A Day at the Zoo
Oliver lay in bed with his wife wrapped in her arms. "Don't think for a second she's going to let you sleep in Queen." Chloe spoke rolling over to face her husband who was smiling at her.
"She's been up for half an hour already, playing in her room." He smiled. Chloe just shook her head. "What? I heard her making some noise and just peaked to make sure she wasn't having a nightmare or something."
"She has you so whipped…" Chloe spoke kissing him lovingly.
"I must be susceptible to it, cause the boys said that about you.." he said as he began to tickle her. Chloe laughed aloud and in an instant their bedroom door was open and a little blonde streak leaped onto the bed. Oliver caught her in his arms and held her over him. She squealed with delight.
"Mornin' Daddy!" she spoke. He smiled, lowered her to be closer to his face and blew raspberries on her cheek eliciting more squeals.
"Morning Angel." He spoke. He set her down so she could hug her momma.
"Mornin' Mommy" she spoke giving Chloe raspberries on her cheek.
"Good Morning!" she spoke as she tickled her daughter. "So what do you have planned for Daddy today.."
"The Zooooooooooooooooooooo" she cheared. Oliver just shook his head.
"Didn't we do the zoo already?"
"Yeah" she turned to face her father matter of factly. "But Daddy its Spring and there's supposed to be babies…" she spoke. Oliver shook his head. For 5 years old she was very bright and very precocious.
"She's your daughter.." he spoke kissing Chloe on the cheek before tossing the covers back. He then knelt in front at the edge of the bed with his back to his daughter.
"Piggy back ride?" he asked. She squealed and charged leaping onto his back. "Let's let mommy sleep in …" He stood and winked at Chloe as he carried little Moira downstairs to the kitchen to have breakfast. After breakfast he helped her get dressed and then he sat on the floor while she stood in front of him and he put pig tails in her hair with her favorite Green bows.
She played some more by herself while he went to shower and change into blue jeans, t-shirt, and running shoes. When he went to get her from her room he heard her talking and stood outside her door. He could see through the crack of her door that she had set up all her stuffed animals in a row on her bed.
"Now listen, ..Mommy is going to be home by herself today so it's your job to protect her. She's gonna have my baby brother….so if you need help, call Uncle Bart, Victor, or A.C…" she spoke. Oliver stifled a laugh and she heard him.
"God Bless You!" she said thinking he sneezed.
"Alright Angel, you ready?" he asked. Her smile lit up her face. She ran into his arms and he carried her down the steps.
"Can we see the camels?"
"Yes…"
"What about the monies…"
"Monkeys…?" he asked.
"Yeah that's what I said?" she kissed his cheek. He carried her out to the car and set her in her car seat and then off they were to the Star City Zoo.
As they stood in line to get their tickets a bus had pulled up and dropped off a group of kids The kids were all wearing St. Augustine's bright yellow t shirts. The group stood in line behind them and Moira had turned and saw her Uncle.
"Hey there squirt!" he spoke coming up and grabbing her tossing her into the air. She screamed with delight. He then set her down.
"What are you doing here?Where's Lindsay?" Oliver spoke looking at the kids who were busy chatting amongst themselves.
"She had to work this morning, she's gonna be here at lunch." His face took on a grim expression. "Sister Aggie called me last night.."
"That problem again?" Oliver asked subtly.
"Yeah, the boy was dropped off last night by his foster father and he had a cast and a sling, which he didn't before. The guy said he fell of the monkey bars….." A.C was trying to keep his tone quiet as his niece crawled all over him. "I was a handful for my dad growing up and I did what boys do, but my gut tells me there is more to it than that.." he spoke. A zoo official had opened up another lane to let the large group through. "Look," he spoke lifting his niece to eye level. "I gotta go baby girl, I'll see you later." He kissed her cheek and set her down. She just smiled and waved as she watched him buddy up with a boy who had his arm wrapped. His shirt and shorts were too big, and his socks and shoes didn't match.
"It's not nice to stare, honey." Ollie spoke as he took her hand bought their tickets and then entered the zoo.
Moira dragged Ollie around the zoo like a child who was seeing it for the first time. Ollie had given her control of the camera and let her take all the pictures. He would borrow it occasionally to take pictures of her or have someone take pictures of them. By lunch time they were both hungry so they grabbed some hamburgers and fries and were sitting at a bench in a small park. Moira was sitting on her fathers lap and eating.
