Prologue.
At eight years old Addison Shado Queen was the perfect mix of both her parents. She had Felicity's blond wavy hair and Oliver's striking blue eyes. While she looked like both of them her personality was almost all Oliver. She was wild, stubborn, and extremely active. Felicity had enrolled her in gymnastics at the age of three because of her knack for flipping and jumping off things; and as soon as she could hold a bow Oliver had her out practicing. For her eight birthday he even gave her a bow, it was custom made, a miniature version of her father's and she loved it. Archery was something she and her father did together and it was her favorite thing in world. Every day after school, as long as the weather was nice, she and her father would spend an hour or two outside practicing. Oliver Queen was excellent with a bow and arrow and Addison wanted nothing more than to excel as her father had.
Addison had just turned ten the month before her baby brother was born. To celebrate her becoming a big sister her father had given her a new bow. This one was larger, unlike the child sized one she used before, this one was for her to use as she grew up. Addison was thrilled and couldn't wait to show it to Uncle Roy, Aunt Thea, and Uncle Diggle when they came by.
Two months after her baby brother Tommy was born Addison's life took a dramatic turn. Her parents sat her down and told her that they had decided to divorce. Her father would be moving back to the Queen Manor with her Grandmother Moria and Felicity and the kids would remain in the house. She would still be able to see her dad whenever she wanted and her parents were still going to remain friends, her father just wouldn't be living with them any longer. The day Oliver Queen left the family home was the last day Addison touch her bow, sliding it under her bed to be forgotten.
Chapter 1.
It hadn't take Felicity long to find her daughter, all she had to do was follow the thudding of her fist hitting the punching bag until she reached the gym. Addison retreated there as soon as she got home from school that day knowing it was her father's weekend. Felicity opened the door finding the seventeen year old through punches at the bag, her dirty blond hair tied back in tight ponytail and her bright blue eyes extremely focused.
"I'm not going." She said once she noticed her mother's presence. "So go ahead and take Tommy and drop him off, and tell dad whatever it is you tell him when I stay here."
"Addie, you need to go and see your dad." Felicity sighed, already knowing she was fighting a losing battle.
"Why?" Addison stopped and turned to face her mother. "So we can go and have a nice dinner with Grandma, Aunt Thea, and Uncle Roy and then he can take us home put Tommy to bed and leave for the whole night." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Then the next day, he'll spend a couple hours with the two of at the house, we'll go see Diggle and his family, come home and the same thing." Felicity had tried to warn Oliver after the last time Addison came home questioning why her father would disappear on the nights of the kids' visitations. He either need to come clean with her or have Roy and Diggle's eldest son take over full time on those weekends.
"Addison, your dad's trying his best to be there for you and Tommy." Felicity said. "It really upsets him that you don't go see him on the weekends anymore."
"Yeah we'll it bothers me that he's always busy." She turned back to the punching bag.
"Fine, I'll tell him you've got plans." Felicity sighed and turned to walk out the door. She took a deep breath after closing the door behind her. Addison and Oliver had been extremely close when she was younger but after the divorce they two had drifted apart. She'd wished things could have lasted with her and Oliver, but not long after she had Tommy the stresses of being Mrs. Queen started to get to her. The photographers and paparazzi, the horrible stories, it all just started to be too much ad she had to end things with him. They had remand friends, as awkward as it was. She was still his assistant and head IT girl and QC and still the personal IT girl of the Vigilante, though it was a bit easier to hide her part in from the kids.
Felicity collected herself and then headed up to Tommy's room. Her youngest child was only seven years old, and had never really known a life where both his parents lived in the same home. Tommy was a mini version of his dad in looks and personality, when Felicity walked in his room he was attempting a backflip off the top bunk of his bed.
"Tommy!" Felicity ran over and caught him. "We don't do that."
"But mom! I was being the Arrow!" he whined and she held back a laugh.
"Well you need to be packing for Daddy's, he's gonna be super happy to see you." She smiled and put him down. "Your clothes are already packed, you just need to get whatever toys your taking."
"Is Addie coming?" he asked as he began to gather up his action figures.
"Probably not bud, she's busy this weekend." She watched as her son's face dropped. "But I'm sure you and daddy will have lots of fun, maybe you'll even get to spend a night with Aunt Thea and Carson."
"Aunt Thea lets us stay up late and watch movies." He smiled. Felicity helped her son round up his things then sent him down to put his shoes and jacket on, while she headed to tell Addison she was leaving.
"I'm taking Tommy to your dad's and then I'm going out with some of the girls from work." She lied. "Stay in the house, no boys, no party."
