Sharper Points

By Michael Weyer

As a fan of both shows, had mulled possible crossover ideas but this one struck huge and thought I'd get a start out to see if more interest in it. For "Arrow," set after episode 2X10 while mixing plots of early parts of season 5 of "Vampire Diaries" and first season of "Originals". All comments welcomed.

She was a cliché.

That was all there was to it. Felicity Smoak was a living, breathing cliché. Sitting in a bar alone, having a stiff drink half-empty before her, dwelling in her self-pity. 23 years old, bright and at the top of her class and she was the living example of all she once hated. A secretary in love with her boss.

Okay, it wasn't that simple. She wasn't a secretary, really, more a brilliant computer hacker and IT specialist. And of course, it was the fact her boss happened to moonlight as a crime-fighting, bow-wielding vigilante in his spare time. But, at the heart of it all, Felicity was still a cliché and she hated it.

That was why she'd cut her visit to Central City short. It wasn't like Barry would actually miss her, the poor guy was still sleeping (it sounded much better than "coma") and hanging around his bed wouldn't do any good. But she couldn't go back to Starling City, not just yet. She needed time, time to mull over things, time to figure out how she felt about Oliver and his life, time to regroup.

Time to drink.

She didn't know why she'd chosen New Orleans. She supposed she'd always wanted to see the city and it was a nice spot. Felicity figured it was a good way to unwind for a week or so before she went back to Starling. Ten to one, Oliver would have no idea at all. Why would he? He was too busy with Sara back from the dead and the feelings for Lauren.

Figures. I'm stuck between two exes who happen to be sisters, one of whom is also an island refugee costumed killer. I can't even have a normal love triangle in my life.

Felicity sighed as she sipped her drink once more, brushing back her blond hair. Even in New Orleans, she dressed down, hair in a ponytail, glasses on, just a dark skirt and light blouse, nothing too fancy. She heard folks around her having a good time but just couldn't get herself to join in. Sighing, she sipped her dink once more, wishing she had the stomach for something stronger.

"Bourbon," a clear voice echoed as a young woman sat next to Felicity. She seemed to be a few years younger, very attractive with long black hair, dressed in a fetching red dress. She accepted her drink with a smile to drink it down, glancing to Felicity. "New in town?"

"Just passing through," the blonde shrugged.

"Katherine," the woman introduced herself.

"Felicity," she said. "Not to be rude, I really don't like being that way but sorta not in the mood for company."

"Ah, man troubles?" Katherine nodded. "Trust me, I know all about that. Some days, you just can't win. Best to avoid them, really."

"Yeah, I can relate." Felicity sipped her drink. "So, just needed time to get out, clear my head and such before I go back to Starling."

"Hmmmm…." Katherine pursed her lips. "So…here alone?"

"Story of my life," Felicity shrugged. She missed the evil glint in Katherine's eye and the way her lips turned upward in a smirk.

"Well, we'll just have to fix that," Katherine said as she moved her arm over Felicity's shoulders. The blonde was stock-still for a moment in shock before pulling back. "Um…I am flattered…I mean, really, truly flattered and all but…I'm not like that. Not that it's wrong or such, I'm totally for gay rights, really! I just don't go that way myself so if you don't mind…"

She was hopping off her stool when she felt Katherine grip her arm hard. Felicity turned, her mouth open to protest when Katherine's eyes caught her. The dark orbs seemed to dilate as they fixated on Felicity. "You're going to come with me and not make any fuss at all."

Felicity felt it was perfectly natural for her to grab her purse and follow Katherine through the bar. She paid no mind to her drink or her unpaid bill or really anything else. She just knew she had to follow Katherine no matter what and keep quiet about it.

Katherine led Felicity outside to an alleyway, the sun dipping over the French Quarter. She pressed Felicity up against a wall with surprising speed, her eyes once more fixed on the blonde's. "Just relax, this won't hurt."

A wave of peace came over Felicity, a light smile on her face as any pressures or worries vanished from her. She stared outward as Katherine leaned in and let out a sharp gasp at the sudden pain at her neck. Felicity shook in place but Katherine held her tight, the blonde barely realizing the feeling of her own blood trickle down her neck.

Katherine pulled back, her lips stained with red that had nothing to do with lipstick. Smiling, she raised a fingernail to her right forearm and neatly slit it down. Once more, that gaze met Felicity's as she intoned. "Drink." Without a second thought, Felicity opened her mouth as Katherine placed her forearm to her lips and allowed the red liquid to pour into her throat. She swallowed at least a pint of it before Katherine pulled back.

