When Life Implodes

Chapter 3: You Rebuild

Walking back to the farmhouse, with Felicity's hand in his, Oliver finally felt like he could breathe again. More than breathe actually… Thirty minutes ago he felt like his world was ending. Now, it was a brand new start.

There were no more secrets or fears holding their relationship back. Oliver had a new confidence that if they could handle this, they could handle anything. And his son…he had his son.

If Oliver was honest with himself, he'd admit that this was what he had wanted from the moment he had found out William was his. Him, William, and Felicity going home, together. Not that he'd wanted Samantha dead. Never that. And, yes, he had imagined more of an every-other-weekend arrangement and not the full-time parenting of a traumatized and grieving child, especially so soon after Felicity had gotten her legs back.

But Oliver could do this. They could do this. He had always felt like he could do anything with Felicity by his side and this was no different.

Oliver pulled Felicity closer, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pressing a kiss to her temple. Just walking with her like this was a miracle. Her hand settled on his waist and it felt like everything was slotting back into place.

Then he heard the crash.

And glass breaking.

A boy screaming.

His son… screaming.

Oliver broke away at a run. He ran as fast as he could ever remember running, yelling back to Felicity, "Get my bow!"

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

How could he have left William for so long, knowing that Darhk had targeted him. When would Oliver learn that Darhk would stop at nothing? And where was Digg? Thea? William wasn't supposed to be unguarded for a second.

But what if Digg and Thea had already been taken out? What if…?

Oliver skidded to a halt in the middle of the living room.

Ummm…ok…

Thea and John were standing with their hands up, completely overwhelmed, while Oliver's son trashed the room.

The TV was on its side. There were pillows and cushions from the couch everywhere. William had a vase in his hand and howled as he threw it against the wall, making Oliver and the other adults flinch as it shattered.

Thea noticed Oliver first, gasping out, "Oliver, thank God!"

Thank God? What the hell? Oliver didn't know what the to do! John at least had a kid of his own and he looked completely lost as how to handle this. If Diggle didn't know what to do, how was Oliver supposed to figure it out. Metahumans he knew what to do with, this…

"What happened?" Oliver asked, because he had to say something and he couldn't think of anything else.

Thea just shook her head, looking shell-shocked.

"We were just watching Spider-Man," John explained, his eyes warily tracking William, his muscles tense as if he didn't know if he should try to stop the boy or not. "You know, the new cartoon on the Disney Channel. Everything was fine, then…Will, man, what did you see—?"

"My name is not Will!" The boy screamed, so loudly Oliver's ears rang. William's face was red and his fists were clenched and Oliver was really glad that there was no one in this room that the boy could conceivably hurt.

"Hey, hey," Oliver, tried, his voice soft and his hands up in the surrender position. "Digg was just trying to help. He didn't know—"

"No one knows! I. Want. My. Mother!"

At that, the adults became like stone. What the hell were they supposed to say to that?! Samantha was gone. There was nothing they could say or do to bring her back, to make this right.

William eyeballed them with a wild look on his face, almost as if he were daring them to say something, do something. When no one did, he growled and turned to the small table, banging it against the wall before clearing the contents with one sharp swipe of his arm, sending the everything clattering to the floor.

There was a moment of utter silence. Even William was mute as he stood over the destruction.

Then Felicity's dry voice rang out, "I guess we don't need a paternity test."

Despite her odd, slightly insulting, if accurate, assessment, Oliver's shoulders relaxed at the sight of his fiancé. William on the other hand, shrunk, crouching into a ball, laying his crossed arms over his knees and hiding his face in his arms.

Felicity walked in looking a little too calm. There was a tremor in her hand that told Oliver that she was feeling anything by confident. But she tossed Oliver his quiver and said casually, "It doesn't look like you'll be needing that." Then she knelt next to William and placed Oliver's bow on the floor next to them. "When my dad left…I was seven…I trashed a room or two."

