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Oliver heard the sounds of “Dr. Who” playing in the background as soon as he entered their hotel room in Central City. For anyone to say, it was a long day, which would be a definite understatement. As if trying to stop Vandal Savage wasn’t enough, one letter changed his whole world. It was from Sandra Hawke.
The letter read:
Ollie,
I know that we both weren’t ready to be parents. I know the decision we had both agreed on at the time. But, I just couldn’t do it. I couldn’t take that precious life away because we didn’t feel. I’ve written this letter a thousand times in the past eight years. I know you’ve literally been to Hell and back on that island. The only reason I left was because of your mother. She paid me to leave, and with the money, I was able to start a nice life here in Central City after leaving San Francisco. Granted, it wasn’t the smartest of decisions to leave you in dark, but when I saw you again. I figured that you had the right to know. We have a son. His name is Connor Hawke, and he asks about you all the time. I’m not asking for any money, and my boyfriend Milo and I are very happy together. I’m asking, if you’d be willing, to let Connor know the truth about his father. Then, if things go well, we’ll work out a custody agreement.
From,
Sandra
In the past six months that Oliver and Felicity had been together, he’d opened his heart to her and only her on certain things as she had done with him. But, finding out he had a son caused this understandable and legitimate tension between them. He didn’t know what to say right now, but they needed to start talking again.
Felicity watched out of the corner of her eye as Oliver’s body slowly sank down on her side of the bed.
She could only mutter, “Hey.”
“Hi,” he replied.
“So, how did it go with Connor and Sandra?”
Oliver sighed, “You know, he’s a pretty amazing kid. He loves the hot chocolate from Jitters, He’s a big fan of the Central City Stars, Cougars, and Miners. He even loves archery.”
“Uh-oh.” Felicity interrupted with a laugh, “Did his buddy Steve say that archery was all the rage?”
He answered. “No. Sandra enrolled him in one of the best schools in the city. Clearly, he takes after his mom in the academic department.”
“Hey” She reminded, “Who else could craft an arrowhead into a bracelet?”
“True, but I think you and I need to have a talk about what you said earlier in the night.”
She nodded. When Oliver had told Felicity the news of his son. She went through a wave of emotions. At first, she thought he was joking, and when he said he wasn’t anger radiated through her like a fire. Felicity wasn’t mad at Sandra or Oliver. Well, partially at Oliver for never telling her that he had gotten one of his college girlfriends pregnant. Even though, he was told, Sandra had aborted the pregnancy and left. Despite the fact that neither Sandra nor Oliver were ready, he still felt the loss of his child. But, she was angry at the situation, and she just didn’t know what to say.
Felicity had said to Oliver earlier in the night, “I should give you space ‘til you figure this out.”
“Felicity,” Oliver started to say, “I would like to get to know my son more.”
She immediately responded with, “Then, that’s great Oliver. I think we should—“
“I don’t want space.” Oliver immediately interrupted, “I want to be with you, but I need time.”
She argued, “Exactly, so why don’t I give you that time? I love you, and I’m not saying I don’t want to be with you. I believe in us. I believe that we can still be together, but I don’t want to be the reason that Connor’s time gets taken away from you.”
Oliver told her, “Who said that would happen? You're a big part of my life too. Maybe not now, but I want Connor to get to know you too.”
“I just don’t want to be in the way,” she added.
Oliver gave her a very confused look.
She caressed his cheek, “Do you remember what I told during our nights together in that we spent in Bali?”
Oliver joked, “Other than visiting those markets and temple, did we even leave the room in Bali?” Of course he remembered, but he just wasn’t sure if he should bring up something that caused her so pain.
“While that was amazing, Oliver c’mon, I’m being serious here,” Felicity told him as her hand slid down to his Bravata tattoo.
“Sorry,” he muttered quickly before gently kissing her ring finger.
She thought back to that night. It was after a long day of sight-seeing when Felicity and Oliver gotten up early. They hiked up a mountain only to climb up an insane amount of steps to see these really cool statues at a nearby temple. She was so tired, Oliver literally had to give her a piggy back on those final few steps back down to his Ducati. Once they had rested, they explored the streets of Bali to peruse some of the local shops and markets. When they had gotten back to their hotel, Oliver picked up a soft, comfy pink and black silk robe for her as she lay face down on the bed. She continually complained about how her muscles ached everywhere. Oliver gave her a quick back rub while he waited for the water to warm up for her. He had drawn her a nice warm bath with bubbles and candles. He took a nap while she relaxed in the bath. When he woke up and she dried off, she thought of a more passionate way to thank her sweet, attentive, and caring boyfriend without words.
She giggled as the slight pink flush on her body disappeared, “Wow! Did you learn that from the book you were reading last night?”
Oliver smirked, “No.”
Felicity had known Oliver wasn’t much of a cuddly guy in bed until their first night together in Nanda Parbat. Back then, they were so desperate not to let each other go. She traced over the outline of every scar that he had as the rhythm of his heartbeat threatened to lull her to sleep until he noticed that she looked chilly. He delicately draped the tangled up sheets over her body, and then Oliver went in search of his green t-shirt and blue hoodie for her to wear that night.
“He’s so perfect, but how long will it be this way? Once he finds out I’ve been helping the team who knows will happen next?” She thought to herself.
As he gave her his hoodie and shirt, “Hon, something wrong?”
She shook her head, “No. I’ve just been thinking about stuff.”
“So soon?” Oliver asked, “It hasn’t even been ten minutes.”
She scoffed as she slipped on his clothes, “I was wondering if you could stop being so perfect.”
“Excuse me,” he commented, clearly confused by his girlfriend’s statement.
Felicity started to say, “Honey, before I knew you were The Arrow I asked if I could trust you. Despite all the ridiculous lies you dropped on me, I still felt like I could trust you. Well, for me to be able to trust in us, I just wanted to know that when we get back from traveling the world that you’ll be there for me no matter what.”
Oliver explained “Look. I know that I made some mistakes in the past, but to me, that felt like another life ago. That was The Arrow, and when I’m with you I feel like I found parts of myself again that I thought were long gone. I love you, and I only want to be with you. In fact, I don’t know what I would do with myself if anything ever happened to you, Felicity. That’s why I stopped wearing the mask, so yes I promise you that I’ll be there for you no matter what.”
“Okay.” She replied with a quick peck on the lips.
“Felicity,” he wondered, “What brought all this on?”
She teared up a little, “I had told you before about how I didn’t really know my dad. He walked out on my mom and me when I was seven. I still remember how much it hurt when he left. Sometimes it still does, and I had told you I didn’t want to lose you because I couldn’t bear the thought of losing someone that close to me again.”
“Hey, c’mere it’s okay.” Oliver said as he scooted her body closer to him, and then he caressed her face, “I’m keeping that promise right? You are not going to lose me.”
It wasn’t the first they had realized how much they meant to each other. In order to show her that he got his dragon tattoo for Shado removed because he didn’t need it anymore. He loved Felicity. But, sometimes Felicity needed more of a reminder to help bring her back to reality. She’s lost herself in him, and for now that felt okay because they loved each other. However, they had also loved the relationship they built, and the family they built together. Family over everything, and that’s exactly what she said again when they continually discussed her relationship with Oliver, Connor, and Sandra.
The transition wasn’t easy. It definitely took some getting used to, but when they were planning their wedding Oliver and Felicity had found themselves in each other. They were excited to embark in this new chapter in their lives as a blended family.