Title: Synth
Author: QueencestQueen
Pairings: Oliver/Thea (Tholiver)
Whole Story Rating: NC-17 (or E, depending on the rating system)
Chapter Rating: G (or K, depending on the rating system)

Summary: [Tholiver] In a parallel present where the latest must-have gadget for any busy family is a 'Synth' - a highly-developed robot. To the surprise of both his parents, Oliver Queen's very first and only Synth is a Growth Series Synthetic that he names Thea. However, Thea isn't just the average 'GSS' and that becomes all too clear after her eighteenth birthday when Leo Elster shows up on their doorstep. [A HUMANS inspired/crossover story.]

Notes/Warnings:
- Italicized words are thoughts as well as emphasized words
- Dedicated to thefiremonqueen; thank you, dove, for being my test reader and sounding board.

Disclaimer:
All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of this author. This author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Oliver walked two steps behind both his parents who diligently followed the salesperson talking their ears off. The ten-year-old wasn't paying attention to the adults though; his head was practically on a swivel as they made their way down the dark grey, metal-walled hallway. His eyes read the generic names on the wall next to the life-sized cases: Sally, Charlie, Rory. There was so much to see, so much to take in. How could they not be as mesmerized by the dolls as he was? They were so shiny and lifelike as they slept in their glass cases; like princes and princesses awaiting the kiss to awaken them! A frown turned his lips down. Fairytales are ideas for little girls; I am too grown up for that stuff.

Movement to his left drew his gaze off the synthetic dolls on display. There was large plasma screen set up on a moveable display. An older man was taking practice swings from atop the faux-turf in front of the screen, playing golf on the gaming system. A synthetic stood behind him, dressed like a golf trainer, no doubt awaiting the man's need for instruction. Oliver turned to look at his parents, hoping they might be willing to pause their tour of the show floor so he too could play the game, but they were already much further ahead. He ran to catch up to them before his father noticed he was lagging behind.

"-and just up ahead," said Jeffery the salesman as he gestured towards the door on the right, "is the room where we will most likely find a synthetic for your boy." The man's comment made Oliver feel giddy with excitement. Today was the day; he was finally going to get his very first synthetic all his own. He'd wanted one just for himself since Tommy got one, but his parents had made him wait until the start of the new year. It was all over now; at long last, it was his turn.

As he followed behind his parents absorbing the general atmosphere as children often do, he took note of a large window breaking up the continuous grey of the hallway wall. Ever the curious one, Oliver broke away from the adults to get a better look inside. Something pretty special has to be in that room. He had to stand on the tips of his toes to even see through the bottom edge of the glass panel. Oliver was just about to go on the hunt for something to make him tall enough to see inside, when there was a small beep followed by a buzzing noise. Concerned that the noise might be a proximity alarm of some kind, the young boy scrambled a few steps backward. The door to the room, which had blended so seamlessly into the wall that it was almost nonexistent, swung open and a woman dressed in an all-white protective suit stepped out. Oliver slipped inside the room before the door could close and lock once more.

The room was about as big as their family sitting room at home, but was completely devoid of any feelings of warmth. It even lacked the gray metallic look that the rest of the building had; instead, it was just pure, blinding white. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust. There were incubators lined up in rows of ten and the young boy moved carefully through them, reading the tags at the feet of the containers: Daniel, Zoey, Alesha, Pirjo, Juhana, Ventseslav, Oscar, Elizabeth. Baby synths? He'd always thought the synthetics were made to look like grown-ups right from the factory. The sight of the unnaturally still, and obviously a bit creepy, babies in the glass boxes did not make sense to the young boy.

He peered into each glass box to see the children inside as he moved down the rows. They were all cute of course, but then he reached the very last glass box. The baby inside looked pretty much like any other baby, sleeping peacefully or so it was meant to appear, but Oliver couldn't stop looking at the little girl wrapped in the pink cotton sheet. As if sensing his presence, the baby opened its eyes and turned her head. Her tiny hand reached out for him and, as if he were entranced, he reached out too and took ahold of the small hand. The baby smiled.

