Author's Note: Firstly, a big thank you to the responses I got from the two chapters I posted last week. Since I missed a couple of weeks I thought I would do a double post the last time.

Someone asked me if I was moving the direction of a Season 1 rewrite. Well, when I started this story I sure wasn't going that direction but to clarify it is partially going to be a rewrite, but without the Arrow/Green Arrow stuff. I'm keeping it to the bratva storyline but will be taking liberties in grabbing Season 1 sub-plots and characters.

As this chapter and this story progresses, you will also be treated to some of my more favorite Arrow characters, which ones…well, the next chapter (not this one!) will introduce someone who I hope you will all be pleasantly surprised with, another rewrite on the character entry, just because I can take such liberties.

It goes without saying that I have fallen in love with writing this story, it's weird for me to say that since I love all my stories, although this one is close to my heart maybe because I'm still not getting the Olicity love currently in Season 5. But I'm a very patient person, I know we will eventually get there in Season 5 I mean why would they throw away something as perfect as that!

The usual disclaimers apply. I do not own Arrow or the characters, if I did they 5.01 would have ended with Oliver and Felicity in bed….

You can read updates of this story via my tumblr, Archive of Our Own or Fan Fiction. And please, send me comments. They really push me to invest in this story.

Enjoy and don't forget to message me thru any of the following:

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CROSSFIRE

Chapter 10 – The Rescue

"Brother, why are you brooding?" Anatoli asked Oliver handing him a bottle of vodka while he held on to two tumblers.

"I've never realized what kind of master manipulator you were before, but then again I should have known. I mean you wouldn't have become pakhan and stayed the mob leader if you weren't, but sending an innocent woman to her death, that's a new kind of low isn't it."

"Oliver, I've always thought you were smarter than most but if you want to brand me a barbarian who sends women to fight a battle that was meant only for men, then maybe you aren't as smart as I thought you were. It isn't about gender. Our enemies wouldn't stop to discriminate between men, women and even children. This is a war."

"But at what cost!" Oliver said shouting as he stood up to face the pakhan.

Anatoli shook his head, "I had never thought I would see the day when your judgment would be clouded by a woman. But then again the woman in question is quite exceptional. And despite what you think, I do have a fondness for the woman too. She is like a daughter to me. All the more so she is not sheltered but rather exposed to the harsh realities of the world we exist. It would make her even stronger. This is for her as much as this is for the organization."

Oliver narrowed his eyes at the pakhan, because in a way the boss had revealed part of his hand, "she was not meant to stay with us forever. You and even me when I chose to be marked," landing his hand on his shirt that had the bratva tattoo underneath, "chose this life, to die for the brotherhood if needed. She didn't."

Anatoli shrugged, choosing to open the bottle of vodka and take his time to pour out a measured amount of alcohol on each glass and handing Oliver one before he answered, "you are correct. In the beginning it wasn't her choice. But even you would have to agree that no one his keeping her from walking away at this point, that the threat over the head of her mother has long ceased to be her motivation. She has found a family here, and I'd reckon a large part of that is due to you."

"You're twisted."

Anatoli laughed heartily, "so I have been told occasionally. Nonetheless, what I speak off is the truth. It is you who is clouded. But I don't blame you, love, especially young love can be all consuming."

"You don't know what you are talking about," Oliver denied before he drowned the tumbler of vodka offered.

"On the contrary, I've never been more sure of my opinion. Don't get me wrong brother, I've already told you I look at Felicity as the daughter I never had. There is no one else who I would have approved of who deserved her."

"Some father you claim to be if you plan to send her out to war."

"Believe me Oliver, if you weren't in the equation, I won't even consider it. Even if it was the difference between winning and losing this war."

Oliver rubbed his face in frustration, "you're an asshole for passing on that responsibility to me and washing your hands off. A first class one."

