A small (How? Just how?) one shot, staring from Season 2 Episode 14 Time Of Death. I started writing this a few months ago but I thought it was a little tacky but it came out fine.
It's like a carry on from my one shot "Joe" in which Oliver returns to Australia with Slade after getting home with Ivo's boat. They move into Slade's house and took care of Joe together as Oliver could not return home. This story will go into how Grant and Rose came into the picture.
Also yes, I did say "mum" not "mom" mum is the way of saying it in Australia, UK and so on. It sounds different just like Americans say "ass" and Slade and his family will say "Arse."
"Misses Queen is everything alright?"
Oliver could not help the small smile that pulled at his lips as he heard Slade's unmistakable Australian accent from the living room. He had forgotten about Slade's offer to fund his mother's campaign. With what had come to light about Thea's real father, he would have to tell the man but the charade would likely go on if only so Slade could find out what his mother was hiding.
"Yes." Moira glanced the door that lead to the living room before her green eyes returned to her son. She sighed, that hint of hate in her voice that Oliver would just not let things go "My son just dropped by." She walked into the living room. "Oliver, I'd like you to meet Slade Wilson." she said, motioning a hand to the man.
Slade looked over to Oliver with a smile. He was all dressed in a tailored suit, arm resting on the back of the sofa while he sat with one leg crossed over the other. He was sloughed but Oliver knew that under that the man was always ready for action.
Slade stood, strolling over and holding out his hand out to Oliver. "It's a pleasure to met you." Slade said, grasping Oliver hand, rolling his thumb along the back of Oliver's hand. "Mister Queen."
"Roy's just been acting so odd lately." Thea said falling down onto the sofa. "Rose, I wish he would just tell me. You know?"
Rose Wilson flopped down next to Thea. She was eighteen, a good hand full of months younger than Thea. She was an inch or two shorter with a toned waist and a pair of double D sized breasts that she had wanted since she was thirteen. Her lips were full and her eyebrows thick like her father's, unlike her father however her skin was light and her hair and eyebrows were died bright white. Her eyes were crystal blue and the only makeup she wore was bright red lipstick and mascara to show off her long eyelashes. She wore a simple pair of fitting jeans, a long white shirt that showed off her chest quite nicely and her leather jacket, a token over her father, given to each of his children once he was found apparently not dead.
Rose had been broken hearted about her father's death. At twelfth she had lived with her mother Adeline and four years older brother Grant -their half brother Joe was staying with Charlotte Wintergreen, his godmother, until it became too much for her-. Rose did not know the kind of dangerous work her father or his partner Billy had to do but Slade lived for the life of a spy, saving thousands while his work went unsung and he loved it all the same. Her father did not return when he should have and Charlotte had been sick with worry. They were declared missing, presumed dead.
"Some men Thea, I swear." She shook her head. "My father is just the worse." she sighed. She had no hint of an accent unlike her brothers, he had hated it when she was younger and did everything to get rid of it. Coincidentally it did make her the master of accents. Anatoli had said she would have fit in perfectly in Russia.
Thea looked over to the girl. She had only just met her hours ago. Walking home from the club, Rose had saw her and offered her a ride home. "Parents hiding things," she groaned "don't remind me."
Rose smirked. "Grant and I did not even know dad was in the navy when we were growing up, mum didn't want us to know."
"What did you think he was doing?"
"What ever she could come up with when we asked. Teacher in a foreign country, builder in a foreign country and on one occasion when she was pissed off and high, a prostitute in Thailand." Rose put on her mother's voice, "No Rose your father can't come to your birthday party he's throat is still sore from having a large tourist cock shoved down it." She shrugged at Thea's funny look. "My mother. My dad had really bad taste in women."
"Well I didn't want to say it." Thea said. "Don't you have another brother?"
"Joe. Half brother technically. One night stand and dad took full custody. He's family and the spitting image of dad."
"So your family life was..."
"Crazy without dad until Grant and I left."
"Wait." Thea sat up. "What happened to Slade?"