"Whatever." Addison shrugged. "Give Tommy a hug for me." Felicity nodded before leaving and heading down to Tommy.
She took Tommy to his dad's office at QC, the boy took off running towards his father as soon as he saw he was alone in the office.
"Daddy!" he said as Oliver picked him up. Felicity waved at Diggle as she entered the office.
"Hey bud." Oliver smiled. "Where's your sister?"
"Addie's not coming." Tommy shrugged and Oliver sat him down.
"Why don't you go say hi to Uncle Dig while I talk to Mom?" Oliver said, the young boy nodded and ran over to the bodyguard.
"I tried Oliver." Felicity gave him a small smile. "I couldn't even get her out of the gym. She's still a bit upset about you "sneaking out" on them."
"Damn it." He sighed running a hand though his short hair. "I've gotta find a way to fix this."
"Give her a bit more time Ollie, and if she doesn't come around then maybe you should consider telling her."
"I don't want to put her in danger Felicity." He sighed and leaned against the desk.
"You don't wanna lose her either Oliver." Felicity looked up at him. "Now I need to finish some things up downstairs in IT before you guys head out tonight and you need to find out if you're staying home with Tommy or if he's staying elsewhere." She smiled and turned heading out of the office. Oliver sighed and walked over to his son a Diggle.
"Alright Tommy, we've gotta head out for dinner in a bit and then how about we see if Aunt Thea and Carson want to have a sleepover with you tonight?"
"Yeah!" Tommy nodded. "We can finish watching the Harry Potter movies." He smiled.
"Alright, let's go then." Oliver picked his son's bag up and the three of them headed downstairs.
Addison Queen usually followed her mother's rules when it came to staying in a night. Tonight was a different story though, tonight her friend Lilly was having a party in The Glades and she was going to go. A little after nine when she was sure her mom wouldn't be back, she changed into black and green dress her Aunt Thea had bought for her fixed her hair and headed out. She knew both her parents would flip if they found she had went to a Glades party. She had no doubt they would send Uncle Roy out to bring her home and ground her for a month, but she was sick of being the good child. Her ride picked her up at the end of her street and she was on her way.
"I can't believe your actually coming out with us tonight." Cierra a fake bleach blond girl Addison didn't really care for smiled.
"Mom was out and I ditched dad, so I figured why not." She smiled. They made to the party around ten. It was loud and packed wall to wall, nothing like what she'd seen the few times she'd been allowed to go with Aunt Thea to Verdant. She followed her friends through the crowd of people, one of them offering her a drink. She took it and smiled but didn't drink, the last thing she needed was to be caught sneaking out and drinking. She danced with her friends until they began to walk off with this person or that, until she was alone. She wondered around for a while before heading out into the cool night air.
"It's a bit too much in there isn't it?" a voice asked from behind her. She turned to see a boy a bit older than she was standing there. He had to be a Glades boy, he looked a bit too rough to have come with any of her friends.
"Yeah, I didn't expect there to be so many people." She smiled. "Little bit overwhelming."
"I know what you mean." He matched her smile. "Wanna go walk a bit, I'm not entirely ready to head back in there."
"Sure." She nodded and they began walking down the street. The boy talked a bit saying she must not be from the Glades, she didn't look the part, but she wasn't one of the average private school girls that came to the Glades to slum it either."
"Oh then what I'm I doing here then?" she asked.
"I think you're looking for something different, tired of living that perfect little rich girl life." He stopped and turned to face her. "You just want something to make mommy and daddy mad. Here I am." He said before leaning in a kissing her. For a moment she kissed back, but then his hand started to slide under her shirt and she tried to pull away. "This is what you came her for right?" he growled gripping her hips tightly.
"Stop!" she tried to push him away and he held her tighter. "Let go!"
Oliver and the boys had been having a slow night and had taken to patrolling the glades. He was starting to wish he had stayed home with Tommy and let Roy and Johnathon handle this. Until he heard the screams, he called for the other two, then he began scanning the area running toward them. Stopping dead in his tracks when he saw what caused them. A boy had a girl pinned down on one of the side streets, not just any girl, Addison. He shot one arrow, just missing the boys head, he stopped and jumped up facing Oliver.
"Get away from her." Oliver said stepping out of the shadows.
"Just mind your own business man, go find a drug lord or something to deal with." Another arrow shot past his head the boy froze.
"Leave now, and I'll let you live." The boy turned and ran. "Headed your way Roy." Oliver said into the com and headed to Addison. He stopped and kneeled beside her. "Addison are you okay?" he asked. She was crying, her entire bod trembling.
"My-my arm, I think I hurt it when he pushed me down." She said. Oliver tried to push down his urge to be her dad and keep being the Arrow for now. He started to help her up.