"Good," she said, that smile never fading. "Now, then…" She stared more, Felicity lost in the bizarre haze, her throat salty and barely registering any of the words Katherine was saying. "Glad to have met you, Felicity." With that, Katherine placed her hands on either side of the other woman's head and gave a savage twist to the right.

And that was how Felicity Smoak first died.

She came awake with a start and a loud gasp. Her eyes blinked behind her glasses as she looked around, seeing the night skies mirrored by the lights of New Orleans. She winced, feeling the pain in both her neck and her head and, oddly, her stomach. Sitting up, Felicity groaned as she felt her head, happy to see her glasses were still on.

"Are you okay?" Felicity looked up at the young woman before her. She looked barely out of high school, very attractive with lush blonde hair and by experience, Felicity could tell this girl had been a cheerleader with that trim body. She was wearing expensive pants and top with light vest, looking with concern at Felicity. "I'm Caroline."

"Felicity. Smoak." She groaned as she got to her feet. "Wow…Must have gotten mugged. Figures, I survive Starling City intact but end up mugged in New Orleans."

"I think more than just a simple mugging," Caroline said with a sympathetic smile. "How's the neck?"

"Aches," Felicity admitted as she rubbed it. "But getting better."

"Yeah, getting it snapped always hurts," Caroline said in a matter of fact tone. "But could be worse. Stabbed isn't fun either and drowning? From what I can tell, that seriously sucks."

Felicity looked up at her, baffled. "I must have hit my head harder than I thought, I can't make heads or tails out of anything you just said."

"Actually, I have to ask if you saw someone. A…friend of mine. Dark hair, rather annoying attitude, acts like everyone else is beneath her?"

"Would her name be Katherine?" Felicity asked. "Yeah, I met her, she…" She stopped and frowned. "She…got me out here somehow. She…" Felicity's fingers flew to her neck to rub it, looking at the clear skin. "She bit me…I was bleeding, bad. And then she…" She shook her head. "No, no, that can't be right."

Caroline was staring at her, confusion giving way to slow comprehension. "Oh my God," she whispered. "She turned you. Just now, she turned you."

"Turned?" Felicity frowned. "What do you mean?"

Caroline took a deep breath. "Okay, I know we just met but you have to trust me here, Felicity. You have…just undergone a really radical change and you need to understand it fast."

Felicity automatically backed up, her hand diving into her purse for her taser. "Um, last person who asked me to follow her, I ended up here. I just met you."

"I know, I know, it's wild and scary but you have to listen or you're in serious trouble." Caroline took a careful step forward. "Please…Just…listen?"

Felicity looked her over, mulling her feelings. Something was telling her to listen to this girl, that she was worth following. That instinct had served her well with Oliver's crusade and so Felicity decided to trust it. "Fine…But I'm warning you right now, you're up to anything, I know some very, very important people who will come looking for me."

Caroline just offered a sad smile as she led Felicity out of the alley. "No offense, hon but whoever your friends are…they can't compare to the people you're about to meet."

It was only a short taxi ride out of the main city as Caroline and Felicity shared brief histories. She was from some town called Mystic Falls and currently in college but seemed cagy when Felicity pushed for more. Their conversation ended as they came to a large mansion that looked to be quite old with a pair of massive metal gates emblazoned with a large "M." Caroline sniffed as she took that in. "Always subtle…"

She paid the driver off as she and Felicity made their way up the long walkway and to the main entrance. Caroline knocked sharply on the door as Felicity looked around, wondering once more why she was going along with this. The door opened to reveal a woman Caroline's age with shoulder-length dark hair and attractive features, clad in simple jeans and a dark t-shirt. Caroline's eyes went wide as her jaw fell open. "Haley? What the hell are you doing here?"

"I could ask the same," the other girl said in a snapping tone. "I happen to be staying here. Not by choice, mind you but…"

Caroline shook her head. "I can't deal with this now. Just let us in, I need to see Klaus."

Haley pursed her lips but shrugged. "Fine, whatever. Come in." She backed up as Caroline entered, Felicity following. "Hi, I'm Felicity," she said, feeling it only right to make proper conversation.

"Welcome to Casa De Mikaelson," the brunette returned. "Alias the nuthouse of New Orleans."

"Klaus!" Caroline was stomping through the foyer, yelling out. "Kalus, get your undead Eurotrash ass down here! We need to talk!" Felicity followed, admiring the old-styled paintings on the walls and the classic décor.

"What the bloody hell is going on?" Another female voice echoed from the stairs above. Marching down, wrapping a silk robe around her body, was a very attractive woman with dark blonde hair sweeping back from her beautiful face. Her voice carried a distinct English accent as she walked down the stairs. "Can a person not have a simple bath…" She stopped as she saw Caroline and rolled her eyes. "Oh, wonderful. Mystic Falls Barbie has come for a visit."