"Two thousand and six, declared lost in action. He came back two and a half years later and got Joe but mum said that he was unfit to look after Grant and I, and we had to wait until Grant convicted the courts that we could not stand being with our mother and that Grant would work and have custody of me with dad." Rose said, "I don't hold anything against her, she had her problems and was not really the mothering type."
Thea nodded. "I lost my father. It's really hard and mom was never there or Ollie."
"Even with the druggy mum I feel like the lucky one." Rose smirked. "Grant was always there and dad came back."
"This isn't a contest."
Rose laughed. Loud and proud, her head throw back. "Yeah."
"So what's got you annoyed with your dad at the moment anyway?"
"He's dating this..." Rose bit her lip, trying to think of the best words. "He's dating someone, has been for a little while and the two get on great. Grant, Joe and I are happy but the two of them won't just tell people already. They're in this freaking cube of shame thing." she said, making the shape with her waving hands.
Thea laughed.
"And-" Rose laughed, "It's just so stupid. I want them to be together so we can have family dinners and not have to worry about being found out all the time."
"Why? Who is he going out with?"
"You would not believe me if I told you."
"Tell me~" Thea sang.
"No~" Rose sang back.
Thea crossed her arms. "Could I guess it?"
Rose nodded.
"Okay." Thea grinned. "Then let's play twenty one questions."
Rose thought about it for a few seconds. If Thea was as smart as Oliver said she was, she would get it. "How about twenty one questions with vodka? Before each question you take a shot."
"Shouldn't it be after?"
"Do you want to play or not?"
"Alright, alright." Thea stood, walking over to the kitchen.
"Okay. Number nineteen." Rose said, clinking her glass against Thea. The two of them took their shots.
Rose and Thea both took their shots before the questions and being that there could be twenty-one of them, the girls decided to only to take half a shot but after nineteen they were still pretty damn dizzy. They were sat on the floor in the family living room, on pillows from the sofa, the fire burning warm in front of them.
"Okay three left." Thea said, placing her glass on the coffee table. "Between thirty and twenty, male, short hair, light eyes, local of Starling, well off, not known to be gay and I know him." Thea tapped her chin in thought.
Rose had to admit that Thea was good at this game. He made the pool of possible people smaller with board questions, nothing specific. Had it not been for how obvious that it could not Oliver, Rose knew that Thea would have asked it was him long ago. Rose could tell that she had almost asked once but did not want to waste the question.
"Okay, does he have blue eyes?"
"Yes." Rose said, pouring their next round of drinks. "Number twenty." she said raising her glass.
"Honestly." Thea said, lifting hers. "I have no idea. There are only two people I can think of and I don't think it's either of them but I'm just going to go for it because of the whole no idea and all."
"Two people, two questions." Rose gasped. "It was meant to be."
"Funny." Thea said with a deadpan expression but the corners of her lips were pulling up.
They knocked their glasses together and took their shots.
Thea whined in the back of her throat, eyes squeezing shut. "I forget how strong this stuff is every time."
"Same." Rose grinned. "You should try my dad's Russian stuff. Fuck me."
"Okay." Thea said, readying herself for the next question.
"Excuse me?" Rose gasped dramatically, "Madam I assure you that I do not swing that way."
"Perv." Thea grinned. "I was trying to think." she said. "Okay." She pointed at Rose to say 'don't you dare'. "Is it Tommy?"
"No." Rose filled their glasses, to the top this time. "Number twenty-one."
They joined glasses for the last time and drank them.
"You're the one trying to get me drunk."
Rose laughed. "Okay Thea, last question. What will it be?"
"Is it Oliver?"
"Yes."
"See that's all I had left and... What do you mean yes?" Thea lowered her eyebrows at the white haired teenager.
"I mean..." Rose said, taking her phone from her pocket and flipping through the pictures until she found one and held the phone out to Thea.
There was Slade, Oliver and Joe curled up on the sofa at her dad's new house, asleep. Slade had forgone his suit and was wearing a pair of simple jeans and a loose shirt, while his son and apparent boyfriend were in pyjamas.
"No way." Thea said, grabbing the phone. "When did that happen? They met like what two weeks ago?"