"Oliver! There you are."

"What have we told you about wandering off, son?" Oliver didn't even turn to look at his parents. He couldn't. His eyes were glued to the baby.

"I found her." He said softly as his parents came up beside him.

"Ah, it seems the young man has found our G-series synthetics room." The salesman said, his voice oddly cheerful, as he entered the room behind the worried parents. "Most of them, as you can see, have been reserved for purchase, mainly by couples in need of children."

The ten-year-old turned half a step to look at the older man, but before he could open his mouth, his father laid a hand upon his shoulder. Oliver's crystal blue eyes turned back to the baby. "She's taken?" The hand wrapped around his finger was a pleasant sort of warmth, but it alone was not enough to distract him from the sadness invading his body. To him, this baby was meant for him. How can she be taken?

"Yes," the man said, his voice taking on a note of sympathetic sorrow at the sight of the tears glittering in the young boy's eyes. "Her name is," He moved to the end of the incubator and the sentence died away, "Hmm…that's-that's odd."

Oliver's eyes lifted hopefully as the salesman moved over to the table along the adjacent wall and began tapping away at the tablet there. The small fingers flexed slightly and the boy's attention was back on the little creature inside the clear box. Her little mouth was opening and closing slowly, a small cooing sound coming out as her green eyes blinked open again. Without thinking, he pulled his hand free from her grip so he could wrap his arms around her.

"Don't, Oliver." His mother said, but he paid it no mind. He picked the baby up gently, making sure to keep her head up instinctively and cuddled her close to his body. She made one more soft sound before she drifted peacefully off to sleep, tiny ear resting against his heartbeat. She's mine, he thought, suddenly determined, as the salesman turned around.

"This never happens," he started to say, speaking directly to the adults. They were, after all, the ones with the checkbook. "but that GSS was crafted for a young couple, but when it came time to pick it up, they cancelled their order."

"Why?" asked Robert, his eyes narrowing in concern as he looked down at his smitten son, "is something wrong with it?"

"Oh no," Jeffery was quick to assure him, "the couple received the good news that they were pregnant so they didn't need the GSS anymore. It's rare, obviously, but it can happen." His attention turned to the youngster as he lowered himself so they were eyelevel and smiled charmingly, "You've chosen very well, young man. This GSS was one of David Elster's very last handcrafted synths."

"So I can have her?" Oliver asked, doing his best to keep his voice from sounding too hopeful.

"Oliver," His mother turned him with a gentle hand upon his shoulder, "Wouldn't you rather a synth you could play ball with or one to help you with your homework?" Moira peered down at the baby, "She's very cute, but she'll be so much work, sweetie. Surely, you don't want that, do you?"

He looked down again to look at the slumbering face of the infant. He looked up quickly once more, "Yes, I do, Mom. She can be my little sister!" He missed the look of desperation that his mother shared with his father.

"Son-"

"Please!" Oliver pleaded, turning his big, blue eyes to his father, "Please! You promised I could pick my first synth! I promise, I promise, I'll take good care of her, no, no great care of her! Please!"

His father gave him a long, searching, look, but Oliver held fast. "You promise you'll take care of her?" Robert asked just to make certain.

"The 2 AM wake up calls? The diaper changes? The constant need for new clothing? The crying?" Moira tacked on, hoping the daunting nature of the tasks would make her son see reason. Synths were an investment of a lifetime, and a Synth that would grow as if it were human, that was an even greater investment. "You're ready for all that. sweetheart?"

Oliver nodded eagerly as if the prospect of all of it was thrilling to him, instead of a burden. "Yes, yes, I'm ready, I'm sure." He clutched the baby tighter, "I want her." His voice brooked no argument and, this time, no one even tried.