William lifted his head just enough to study her with one eye and Oliver's lips twitched upward. God, she was perfect.

Felicity's face screwed up as if she were remembering as she continued, "My mom always let me. Of course, she always made me clean it up later, which was a whole lot less fun." William flinched at the word 'mom', but Felicity didn't waver. "I bet your mom would've made you clean up too."

William buried his face in his arms again with a sniffle, but he nodded, which was the most positive communication they'd gotten out of him so Oliver counted it as a win.

"Well, not right away, of course. I always got warm milk first," Felicity told William, shifting a little closer. "Do you like warm milk?" William just shrugged. "Well, I don't think we have chocolate milk, so plain will have to do. Thea, could you get us some milk?"

Thea nodded vigorously and gratefully, fleeing to the kitchen with all due haste.

"John?" Felicity continued, her voice even. "Can you see if you can find something to clean up the glass. For later, of course."

Digg smiled reassuringly, and approvingly, at Felicity before stepping out. She moved to sit cross-legged next to William and put a hand on his shoulder. Oliver found it encouraging that his son didn't flinch away.

Felicity's eyes met Oliver's and he swallowed, carefully stepping closer. When Felicity didn't protest or send him away as well, Oliver carefully sat in front of them, placing his quiver with the sharp, pointy things behind him. He knew enough to know it wasn't something he wanted near a tantruming nine-year-old.

Beyond that, Oliver was lost. He kept looking to Felicity for reassurance. Despite her fears, she seemed to be the only one who knew what the hell to do in this situation. And by the way she was looking at him, Felicity seemed to think it was his turn to speak.

Oliver took a deep breath and cautiously tried, "William?" His son became rigid at the sound of his voice, but Oliver pressed on, "I'm really sorry about your mother, buddy."

William broke out into sobs.

Oh God. Oh God. Could Oliver be more of a failure at this father thing? What the hell was he supposed to do now?

But Felicity put her arm around William's shoulders and he didn't flinch away. That was something, right?

"I didn't know your mom," Felicity said quietly, "but I heard she was pretty awesome."

Oliver held his breath. What was she doing? William started to cry harder, but he nodded.

"I also heard she was a really great mom."

William whimpered something that might have been an agreement, but it was hard to tell, because the sobs were now heart-wrenchingly loud. It made Oliver feel nauseous. He'd never felt so powerless in his life.

"A mom like that deserves a really good cry."

Oliver tensed, terrified of William's reaction to that Hail Mary Pass, but his son let out a wail and turned toward Felicity, falling into her and clutching her shirt, sobbing onto her chest. Felicity's arms closed around him and she rocked him as William seemed to try to burrow himself inside her embrace. Oliver knew how the kid felt. Like father like son, it seemed.

How could Felicity have worried for one moment that she wouldn't be a good mom? Oliver hadn't considered the possibility. Later, when they were alone, he'd have to make sure she understood that. That with all his inadequacy as a man and a father, at least Oliver had found them the perfect woman.

Thea came in and placed a glass of milk on the now empty table, before being waved away by Felicity. John came back too, quietly sweeping up anything dangerous from the floor and leaving the broom before he slipped out again as well.

And still William cried. And Felicity held him. And Oliver waited.

It seemed like forever before the sobbing slowed and William looked up, wiping his eyes. Oliver hastily fumbled for a tissue, glad for something to contribute as he handed it over. Felicity helped William clean his face, which he seemed too old for, but seemed to find comforting.

"Do you want some milk?" Felicity asked, her voice sounding raspy as well.

William nodded and Oliver immediately went for the cup, not wanting to disturb them, not when his son was still leaning so comfortably against his girl. "I don't think it's very warm anymore," Oliver warned as he handed over the glass. "I could heat it up for you."

But William just took the glass and drained it in three gulps, leaving Oliver to feel like he needed to say something, though he had no idea what that something should be.

Oliver was still searching for words when William asked softly, "Did your dad ever come back?"

