The Assassin's Creed

Untitled Part 9

Felicity woke the next morning, her shoulder throbbing and gingerly turned to her side. Oliver was fast asleep and she took a moment to study him. He looked so much younger, so soft when he was sleeping. She thought back to the flashes she had experienced, and soon she was closing her eyes as more flashes started to flood her mind. She had images of Oliver sleeping just like he was now, in their bed, images of them making love and then she gasped as her eyes flew open. She remembered!

She remembered the day they left on the boat, how happy they were. She remembered the storm and the boat going down as Oliver screamed her name. She looked at him again with fresh eyes, eyes that had loved this man for years and she started to cry. Whatever the League had put them through had caused them to forget their love and each other. How could they have done that? She knew now why she had been drawn to him.

She felt him stirring and she wondered, would he believe her if she told him?

He smiled as he looked at her and she saw something different in his face. Something different in his eyes. Had he remembered too?

"Oliver?", she said his name hesitantly, she said it as if she was speaking to him. Not Al-Sah-Him, and he understood.

"Felicity?" he looked at her wanting to hope, wanting to believe she remembered. And then he noticed the look on her face, the love in her eyes that was speaking to him, and he knew.

He pulled her to him and kissed her reverently, sweetly, lovingly and she responded taking his face in her hands.

"You remember!", he said. She could hear the relief in his voice.

"When did you remember?", she asked, leaning back to look at him.

"Last night. After you were shot." He gently stroked her face, just looking at her.

"How did he we forget Oliver? Why?" She looked at him trying to understand. He didn't have an answer.

"I don't know.", was all he said. It was all he could say. "We need to finish this mission and then go talk to Maseo." He sat up, just looking at her. It was like he could not get enough. "I need to go talk to Slade. I need to tell him what is going on and then he and I need to go find Nyssa."

"But Oliver....", before she could finish he silenced her with his finger and a look.

"YOU need to stay here and rest that shoulder. We cannot risk you tearing your stitches Felicity." He gently stroked her cheek. She knew he was right. But it was so very hard for her to stay still. To stay behind.

"I will stay here but I am going to have my comms on and I am going to use the laptop we brought so I can keep an eye on you.", she said. Even though they were together and they had their memory, a small fear was creeping up that she would lose him.

"I love you Felicity." He leaned down and brushed his lips across hers.

"I love you too." Oliver smiled and then stood and headed out the door to talk to Slade. Hopefully Slade would understand and not think he was crazy.

***

Slade and Oliver moved stealthily down the corridor of the building where they had seen the guild members the night before. They were trying to find the room where they thought they might find Nyssa. Oliver's talk with Slade had gone well and he had told Oliver that part of the initiation process the League used was a plant that erased your memories. He said he knew of the process because when he had first joined the League he had been tasked with helping to initiate new recruits and they were given a liquid to drink, which he had later found out was the plant in liquid form. He had told Slade that Felicity would be staying behind and they had formulated a plan and headed back to the building where Felicity had been shot. It was a good start and as they moved quietly forward Slade motioned to Oliver that he could hear voices ahead.

Careful to not be seen Oliver watched as Slade poked his head into the room. He gave the thumbs up when he spotted Nyssa sitting with her back to the door. She was talking and he tried to hear what was being said. Oliver crept closer and noting there were only two people in the room they entered quietly, weapons drawn and made their presence known. Nyssa stood in surprise and Oliver looked at the other woman in shock. It was Ta-er al-sahfer. Nyssa moved in front of her as if protecting her, holding out her hand.

"Please, lower your weapons!", she pleaded.

Oliver looked at Slade and then lowered his bow, but his hand moved to his dagger, just in case.

"Nyssa, what are you doing here?", Slade asked, looking suspiciously at Ta-er al-sahfer.

Nyssa looked back at Sara before she turned to them. "Sara was sent here to infiltrate the guild and try to find out why they were shipping weapons through the Opal City port. While she was here, she gained the trust of several guild members and she found out that there is a portion of the guild that wants to defect. They are unhappy with the way that the guild is operating and they want out. She sent for my help to see if I could talk to Maseo and Ras about offering them asylum."

Oliver and Slade looked at her in shock. "Ok, if that is the case then why not go back to the League and inform Maseo? Why all the secrecy and what was taking so long?", Oliver asked still a little suspicious.

Sara stepped forward, "The guild members that are wanting to leave have children here. We have been trying to figure out a way to extract not only the adults but their children as well, safely."

Slade looked at Oliver. They both knew this was a bigger problem than initially suspected. They needed to talk to Ras and Maseo as soon as possible.

"Do you trust us Nyssa?" Oliver asked.

"Yes!"

"Then let Slade and I go back to Maseo and inform him of what you just told us. We need more manpower and maybe we can figure out a way to get them out cleanly with little collateral damage."

Nyssa looked at Sara, and Sara agreed. They needed all the help they could get.

"Ok."

Oliver listened as Sara recounted everything that had happened since she had been with the guild. Taking the information Slade and Oliver made their way back to the safe house. Oliver knew they needed to head back and talk to Maseo, but a selfish part of him wanted one night with Felicity. He spoke to Slade and they agreed that Slade would head back to the League tonight and then send the plane for Oliver and Felicity in the morning. As Slade gathered his things, Oliver checked on Felicity. He smiled softly when he saw her propped on pillows against the headboard. Her comm in her ear and her laptop forgotten on her lap. She was sound asleep.

He removed her comm and the laptop and moved her down to where she was resting comfortably, and then he kissed her head and went into the living room to clean his weapons. He needed some time to think as well, and as he mechanically went through the moves cleaning each piece meticulously his mind wandered to how they would leave and go home. He knew it was hard to get out of the League once you were a member.

Their struggle was definitely not over.