"Rebekah?" Caroline groaned. "Dammit, you're here too?"

"It's our home," the elder woman said. "Which is why we don't appreciate you just popping in without any word."

"It's an emergency," Caroline said. "Where's Klaus?"

Right on cue, two men entered from the lavish living room. One had slick black hair and immaculately dressed in a fine suit, quite handsome with stern yet also kind features. The other was younger with a buzz cut of dark hair and partly unshaven. The sheer magnetism the man gave out rocked Felicity as she had to admit some attraction to him. "Hello, luv," the second man said, his lips pulling into a bright smile as he saw Caroline. "What a pleasant surprise." His voice was raspy with the same accent as Rebekah.

"Klaus." Caroline was clearly trying to repress her own smile. "Elijah," she said to the other man. "Great, whole family reunion here."

"Caroline," the man called Elijah said, his accent lush. "What brings you here?"

"Trouble with a capital Katherine freaking Pierce," Caroline snapped.

"A statement that always calls for a drink." Klaus turned on his heel to lead them all into the rather nice living room, paintings and other artwork around along with a grand piano. Klaus moved to a table to pour several drinks, sipping his own bourbon. "And just who might your friend be?"

"Felicity," Caroline introduced, the other woman waving her hand, feeling completely lost.

The elder man took her hand and kissed it, a move he made seem quite natural. "Elijah Mikaelson." He motioned to the other blonde in the room. "My sister, Rebekah. And that is my younger brother, Klaus."

"Younger but far the better," Klaus intoned. "Now just what has that harridan done now? We'd heard she was human again."

"She was," Caroline said. "In a fight, Elena shoved the cure down Katherine's throat."

"Oh, she got the cure?" Rebekah groaned. "That is so highly unfair."

"On the contrary," Klaus chuckled as he sat in a large chair. "Of all people, Katerina Petrova becoming human? That is poetic justice of the highest order."

"She disagreed," Caroline said. "We don't know how or who but she got some witch buddy of hers to pull a Freaky Friday on Elena." She saw the baffled looked given her and rolled her eyes. "Get some DVD's already. She got a witch to put her spirit into Elena's body and Elena's into Katherine's."

"So, Gilbert is human?" Rebekah shrugged as she crossed a leg and sipped her drink. "I don't see the problem."

"The problem," Caroline bit out, trying to stay calm. "Is that she's in Katherine's body. A body that's just remembering it's 500 years old. She's dying, we've only got a few weeks before she goes."

"And we're supposed to care…why?"

Caroline glared before looking to Klaus. "She dropped some clues she was coming to New Orleans, I don't know why. But I figure you guys must know some witches or someone here who can help us grab Katherine and undo this."

"And leave Katherine dying?" Elijah frowned deeply. "I don't believe I'm comfortable with that."

"And since when have you been so considerate of her, brother?" Klaus asked.

Rebekah laughed. "Oh, he never told you? Darling Elijah was involved with her for some time."

It was Klaus' turn to laugh. "Really? Of all people, Elijah, you fell into her trap? And you claim to be the more intelligent of us."

"Excuse me?" All eyes turned toward Felicity, who had been standing in the doorway for the last few minutes. "Um, I'm sure this is all really fascinating, your private talks and such and the babbling of centuries old bodies but I'd really appreciate it if someone could explain to me just what the hell is going on here?" She saw the looks she was given and swallowed. "Please?"

Elijah glanced to Caroline, who shrugged. "I found her in an alley. I think Katherine just turned her."

"Glorious," Rebekah sarcastically said. "Just what we needed, another baby blonde biter on our hands."

Haley sighed. "Oh, just rip the band-off already." She raised her hand up. "Everyone here who is not a vampire, raise their hands!"

Felicity just blinked as her hand went up.

"Not so fast, Felicity."

Felicity stared at Haley, uncomprehending. Then she looked to where each of the Mikaelsons suddenly showed off sharp and long fangs, black eyes and veins bulging in their faces. Felicity stared at them, then her eyes glanced to a portrait nearby, one that appeared to be at least a hundred years old and portrayed a trio of people in period dresses. A trio that just happened to look exactly like the three siblings before her.

She felt the glass pressed into her hand and downed it fast. She swallowed before glancing at the remnants of red liquid inside and looked up at Caroline. "That…wasn't wine, was it?"

As the young woman shook her head, Felicity realized her life (and death) had just turned vastly more complicated.

The idea of Katherine switching bodies with Elena was in my mind before "Diaries" did much the same in case you're wondering. Just decided to incorporate that to this story and next chapter shows more of just who it was helping Katherine out.