Felicity's eyes flickered down to where William's head lay against her chest. She kept up a steady rhythm of stroking his hair which he seemed to like. "Mine?" she asked, seeming confused for a moment. William nodded and she sighed. "No. No, he never did."

Oliver was still processing that when William finally turned to him, addressing him directly for the first time, "Are you really my dad?"

Oliver's heart turned over. "Yes," he managed, his voice cracking. Real eloquent.

"And you came back?"

Oh God. If that wasn't a gut wrenching question. Oliver nodded, slowly and deliberately, not even trusting his voice.

"For me?"

Christ. "Yes."

"My mother said you were dead." William's voice was so small when he said it.

Did he sound betrayed? Disbelieving? What the hell was Oliver supposed to say to that? Was he supposed to tell William that the mother he adored, who had just died, had lied to him for his entire life? Somehow, the idea of messing with his memory of her made Oliver sick.

"William—"

"Well, he was dead," Felicity threw out there, obviously taking pity on her poor pathetic fiancé. William's eyes flew to her in confusion and she pressed on. "Well. Not dead dead. He hasn't been resurrected or anything…not that we don't know people who were—"

Oliver's eyes snapped to hers and he gave her a look. A kind of panicked, what-the-hell look.

"Right. Too soon. No, your dad…" Felicity babbled and Oliver hoped his son would find it as endearing as he did, "he almost died and he was presumed dead for many years. Wasn't the only time either. I swear, he has more lives than a cat."

William's eyes widened and he glanced at Oliver, who shrugged helplessly. But he needn't have worried that he needed to comment, because his son's eyes were back on Felicity, transfixed.

"William, do you know who your dad is?" Felicity asked.

Biting his lip, he looked up at Felicity and asked in a small voice, "The Green Arrow?"

Oliver's heart jumped at that, but Felicity just chuckled. "Yes, but before that? Your dad was…is Oliver Queen."

That got another quick, shy glance from his son.

"Have you heard of him?"

William's only response was a single nod.

"Well, when you were a little baby there was a shipwreck in the South China Sea and everybody thought Oliver was dead. For five years."

Felicity had a flare for the dramatic when she wanted to. But William was eating it up, looking at him with a wonder that Oliver couldn't help feel was a miracle.

"Is that true?" William asked him in awe.

Oliver swallowed again. "Yes." It's good thing his better half had a way with words.

"Oh, you can look it up on the Internet," Felicity insisted. She was really warming up to the story now and Oliver couldn't help but grin. "See, your father got onto that ship a spoiled, silly, rich kid. Then there was an accident and he washed up on an island. He had to become strong and courageous and clever to survive. And he did."

A warm flush settled over Oliver at her words and it only intensified at the look in William's eyes. "He was there all by himself?"

"No, I—"

But Felicity wasn't letting Oliver hijack his own story, probably worried he'd ruin her fairytale with a little too much reality. "Actually, there were all sorts of villains there that your dad had to vanquish."

Vanquish, huh?

"And my dad defeated them all." It wasn't a question.

"Well, of course. He's the strongest and the bravest."

Oliver didn't know whether to laugh or cry. It sounded more like they were talking about a comic book character than him.

He almost didn't catch it when William turned to him and asked, "Is that where you learned to shoot a bow and arrow?"

"Yes." That seemed to be all Oliver knew how to say.

William's face lit up, but then he tilted his head, studying Oliver with an intensity that seemed too keen for a 9-year-old boy. "But why didn't my mom tell me when you got off the island?"

Crap. This kid was too smart for him. "I don't know, buddy." What was Oliver supposed to do, tell William that his mom thought his dad was an asshole and his family a parasite on society?

"I think she thought you were happy and didn't want to change that," Felicity offered softly, saving Oliver once again.

Unfortunately, though, William's eyes were now glued to Oliver. "But why didn't you come for me?"