"No." Rose said, "Before that. The meeting was fake."
"Fake? So they were going out before that?"
Rose nodded. "They kept putting it off."
"So before mom's court case?"
"Yep."
"Before the almost earthquake?"
"Just, yeah. Dad had to go through yet another court case to try and get us here but once I turned eighteen I was home free."
"Crap." Thea said. She lay herself out on the floor and rested her head on her pillow.
"Yeah. I know." Rose did the same with her pillow. "Trust me the two of them love each other and Grant, Joe and I like having Oliver around. We all just want the two of them to be happy and stop hiding things."
"The hell Rose?!"
Rose sat up and span around. She should have heard her brother sooner. Dad would not be happy to know that she had let her guard down like that.
"What are you doing here Grant?" She pointed at finger at her brother. "You fucking bugged me didn't you?"
"It's not bugging when your phone had GPS. I just looked it up." He crossed his arms.
"Cause that's legal."
Thea looked Grant up and down. His hair was blonde in a military cut, his jaw bone angular, eyes crystal blue like his sister's. His skin was light and his body was large and muscular, the same height and build of his father, covered by a black tight shirt, a pair of cargo pants and lace up black leather boots.
"Where's Joe?" Rose asked, looking around.
"At home. I had to lie to dad." Grant looked over to Thea with a death glare. "So you told her?"
"Yes Grant. I did."
"Well then..." Grant smiled, more a smirk really and chuckled which sounded kind of dark and creepy. "Welcome to the family."
"Um... Thanks."
"So are you going to help me drag them out the closet then?" Rose asked.
"Might as well." Grant said, sitting down with crossed legs in front of the two girls. "Let's plan."
Thea smiled in disbelieve and nodded her head. "Alright then."
Albany Western Australia, 2009
"Grant?" Joe called to his brother as he walked into the kitchen. "Pancakes!" he botched on to the chair in excitement, momently forgetting about his sibling.
"So you can cook then?" Grant rolled his eyes at Oliver's bank before taking a seat at the table.
"Really hoping they're edible." Oliver said, slipping another cake on to a plate before passing a plate to Joe. "I'm keep making as we go." And one to Grant, "Be honest about the taste."
"They're shit." Grant said, not even looking at the meal in front of him.
"Be less honest."
Grant smirked.
It was weird having their dad back and but so unbelievably incredible. He was a better man now, a better father. That mission had made him realise what was important in live and having a partner who actually wanted to be with him must have helped too. Slade had been a better father to them in the past few months than he had been in years.
Slade was still working in ASIS but really at it instead of out on the field and Oliver ran the house and had a few shifts here and there at a bar down the road. It had taken Rose and Grant time to get used to the man. Rose fell in love with him and he in term treated her like a princess while Grant was more or less putting up with the blonde but he did like him.
The first few weeks had been the hardest. Grant had made numerous comments about Oliver, everything from his hair, cooking, cleaning, to how he walked. Oliver looked past it all because it was not his child to tell off until one day and completely unknown to Grant, Slade had told Oliver what to say. The next comment lead to an argument which lead to Oliver telling him to get out. Grant had looked over to his father who just pointed at the door. He left.
He went to the beach, swam furiously and sat on the sand brooding until the sun was about to set, when suddenly saw Oliver sit next to him and offered him a beer.
"Hey Grant, where's my- Ooh, pancakes." Rose sat at the table.
"They're on the way." Oliver chuckled. "What's the plan for today?"
"Nothing." Rose said.
"What's wrong?" Oliver turned round, having heard her voice drop.
"Mother's day." Grant explained.
"She never liked it anyway." Rose said.
Oliver frowned. Adeline never seemed to want to do anything with her children, it still baffled him why she wanted to keep them. She was acting like them leaving was making her the victim, which she would had been if she wanted them. The woman lived for drama and seemed to do nothing these days except for getting high or riding her show ponies.
"Sorry." Oliver said. It made him think of his own mother and his sister. He had hoped they were looking after each other but after his talk with some Bratva in Starling, he found that his mother had got a new man and Thea was on her own most of the time. Not much had changed.
