This Canarrow fic is based on an idea given to me by a fellow fanfiction user named mfmxxx and is set during the second Arrow/Flash crossover when Teams Arrow and Flash were protecting Hawkgirl from Vandal Savage. This is when Oliver confronts Samantha about their son, except that Sara is with him.

Background: Olicity never happened, nor did Oliver and Felicity have any feelings for or attraction to each other. They are however are the closest of friends and have a very strong brother and sister bond. Also, Sara didn't leave Star City after her resurrection but stayed with Team Arrow and she and Oliver rekindled their romance a few weeks after she was resurrected.

Disclaimer: I don't own "Arrow" or its characters. They're the property of DC, Warner Brothers, the CW, and its showrunners.

Oliver made his way towards the house that Samantha and her son were living, a boy that he had just found out recently was his son. With him was his girlfriend Sara Lance. He had intended at first to confront Samantha alone, but Sara had insisted on accompanying him, refusing to take no for an answer, and Oliver agreed. In fact, he actually felt relieved by her presence since that meant he wouldn't have to go through this alone.

Oliver had been hanging out with Barry at the Central City Coffee Shop known as Jitters earlier when he saw both Samantha and her son William, causing him to wonder if it was possible that the boy was a product of their brief fling years ago when Oliver was an immature playboy. It was only after having Barry conduct a DNA analysis of William's hair, which Oliver obtained by pretending to catch up with Samantha, were his suspicions confirmed.

Oliver was originally going to keep this information to himself and confront Samantha alone, but he later decided that it was better he told Sara the truth about his son. After all, he had seen the cost of secrets and lies in his life and knew that if he was going to restart things with her, he had to be open and honest with her.

Although Sara was surprised by what Oliver had revealed, she couldn't say that she was shocked. She knew he had been involved with numerous women during his past and it was even a subject she'd brought up with Laurel when Oliver was with her sister. Therefore, it wasn't beyond the realm of logic that Oliver could've fathered a child as well. She however wasn't angry with Oliver over this revelation, especially since she herself hadn't made the wisest choices in her past, and in fact was genuinely happy for him in that he finally found out about his son's existence. Besides, the past was the past, Oliver loved her, and that's all that mattered.

Samantha was currently sitting on a chair on her porch reading while her son played with his action figures nearby when she looked up and noticed Oliver along with a blond woman she'd never seen before approaching. She had a feeling as to why Oliver had returned and got up to deal with this situation while addressing her son.

"Honey, why don't you finish that inside", she said to him, not wanting her son to find out about his father under these circumstances until she sorted thing out with him.

"Mom, Flash hasn't saved the city yet", William replied to her, intent on finishing his game.

"Now honey", his mother responded firmly and almost desperately. The boy sighed loudly, but did as his mother asked. She then turned her attention towards Oliver and the blond woman as they walked through the gate entrance and into her front lawn, holding hands while doing so.

"Hi again Samantha", Oliver greeted her, and seeing her attention focused on Sara with a slightly wary expression, he gestured towards his girlfriend and added, "This is Sara Lance, my girlfriend." Samantha relaxed slightly after hearing who the blond woman was, but then her wariness returned when Oliver asked her, "can we talk?"

"Look, I don't know what you're trying to accomplish here Oliver", she began, trying to delay the inevitable discussion when Oliver interrupted her.

"I know Samantha", he said to her, and when she looked at him with an expression that implied she didn't know what he was talking about, he continued on and with emotion added, "I know that William is my son", while also pointing towards the house where his son currently was. Sensing her boyfriend's distress, Sara gave his hand which she was holding a comforting squeeze, showing him that he had her support.

Samantha sighed, and after taking a quick moment to formulate her response, began her explanation.

"Okay", she started, when Oliver interrupted her once more.

"Why didn't you tell me", he asked her, a hint of anger creeping into his voice.

"Okay, just keep your voice down", she responded while using her hands to emphasize it, doing her best to calm him while not wanting her son or the neighbors to overhear the discussion she was about to have with Oliver and Sara. Sara on her part extracted her hand from Oliver's and used it to make circular motions on his back in order to sooth him. It worked, but only slightly.