"You having fun Daddy?" she asked as she drank her milk.
"Yeah baby I am.." he kissed the back of her head. The St. Auggie's group came and sat under a tree. A.C was carrying the little mismatched boy.
"That's sad daddy." She spoke.
"What is Angel?"
"That boy that's with Uncle A.C,"
"Yeah it is sad…" Ollie spoke. He watched as A.C's wife Lindsay snuck up on him and he laughed. The little boy seemed to lighten up when she showed up. Moira smiled to see the boy smile.
"Do you think he'd let me be his friend?" she asked as she moved off his lap and stood on the bench next to him.
"I don't see why not?" he smiled. She finished eating Ollie helped her clean up and then he watched as she ran over to the trio.
Ollie's phone rang and he smiled at the caller ID. "Still can't not check in on us can you?" he teased.
"It was too quiet, and I was a little lonely, yeah….So how's are girl?"
"Good, good" he spoke watching as Lindsay took the two kids to the playground to play. A.C made his way over to Ollie.
"What aren't you telling me?" she asked.
"Can't really talk about it now, but ummm. I'll call ya in a little bit."
"Ohhhkayyy, Love you."
"Love you too" he spoke hanging up.
"So what's up?" he asked his team mate as he approached and sat down.
"Linds and I have talked about adopting Dominique."
"That's great!" Ollie spoke.
"Not really, we can't get him out of his current foster home. The dad is bad news I'm sure of it, his "mom" if you can even use the word is never around. When the social worker goes in, they are the picture perfect family. They get the government benefits and that boy gets the shaft."
"And the abuse?"
"Can't prove it, we've tried…" A.C spoke shaking his head.
"Have you mentioned any of this to Chloe?" he asked.
A.C just blushed. "We didn't want to bother her…" he spoke shyly.
"Don't ever tell her that. You know better. Call her, she's bored at home with out us.." he smiled. A.C dug out his phone and called Tower. A.C was deep in his conversation and Ollie caught something running toward the park out of the corner of his eye. He looked to see the little boy being snatched from the church group. His daughter had latched onto the man's leg and was screaming. "Let him go! Let him go DADDDDDYYYYYYYYY!"
Lindsay tried to grab for the boy and the man just knocked her down. Before Ollie could even think he was over the table and through the equipment to where the melee was occurring. A.C saw his wife hit the floor and ran toward her. She gave him an okay but she had fear on her face for the little boy. The man was trying to shake loose the little blond clinging to his leg.
"STOP!" Ollie yelled in his angriest voice. The man paused and reached down and pulled Moira off his leg and held her under his other arm.
"Don't think I don't know who you are….." The man slurred. By now a crowd had formed and security was running toward the scene and sirens could be heard in the distance.
"Baby you ok?" Ollie asked his daughter. She nodded with big crocodile tears sliding down her cheeks. That just pissed Ollie off more. A.C had snuck around to be behind the man. "Let the kids go…" Ollie hissed.
"Are you kidding, one was my meal ticket—two? Well, I can live like a king."
A.C was torn; he wanted to jump the guy but didn't want to risk the kids. He looked at Ollie and saw the smirk on his face.
"Baby you remember our code word for danger?" Ollie asked. She nodded and took a deep breath,
"SUUUUUUUUUPEEEEERRRRRMMAAAAAAAANNNNNNNN!" she screamed.
"Shut it kid, he ain't coming" the man snarled he turned to leave and came face to chest with a yellow S shield…"
"Really?" Superman spoke glaring down at the man. Superman reached for Moira and plucked her out of the man's arms and set her down. She ran toward her father's awaiting arms. He reached for the boy and his heart broke on the look of absolute fear on his face. He took him and set him on the ground and he ran to A.C and Lindsay.
"So you have attempted kidnapping and assault?" The man of steel asked coolly.
The man just stared him down. "I'm not afraid of you FREAK!"
"Really?" Superman stood to his full height and crossed his arms over his chest. "You're not very bright are you…." His face was a total mask. The guy paled considerably. The police arrived and took the man in custody Superman gave his statement and then left.
A.C and Ollie offered to come by the station later to give them their statements. Ollie just wanted to get Moira home.
A.C and Lindsay were offered temporary guardianship by the Police since the boy had no one else. The nun from the group home begged the police to let the couple take care of the boy. Ollie was holding Moira who was still crying.