"I have been called worst before. I'm doing this because I know you would give up your life for hers, to keep her safe. But do not worry brother, now isn't the right time to send her out. Between you and me, we have time to train her properly. Unfortunately, you lovebirds will have to be apart in a couple of weeks. We have to fight fire with fire before the enemy gains a solid foothold in the northern territory. The north American territory."

"America?"

"Yes Oliver. Very soon it would be time for you to play the shipwrecked survivor. It would be time for you to resurrect Oliver Queen. It is imperative that we take advantage of that window of opportunity."

Assessing the younger mans hesitation he went in for the kill.

"There is no choice to make Oliver. If you and Felicity would have any kind of future that would involve less of this madness, it has to be done. Do it for her."

The two weeks had turned into a month of preparation for Oliver but now he was on a russian fishing boat that was to bring him back to Lian Yu.

He was looking out into the ocean. They had at least a couple of more hours until they were to reach their destination. The other men had generally left him alone except for his loyal lieutenants Krug and Krum, but they weren't beside him right now.

Right now it was just he and a view of the sunset.

Which was why he let his thoughts wander back to her, Felicity.

She was a natural. She picked up instructions easily. She was an extraordinary student. And he should have been proud of her achievements except every new skill she picked up drove a nail harder into her faith. The quicker the study that she was, the more he was sure Anatoli would accelerate his plans forward.

Oliver's only consolation was, knowing that indeed the pakhan did have a special fondness for Felicity.

She would be able to defend herself, if it came down to it. She had proven to be more than capable.

Anatoli and he had talked about the plan in detail, at least as far as he where concerned.

Oliver would be transported back to Lian Yu, he would survive there on his own for a couple of weeks then a signal would be given which shall trigger a wave of circumstances. A fishing vessel, chinese because Anatoli appreciated the irony, would rescue him and from there a mysterious hand would guide him back to Starling City.

The power of the bratva and it's story telling wield would ensure that the plan was executed down to the detail.

He had been given a satellite phone by the pakhan. To be used only during very extreme necessity and only between the two of them.

A few minutes later he was making his final preparations to disembark, checking his supplies last minute until finally, Krug, Krum and he were onboard a speed boat taking him to a part of the island that was nearer for him trek his way toward the fuselage which shall serve as his home for the moment.

Anatoli and he had agreed that he would bring an excess of supplies back to Lian Yun and use his time in the island to plant these supplies at differently marked and familiar areas. Both of them wanted to be prepared for extraordinary circumstances that may require them a return to the island.

At least, supplies would be available to make their stay a little more bearable than before.

Oliver had spent his first four days and three nights alone in the island reacclimatizing himself with his old hunts and placing the supplies in strategic locations. With all that done, he was now going through what would be his routine for the next few days.

Wake up before dawn, do his morning exercise which consisted of parkouring using the wilds as his training grounds, leaping off giant vines and having long runs. He missed those days, he now only realized. This was a part of Lian Yu that he had always looked forward to. It was his natural training ground.

Pausing to look up and seeing the giant trees that blocked off the sun, he imagined a time that maybe one day in the future, in a happier time, he would be able to share this with Felicity. He would never wish for her to be stranded on the island with him but maybe a visit, if it were possible? Maybe.

A few days before the day Anatoli and he had agreed for him to be 'discovered' by the fishermen, he received a message from the man telling him they would have to delay his rescue due to 'weather constrains'.

Despite Oliver's disappointment he could not question the rational. The sky was screaming bloody murder and their was no way his signal, a pile of burning wood would be spotted by the fishing vessel, he wasn't even sure if the pile of wood would light given the weather.

So he waited. He had food and he knew how to survive anyway.

And unlike the last time, this time the island seemed to be truly uninhabited, so far.

Felicity was hanging the last of her new wardrobe inside a small walk-in closet. Her new townhouse was a modest 2-bedroom unit with a walk-in closet, which led to a master bath, a small luxury given her entry pay scale into Queen Consolidated. With her mid-level entry, she could afford living the way she did without raising any warning bells and lifestyle checks.