As the group walked the length of the facility, Oliver listened with half an ear to the salesman's pitch. "GSS are very different to our normal synthetics, are you aware of that?" The ten-year-old was too busy cooing at the baby in his arms to hear his parents' response. "As their descriptor indicates, the Growth Series grow and age as any normal child would, given the passage of time. Unlike our other synths, their intelligence is limited to what they would know if they were human children at any given age and, in order to keep this true, GSS' cannot received shared information from other synthetics."

"What about eating? Surely, if they are meant to appear as human as possible, they must be able to consume food and drink." His father's question had Oliver's complete attention.

"Yes, the GSS will have the desire for sustenance just like any human child would. Until the age of about six, give or take, the GSS will just have to be fake fed, empty bottle and clean diapers changed anyway."

"What happens at six?"

"At that time, the GSS can be fully trusted to maintain his or her food intake and if desired, they can be fitted with a removable, unbreakable bag that will allow the GSS to eat and drink without worry of damage to the internal workings." With someone to protect now, Oliver was wearier of the hustle and bustle around them; people could easily bump his arms and the little girl could get hurt. That was something the boy did not want to happen.

"Because GSS' are so young in initial appearance," Jeffery started to explain over his shoulder as they moved forward, "their set-up is different than our other synths." He brought them to a halt in front of what looked like a baby's weight scale. "Please place the GSS in the computer, son." Oliver looked at his dad and then at the salesman before placing the little girl down inside the clear plastic tub. "Step back, please."

Reluctantly, Oliver pulled his finger from the tiny hand's hold. Her bright green eyes blinked and then watered with unshed tears that squeezed the young boy's heart painfully. Jeffery moved forward and touched the baby under her chin, powering her down completely. The ten-year-old hated the way she looked so still. The older man hit a few buttons on the keypad of the cradle-like device and then turned back to face the family of three. "Which of you will be the GSS' primary user?"

"I will be." Oliver declared before either Moira or Robert could open their mouths. The salesman's happy smile faltered ever so briefly as his gaze turned to the two elder Queens.

"He will be," Robert confirmed and Jeffery's smile turned real again.

"Okay then,"

"Her primary function will be?"

"Little sister." There was no hesitation, no doubt.

"Okay," Jeffery said dragging out the single word slowly, "That isn't the normal main programming for GSS', but I can switch its secondary and main programs pretty easily. Just a minute." Oliver fidgeted impatiently until his father's hand came down upon his shoulder and stilled his son's anxious movements. "Hmm… that's…"

"What?" Robert interceded, weary now that twice the salesman was surprised by the synth Oliver had chosen.

"Oh, it's nothing," Jeffery was quick to assure again, "It's just that her programs have already been switched to make her 'sibling program' her primary." After an additional minute of typing, the salesman tapped the infant under her chin again and her eyes, now the bright blue of set-up mode, flew open once more. "Take her hand again, son, and repeat these words," Jeffery instructed and handed him a tablet.

"Please verbalize the serial code to activate your synthetic." That instruction came from the cradle itself.

"Rose three. Moose two. Everest one. Seashell."

"Welcome to set up mode for your Growth Series Synthetic! What is the name of the primary user?"

"Oliver Queen."

"Ready for primary user bonding. Please give the synthetic your hand for DNA sampling. This information will never be shared with any third-party organization." Oliver offered the infant his hand again and quickly tiny fingers wrapped around his thumb. It made him feel like an important person. Suddenly, he felt like a big brother.

"Oliver Queen, you are now bonded to this synthetic as its primary user with the relational title of older brother?"

"Is this correct?"

"Yes."

"Are there any other users to be bonded to this synthetic at this time?"

"Yes." After that, both Moira and Robert repeated the process and soon both adults were logged as secondary users under the relational titles of mother and father.

"Bonding is now complete," the computer declared. "Do you wish to establish a name for this synthetic now?"

"Yes."

"What is the name?"