"Not your fault." Grant said.
"I know." Oliver said turning around. "Eat the pancakes, I'm not sure what they taste like hot, let alone cold."
Starling, 2014
Moira blinked in surprise when she was met by a young blonde when she unlocked her front door.
"Oh miss Queen." Grant smiled politely even if he felt like a idiot while doing so. "My name is Grant Wilson. Slade's son."
"Oh Grant." Moira smiled, resting a hand over her heart. "I did not expect you."
"Yeah. My sister Rose met Thea and the two were watching a movie. She called me to pick her up." he said walking over to the living room, Moira following behind. "But as you can see," he felt a hand out to the two girls how had passed on the floor from drinking. "they fell asleep."
"I see."
"So yeah." Grant said, scratching the back of his neck. He had hidden the evidence and sprayed them with some of Thea's fruity deodorant. He hoped it would be enough.
"Well your sister is welcome to stay the night although I think they would both find beds more comfortable." Moira said, "It is late, you are welcome to stay yourself."
Grant's lips pulled up in to a smile. "Thank you miss Queen, I really appreciate this."
"Where's Grant and Rose?" Oliver asked, stepping over to Slade. Unbuttoning his shirt.
"At Grant's apartment." Slade smiled devilishly and did the same.
"And Joe?" Oliver undid his suit pants, balled them along with his shirt and threw them in the wash basket.
"Asleep." Slade did the same before resting his hands on Oliver's hips, pulling his close.
"Bedroom?" Oliver grinned and flicked off the light.
Slade lifted Oliver in the air with ease -thank the mirakuru- the blonde gripped Slade's hips with his legs, wrapping his arms around the strong neck and kissing the man. Oliver laughed into the Australian's mouth as he attempted to move them to the bedroom but instead walked into the sofa.
"Keep going back." Oliver said as Slade moved his mouth to his neck. "Go left." he said, "Table." He groaned in warning. Thankful that he had remember it was there because he could not see it.
At last they made it to the door, the blonde having to duck down before he collided with the fame which just had them laughing into their kisses.
Slade kicked the door shut behind him -making sure to lock it behind himself- before dropping Oliver down onto the bed and climbing aboard.
The Aussie pampered Oliver's chest with kisses, rolling his tongue over the younger man's nipple and massaging his package with his hand. Oliver rolled his hips to meet Slade's touch, biting his bottom lip to stop himself from crying out. He grabbed the back of Slade's head, pulling him close by his wiry hair.
There was a knock at the door. "Dad?"
Slade sat up and Oliver rolled off the bed, grabbing Slade's crisp white dressing gown from where it sat on a set of draws, next to his own and chucking it to the man.
Slade caught it. "I'm here. One sec Joe."
Oliver grabbed his own vibrate blue one and pulled it on.
"Hey kiddo." Slade said when he opened the door, blinking when he was almost blinded by Joe's plastic sheep with a torch appearing from it's mouth. "What's wrong?"
"I heard a door slam."
"That was me. Sorry."
"Can I stay here?"
"Joe." Slade sighed.
"Please dad." Joe begged. He had never lived in a city before and he was not taking it well. All the loud notices made it hard for him to sleep and climbing into Slade's bed had become a bit of a habit.
Slade looked over to Oliver. The mood was defiantly gone.
"You're going to need to get used to sleeping in your own bed Joe." Oliver said, standing next to Slade.
"Please."
"Fine." Slade said, "But you have nothing to be scared of, you know that."
Joe slipped his hand into his father's and let himself be lead to the large king sized bed. He climbed on and sat right in the middle, switching his light off but keeping the torch in his grip.
Oliver chuckled, removing his dressing gown and took his side of the bed. Smiling when Joe curled up to him. Slade followed suit, lying on his side, his cheat resting against his son's small frame. The Aussie threw a large muscled arm over Joe, resting his hand on the blonde's waist.
"Night~" The two men could practically hear the wide smile.
"Goodnight Joe. Oliver." Slade ran his thumb along Ollie's skin.
Oliver smiled. "Good night you two." He said, before placing a kiss to Joe's forehead.