"Look why don't you two come to the house," he spoke and the couple agreed. Ollie carried Moira out of the zoo rubbing her back the entire time. "Shhh baby, daddy's got you.." She wrapped her tiny arms around his neck and buried her face in the crook.
By the time they got home, Chloe was waiting at the front door. The look of concern etched on her face. Ollie got Moira out of her seat, fast asleep.
"How is she?" Chloe asked rubbing her daughters back as they entered the house.
"Tired, scared…" he spoke. "A.C and Lindsay are on their way. A.C and I have to go and give our statements."
"Clark came by." She spoke giving her husband a quick kiss. He set his daughter down on the couch and covered her up with a quilt.
"She tried to stop the foster father from taking Dominique.." he shook his head sitting on the end of the couch.
"Like father, like daughter…she was trying to be a hero.." Chloe spoke sitting on his lap.
"Funny I was thinking like mother like daughter. You should have the seen look on her face…..and when she called Clark, she did Lois proud." He smiled. Their door bell rang and Chloe stood to go and let the other couple in.
A.C was carrying the poor little boy who was also fast asleep. Lindsay went and sat in the recliner, and A.C handed over the boy. Chloe tossed him another blanket and he covered them up as Lindsay began to rock the boy.
"Well, a little too much adventure at the zoo, huh?" she asked going back to sit on Ollie's lap.
"I just wish we could get him out of Foster Care…" Lindsay spoke tears threatening to fall. A.C knelt by the recliner and kissed her cheek.
"I didn't have time to get started," she spoke. "But I called Vic, and he was working on it. Plus Clark and Lois are going to look into that entire system." She spoke. "And I called Nathan." She added. Nathan was the lead on Ollie's legal team. He knew people who knew people and could move mountains.
"Thanks Tower." A.C spoke.
"Any time you know that.." she spoke.
"Well with you being pregnant and all we didn't want to bother." Lindsay whispered.
"Nonsense, we're family….Look, why don't you guys crash here." She spoke. "I'll cook" she smiled.
"Chloe.." Lindsay protested.
"I'm serious, this place is more than secure, we'll be safe while the guys are at the police station, besides we can talk.." she spoke smiling. She looked over at A.C
"It's up to you, but you know Chloe's meals are fabulous…" he smiled and Lindsay acquiesced.
It was nearly nine pm when the guys returned. The group enjoyed a nice dinner, trying to keep the conversation light for the kid's sake. A.C, Lindsay and Dom went off to a guest room to sleep and Chloe and Ollie put Moira to bed after her bath. They were sitting on the edge of her bed on either side of her.
"Daddy?" she asked. "Why was that man so mean to Dominique?" she asked. Oliver swallowed hard. He had hoped she wouldn't ever get exposed to the evil in the world.
"Button." Chloe spoke. "There are all kinds of people in this world…." She spoke searching for the right words.
"And yeah he was a bad man, but he probably wasn't always like that…" Ollie spoke. "You were very brave to try and help, but next time love, let the grown ups handle it…"
"But Daddy, I was only doing what you taught me…" she spoke her green eyes shining with tears.
"What?" he asked confused.
"We have to help those that can't help themselves…" she repeated like a grown up. It hit Oliver right at his core.
"Yeah baby we do, we also need to be safe and not get hurt doing it.." He spoke smiling at his wife…
"Am I in trouble then?" she spoke looking over at her mommy.
"No baby you aren't we just need to teach you how to use the tools we give you.." she smiled kissing her cheek. Her daddy kissing her other cheek and then they stood to leave her room.
"Mommy, Daddy?" she whispered yawning.
"Yeah?" they paused.
"Is Dom going to be okay? Will he be safe?"
"We hope so Angel." Ollie spoke.
"Uncle Clark and Aunty Lois and Uncle Vic are working on it…" Chloe spoke.
"Good cause he should live with Uncle A.C and Aunty Lindsay.."
"Yeah he should and we're gonna do everything we can to see that happen…"Ollie spoke. Moira nodded and then rolled onto her side to fall asleep. Oliver turned to Chloe and kissed her forehead.
"You have a heck of a daughter there Tower!" he whispered as he led her to their bedroom.
"Funny you should say that Arrow, I was thinking that exact same thing…" she smiled as she closed the door behind them..