"I need to get you to your mother." He huffed.
"She's out with friends." Addison said with a shaky voice.
"I know how to find her." Oliver began leading back the way he came.
When the door opened at the top of the stairs in the lair Felicity and Diggle spun around. She gasped as Oliver came down Addison in tow.
"My mom's not here, we shouldn't even be here the club is closed." She was as she looked around.
"Addie." Felicity ran to the bottom of the steps to meet her daughter.
"Mom? Addie flew right into her arms, "What are you doing here?" She pulled back and looked around. "Uncle Digg?" Felicity quickly looked her daughter over, before meeting her eyes.
"We're helping a friend." She smiled and looked back to where Oliver had stopped at the top of the stairs.
"You know the Arrow." Addison said a bit dumbfounded.
"So do you." The man said descending the stairs towards them. He stopped right in front of them and removed his hood.
"D-Dad." Addison took a few steps back. "Y…you can't be."
"I am, it's why you saw me leaving at night." He looked down at her. "I was coming here, with your mom, and Uncle Diggle."
"So you've all been lying to me, and Tommy!" she yelled. "All of you?" she looked around.
"The cops just picked that guy up, how's the girl…" Roy stopped as he and Diggle's son reached the bottom of the steps. "It was Addison! Why didn't you say it was Addison, the cops wouldn't have been needed."
"Roy not now." Oliver said as both men removed they're hoods.
"JD and Uncle Roy are part of it too." Addison shook her head. "So everyone I know has lied to me my entire life, that's fantastic." She said before pushing past her dad and running up the stairs.
"Damn it." Oliver growled and then turned to Felicity. "What now?"
"You need to go after her." Felicity said placing a hand on his arm. "She needs this explained to her, she needs to know why we haven't told her, and she needs to hear it from you." Oliver rubs his face in his hands.
"Alright." He sighs. "Where would she have gone?"
"Where do you think?" Felicity said tilt her head up with a smile. Oliver nodded and headed upstairs, glancing around the club before heading up the back service stairs to the rafters. Sure enough Addison was sitting on one of the walkways looking out over Verdant. Oliver walked over and sat beside his daughter.
"The first time you climbed up her you were about six years old and your Aunt Thea had brought you in while she did inventory." He smiled. "You were running around and playing, and then it got real quiet and she couldn't find you. She called your mom flipping out because you were missing. We were here in ten minutes, I'd never been more scared in my life. As soon as you saw us come in you yelled for me, we looked up and here you were. Tonight when I realized it was you the boy was…attacking you, I almost lost it."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Addison asked glancing over at her father. "I wouldn't have told anyone, and maybe I could have helped."
"That's exactly why I didn't want to tell you. I thought keeping this from you and Tommy, keeping the two of you away from it all kept you safe." Oliver sighed
"I just…" Addison took a deep breath, "I never really understood why you and mom split, mom said that it was just a lot of little disagreements that turned into a big one, and that never made since to me. All I knew was I went from seeing you every single day, to only seeing you on the weekends and at Christmas. Then when I found out the time you spent with us, you still weren't always there…it hurt." She looked down as the tears began to sting her eyes. "I felt like I was being pushed out of your life, like since you and mom weren't together anymore, you didn't want us around either."
"Addie…" Oliver put his arm around his daughter shoulders, "no matter what I will always want you and Tommy in my life. I love the two of you more than anything in this world and I'm so sorry I made you feel otherwise." Addison rested her head on her dad's shoulder. "Now do you wanna tell me what you were doing in the Glades? Because your mom was under the impression that you were at home, where she told you to stay."
"Yeah…she may have said for me to stay in the house, but I was feeling extremely rebellious." Addison looked up and smiled at him, "Right up until I got to the party and realized I was completely out of my element. I think I'll stick to the party scene her at Verdant from now on."
"Good, it's easier for us to keep an eye on you here kid.' Oliver chuckled and hugged her against him. "Let's go back downstairs, so Uncle Dig can get a look at your wrist and we can talk things over with mom." He stood to his feet pulling her with him.
"Mom is not gonna be happy with me at all, since I'm sure Roy and JD have filled her in already." Addison sighed as they made their way down the steps.
Felicity was waiting for them in the lair, hand on her hip in full "mom mode." Oliver gave her a smile as they walked down the stairs and he sent Addison over so Diggle could check her over.
"Everything sorted out?" she asked as Oliver made his way to stand in front of her.
"I think so, at least for now." He smiled. "I think we understand each other a bit better now, she knows why I kept me secrets and I know why she was so angry with me. We'll just have to work from there." Felicity lean up and kissed his cheek.