Albany Western Australia, 2009
"How was school?" Oliver asked Rose as she and Grant stepped into the kitchen.
"Crap." she groaned.
"Don't swear." Slade called from the hall.
Oliver turned to Grant. "And college?"
"Also crap."
"Grant." Slade growled.
Grant rolled his eyes. "Business studies and biology. Are we just picking courses starting with the letter B or something? Let's just throw in blacksmithing while we're at it." He threw himself down on to a chair. "I'm not cut out for this office shit and you know it."
"Then what do you want to do?" Oliver asked, "You don't have to know yet but you must have an idea of what you enjoy."
"The navy."
"No Grant." Slade said stepping into the kitchen, Joe at is legs, clutching his books to his chest.
"You were in the navy and a freakin' spy." The young blonde said, pointing a finger at his father.
"And I was never here."
"That was your choice!" Grant yelled, "You fucked off and left us with a women who was drunk most days and stoned the rest, and you loved every second of it!"
"I was doing what I was born to do." Slade glared down the boy, "I did it to keep you all safe, to keep people safe."
"The hell do you think I'm doing it for?!"
"If I lost you, any of you, it would kill me."
"What do you think you dying did to us?!"
Slade blinked.
"I want to do this so I can protect people." Grant said, "So I can use my body to it's full, save lives, visit new places and most of all I want to be like you."
There was silence in the room. Joe stood there watching the scene, body curled around his books.
"Slade." Oliver hissed, nudging his head to Joe.
Slade looked over to Joe, who had moved to stand by the door without him noticing. He stepped over to him and knelt down, wrapping an arm around him. "I'm sorry." he said, his voice low and husky. He noticed the piece of green card sticking out between his books and shirt. "What's that Joe?"
Joe covered the item with a small hand and shook his head, glancing over to Oliver for a second.
"You're not in trouble." Slade said, "We should not have been fighting."
Grant hummed in agreement. "Sorry Joe."
Rose looked on, not really knowing what to add.
When Joe looked over to Ollie for the second time, the blonde moved to stand beside him. "Do you want to show me?"
Joe nodded.
"Okay." Oliver gave a small reassuring smile, placing his hand Joey's shoulder. "To your room?"
Joe nodded again.
"Okay. Let's go." Oliver said, leading the little boy out the room. He looked over to Slade before he left and smiled. Slade just wanted to look after his children.
Starling, 2014
Grant tried to fall asleep but he could not. This house was just too big, too many ways for outsiders to get in, the people inside far too spaced apart. His father had been right. Being in the navy did make a person more aware and suspicious, and the creaking of the old building did not help that. Grant sighed and sat up in bet, climbing out in nothing but a pair of bright red boxers to cover himself.
Like Rose, Grant also wanted his father and Oliver to be able to be together in public. Oliver was a really nice guy. Grant had always been able support himself as long as he could remember. He loved his sister and brother, and could not bare to be parted with them but for everyone else he would not blink if he lost them... That's what he believed anyway. After his father came back with Oliver, Grant and Rose had got to spend a lot of time with them and Joe. They rebuilt what they had with their father, making a stronger and more enduring relationship with him. And Oliver, they found was a vital member of the family. He kept Slade sane, happy, in a way that only Oliver could. Slade had a big heart that was very hard to get to but Oliver had done it. The man had become more openly happy, full on smiling and laughing where as before it had been more of a vibe.
Slade did agree to the navy in the end, not that Grant needed him to but he respected his father. Slade then began to teach his eldest how to fight. For those three years that Oliver lived with them in Australian before he was able and made to go home by the Aussies, the five of them lived like a family. There were many great moments; when they went out fishing and Rose felt bad for the fish so she set them free, when they went camping in the garden where Joe fell asleep on Oliver's chest. One of the most entertaining nights had been last year when Joe went on a school trip for the night. The family had been worried but Grant had just came back from navy, so he brought a zombie game on his way home. They had one of those machines that could sense your body's movement instead of mashing buttons. You would go around this horror mansion and kill zombies. The game was full of jump scares and the save points were few and far between. Weapons did not last long and everything attacked at once so they had to keep switching because it was exhausting.