"He does have a right to be upset you know", Sara added, feeling her own anger and a bit of disappointment towards the other woman begin to surface and it took all of her willpower to keep from strangling Samantha. "What kind of mother would keep her son away from his own father?", she demanded to know. How dare Samantha keep Oliver in the dark regarding his child.

Samantha took another breath, and then continued on, trying to get Oliver and Sara to understand her motivations for why she did what she did.

"Your mother told me not to", she said to them, causing both Oliver and Sara to have bewildered expressions on their faces.

"What?", they asked her simultaneously, trying to wrap their heads around this latest bit of news. Samantha continued on.

"She offered me a million dollars to tell you Oliver that that I miscarried', she revealed to him, and Sara by extension.

Sara wasn't sure what to think of this revelation, though she knew the possibility of it wasn't exactly ludicrous. From what she knew of the late Moira Queen and from what Oliver told her, the woman could be manipulative and had kept many secrets, especially the one regarding Thea's parentage. Plus, she also had a pension of bailing her kids out of trouble and doing what she felt was best for them, even when it was wrong. Furthermore, Oliver was in no position to raise a child before the island and Sara understood that if Moira had truly paid off Samantha, she probably had good intentions, even though Sara didn't agree with it and felt the matter could've been handled differently.

Oliver on his part, despite knowing the kind of woman his mother was, remained skeptical and didn't believe she'd ever go that far. Even though both she and his father kept Thea's true parentage a secret and lied to everyone about it, he still didn't believe it was possible for her to go as far as hiding his own son from him.

"My mother was a complicated person but she would never do that", Oliver responded with certainty.

Samantha sighed once more, seeing how difficult it was for him to accept what she said, and decided it was best that she bring Oliver and Sara into her home and provide them with proof of the truth. She then led them inside and went to another room after requesting that they wait where they were.

While they waited, Oliver's attention was drawn towards some photographs nearby of William and Samantha and went over to take a closer look at them. As he gazed at them, Sara moved forward and placed her hand on her boyfriend's shoulder while joining him in looking at the photographs.

"He looks just like you Ollie when you were a boy, and just as handsome", she said to him with warmth. Before he could respond, Samantha returned and handed a check signed for a million dollars over to Oliver, who took it and, after reading it, realized that she was indeed telling the truth about what Moira did. For Oliver, this was yet another slap in the face and he began to wonder how well he knew his mother. He still would never regret making peace with her shortly before her death.

Pushing his feelings towards his mother to the back of his mind, Oliver then realized, based on the check's very presence, that it had never been cashed. Sara on her part had already noticed that particular fact as well and they both looked up at Samantha with astonishment written on their faces.

"I never cashed it", she explained to them when she saw the looks they were wearing. "I didn't need her money to know I didn't want her anywhere near my child."

"Or me anywhere near him", Oliver added with disappointment while Sara leveled a mild glare of disappointment towards Samantha. The woman began to feel mildly annoyed at their responses and made her way towards the kitchen while they trailed behind her.

"So, what he can be just like his dad, punching out paparazzi and getting young girls knocked up?" she asked Oliver incredulously as she began taking care of some kitchen duties once they arrived there.

"Samantha I'm not that person anymore", he answered her, frustrated that she didn't seem to realize he was a different man now.

"Ollie's right", Sara defended him. "Believe me when I say that if he was still that person you once knew, I wouldn't be with him today. And he's not the only one who changed. I also lived a reckless and selfish life during my youth. I even shoplifted once and the only reason charges weren't pressed was because my dad made them go away. But mine and Ollie's time away from home transformed us both into different people who've learned from the error of our ways, and let me assure you that neither myself nor him would ever lead William astray."

Samantha was surprised by Sara's candidness and finding out that she used to be immature. She never received that impression from the other woman since she presented herself as strong and well kept. Sara had clearly changed, and Samantha could also see that Oliver was a different man and had known it for awhile. Besides, everyone made mistakes in their past and she was no exception as evidenced by the fact that she'd been swept off her feet by a bad boy when she was young and foolish. Of course, it was that incident which led to the matter at hand, though she'd never regret having William since he was one of the best things that happened to her. She still had reservations however of letting her son be a part of Oliver's life.