Somehow, Anatoli had this trick up his sleeve, or was it his plan all along?

She had reappeared in Starling City, her name whispered in the ear of the higher ups in Queen Consolidated, Walter Steele in particular as someone pluckable, god she was even inventing words.

Her cover, she never did die during that supposed deadly gunfire on her way to the airport almost a year ago. Instead, she had survived, albeit not injury free, having temporarily lost her memory. When she finally regain her memory she had decided to work far away from Starling City if only to forget her very bad near death experience.

Recent circumstances however, had allowed Queen Consolidated a second opportunity at signing her up when the rumor was tossed around that her boss and employer, Inter-Atlantic Consolidated Industries, a company that had a lot of bratva money poured into it, had made her work situation impossible due to personal reasons.

The personal reason was that her boss had tried to sexually compromise her therefore making it uncomfortable for her to work in that environment despite the opportunities offered her.

Last week Felicity had flown back to Starling City, gotten an interview with human resources then was immediately endorsed the same day via a special appointment with current Queen Consolidated COO Walter Steele then CEO Moira Queen.

At the end of the day she was offered five times the salary she was offered a few months back when she was first signed with QC. Wow, Anatoli definitely made things happen, she thought.

Krug and Krum had made the journey to America with her, which was sweet of Anatoli although she was sure Oliver had a lot to do with that too. Their cover not so surprisingly was that of a gay couple, fashion designers from Russia, keeping their cover as close to reality as possible because duh, leave it to Anatoli to know even little secrets like the fact that those two were an actual couple in real life!

An actual gay bratva couple, how could Anatoli even!

Well Anatoli was a modern and progressive a leader. No wonder he was where he was.

It was a Friday. She would be starting work officially on Monday. Tonight however, she, Krug and Krum would be hanging out together because did she mention that she was actually next door neighbors with the gay bratva couple!

Only Anatoli could accomplish such a feat, Felicity thought shaking her head.

As excitement as she was, her exuberance was tempered by a phone call from the mob boss that informed her Oliver's extraction from Lian Yu would be delayed. He tried to appease her by telling her this was actually a good thing because then this would give her the chance to establish herself within Queen Consolidated before Oliver stepped foot back into Starling City.

She would never put it passed the mob leader to have this planned all along.

Felicity counted the days. The weeks had turned to a month, then two months.

Her last memories of her times with Oliver had faded into echoes of the past that figured in her dreams. Sweet Dreams.

The night before Oliver had left for Lian Yu, they had dinner together. Orchestrated by Anatoli knowing that this would calm both of them.

Oliver welcomed this gift by the boss although in the back of his mind he knew this came with strings attached.

He did nothing but stare at Felicity intensely that night making her almost uncomfortable because it felt like he was memorizing every detail of her face.

The whole evening he had felt uneven.

Before that dinner, all they had done to that point was kiss, sometimes sweet, sometimes with intensity that had him feeling like he wanted to inhaling her whole.

As much as Oliver wanted to bring this to the next level, worship her whole body he didn't want the parting memory they had of one another to be about that, leave her with the impression that all he was after was just one night of passion with her then be gone the next day.

When, because by this time he accepted that it was a when and not an, if. When it would finally happen he wanted it to be for the right reasons. That his night of making sweet love to Felicity wouldn't be just one night, but it would be the first of many, many nights together.

So at the end of the night, he walked her to her room, which was just the opposite of his in their own private wing courtesy of Anatoli leaving her with just a chase kiss.

Or at least what he initiated was a chase kiss that quickly escalated into something hot and heavy as Felicity pressed herself unto him, her palm caressing his stubble that he had let grow out into the beginning of a beard in preparation for Lian Yu.

"Oliver."

He closed his eyes and wrapped an arm around her even tighter as he brushed his tongue against her lower lip before he bit it gently obtaining an almost obscene moan from her.