At one point in the game where there was this zombie which the only way to not get killed by it was to stay perfectly still and quiet, and wait for it to go past. It was the first time it happened, the game told you not to move and the music was terrifying. Grant had stood there, completely unmoving as the music built. Oliver and Rose sat on the sofa with their hands over their mouths because it was in it's own way scary. Slade not knowing this, came into the room from where he had left to use the bathroom. Strolling right in to area the sensor covered and asking why they where being so quite. The zombie roared and the metal mask that covered its face slotted opened as he came for you. Grant jumped out of his skin, Rose screamed and Oliver yelled out at Rose's scream. Slade just rolled his eyes and chuckled. For the next half an hour Grant would deny that he had been scare but if he had, he had good reason to be.
Grant made his way over to the door with the touch on his phone. He peeked outside before making his way to Thea's room, checking in to see how the girls were doing. They were asleep, cuddled up together. The blonde smiled. He was not sure how Oliver would feel about Rose getting Thea drunk but they had done it at her home, so he guessed that Ollie would be okay with it. He moved away. He did not hear Moira moving about but if she happened to look out her door to see Grant in nothing but his boxers, eyeing the two unconscious girls in bed... Things might get a little uncomfortable.
Still wide awake, Grant decided to have a look into Oliver's room as he had never seen it before.
He sat down on Oliver's bed, tracing his light across the room to see the pictures of Tommy, Oliver's parents but most of his sister. Grant frowned. There were none of the Wilsons. He was not surprised as putting a picture of a man Ollie had "just met" and his kids up would be a bit odd but it still made his stomach knot.
He looked into Oliver's draw before realising that might not be the best idea but thankfully there was no lube inside. There was however a hidden compartment which the Aussie would not have noticed had his father not taught him about it. He lifted up the plank of wood to find a white envelope and it was stacked with pictures. He smiled when he saw that the first was a picture of himself in his navy gear.
Flipping through the pictures, Grant found that some went as far back as the first day Ollie met Joe, which he could tell from the dating on the back. It was of Slade sitting on a swing and looking far too big for it, with Joe on his lap, holding onto the chines that held them up. Some were even of those five months when Oliver needed time away from his mother after the undertaking.
Grant very nearly put the envelope away when he noticed something right at the back. The picture was a lot older and Grant would not have noticed it had it not been for the date on the back. Nineteen years ago. Then he saw the number of the day and month. It was the day Rose was born. He pulled it out and flipped it over.
The picture showed a four year old Grant sitting on a large brown armchair in the hospital, holding his little sister wrapped in a pink blanket, in his arms.
Grant sat there astonished at what he was seeing. Out of a whim he flipped the picture back over, where he saw writing at the bottom in think black ink, in his father's hand writing.
The day our princess came into this world.
Grant thought for a second that it could have been to his biological mother but the ink looked fresh and the nickname was only ever used by Oliver after Rose found out his family name. The thing that really got Grant was that this did not look to be a copy. It was the first picture of Rose and Slade had wrote that on it.
Grant smiled.
Albany Western Australia, 2009
Oliver stepped into Joe's bedroom with the young boy. The moment the door closed and before Oliver could say anything. Joe held out the green card, not even looking at the blonde.
Ollie gave the boy an odd look but took it. It was only when he glanced down that he saw the stencilled writing.
Happy Mother's Day
It took Oliver a few seconds to realise what it meant and he would be lying if he said that he did not want to smile. "Joe." Ollie sighed. "I'm flattered, I am but..." he looked at the boy who was looking at the floor. He placed his hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong?"
"I want you to be my mum." Joe said, voice weak.
Oliver sat down on the floor, his long legs crossed. He placed the card down gently. "I know it's hard only having your dad but you have Rose and Grant, and me." he said. Smiling when the boy met his eyes. "Why do you want me to be your mom?"
"You're with my dad." Joe said.
Oliver nodded. "Okay but Joe that does not make me-"
"Do you love me?"
"Yes, very much." Oliver said without a second thought.