"Good, I hated that she wasn't speaking to you." She smiled as Addison walked back over to them.
"Uncle Digg said it's just a sprain." She said glance between her parents.
"What were you even doing out there Addison?" Felicity asked. "I told you not to leave the house."
"You also said you were going out with friends." Addison crossed her arms.
"Yes and I did, and then I came here." Felicity turned to face her daughter head on. "Besides I'm an adult, you're not. Now why were you in the Glades?"
"Lilly was having a party at her cousins." The younger girl sighed. "Everyone had been teasing me because I never go out with them on the weekends, so I decided to go. I hated every second of it though, if it makes you feel any better."
"Hated it or not, your still grounded, two weeks." Felicity said. "No phone, no tablet, no computer, except for schoolwork. And don't even think about saying you have school work and getting on Facebook or something, because I will know."
"She scares me, like a lot." Addison said to her dad, "Definitely more terrifying then the Hood."
"I have to be, I have to keep this bunch in check." Felicity chuckled as she walked over to her computers and had a seat at her desk.
"The question I now have is what we are going to do now that my darling niece now knows about our deep dark secret." Roy asked slinging his arm across Addison's shoulders.
"Yeah is she part of the team now?" JD asked from where he stood with his dad.
"Yes!" "No!" Addison and Oliver said at the same time.
"You can't say no! JD gets to help!" She said.
"JD was trained before he was sent out on a mission." Oliver shot his daughter a look.
"Then train me! I've been doing kickboxing for two years, I know the basics. And I've been in gymnastics since I was three I think I can keep up with you guys." She crossed her arms over her chest. Oliver threw a look at Felicity who turned her head.
"No, I told when this time came it was up to you. I'm not going to tell her she can't do it." She told him. Oliver looked between his daughter and ex-wife, before sighing.
"I'll start your training, but you don't go out until I say you're ready." He told the younger girl. "This isn't going to be easy, you're going to have to work hard, and you have to keep this a secret. The only people outside this room that know about this are Thea and your Aunt Sara, you can't tell anyone else." Addison nods. "Okay, then I think we've all had enough fun for tonight so everyone can head home. Roy, I'll be over to get Tommy in the morning." Roy nodded as the group started to head out.
"Dad, can you pick me up before you go get Tommy?" Addison asked. "I'd really like to see Aunt Thea."
"Yeah Addie, I'll come and get you, we can swing by and see grandma." Oliver smiled, Addison kissed his check before leaving with her mother.
The next day Addison was up earlier and ready to go, dressed apporitatly for the Queen manor in a gray blouse and black skirt. When her mom called from downstairs and said her dad was waiting she pulled her shoes on and headed down to meet him.
"Be good today." Felicity kissed her daughters cheek, "Don't give your daddy too much trouble."
"I'll try not to." Addison smiled and turned to her dad. "Ready?"
"Yeah let's go." Oliver took Addison's hand and they headed out to the car, where Diggle was waiting.
"Do you ever get tired of playing driver for dad?" she asked him as he opened the door.
"Nah, it gives me something to do during the day." The older man smiled, "And the pays pretty good." Oliver chuckles at his remark and he and Addison slide into the car.
"Does Grandma know I'm coming with you today?" It had been a few weeks since she'd been to visit her grandmother and in truth she felt quite bad about it.
"No I thought we'd surprise her." Oliver smiled. "She's was just asking last night when she would being seeing you again."
"Tommy tells me every time he comes home that she ask about, and that she says I can stop by whenever I like." Addison sighs. "It'll be nice to see her and Walter again, I've missed them." Minutes later they were pulling up at her Aunt Thea's house. Tommy was watching out the front window and smiled when he saw his older sister get out of the car. Thea ran right over to her, wrapping her arms around her niece.
"Oh it's so good to see you," she smiled, "and welcome to the secret super hero club." She said a bit quitter.
"Thanks." Addison laughed as Roy came out with Tommy and his and Thea's son Carson.
"About time you make it back out here kid." He teased Addison rolled her eyes.
"Are the two of you going to mom's?" Oliver asked glancing between his sister and brother-in-law.
"Yeah we'll be out there a bit later." Thea smiled. "I need to run by the club and take care of a few things first."
"Can Carson come with us?" Tommy asked looking up at the adults.
"As long as it's okay with your dad." Roy nodded.
"Alright, off to grandma's then." Oliver smiled. "See ya later Speedy." He kissed Thea's cheek.
"Be good Carson." Thea warned as she waved bye to the group that was getting into the car.
"Addie are you going to Grandma's too?" Tommy asked as they started down the road.