Oliver turned and looked back at his parents. They both offered no suggestions. He looked down at the baby. Her eyes were still the bright blue of set-up mode, but she was looking up at him. Suddenly, he knew her name. "Thea Dearden Queen."

The computerized voice replied, "Please restart your synthetic to have the bonds take full effect."

Jeffery stepped forward again and pressed the button under her chin. The baby's eyes changed once more back to the bright green color signifying synthetics. He lifted the infant out of the cradle and handed her off to Oliver. "Well, she's yours now, young man."

Oliver's grin was as bright as the sun when Thea was once more settled into his arms. Though she was a weary of his choice in synth, even Moira couldn't help, but smile at the delight upon her son's face. Sometimes she worried that growing up in their high society world was costing Oliver his youthful enjoyment, but in that moment, he was just a little boy holding his doll for the very first time after bonding. It was sweet.

"You can purchase accessories for your synthetic here as well, if you wish." Jeffrey's smile was as sweet as molasses when Oliver's head shot up. Robert cringed, though he was quick to hide it. The mark-ups on the add-ons was how they really took one's money and the eagerness on Oliver's face was like a beacon of weakness for the predatory salesman.

"Can we go look at 'em? Please Dad?" Oliver implored, "I'll pay for them too."

The family patriarch wanted to say no, wanted to warn the younger man of the expense, but then the baby gurgled. Her little hand waved in the air for a moment and Robert knew he was doomed. By virtue of her programming, that little girl was suddenly his daughter. Now he had two children to whom he could not say no. "Maybe just a car seat...so we can get Thea home safely." He pretended not to see his wife's look of disbelief; how could she not be effected by the power of the new siblings?

"Unfortunately, our onsite accessories for the GSS are extremely limited, given that they are usually made to order. However, we do have a few things available for purchase in person and, of course, our online store has a much wider selection." The salesman cautioned as he led them away from the programming station and back to the ground level. Unlike the second floor, which displayed the various synthetics that could be bought, this one was solely for the numerous extras that could be purchased. People milled about everywhere making a nervous Oliver hold Thea tighter to himself as they moved through the chaos.

"Don't worry, Thea," the ten-year-old whispered to the baby as he kept his eyes on a swivel for danger. "I won't let anything happen to you."

"Oliver," Robert said, keeping his voice low so Jeffery would not overhear what he was about to say, "we'll go to the baby store after this, so, just the car seat here, okay?"

Oliver nodded softly, "Okay, Dad."

"Here it is," Jeffery said, gesturing widely towards the extremely limited selection of baby accessories. A small frown turned Oliver's lips down. This is it? There's barely anything to choose from at all! Only two car seat products were on the shelves: one was blue and the other pink-ish. He knelt down on one knee, and turned his attention to the little girl in his arms, "Do you like the blue one or the pink one, Thea?" He asked, "The blue one's got Winnie the Pooh and a tree and the pink one has Winnie and Piglet." The baby gave no response, aside from curling towards the warmth of his body in her sleep. Still, Oliver was able to make the decision. "The pink one," He declared confidently, standing up and turning to the adults gathered behind him.

"My, aren't you a decisive one." The salesman commented. The young boy wasn't sure whether or not it was a compliment. The taller man stepped around him to pull the box off of the shelf. "Shall we complete the transaction now?" That question was directed at his parents, but Oliver wasn't offended being ignored. Many adults did that. It was just the way that the world was.

"Yes," Robert said.

While his parents moved to the counter to pay for the synthetic doll and car seat, using their executor access to his account to do so, Oliver sat down in a nearby chair. He very carefully shifted the calm baby in his arms; she didn't even make a small noise of protest, simply smiling happily up at him. Grinning, he raised his hand up to her eye-line and wiggled his fingers, making silly noises. Thea gurgled and reached for the moving digits with both hands. She caught them and slowly dragged his hand down so she could mouth at his fingertips. She's so cute!