"I…" Oliver really didn't want to lie to the boy. They'd had too many lies. "I didn't know."

William's little forehead crinkled. "You didn't know about me?"

Oliver shook his head, feeling like he was navigating a mine field.

"My mother never told you about me?" William sounded lost and confused. Hurt.

Oliver looked to Felicity, but she seemed stumped as well. Oliver swallowed and forced a smile. "Remember, I was spoiled and silly back when I knew your mom. A real…" You can't use the word 'ass' around kids, could you? "…jerk. I don't think your mom thought I'd be a good father. She only wanted what was best for you."

William blinked at him. Oliver waited to see if he'd buy it or insist that any father was better than none. Or that he deserved the truth regardless. Oliver was pretty sure that's what he would have said when he was William's age.

He was not prepared for, "But you must of loved each other. How could you make a baby, if you didn't love each other?"

Well, shit. On top of everything else Oliver was not prepared to explain sex to his nine-year-old.

Felicity laughed nervously, looking as freaked out by that particular question as he was. "Well, your dad may have been spoiled, silly, and jerky, but he was also charming, clever and handsome." She smiled down at William, bumping his shoulder. "You've got some good genes, kid."

That earned a tiny smile.

But Oliver couldn't count on Felicity to fight all of his battles for him. And he was a politician now. He knew a little something about spin control. "Your mom and me, we had a very short love affair." That was certainly overstating it, but Oliver glanced at Felicity and she seemed to be smile approvingly, so he continued, "We parted before you were born, so I never knew. About you, I mean. Your mom and I lived in different states."

Please, let that be enough. Let William understand.

"When did you find out?" William asked and Oliver didn't know if that was a good or bad thing.

"Last December. Do you remember? I saw you with your mom in Jitters and I just had a feeling. Your mom…confirmed it." That was lame. No way William was letting it end there. The kid was too smart.

"So why didn't you tell me you were my dad then? Why did you lie?"

Yup, called that one. Now what?

"Is it because you're the Green Arrow?"

Oh. Thank God. "Yes, actually it is," Oliver agreed quickly and with great relief. Because, really, in simplistic terms, that was exactly why.

William nodded sagely, melting back into Felicity and leaning his head on her shoulder. Smart kid. He looked up at her and said, "Superheroes always keep secrets to keep the people they love safe. That's how it works."

Felicity smiled at him. "That's certainly how your dad has always felt, even if it wasn't the smartest choice."

Nodding, William agreed, "It never works out very well in the comics, either."

"He's starting to learn," Felicity laughed. "You can help me remind him."

William's smile was pleased, but he sobered pretty quickly, asking, "Some really bad people killed my mom?"

"Yes." Ok, Oliver needed to stop with the one word answers. "Metahumans." Oh, that was much better.

William swallowed visibly, intelligent eyes taking it all in. "Supervillains?"

Oliver nodded because that was true enough.

"And they wanted to kill me too?"

"Oh…" Wow, this kid pulled no punches with the questions thing, "I'm not sure if they wanted to kill you or just take you…" As if that were better. Oliver was going to be shit at this dad thing.

"To use me to get to you?"

Oliver nodded, waves of guilt washing over him. "I'm so sorry about your mom, William. I wish I could have saved her."

"It's not your fault," William told him with the child-like certainty of someone who still lived in a word where everyone wore black or white hats. Metaphorically, that is. "It's the supervillain's fault. These guys were evil, like Captain Cold."

"Actually," Felicity chimed in, "Captain Cold isn't so bad—"

"These men were much worse than Captain Cold, buddy," Oliver interrupted, sending Felicity a stern glance. With everything they were laying on the boy, they didn't need to try to explain the morally ambiguous, time traveling sometimes-hero that was Leonard Snart.

William frowned, taking in this new information. "Are they still after me?"

"Not those three, no." Oliver looked to Felicity for reassurance. "They're locked up somewhere safe, but…" She gave him a small nod. "But there are some other really bad people, who may still come after you. We'll need you to trust us to keep you safe."