He knew it was up to him to pull back because she was as affected as he was, if not more, it would be easy for him to throw all his caution away and just push her inside her room and do what both of them apparently needed to happen.

But the miniscule part of his brain that was still sane pushed its way up until it gave him the strength to pull away from her, earning a sigh of disappointed from her as they both tried to catch their breaths.

He cupped her cheek, his heart warmed as she leaned into his palm.

"Felicity, there is nothing I want more than to show you how much you have become the center of my world the short time I have know you. You captivated me almost immediately. For the longest time I have accepted the hand I had been dealt with, a life deprived of light. But then you came along unexpectedly."

He smiled still caressing her cheek with his thumb before he run that same thumb over her swollen lips, his doing.

"Will you wait for me? I know that in this crazy life we both have, their may never be a right time but soon Felicity. When I am settled back as Oliver Queen the heir to the Queen fortune," he laughed nervously at his description of himself, "when I have something more than just this," he gestured to himself as if it said everything, "to offer. I'd want there to be an us."

A tear escaped Felicity's face that was quickly caught by his thumb that was still hovering over her cheek, "Oliver…"

His fingers pressed into her lips to stop whatever it was she was saying, "you don't have to say anything right now. I just want you to think about it. I'll wait for your answer when we see each other again. I'll be waiting for you."

He caught her hand and pressed it into his chest, over his heart.

"This is yours Felicity Meghan Smoak."

"Oliver," Felicity whispered, her emotions all over the place at his declaration.

"Shhh," he leaned in and kissed her temple with his palm still above hers over his heart, "I'll keep it safe for you. And I'll see you soon."

Without warning he caught her lips against his for one last time before he deliberately pushed her away, "I have to do this now, walk away. Because if I stay another minute I won't be able to leave and I have to. I'm doing this for us." He finished, using the same conversation he had with Anatoli this time on Felicity.

"This is for us," he said one last time before slowly he let go of her hand until only the tips of their fingers touched.

Before he fully stepped out of her room he heard her quietly say, "my heart is yours too, even if you refuse to take it now."

The moment he stepped out of her room and closed her door he heard a thud making him close his eyes at to shutdown his emotions.

He had to. This was the only way he could do this. He reminded himself he was doing it for the right reasons, he was leaving her now for a future of tomorrows together.

Inside her room Felicity had fallen on the floor, the weight of Oliver's exit was too much for her. Her hands were over her eyes more a reflex action that an attempt to wipe away tears that just kept on coming.

She had to be strong not only for herself, but for Oliver too.

He was right after all, despite Anatoli's very obvious support. This wasn't the kind of life for them to build a future in.

She knew Oliver was doing his part. She had to do hers too.

She believed him when he said they would find each other when he was back in Starling City.

He brushed his thumb against a picture, the picture of the woman who had stolen his heart, Felicity.

He had taken a stolen shot of her on his phone one day and had Krug and Krum print it.

Her picture kept him warm as he spent another night alone in Lian Yu, roasting his meal, a bird that he had caught relishing a fresh meal instead of his canned rations.

This was a small sacrifice for the future with Felicity that awaited them.

A faint sound attracted Oliver's attention toward a direction that was totally darkened. He quickly pocketed his most precious treasure, her picture inside his pocket.

By this time, he was able to distinguish between animal sounds and the whish wash of foliage around him definitely was not animal.

People.

Someone else, or a group of someone else was there. Dread filled him as he took a long breath.

This was not part of the plan.

Without even thinking, he kicked the dirt next to his shoe to kill the fire he was roasting his dinner on then took a stick he had fashion as a weapon.

He would use the crude weapons he had made first before he would defer to his hidden modern arsenal. It was better to not attract attention, keep within his 'story' as much as he could as he prepared to face the unknown intruder.

Eekkk…..surprise! Guess who...