"Yes I am." She smiled at her younger brother. "I figured it's been too long since I've stopped in and seen Grandma and Walter."
"I'm glad you're coming with us." The little boy smiled. "Me and Carson almost had a campout in the tree house last night."
"Yeah but Grandma and mommy said it was too cold." Carson huffed, "Mommy said maybe this summer."
"It's best to have campouts when it's warn outside." Addison smiled. "You don't wanna turn into a popsicle do you?" The boys laughed and Oliver smiled at the children. The pulled up at the Queen Manor moments later and Moria was outside on the steps waiting for them. Tommy and Carson jumped out of the car and ran to their grandmother, who bent down to hug and kiss them both.
"Grandma we have a surprise for you." Tommy said turning back toward the car. Moria followed his gaze to where Oliver was approaching from.
"Hi Grandma." Addison said as she stepped out from behind her father.
"Oh Addie." Moria said walking over and hugging her eldest grandchild. "I'm so glad you came to see us today." She pulled back and looked the girl over, spotting the brace on her arm. "What happened?" she asked taking that hand in her's.
"I had an accident when I was practicing a gymnastics routine, it's just a sprain." Addison gave her a small smile. Oliver was somewhat proud and a bit upset over how easily lying about the injury had come to his daughter.
"You are too much like your father for your own good." The Grandmother smiled. "Reckless and headstrong; and from what I hear your brothers not much better."
"Of course not." Oliver smiled, "The Queen genes are strong, and luckily they have just enough of their mother in them to keep them from being too much like me."
"You should ask Felicity to join us for dinner tonight, it's been far too long since she's been over for a visit." Moria smiled as they headed into the house, Tommy and Carson heading off towards the playroom.
"I'll text her and see but she may be enjoying her time with kids tonight." The three made their way into the main sitting room, where Walter joined them moments later.
"Tommy said we had be graced with your presents today." Walter smiled and walked over to kiss Addison cheek. "We've missed."
"I've missed you too." Addison smiled. "Dad and I had a bit of a disagreement and I let my stubbornness keep me from making things better. It's all sorted now though," Oliver smiled at his daughter.
"Thea and Roy will be here later, she needed to check something at the club for tonight before she came over." Oliver glanced at his mother.
"I'm glad I have all of you two nights in a row, it's a real treat." Moria smiled.
Felicity hadn't been to the Queen Manor for a family dinner since last Thanksgiving, she tried to let the kids enjoy time with Oliver's family without her tagging along. However when she received a direct invite for Moria she couldn't refuse, she and Walter and welcomed Felicity into the family when she married Oliver and stayed close to her once they had divorced. Tommy ran straight to his mother when she opened the door, Carson not far behind him.
"Hi Aunt Lisity." Carson said as and Tommy hugged her.
"Oh Carson look how big you've gotten." Felicity smiled. "I think you and Tommy will outgrow me before too long."
"Yeah and then we're gonna be super heroes like Arsenal and the Arrow." Carson said before highfiving his cousin as they both ran off.
"Felicity, thank you for coming." Moria came up and hugged her ex-daughter-in-law. "It's been too long since I've had everyone together." Dinner started moments later the and long gone where the awkward silent dinners that once happened in the Queen household. Now the dinner table was filled with laughter and stories. Tommy and Carson talked about the imaginary adventure they'd had today as Arsenal and the Green Arrow while the rest of the family listened intently. Addison kept the boy entertained as the adults discussed QC until Moria declared work discussion over. After dinner it was decided that Tommy and Carson would stay at their grandparents for the night, and that Felicity would take Addison home to change while the others headed over to Verdant.
When they got home Addison headed straight upstairs and changed into one of the outfits she wore for kickboxing. Before leaving her room she grabbed her long forgotten bow and quiver out from under her bed; ignore her mother's grin when she came downstairs with it. When the pair finally made it to Verdant the others, minus Thea, were already downstairs. Roy and JD were already geared up and ready head out.
"Bout time you got her Blondie." Roy teased when they came down the steps.
"Blame your niece, I was waiting on her." She walked past all of them to her computers. "Just you two heading out tonight?"
"Yeah Uncle Oliver staying in." JD said as she handed them there coms.
"Going on now." She said and hit a button. "Head on out and I'll call you as soon as something pops up." They nodded and headed out to the streets as Felicity sat in her chair and started typing away."
"Find an old friend?" Oliver asked causing Addison to turn to him.
"Yeah, I figured it's spent enough time hiding under my bed." She smiled holding her bow out. "If I'm going to try with the Arrow I should probably have my own bow." Oliver could help but smile as he led her to the practice area.