Game Changer
An: I do not own Arrow
Summary: Based on the spoiler picture of Stephen and Grant dressed in suit and tie and his comment about game changing scenes being fun.
Felicity inhaled as soon as they entered Jitters.
"Ah the smell of fresh coffee. Pity Iris no longer works here. She knows exactly how I like it,"
Oliver nodded absently as he scanned the place for threats. Instead of a threat he spotted Sandra Hawke and a young kid seated at one of the tables. While Felicity made a bee line for the counter to order their drinks, Oliver headed over to say hello. She didn't notice his approach, her full attention on the child in front of her eating his Danish.
"Hello Sandra," Oliver said pleasantly.
She jumped at the sound of his voice, "Oliver!" She looked like a deer caught in head lights. Her eyes frantically turned to her son and back to him.
"Sorry to interrupt you. We didn't get a chance to talk last time," he said. He glances at the kid and then adds, "I didn't realize you got married,"
"I didn't" She automatically responded.
Oliver thinks she looks nervous and she's looking for a way to get out of the conversation. Sure enough her next words are an exit attempt.
"I'm sorry but Connor has school, so we need to go now," She said looking over at her son.
He looks up from his Danish and immediately starts to protest, "No I don't. We have today off! And I want to finish my Danish before we go."
"School?" Oliver questioned. He didn't know much about children and ages but Sandra's child shouldn't be in school yet should he?
"Yeah I'm in 3rd grade," Connor boasted.
"3rd grade, don't you have to be about 8 to be in 3rd grade?" Oliver asked.
"I am 8," Connor responds defensively.
Oliver does the math in his head. It's been a little over 8 years since she told him she lost the baby. It's probably the fastest he's ever done math in his life.
A gentle arm slides along his forearm. He looks down to see Felicity has returned with their coffees. She's watching him hesitantly, she knows something is wrong. He looks back to Sandra who has gone ghost white.
"Sandra we need to talk. Felicity can you sit here with Connor a moment?"
Felicity puts their coffee down on the table and lets her left hand drift back to his right bicep. She squeezes it softly. He knows what it means. She's reminding him that whatever is wrong, they will get through it together. A deep seated fear of his springs forward, will she still want him if he's right about Connor. Is this the ghost from his past that will finally chase her away? He pushes down the thought. He needs to talk to Sandra first. He leaves Felicity with Connor to step outside with Sandra, whose slowly following behind him.
"Sandra?" he asks as soon as they are in a secluded spot.
She sighs, she knows there is no way avoiding it now, "he's yours?"
"How? You told me you lost the baby,"
"I lied when I told you that," she admitted.
"Why," Oliver asked
"Does it really matter?" she didn't want to destroy the memory of his mother.
"Of course it matters, I just found out I have an 8 year old son name Connor."
Sandra sighed, he looked like he was not going to let the issue drop, "Your mother paid me to leave town and tell you I lost the baby."
Oliver runs his hand through his hair in frustration. "My mother,"
"Oliver she loved you very much,"
Oliver lifted his finger pointing it at her, "Don't defend her. This isn't the first wrong thing she has done in the name of protecting her children."
Oliver felt like a caged animal. He needed to put some arrows in something. Where was Barry when he needed him?
"What do you want to do now?"Sandra asked fearfully. She did not want to have to go through a custody battle for Connor.
"I want to meet my son as his father!"
"I'm sure we can arrange something,"
"I want to meet him now," Oliver insisted.
"Now? He isn't prepared for that Oliver!"
"It's my right. You lied to me Sandra," Oliver said turning and marching back inside.
Felicity and Connor were laughing and he paused momentarily, his anger fading away as he listened to them. She saw him in her periphery vision and turned to face him. Her eyes scanned him and whatever she saw made her worry. Sandra was by his side again and his anger returned. He closed the distance to the table to make the introductions he hadn't made earlier, "Felicity this is Sandra, Sandra this is my fiancée,"
Felicity smiled pleasantly, "Nice to meet you,"
Sandra looked hesitantly at her son, "Connor, I have something very important to tell you,"
Connor turned to look innocently at his mother.
"You know, perhaps we should do this over dinner," Felicity intervened.
Sandra looked thankfully at her. Oliver made to protest but Felicity jumped off her stool grabbing both coffees in the process. She shoved Oliver's own into his hands.
"I'm sorry Sandra, but we really need to go now. We can do dinner tonight at your place. That should give you enough prep time. Don't worry we'll find your house easily."
"Thank you," Sandra said sincerely.
Oliver sighed. There was no arguing with Felicity, "We'll see you tonight at seven on the dot,"
As soon as they were outside Felicity rounded on him,
"What were you thinking, were you even thinking?" she hissed.
"Felicity that kid is my …"
"Son, yes Oliver I figured that part out,"
"How?" he asked dumbfounded.
"Well there was your reaction to his age, you were known for sleeping around pre Lian Yu, Connor does have a strong resemblance to you plus there's the little fact that Connor thinks his father died in a yachting accident before he was born."
"Oh," was the only response Oliver could come up with. He shouldn't be surprised that Felicity was able to discover information so quickly.
"Oliver I know you can get impatient, but Jitters is not the place to tell your son that you are his father. Sandra needs to talk to him first."
Oliver wrapped his arms around her. "What will I do with you?"
"You'd be dead without me, so I don't see you doing anything," she teased him.