Felicity gave William a reassuring one-armed hug, saying, her voice cheerful, but her eyes somber, "You have superheroes on your side now."

William didn't look too cheered. He bit his lip and asked, "What's going to happen to me now?"

Of course, he wouldn't know. As helpless as Oliver sometimes felt, he couldn't imagine what it felt like to be a kid in this mess. He just hoped William would be ok with the answer. "You're going to come live with me…with us." He gestured his head to Felicity who continued to smile her warm Felicity smile.

William, who seemed to be looking Felicity over more carefully now, asked her, "Who are you?"

Felicity seemed taken aback by the question and Oliver couldn't blame her. He was glad that one wasn't aimed at him.

"I'm...I'm Felicity."

William rolled his eyes. "I know that. But—"

Oliver took pity on both of them. This was important. "She's the woman I'm going to marry, buddy," he told William gently, watching carefully for his response. "Felicity lives with me."

William didn't look upset by that, thank God, just contemplative. "She's the woman you love?"

Oliver smiled. "Very much."

"So like…Felicity is you MJ Watson and my mom was like your Gwen Stacey?"

Wow, this kid was obsessed with superheroes. And, also, Oliver knew enough Spiderman lore to know that was a really optimistic view of his drunken sexcapades with Samantha Clayton.

Oliver must have been quiet too long because Felicity answered for him, "Yup, just like that." But over his head she gave Oliver a what-the-hell-else-are-we-supposed-to-say look, that made Oliver bite his lip to keep from smiling. It made him feel like they were a team in this.

William seemed happy with the answer and almost proud of himself for coming up with it. Then he turned to Felicity and asked, "Are you going to be my stepmom?"

Trying to hide his grin, Oliver watched the adorableness that was a completely flustered Felicity. This one was all hers.

"Yeah…I guess. It's kinda a negative word, but technically…yes?" Felicity babbled and William tilted his head and watched her like she was a puzzle to solve. Good luck with that, kid. "I mean, I'd love to be your stepmom. As long as I don't have to start frowning all the time and acting mean and get a nasty cat." Felicity shuddered. Then her eyes opened wide and she looked down at William and whispered, "Not that all cats are bad. Do you like cats, because—?"

"I'm a dog person," William reassured in all seriousness.

Felicity's face brightened and Oliver thought they were the two cutest things on the planet. "I love dogs."

"Mom said they were too much work," William told her sadly. "But I asked every year."

Felicity practically squealed. "Oh, we should totally get a dog!"

Whoa whoa whoa. What the hell just happened? Oliver watched in horror as William's face lit up like Christmas tree. They just got a kid, now they were getting a dog too?

"Felicity," Oliver hissed.

"Oliver." She smiled and blinked at him like she knew she was going to win. Because now it was two against one. Also, Oliver was still a little bit in trouble for keeping secrets. It looked as if the damnable women was cashing in.

"Can't we wait until William's settled in?" Oliver pleaded. He was so out gunned.

"Of course," Felicity agreed very reasonably. Then she turned to William and did that little bounce thing she did when she was really excited and whispered, "We are so getting a dog."

Ugh. "Fel—"

"No wait," Felicity argued, frighteningly enthusiastic now. Crap. "What if we get a guard dog? Maybe a German Shepard, like the ones they train to be police dogs. It could be extra protection and we can train him to guard William."

"That would be so awesome!" William looked absolutely thrilled, gazing at Felicity like she was the smartest person in the world, which she was, of course. And, damn her, if it wasn't a bad idea either.

"Ooo… I can come up with a really great high tech collar," Felicity continued, talking a mile a minute. "Not as cool as the one in UP, I don't even think it's possible to translate barks into English, because the language centers in their brains are so different, but I can totally make it a communication device and GPS and—"

"Felicity," Oliver interrupted, shaking his head. Now she was getting a little too excited. "I think it makes more sense to put the GPS on William."