"Oliver." He looked up at his mother. Payment had taken less time then he'd expected. "It's time to go, sweetheart." Once outside the store, Robert sat the box on the ground and removed the car seat. As soon as it was in place, Oliver stepped up between his parents and placed the baby down. He fumbled a little with the numerous straps and latches before Moira moved to help her young son. "It takes practice, that's all." She said when she took note of the frustrated look on the ten-year-old's face, "You'll get the hang of it in no time at all."

Oliver made a noise of discontent before he walked around to the opposite side of the Towne Car and pulled open his door. Just as he was climbing inside the vehicle and choosing the seat next to his new sister, he spotted Jeffery running out after them. Through the glass of the window beside the car seat, Oliver watched the salesman hand his father a big booklet. A few sentences were exchanged between the two men as the book was passed off to his mother. Then Jeffery held out a small, bright red, square about the size of a credit card to the patriarch. Robert took it and hastily it stuck in his jacket pocket. Oliver's curiosity was peaked. What is that thing?

As Moira moved towards the car, Oliver quickly faced forward and clicked the seat-belt into place. Thea's hands waved a little in the air when the door opened and their mother slipped inside. He spotted a fleeting smile on the elder woman's lips before she schooled her features. She tossed the book across to the seat beside him. "It's her user's manual; you might want to read it, Oliver, if you really want to take care of your synth."

He turned to look at the little girl, "I do."

"Good."

After a quick chat with their driver in regards to their new destination, Robert slid into the back of the car too. Once all members of the Queen family were safely buckled in, the Towne Car pulled out of its parking spot to rejoin the highway traffic. Oliver wanted so badly to ask about that red thing, but every time he considered asking he thought better of it. The car ride was silent for all of two minutes before both their parents were on their respective cellphones, handling crises or negotiating prices. Instead of letting himself wallow in the usual pang of invisibility he felt when his parent's turned their attention elsewhere, Oliver turned to the baby beside him and began making silly faces. It took a couple of tries, but eventually one of those funny faces earned him a genuine baby giggle. He felt so proud.

The small, childlike sound magically got both the adults off their cellphones. "I made her laugh," Oliver informed them cheerfully as if they hadn't already put that together.

"That reminds me," Moira said, changing the subject suddenly, "where did you even come up with the name Thea? Is it the name of a girl you know?"

Oliver shook his head a little, "Thea just came to me when I was standing there. It fits her though, doesn't it?"

"It does," Robert agreed, his eyes flicking briefly to Thea before turning back to his phone. Oliver frowned, deciding in that moment that he would not let his sister feel the hurt of being second best. He felt that emotion keenly and he didn't want that for Thea. He would make sure that she could always look to him and know she was loved.

A few minutes later the Towne Car came to a stop and Oliver rushed around the car to get her out; it was bad to leave a baby in a hot car. Moira slid out of the vehicle and joined the children on the curb. When Robert failed to leave the car within a few seconds of his wife, Oliver knew; his dad wasn't coming with them to buy things for Thea.

"I'm sorry to do this, but there's something I have to attend to at the office," The ten-year-old kept his eyes unfocused and trained on a spot next to the window where his father's head poked out. "Get Thea everything she'll need, on me." In his peripheral vision, he could see his mother accepting the black credit card Robert held out. "I'll help you put it all together later, okay son?"

He wanted to tell his father that no, it was not okay. Wanted to remind him that this hour that they'd spent together was the most they'd shared as a family in about a year. It was on the tip of his tongue to say that it was no wonder he had to buy himself a sister; mom probably didn't want to raise another child alone. He wanted to shout that he was sick and tired of coming in second to the company. What good was all their money and status if it cost them their family? He wanted to say all that, but he didn't. It wasn't what was expected of him. "Okay, Dad."

"I'll send George back with the car as soon as I get to the office."

