She watches as he zips up the snug leather jacket, a vibrant smile lighting her eyes, and he shakes his head.
The annual holiday party is raging on just down the hall and while Oliver is never one to turn down an opportunity to sneak away with his wife, he is more than a little apprehensive about what comes next in this instance.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" he asks for what feels like the hundredth time.
Felicity hops down from her perch on his desk and strides towards him, her heels clicking on the marble floor. When she reaches him, her soft hands land on his chest and he takes a moment to snake one arm around her waist, drawing her into him. She looks up at him from behind her glasses.
"Stop worrying," she chastises gently, "The secret is out, my love. Everyone knows that you're the Green Arrow. They know about our nighttime activities."
Her nose scrunches adorably at that and she gives her head a little shake.
"Not like that. I mean, I guess they could make assumptions about that aspect of our nightlife, too. We are married, after all. And it isn't like we've given people any reason to believe that we aren't incredibly happy and … what was I saying? Oh! Right. Stop stressing. This is going to be great."
He shakes his head again, grinning like a fool at this incredibly charming woman, and presses a quick kiss to her painted lips.
They've invited children from Star City Hospital's pediatric cancer ward to celebrate the holiday and a part of that includes pictures with Santa. But when Felicity and the event coordinator at the hospital had gotten together to finalize the details, Mr. Ferris had let it slip that many of the children really wanted to meet Mayor Queen, also known as the Green Arrow.
"It's just… I never considered making public appearances as the Arrow. It feels wrong, somehow."
She sighs and pats him on the chest.
"Two years ago, I would've agreed with you. It would've been all sorts of strange. But with the JL in the spotlight and our secret identities no longer secret, what harm can come from this? You'll be putting smiles on the faces of two dozen sick children, Oliver. There's nothing wrong with that, right?"
It's his turn to sigh. They've been over this a dozen times since she'd brought the idea up a little over a week earlier. He'd been hesitant, as he still is, but she has a point. The buzz surrounding the event has been nothing but positive and he'd received letters from a handful of parents thanking him for doing something to make their children's wishes come true.
He stares down into those bright blue eyes that he's had the privilege of waking up to every morning for the better part of a year and knows he doesn't stand a chance of resisting her. He'd told her once, a long time ago, that if she were the one asking, he'd do it. It being pretty much anything. And over the years, that statement has only become more of a fact. He will do just about anything his wife asks of him. To date, he can't think of a single thing that he's said no to.
"Alright, let's go."
She rocks back on her heels, bouncing excitedly, and grabs his gloved hand, leading him from the office and down the hall.
They stop in front of the doors to event space and Felicity turns to him. Her fingers come up to trace his jaw as she presses up on her toes to kiss the corner of his mouth before she tugs his hood up.
"How do I look?" he murmurs, unable to help himself.
Felicity doesn't miss a beat, grinning as she replies, "Like a hero."
He doesn't waste the chance to sweep her into his arms for a deeper, more passionate kiss, and when she draws back a few moments later, he's happy to see her cheeks are flushed.
"Go on, Mr. Arrow, the kids are waiting."
She watches as he pushes open the double doors, making his grand entrance, and from her vantage point, she sees twenty-three sets of little eyes widen in delight. It's an incredible thing to witness and her only regret is that she can't see her husband's expression.
She can't help but think on how much their lives have changed in the six years they've known one another. Back then he'd been 'the Hood'. He'd been hell bent on completing his mission, on honoring his father by killing them men who had destroyed their city. And even though he'd been strong and intimidating and frightening, in a way, he had also been broken. He has been so deep inside his own mind that he hadn't believed that he could do good. That he wasgood. He had only been able to find the worst in himself.
She smiles to herself as her eyes track him through the room. He kneels down to a little girl in a wheel chair and even though she hasn't a clue what he's saying, she can tell from the expression on the faces of the girl's parents that he's pretty much made their year. As he's moving on to the next child waiting for a chance to meet him, she hears the telltale sounds of someone approaching from behind her.
"Felicity."
With a wide grin, she gives Samantha a friendly hug before leaning down to plant a quick kiss on William's cheek. Color rises quickly in his face and he glances up at his mother with wide eyes. Samantha barely smothers a chuckle.
"I'm so glad you could make it," she tells them by way of greeting.
Samantha shrugs, "Someone here really wants to meet the Green Arrow so when you told me he'd be here, we just had to come."
William's excitement level is through the roof, she can see him practically vibrating with it, as he looks around her into the party. He's clearly itching to go in and say hello. She wants to send him right in because she cannot wait to see Oliver's face when he sees his son for the first time in almost two years. She hadn't known what to expect when she'd contacted Samantha. A part of her had worried that the other woman wouldn't want anything to do with her, that she wouldn't even consider bringing her son to see his father. But in the end, she hadn't had any reason to worry. Samantha had been open to the idea, she'd even seemed excited by it, and when she'd agreed to be a part of the surprise, Felicity had been over the moon.
"Felicity?"
She turns at the sound of Oliver's voice, at the obvious confusion in his tone, and gives him her biggest smile. He's coming back towards her and she knows that he can't possibly have greeted everyone but she also knows that he'd expected her to follow him into the party. Realizing that she wasn't there had mostly likely been what had sent him searching for her.
"Are you alright? What's going –"
He stops short at the sight of William and Samantha standing just behind her. She watches as a wave of emotion sweeps over him. Surprise, joy, and longing are only a few of the ones she catches a glimpse of before anxiousness creeps in. She follows his line of sight to William. William who clearly had no idea that the Green Arrow and Oliver Queen are one in the same.
"Hey, Will."
The little boy's eyes are the size of saucers as his brain tries to process what he's seeing.
"You – you're the Green Arrow?" he gasps.
Oliver nods slowly, "Yeah, buddy, I am."