"I know, I know Oliver you're…you're running for mayor your mother was killed, your friend Tommy you're a different person now. I can also see the truth in your words Sara that you've changed you both have changed", she conceded, but turned back towards them and asked with concern, "but can you or Sara really tell me that your lives are any less crazy? Can either of you honestly say that William isn't better off with your worlds kept away from his?"

Oliver acknowledged that Samantha made a very good point, especially considering how he and Sara spent their evenings fighting crime. But he still felt there was a way for him be in his son's life despite that fact and continued arguing his position.

"You know, you're right I'm being selfish, but I want an opportunity to get to know my son and I think that a young boy deserves the opportunity to get to know his father", he insisted, almost begging.

"Look he's happy, he's…he's well adjusted I don't want to run the risk of him getting sucked into your orbit", Samantha answered him as she paused from clearing the dining room table. This whole mess was starting to get on her last nerves. She could see though how much getting to know William meant to Oliver and came to a decision and turned towards him once more.

"That can't happen", she stated while walking right up to him. "Which means that he can't know that you're his father, and nobody else can." Oliver started to say something but Samantha continued on. "I don't care if that sounds harsh I'm his mother and I will do whatever", Oliver tried to speak once more when she cut him off again, "whatever", she emphasized, "I feel I have to do to protect him. The same goes for you too Sara. These are my conditions. You've already asked the world of me Oliver I'm just asking for the same in return." She then moved away to let him and Sara discuss her proposal.

Sara didn't like the fact that she and Oliver would have to keep William's existence a secret from anyone, especially their team, but if this was the only way for her boyfriend to be in William's life, she felt that he should take the deal and voiced as much to him.

"I don't like this anymore than you do Ollie, but you've already missed out on 9 years of your son's life and this is possibly your only chance to make up for lost time. Therefore, you really should accept what Samantha's offering you, even if it isn't really ideal", Sara said to him, looking at the positives of an impossible situation.

"I know, and I'm grateful she's offering me even this much, albeit with a few strings attached", Oliver replied to her. "I just can't accept the fact that we'll have to lie to our fellow teammates, especially Thea. Our team is more than just a regular team. They're also our family. I consider Dig and Felicity to be my brother and sister in all but blood, and Thea deserves to know that she has a nephew. I also don't want you to have to lie to your sister, especially now that the two of you have reconciled your issues from years ago and are even being given a fresh start from scratch due to your resurrection."

"I don't want to lie to her either, but in hindsight, it's probably for the best that she remain ignorant about William. She may have forgiven us both for what we did to her 9 years ago and is genuinely happy for our present relationship, but if she ever found out that in addition to seeing me behind her back, you also got another woman pregnant, it would just be opening up a can of worms and my sister doesn't deserve that. There's also the fact that you're running for mayor, and do you really believe that the public finding out you have an illegitimate son would be good for your ratings?", she asked him.

Oliver thought long and hard about everything Sara said and realized she was right. Laurel couldn't know about this, especially after the two sisters had reconciled long ago and after he himself had managed to repair their friendship into something solid after they had worked together to restore Sara's soul. And if he wanted any chance of winning his mayoral campaign in order to help his city in the light, he needed to avoid any negative press, and the media finding out about his son would be a prime example of negative press, not to mention dangerous if Damien Darhk heard about it. He then made his decision.

"You're right Sara. It's probably for the best that we keep this matter between ourselves and Samantha for all of the reasons you mentioned, and I really don't want to miss out on another 9 years of my son's life. I'll tell her that we accept her terms."

"I'm so glad you've taken this opportunity Ollie, and believe me that it's probably the best outcome for everyone involved. And I'm sure that one day, Thea and the rest of our team will also get to know William, even if it's not at this present moment. And I'll be with you every step of the way as you explore this new direction in your life", Sara responded and meaning every word she said. Oliver then turned and addressed Samantha.

"Okay", he said to her, albeit with slight reluctance since despite this resolution being for the best, he was still feeling nervous about keeping it from the team. "I won't tell anyone, and neither will Sara."

"I promise the same as well", Sara added. "This knowledge will only remain between the three of us until you're ready for William to know. You have my word."

Samantha was grateful that they accepted her conditions, though she gave them a look of sympathy since she could see it was hard for them. She then turned her attention towards Oliver.