"Will you stay with us?"
Oliver frowned. He could not really say. He and Slade had spoke about what would happen when Oliver was clear to go home. The two intended to stay together but the kids were the issue. The plan was for them to go to Starling as well but they had yet to speak to them about it, and Oliver would not take Slade away from them. "I want to but I have a mother and sister waiting for me." he rested his hand on Joe's tanned cheek. "But I swear that no matter what happens we will still talk every night."
Joe jumped into Oliver's lap and the blonde pulled him close, resting his chin of the boy's shoulder.
"And you'll still love me?"
Oliver nodded. "I will still love you."
"And my dad?"
Oliver smiled. "I will still love your dad."
"Then why can't you be my mum?" Joey asked, pulling back.
Oliver laughed lightly. The kid was sneaky. "You'll understand this more when you're older but..." he could not say no to those dark eyes. "We'll talk to your dad about it."
Without a moment to spare, Joe grabbed the card and ran downstairs.
"Joe wait." Oliver called, taking off after him.
Joe ran into the kitchen, Ollie but a step behind him. Grant and Slade had been sitting around the table and Rose had been in the living room but came in just in time for Joe to speak.
"Can Oliver be my mum?" Joe asked his father.
Slade's thick eyebrows flew up, he looked over to Oliver then back to his son. "Sorry?"
"He made me a mother's day card." Oliver explained.
Slade looked down his youngest, not really knowing how to handle this. "Can I see?"
Joe passed his father the card. Grant leant across the table so he could see, while Rose stood behind her father. There was a moment while they all looked at the card, where nothing was said. Each member of the family wondering what the other wanted and not knowing, aside from Joe. What he wanted was clear.
"Okay." Grant said to the group, sitting back in his chair. "I'm just going to go out on a whim here and ask. What's going to happen when Oliver can go home?"
"Well..." Oliver started. "We've wanted to talk to you about that. I would like to go back to see them but I want to stay with all of you." he sighed, trying to think of how to word his next sentence. "So when the time comes I can go and return back here, and try to make that work or..."
"Or we all so there." Grant finished.
"Yes." Oliver said, voice quiet. He took a breath, becoming more confident. "Either way I will not be leaving you all forever."
"Good." Grant said.
The whole group gave him a surprised look.
"Mum is a hard roll to fill but Joe's wants you to be and if you can be, then be it." Grant said, as if it was the simplest thing in the world.
"Agreed." Rose smiled at her brother before turning to Oliver. "Do you want to be?"
The question rang in Oliver's ears. He turned to Slade, who held his hands out in a way that said "Your choice." and Oliver froze. It no longer felt like saying yes, no or even I don't know would ruin everything but it was still life changing. Grant had a point, the siblings seemed okay with it and Slade... Well Ollie was not sure what Slade thought but he had always promoted Oliver to take charge of his children whenever possible. Oliver could never be a mother to Grant or Rose but Joe was young and he never had one. He was not replacing anyone and he would always try and be there but the key word was still try. He could not promise anything... But that was not true. List or no list, Oliver would find a way to be with them. The future was still unclear but...
"Mum?" Joe looked up to Oliver, asking. Dark eyes shining.
Ollie smiled. "Yeah."
Joe ran forward and hugged Oliver's legs. The blonde lent down and picked him, leaning to the side so he could rest the child on his hip, supporting his back with his hands. Joe giggled at being lifted. He loved to be picked up, by his father and Oliver.
"Stay still." Rose said, running into the living room to get the camera.
Slade smiled at the scene. He propped the card open on the table, looking up to see the corners of Grant's lips pulling.
"I see why women have bigger hips." Oliver said as Rose came back with the camera, taking aim of the two. "Naturel shelf."
"Oh yeah." Rose said, thumping her relatively flat chest with her hand. "We're all for shelves."
Slade frowned.
Rose laughed at her father's expression before looking down as the small screen, waiting to take the picture.
Starling, 2014
Grant looked at the picture of Oliver supporting Joey on his hip, on their first mother's day. He had been right. Oliver was a good mother. He smirked.