oliver when the time is right. Ok?", she said, placing hand on his arm.

He took her hand and squeezed it. "Ok."

They pulled up to the body shop and hopped out, heading indoors.

"Max!", Roy called. A big guy with brown hair hidden beneath a backwards baseball cap, dimples and laughing brown eyes approached, and his face turned to surprise when he saw Felicity.

"Well I'll be damned. Felicity Smoak!", he said, walking over and giving her a bear hug that took her off her feet.

"Max!", she said with a smile. Roy and Felicity had met Max about a year before her accident. He was a big 350 lb teddy bear that loved all things cars, and raced with their old crew called "The Slayers'.

Max looked at her with compassion. "How you doin' Lis?"

"I am better Max." she said a little nervously. "Do you have our Challenger bumper and sides ready?" She was hoping he would take the hint and change the subject. She wasn't in the mood to bring up that memory any more just yet.

Max winked at her and headed to the back. "Come with me pretty lady. Oh and you too Roy.", he said with a boisterous laugh.

Roy and Felicity inspected the bumper and the panels and giving approval, paid Max before loading them into the back of Roy's pick-up.

Max walked over to Felicity and gave her another hug as they were about to leave. "I've missed you Lis. You take care now and you know if you ever need anything, The Slayers have your back." He patted Roy on the shoulder and headed back inside.

Roy and Felicity road back to the garage in silence. He knew she had a lot on her mind, and so he stayed silent. Felicity however was starting to feel old feelings emerge. And when they got back to the garage, she excused herself and headed to the alley. She needed a minute by herself. Felicity leaned her head back against the wall of the garage, as the images and memories flooded her head. It had been the night of her fifth race. She had been doing extremely well in the street racing circuit for a woman and was slowly earning the respect of the other racers in the streets. That was when she met Slade. He had taken a liking to her after seeing her race a quarter mile sprint. But Felicity had not felt the same way about Slade and so the night she was to race, she had ignored him, trying to keep her focus on the race and winning. Slade however had other plans. He had been pressuring her to join his crew, and the night she was to race she happened to be racing one of his crew members, "Dodger". Dodger was known to race dirty and Slade had played on that by telling him to make her race memorable. He thought that if she lost she might be a little more amicable about joining his crew. They were winners and he figured she would want the same thing. Little did Slade or Felicity know the events his "talk" with Dodger would set into motion.

Felicity had climbed into her red 1968 Camaro, and pulled up to the starting line. Dodger was staring at her from his Dodge Charger, gunning his engine and licking his lips. He was crass and arrogant and Felicity stayed away from him as much as possible, so she kept her eyes straight ahead. When the starter had dropped his arm, Felicity had hit the gas, and immediately had a jump on Dodger as her car was lighter and she had modified it with more hp. She didn't know that Dodger was using nitrous oxide, and when he hit the button, his car fishtailed. Always one to play dirty, Dodger had consciously allowed his car to fishtail into her lane, hitting her back driver's side bumper. He was hoping to knock her out of the race. Felicity had lost control, and so did Dodger. She had careened through a guardrail and down an embankment, stopping only when her car hit a tree at the bottom of the hill. She had been knocked unconscious and had broken her shoulder from the impact. Dodger had not been so lucky. He had over corrected and drove headlong right into a telephone pole. He was killed instantly. Felicity had been devastated. She had spent 2 days in the hospital and those two days had been an awakening for her. Despite the fact it was not her fault and Dodger had caused the accident Felicity felt a world of guilt on her shoulders. She had left two days after being discharged from the hospital and went to live with her Mother.

She had kept in touch with Roy but had not spoken to any of the crew since that time. Felicity felt the tears streaming down her face, and leaned her head back as she closed her eyes, trying to stem her emotions. That night would stay with her forever. And she had a scar on her shoulder as a constant reminder.