Before she realizes what's happening, William has flung himself at Oliver. For his part, Oliver drops to his knees on the hard marble floor and wraps two strong arms around his son.
"Thank you for saving me."
His soft words have Oliver stiffening for a moment before his entire body relaxes as he hugs William to his chest.
Felicity glances over at Samantha, finding the other woman watching the interaction between father and son with wet eyes. She lays a gentle hand on her arm, tipping her head away from the boys before leading her a little ways down the hall.
"Thank you for bringing him," she says sincerely, "He doesn't tell me as much as I know he wants to, but Oliver really misses him. When he… when he sent the two of you last year, he wasn't in a great place. Things were bad. With Damien Darkh. With – with my injuries. He was so worried about what William had gone through already and what Darkh could've done to him if you'd stayed. I hope you understand that he didn't ask you to go because he doesn't care about William, that he doesn't want to be his father. He does. I promise you that. Oliver loves him."
She feels Samantha's eyes on her as she speaks even though her own are drawn to her husband and his son a few feet away from them. Her heart is beating roughly in her chest as she watches them.
"How far along are you?"
She blanches, her startled gaze leaving the pair and finding Samantha's knowing one.
"Wh – what?"
The other woman's eyes drop to her stomach and Felicity realizes too late that her hand has settled protectively on her still-flat abdomen.
"Six or maybe eight weeks?" Samantha guesses.
Felicity flushes, nodding.
"Eight. Yesterday, according to my math."
"You haven't told him?"
She shakes her head, "Not yet. Tonight is the first night of Hanukkah – I'm Jewish – and since it's also Christmas Eve, I thought I'd tell him tonight."
Samantha's smile is genuine and heartfelt and she touches Felicity's elbow gently.
"Congratulations. He'll be so happy."
Swallowing past the emotion that threatens to clog her throat, she nods.
"I hope so."
"Mom!"
They both turn as William comes barreling toward them.
"Can we stay and celebrate Christmas with Oliver and Felicity?" he asks hurriedly, "Oliver says he has a present for me but it's not here."
Oliver glances rather sheepishly at her before turning to Samantha with a shrug.
"It's at home. I – I was going to mail it."
Samantha hesitates, her eyes traveling from William's hopeful expression to Oliver's mirror one before finally landing on her. She finds herself shrugging, the words spilling past her lips before she can stop them.
"We've got plenty of room," she says, "You're more than welcome to stay with us."
If Samantha is mildly surprised by the invitation she covers it well. Instead, she shakes her head and holds her hand out to William. He takes it immediately, even if he looks a little crestfallen, and steps to his mother's side.
"We've actually got big plans for tomorrow," Samantha reminds him, "And how is Santa going to bring you your gifts if you're not at home, huh?"
Even though his shoulders sag, William doesn't argue. Instead, he looks up at Oliver and shrugs.
"Will you still send it to me?"
Oliver smiles widely, "Of course. I may even be able to convince a particularly fast friend of mine to deliver it to you personally."
Felicity shakes her head. Barry probably owes Oliver a million favors at this point in their lives so it would really only be fair that he called one in. If it happens to be so his son gets his Christmas gift on Christmas Day while also getting to meet The Flash, well, who is she to try to stop him? And why would she even try? William's face lights up and Oliver holds his hand out for a high five, which his son gladly gives her. When she glances up at Samantha, she finds her shaking her head as well and their eyes meet. Boys.
"We'd better get on the road."
They say their goodbyes. Oliver hugs William again before Felicity gives him another kiss on the cheek, making his smile widen and his dimples appear, and he looks so much like his father in that moment that it almost takes her breath away.
"Thank you again," she tells Samantha.
William and Oliver have already started off down the hallway, the four of them heading toward the elevators, and they're far enough apart that they're out of earshot.
"You'll have to let me know how he takes the news."
A small smile tugs at her lips and she nods.
"I really can't wait to tell him."
Samantha stops her before they get too close to Oliver and William.
"Then don't. No matter how you tell him, he'll never forget it, Felicity. This Oliver, he's… he isn't the same guy that I knew back then. He's going to be thrilled. Just seeing him with Will… he's an incredible man and he's going to be an amazing father. To all of his children."
Felicity has to blink back the sudden threat of tears and she laughs, shaking her head again. She hadn't planned on telling anyone about the baby until she'd told Oliver and the fact that the first person she talked to about it happened to be Samantha, there had to be some irony in that, right?
"Merry Christmas."
"Happy Hanukkah."
When the elevator doors slide closed and William and his mother slip out of sight, Oliver reaches for her again.
"I cannot begin to thank you enough for that," he whispers, pressing his forehead to hers.
She grins, "You never have to thank me, Oliver. Ever."
He chuckles and brushes his lips to her cheeks and nose before kissing her lips soundly. They break apart for much needed air a few moments later and she's happy to find his eyes bright and his cheeks flushed. She thinks back to what Samantha had said and knows that she doesn't want to wait any longer. She knows that it doesn't matter when or how she tells him.
"I have another surprise for you," she blurts out.
"Yeah?"
She nods, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth for a moment as nervous butterflies dance in her belly.
"Oliver… I – I'm …"
And for some crazy reason, the word won't come. So she takes his hand and guides it to her stomach, holding it there with both of hers, and looks up at him hopefully.
"We're having a baby," she breathes.
His eyes widen and his breath gets stuck in his chest and then his hands are in her hair and he's pulling her mouth up to his.
"You're sure?"
She nods, "Positive. Merry Christmas, Oliver."
"Felicity."
He says her name in a way that conveys so many things - Thank you. I love you. I'm happy – andtears form in her eyes as her own emotions overwhelm her. She cards her fingers through his hair and hopes that he understands as she breathes his name against his lips.
"Oliver."