He dropped his head and kissed her right in the middle of pavement. A few passersby insinuated that they should get a room.
S-2
They were back at Star Labs where Felicity was furiously typing away in front of one of the workstations.
"Are you ok?" Oliver asked her resting his hand on her shoulder.
"I'm fine," Felicity said leaning her head to the side to cuddle his hand.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm working on a program to go through all of Moira's financial records. After Thea I should have done this. If there is anything more hidden, I'll find it. We'll be forewarned this time."
Oliver nodded but that didn't answer what he really wanted to know.
"Spit it out Oliver," Felicity said tilting her head to look up at him.
He smiled. She really knew him well. "Are we ok?"
Felicity stopped typing and turned fully towards him, she took both his hands in hers.
"The only way you're getting rid of me is if one of us dies, which won't be for a really, really, really, long time,"
"I'll be 86 according to Eobard Thawne," Oliver recalled.
Felicity chewed her bottom lip, "Do you want me to come with you tonight?"
"Of course, we face this as we face everything in our lives, together,"
He bent down to place a soft kiss on her lips.
"Oi break it up you two," Barry said. "Digg was so right about leaving you two alone in a room,"
Both Oliver and Felicity rolled their eyes at Barry before getting back to work.
S-3
Oliver rang the bell to the modest house in Central City suburbs, a bottle of wine in one hand and Felicity's hand in the other.
Sandra opened the door promptly, "Hello Oliver, Felicity. Please come in."
They entered the house and were lead to the living room where Connor was waiting. From his whole countenance he did not look like a happy 8 year old.
"You told him?" Oliver asked her.
"If you're asking if I know that you're my dad, then yes she told me," he said sourly.
"Dinners ready let's eat," Sandra suggested. "I made your favourite meal Connor,"
The young boy showed no reaction to her, stoically getting off the sofa and heading to the small square table to eat.
"Wow, he certainly has your broody face down pat," Felicity commented.
Oliver glared at her.
"Hey , don't shoot the messenger!"
Connor sat opposite his mother, leaving Oliver and Felicity to take the other sides of the table. Sandra insisted on saying grace before meals before they started eating. After that, the table descended into an awkward silence that Felicity decided to break.
"So Connor, this morning you were telling me about your school and the soccer team that you're on. How many goals did you say you've scored this season so far?"
"8 goals, 2 in each match we've played," he answered.
Silence descended on the table again and Felicity kicked Oliver under the table.
"So you like Soccer?" Oliver asked.
"Yes,"
"Is it you favourite sport?"
"I like it but I prefer football but mom thinks it's too dangerous,"
"It is," Felicity readily agreed, "you're better off with archery."
Oliver chocked into the glass of water he had been taking a sip from. Felicity smirked at him. His little vixen never ceased to amaze him.
"Archery sounds boring," Connor said.
"Your Aunt Thea did it in school. She loved it," Oliver said.
"Gee I have an aunt. Another thing my mother kept from me," he said bitterly.
Tears started streaming down Sandra's face and Oliver was feeling that perhaps he had made a bad decision.
"Connor, your father was officially declared dead," Sandra told him.
"I know, I googled him after you told me but it's been a full three years since he was back. Why didn't anyone tell me before?" he said getting up and running from the table.
"I'm sorry," Sandra said.
"It's ok, we should probably leave as well," Oliver said.
Felicity took out a pen and paper and gave Sandra their contact number.
"We're in town for a few more days," Felicity said.
S-4
After three days of trying, they were finally able to catch the big bad they had come to help Team Flash with but not before he set off a bomb in the middle of the city, over 100 people died.
Felicity was patching up Oliver when her phone rang. It was a Central City number she didn't recognize.
"Hello?"
"Felicity? It's Connor. My mom isn't home yet and I'm scared."
"Ok honey, lock all your doors, Oliver and I will be there in ten minutes,"
Felicity immediately asked Cisco to go through the hospital records and look for a Sandra Hawke. By the time they arrived at Connor's house, they knew that Sandra was one of the victims of the explosion. Telling Connor his mother was dead was one of the most difficult things Oliver has ever had to do in his life.
S-5
The funeral was held at Sandra's church. Oliver and Felicity sat in the front with Connor. Sandra's parents had died a few years ago and her brother had died in a car accident the year before. Connor's only family now was Oliver. Barry and the rest of the team came to the funeral. After the funeral, Oliver stayed with Connor while many of his neighbours and friends gave him their condolences.
"I can't believe Oliver has a kid," Barry said to Felicity.
"Actually it's kind of hard to believe with his playboy reputation he only has one kid!"
"You're sure it's only one?" Barry asked.
"Oh I'm running a thorough check, hacked into every DNA registry in the country as well."
"That's if they're registered," the speedster pointed out.
"Are you trying to piss me off Barry?"
"No," Barry said holding his hands up defensively.
They both glanced back at Oliver, who was frowning at them.
"That looks a lot like jealousy," Barry said. "Do I need to worry about getting another arrow in me?"
"That is jealousy and you know very well you're his favourite target." Felicity teased as she walked off to rejoin her fiancé.
Barry sighed, he really needed to find something else for Oliver to target, if only Ray Palmer were alive.
Connor eventually decided that he didn't want to stay in Central City. He wanted to move to Star City and start a new life with Oliver and Felicity. They welcomed him with open arms, even though they knew, their entire lives were about to change.