I couldn't sleep so I was watching Arrow clips and it started to bother me that I didn't know why Slade would say those words: "I was surprised, I thought you had a thing for stronger women. But now that I've met her, I can see the appeal." And obviously I kept watching more clips, re-watching my favourite scenes (especially ones where Felicity has NO problems scolding Oliver), when I came to the conclusion that Laurel, Sara, and Felicity are all quite 'strong', but where Laurel and Sara can be rather 'loud', Felicity is not as obvious which is why she is constantly being underestimated. So then I figured that Felicity Smoak must have done SOMETHING to deserve the "Now that I've met her, I see the appeal" line.

Basically this is my take on why Slade said that.

My first Arrow fic, thought I would try my hand at it.

Disclaimer - Arrow is not mine, the characters are not mine, none of it was mine. If it was, I would own a yacht. I do NOT own a yacht, therefore Arrow does not belong to me.

When the door finally closed behind him with a resonating 'thud', Felicity was still standing where Oliver had left her, trying to process what happened and to quell the emotions that were threatening to tear her apart. She closed her eyes, sucking up air into her desperate lungs and her hand closed tighter around the syringe he had pressed into her palm.

Slade. He was going to come get her.

That thought alone should have sent her sniveling to a corner, but instead, that thought pushed everything else to a dull pulse in the back of her mind, like a bruise already beginning to heal, hurting when pressed. Felicity opened her eyes, releasing the air she'd sucked in and casually tucked the syringe into her coat pocket. She made her way to the grand stairs and after climbing a few steps, sat and waited for Slade to send someone. She did not bother coming up with a plan. Like she had told Diggle those weeks prior, if Slade wanted to kill her there was nothing they could do. As the minutes ticked by, Felicity focused on keeping her mind clear and her breathing even. She just had to trust that Oliver knew what he was doing.

Fear didn't start making its way into her heart until she heard the rumbling of the engine. She flinched when the doors crashed open and squeezed her hand tighter around the syringe in her pocket when she heard his deep voice snapping an order:

"Find her."

He hadn't sent only a soldier to fetch her like he had with Laurel. He had come himself. Felicity squeezed her eyes shut, took a deep breath, and opened her eyes to see him standing at the foot of the stairs. His one eye peered at her and Felicity prayed that the fear beginning to latch cold fingers around her heart wasn't showing on her face. He tilted his head a fraction of a centimeter and she swore she saw a flicker of puzzlement flicker in his eye.

"Miss Smoak."

Felicity said nothing, not trusting her voice, rose to stand on shaky legs, and looked at him. He held out a hand before saying:

"If you would be so kind…"

Swallowing hard, Felicity mentally kicked herself into gear. Now that Slade was before her, and the katana reflecting the moonlight in his hand got bigger, the very real possibility that she was going to lose her life tonight dawned on her, and she heard herself whimper. No, she told herself. He'll be there. Finding her trust in Oliver and latching onto it for dear life, Felicity reached out a shaking hand and placed it into Slade's. Without missing a beat, the one-eyed man led her down the last few steps, out the damaged doors, and into the black car. Felicity stared out the window, keeping her senses on high alert, and trying not to focus on his one eye drilling a hole into her head or the light bouncing off the katana lying across his lap.

"She ran. You didn't."

Felicity turned. Of all the things to say, that's what he says?

"Sorry?"

She berates herself for sounding so weak, her voice trembling, threatening to crack; Slade shifts slightly in his seat and looks her over, almost searching for something…searching for what made her so special. The deafening silence stretches before Slade speaks again.

"Laurel Lance. I sent one of my soldiers out to collect her, and he reports that she fought back, she tried to run. It was just an annoyance to him, but still. She at least tried to break free; she had some, albeit pathetic, protection at the station; but you? Oliver left you all alone in that big, dark house and you didn't even bother hiding. You didn't bother to run."

Slade paused, watching her, never blinking, never wavering and Felicity Megan Smoak met his gaze. Neither said a word. Slade leaned forward suddenly and grabbed her chin. Anger flared within her stomach and without even considering the consequences, Felicity jerked her head out of his hold and slapped his hand away hard. Slade's eye glinted and he grinned maliciously as he sat back.

"And there it is. I knew Oliver Queen had a thing for strong women, and I'm beginning to understand why he finds you so appealing, Miss Smoak. Laurel Lance is a loud strength, Sara Lance is also loud, but you, Miss Smoak, you are a different breed of strength. You're much quieter; barely a whimper from you. And you didn't run…"

The giant of a man fell silent again and Felicity's heart thrummed in her ears. Had he figured it out? Had Slade realized that she was a trick; that the only thing special about her was the syringe she still gripped in her pocket? The rest of the drive was silent and Felicity, realizing that Slade seemed done talking for the moment looked out the window again, her throat closing at the destruction they zigged and zagged around. When they reached Slade's hiding place, the man practically jumped out of the vehicle in glee, sliding the katana back in its sheath, and barking out orders to the masked driver:

"Get her out, bring her down, and keep a sharp eye on this one."

Her door was swung open. The soldier gripped her upper arm and yanked, effectively pulling her out of the car and leaving bruises from his grip, before hauling her inside. He pushed her in front of him and Felicity heard the sound of the katana being slid out of its sheath again. Later she would wonder if he had done it for the effect the sound would have on her, but in that moment, the sound coupled with his words finally gave the cold fingers of fear the jolt they needed to firmly clutch her heart.

"She is quite lovely… your Felicity."

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