"William is in his room. You're just a friend of mommy's okay?", she asked him and he agreed. "As for Sara, I leave that to you and she can also accompany you if you want. I can see that she's a woman I can trust."

"Thank you Samantha", Sara replied, grateful for the woman's trust, but added, "I feel however that it would be more appropriate if Ollie should go see his son alone first in order to spend some quality time with him."

Samantha nodded at Sara's words, and it caused her respect for the woman to raise a notch. The fact that she was willing to stand aside and let Oliver receive the first chance to bond with his son truly showed that she was a very selfless person and no longer selfish as she claimed she used to be.

"I'll just be a few minutes Sara", Oliver told her, and after receiving her acknowledgement of it, made his way into William's room where the boy was still playing with his Flash and Captain Cold action figures, the same ones he had been playing with outside.

"Hey William", Oliver greeted him.

"Hello", the boy responded. Oliver noticed that one of the action figures was the Flash and asked him, "You like the Flash?"

William didn't answer but continued playing, so Oliver moved closer and crouched down next to him.

"Can I tell you a secret?", he asked, then continued on by revealing, "I've actually met the Flash."

The boy looked up in surprise after hearing that and asked his unknown father, "What's he like, is he cool?"

"Yeah, he's super cool", Oliver answered while adjusting himself in order to sit crossed legged. "He's one of the best guys that I know." After a moment, Oliver extended his hand.

"I'm Oliver. I'm a friend of your mom's", he introduced himself.

William reciprocated and shook his father's hand with a polite smile.

"We've known each other a long time", Oliver added, using what he felt were the right words to explain his connection to Samantha.

"Want to play action figures?" the boy asked him.

"Sure, sure" he answered with a slight chuckle. Oliver then took a moment to figure out his next words, after which he looked up at his son and asked, "William I'd love to come by, every once in a while, to say hello. Would that be alright with you?"

William didn't answer directly, but pointed towards the action figure his father was holding and said, "That's Captain Cold, he's a bad guy."

"Yes he is", Oliver agreed. "The Flash is going to have to be very fast to catch him."

"He will", William replied with certainty. "He's the fastest man alive." He then used his Flash action figure to playfully crash into the Captain Cold action figure Oliver was holding, causing him to say "Ohh", to which the boy replied "gotcha".

Oliver and his son continued playing for a little while and also continued to get to know each other better. After a few minutes, Oliver bid farewell to William who agreed to let Oliver visit him ever so often. Afterwards, he returned to where Sara was waiting while she conversed with Samantha and the three of them all said their goodbyes and then Oliver and Sara left and rejoined their team and continued their primary mission to stop Vandal Savage. At first, they failed and the villain killed everyone and nearly destroyed Central City, prompting Barry to time travel, but this time around, they were able to do things differently and defeated Savage.

Of course, doing things once more caused Oliver and Sara to repeat the process of meeting with Samantha yet again. But as we know, time travel can be quite crazy. Oliver and Sara on their parts kept their promise to Samantha and didn't reveal anything about William to their loved ones, despite the occasional pain it caused. As the next few weeks passed, with Barry covering for them whenever necessary, Oliver and Sara continued visiting and eventually formed a solid and close friendship with William and Samantha while Oliver cherished every moment he got to spend with his son and felt happier than he ever did in his life.

To be continued

A/N After watching "Sins Of The Father", I just have to say this: So much for only Oliver (and Sara in my fic), Samantha, and Barry knowing about William. Now Malcolm and Darhk, two of the most dangerous villains around, also know about the poor boy, and that is really, really bad. The only thing good here is that Vandal Savage doesn't know about him, especially since we've seen in the "Legends" pilot that he has no qualms about killing children. Maybe Darhk won't harm William himself since he's against harming children. Time will tell.

Important Note: It's my policy to never post a fic until it's completed. However, I noticed that Dragonball X Avalon has posted her/his latest chapter of the Assassin Canarrow fic entitled "Second Chances". Because of that, I've decided to post the first chapter of this fic now so that there can be two fics from the Canarrow and Assassin Canarrow genre on this site at the same time. However, please don't expect me to make this a habit.