William frowned. "I don't want to be tagged like a dog."

"Oh, we all have them," Felicity reassured, still talking fast, waving off the concern with a flick her wrist. Oliver hoped she didn't make the boy dizzy. "Nanotech. Ever since Aunt Thea, Digg and I got kidnapped…doesn't matter… but I'm also going to set you up with a really supped up Smart Watch so you can contact us at any time."

William looked only slightly less excited about that then he did about the prospect of a dog. "Like an iWatch?"

Oliver winced, anticipating Felicity's look of horror. "Apple is sooo overrated. Oh no, I'll design you one myself. I'm the CEO of Palmer Tech, you know?"

"Really?"

Smiling, Oliver nodded. "It's true." It was cute seeing Felicity brag after she'd spent so much time building him up for his son. He should probably return the favor. "She's a Tech Genius. Team Arrow couldn't do it without her."

Felicity's beaming smile was worth his efforts and William looked suitably impressed. "We even get to go home on my super awesome private jet," she added.

"Whoa." William was pretty amazed. "Where's home?"

Oliver's smile dimmed. "Star City, William."

"Is it safer there?"

Uh…hell no. How the fuck was he supposed to answer that? Christ, maybe they shouldn't bring William home. Maybe Oliver needed to rethink this whole—

"Our Loft has the best security system in the world," Felicity answered, interrupting Oliver's impending panic attack. "And that's not even counting the fact that your dad's pretty good with this thing." She patted his bow, which lie on the floor next to her, and William studied it with obvious interest.

Oliver didn't know how he felt about that, but now that the panic ebbed he found it easier to answer, "For a while, until we catch the…" How to describe Damian Darhk and still let the kid sleep at night? "…head bad guy." Or until Oliver managed to turn him to dust. "We'll make sure you're always with a superhero to keep you safe. If not me, then Digg—that's Spartan, or Black Canary or Speedy."

"Or you?" William asked Felicity.

She smiled brightly, clearly pleased. "Or me."

Oliver wasn't so sure about that. He didn't want the two of them going out alone and unprotected, but he wasn't going to ruin the moment. He'd had Digg or Lyla on bodyguard duty for Felicity since the Christmas shooting anyway, even after she got out of the wheelchair.

"What about school?" William asked.

Crap. School. Nine-year-olds went to school, didn't they? But Oliver couldn't imagine a school secure enough. "We'll have to think about the school thing."

"Really? Cool!"

"What your father means…" Felicity shot him a disapproving look. That's right, she would probably be a mom who was super into the school thing. "Is that maybe we can home school for the rest of the year and worry about finding you a new school in the fall."

"That's right," Oliver quickly agreed. That was plan he could get behind. If they could get rid of Darhk and get Felicity to overhaul the security on Starling Prep…

"Oh…ok" William looked less thrilled. Oliver sure hoped he didn't take after his old man in the school front.

"And your dad can teach you self-defense," Felicity offered, an obvious attempt at cheering him up. Oliver wasn't so sure about that either. They had to get better at talking stuff through before they presented it to William.

Especially since his son turned to him with bright eyes and asked excitedly, "You'll teach me how to fight like the Green Arrow?"

Oliver sighed. Wonderful. He glared at Felicity. "No. You will not be fighting—"

But Felicity stepped in before William's disappointment could become too apparent. "What your dad means is that people like you and me, we need self-defense, cool ways to take the bad guys by surprise so we can escape. Oliver taught me all kinds of stuff, saved me tons. Once, I got Double Down in the Shin—"

She started off so strong. "Felicity—"

"The point is—"

Time to take control of this circus. "The point is," Oliver looked warningly at Felicity, "that you are too young to fight bad guys. I can teach you things, but only if you promise that you will only use them in self-defense. Your job is get away, hide, and call for help. Do you understand?"

William nodded solemnly.