When the car merged back into traffic, Oliver looked up into his mother's face. She was very good at hiding it, but he could see it still. It hurt her just as much as it hurt him, if not more, to watch the man she loves choose the company instead of her time and again. It made him even madder at his father. In an attempt to erase that look from her eyes, Oliver reached out with his free hand and slipped it into his mom's. He was far too old to be holding his mother's hand, but she needed it; his pride could suffer a few minutes of humiliation.

"Okay," Moira said, her voice just a touch too chipper as she turned her blue eyes towards the new siblings, "Shall we buy Thea lots of new things, like a real baby sister should have?"

His hand tightened on the handle of the car seat turned carrier, "She is a real baby sister, Mom. She's my sister."

"Of course, sweetheart." He could tell from her tone that she was just humoring him, but further discussion on the matter was rendered impossible as they entered the store and were quickly assaulted by the sights, sounds, and smells of the upscale baby boutique.

After a long afternoon of moving his stuff so that he could move his sister into his room, putting together Thea's furniture, and showing the baby the entirety of their family's estate, Oliver was exhausted. Even though his mother as well as Gary and Jerry, two of their housework-tasked synthetics, had helped with the heavy lifting, he didn't even have the energy to pick up the phone and call Tommy liked he had promised he would. No doubt his best friend was going to be grumpy about that when he got to school tomorrow, but Oliver figured all would be forgiven once Tommy met Thea. Being a big brother was more work than he'd thought, but every time he started to doubt his ability to fulfill his new role, Thea would gurgle or grab for him and all doubt went away. She was his sister; it was as simple and complicated as that.

The infant was sleeping soundly in her crib next to Oliver's bed as he read through her manual. He was determined to read the heavy thing cover to cover. Breaking his baby sister was not on his to-do list! His attention was drawn away from the crisp pages when Thea began to cry. Immediately, he was off the bed and moving over to her crib, picking the baby up. Gentle noises came from his lips as he carefully laid her in his bent arms. Maybe she's hungry? He went over to his nightstand and picked up one of the bottles they'd bought that day. She took the nipple easily enough and the crying stopped. Even though she could not yet consume anything, and as such there was nothing inside the container, the act of giving her the bottle was enough to fulfill her programming...or at least that's what the manual said.

"Hey, Thea, what do you say we go for a little walk down the hall while you eat, huh? Sound good?" The baby girl gave no response, but he'd not expected one. It was a bit tricky to hold the bottle, hold Thea, and open the door, but somehow he managed it after a minute of struggle. The hallway was quiet, as well it should be given how late it was; the only really sounds were the soft suckling noise from Thea and the faint, hushed sounds of whispers from their parents' room. From the tone he could tell that his parents were arguing; it was a sound he was rapidly becoming more and more familiar with. Bouncing the baby girl lightly in his arms, Oliver stood next to his parents' door, his back against the wall.

"-you let him buy the first one that he saw." He had to strain to hear his mother's hissed words through the door

"I let him? You were there too, Moira." There was a brief pause, "You saw him, how enthralled he was with it. There was no stopping him."

Worried that he might be about to be caught, the ten-year-old pushed off the wall and walked a few steps further down the hall. "Yes, for now, but how long until the synth joins the Furby he just had to have when he was younger? I give it a week before that baby is deactivated and stuck in his closet. She cost him more than our last two synths combined, Robert. How could you let him spend that much?"

Oliver looked down at Thea. Her eyes were closed as she drank from the empty bottle. I won't get tired of her, won't deactivate her. He thought angrily. Thea wasn't like his Furby; she wasn't a toy or a doll, Thea was his sister. Without waiting to hear any more of his parents' argument, Oliver held Thea just a bit tighter and headed back to his room. His mother was wrong. I'm never going to give up my Thea.

A/N: So we'll have a chapter or two more of Oliver and Thea before we get to the first season of ARROW (and the meat of the story.) In case any of you watch HUMANS, yes I created the GSS series (it has not been featured in the show) and yes, the characters of HUMANS will be featured in this tale. Please read and review!