Oliver took a deep breath, worried now that he was scaring him. Though, honestly, William should be scared. There were terrifying people out there who would kill to get their hands on either Oliver Queen or the Green Arrow's son. "I just don't want you to get hurt," he told him more gently.

Nodding again, William cautiously reached out and touched Oliver's bow, asking hopefully, "Will you teach me to shoot? Just at targets, I promise."

For some reason that choked Oliver up more than anything else. "Yeah. Yeah, I can do that."

William ran his finger reverently over the bow. "When can we go home and pack my stuff? My old home, I mean?" Oliver exchanged a worried look with Felicity. When no one answered, William looked up as well, a crinkle in his forehead. "I can get my stuff, right?"

"No, buddy. I don't think that's safe," Oliver told him as gently as he could.

William's face fell and his lip trembled, but before Oliver could panic again, Felicity chimed in, "Why don't you make a list of all the stuff you want to take with you and we'll send Digg—that's the big, strong black guy. You know, Spartan? He's awesome. He'll go get your stuff no problem."

Despite her super chirpy sell, William didn't look too convinced. He mumbled a tiny, sad, "Ok."

"I'll even see if Barry can help," Felicity offered, even though it was unlikely since the speedster was having more pressing issues with Zoom. "He'll get it done like that." She snapped her fingers to demonstrate.

That cheered William a bit. "The Flash?"

"Ummm hmm."

"I can't believe I know the Flash. Like the real actual person."

Felicity nodded, grinning. "He's even better in person." She sent Oliver a mischievous look before turning back to William. Uh oh. "You really like the Flash, huh?"

William nodded shyly, casting a careful glance at Oliver.

Oliver's brat of a fiancé' grin widened. "We can do up your room in Flash colors if you like? Red and Gold?"

Narrowing his eyes, Oliver growled, "Felicity."

Her delighted, musical laugh just made poor William confused, but Felicity was only too happy to explain. "You want to know a secret, William? Your dad and Barry have a little rivalry going on."

William turned to his father. "But I thought you two were friends?"

"We are," Oliver assured firmly, casting a warning glance at Felicity.

"They are. Of course, they are." Oh great, Felicity wasn't done. "But you know how men get."

Poor William didn't seem to have any idea how men got and Oliver wished she'd let it stay that way. But, no

"They're always fighting about who would win in a fight. You know what your dad manages to say to Barry pretty much every time they see each other?"

Oh, this was too much. "Felicity!"

"'Some of us don't have super powers to fall back on,'" the brat said in that low, growly voice she used whenever she imitated him.

Oliver rolled his eyes, his face heating. Didn't Felicity understand he wanted his son to like him? To not think of him as a petty, jealous prick?

"Well..." William said carefully, licking his bottom lip, "it is way more impressive beating super-villains without powers."

"Exactly," Oliver agreed, practically giddy at his son's response. "That's my boy!" He held up his hand without thinking and was delighted when William met him with a smiling high-five.

Felicity's laugh rang out as she watched. She sounded happy and Oliver instantly forgave her everything.

"I think, I should paint my room green," William told him. "That's our family color, right?"

"It is," Oliver agreed gruffly, reminding himself it was not manly to cry happy tears. He'd leave that to Felicity. He could see her eyes were shining behind her glasses. "But I think you should paint your room whatever color you want. I want you to be comfortable there."

"On that note," Felicity pushed herself to her feet and dusted herself off, "I'll go talk to John about getting your stuff." As she left, she ran a hand through Oliver's hair. It was completely normal and immensely comforting.

Oliver smiled after her, completely amazed at her power of forgiveness. When he turned back to his son, William was still running a finger over his bow reverently. Oliver had to admit, it was a work of art.

Looking up at him shyly, William asked, "Can I…"

And Oliver's heart skipped a beat. This must have been how his own father felt when young Ollie sat in his big chair at QC. Of course, Oliver had shown almost no interest in the family business and William's interest in Oliver's might just be a little bit terrifying.

"Sure," Oliver answered without thinking. It was safe, right? It was the arrows that were dangerous. Except…crap! He quickly scooped the bow out of William's hands just as the boy was lifting it. "Just don't…" Leaning close to his son, Oliver showed him a series of buttons by the grip. "See these. If you press this one and that one at the same time it ignites the explosive arrows, so…don't do that."

William's mouth hung open wide and his eyes were saucers but he nodded vigorously and he took the bow that Oliver handed him with a new respect. "Ok…wow."

He held the bow like it was the most amazing thing he'd ever touched, turning it over in his hands and looking at it from every angle. Like he'd said, Oliver couldn't blame the kid. There was nothing else in the world like it. A one of a kind Cisco Ramon original, with a good dose of Felicity Smoak ingenuity.

Finally, William held the bow up in an approximation of firing it. Of course, he held in upside down. "How do I…?"

"Here, like this." Oliver's voice was rough again as he positioned his son's small hands on his weapon, showing him how to pull back the string, then removing his larger hands to let William try on his own.

Biting his lip in concentration, William was able to draw the string back about half-way, which was pretty damn good. He wouldn't have gotten half that with a long bow. Arm shaking, William dropped his arm. "This is harder than it looks."

Oliver smiled. "It is," he agreed, "but this bow is also made for me, my height and my strength. We can have one made for you, in your size." For sport, of course.

William beamed and Oliver had to clear his throat from the sudden burn. "Would you like me to show you how to use this one?"

His son nodded eagerly and Oliver showed him the proper form, carefully explaining what he was doing and how to place the imaginary arrows. No way was he taking the real ones out in the house. Even the regular arrows were razor sharp at all times. Oliver took pride in it.

Then he placed the bow back in William's hands and carefully put his arms around the boy, wary of him potentially stiffening at the closeness, but William just leaned into him. Oliver grinned to himself as he let his arms close around his son so they could pull the bow back together.

There were few things in his life that had felt this right.

Almost instinctively, Oliver looked up to see Felicity in the doorway. She was smiling a small, proud smile, tears shinning in her eyes. She put a finger to her lips, indicating she didn't want to interrupt their moment and walked quietly to the, now clear, table with a notebook in her hands.

Oliver felt a rush of love so strong, he could feel it in his bones. "Thank you," he mouthed and he hoped she understood the scope of everything he was grateful for.

Felicity just smiled and shrugged as if it was nothing, as if forgiving him and supporting him and embracing his son was just second nature for her. Maybe it was.

"I imagined this," William whispered, pulling Oliver's attention back to his son.

"What's that, buddy?"

William's arms dropped from the bow and he wriggled away to look up at Oliver with a distraught expression. "I used to imagine my dad was a superhero," he confessed, his voice soft and rough. "That he stayed away to protect me. That he would come for me one day."

Oliver didn't know what to say. Emotion pulled at his chest. "William—"

"But, I didn't..." William's voice broke in a sob. "I didn't want my mom to die." When he looked up at Oliver he was… devastated. "Do you think it's my fault? Because I wished—?"

"No! No way!" It came out louder and harsher then Oliver intended, so he quickly modulated his voice. "It's not your fault. At all. Don't you ever think that!"

William was looking at him like he wanted to believe, but tears were making thick streaks down his face again and all Oliver could think to do was open his arms. William launched himself into them, burying his head in Oliver's shoulder and closing his small arms tightly around his waist.

It was the first time that Oliver really got to hold his son and he felt so small and fragile in his arms. He closed his eyes and just breathed in his little boy smell.

It was several long minutes before Oliver could trust himself to speak. When he could, he whispered in William's ear, "You know, I used to blame myself whenever bad things would happen. I always thought that it was because I did something wrong or because I wasn't good enough or fast enough or smart enough."

William's crying quieted and Oliver could tell he was listening very carefully.

"It was Felicity who helped me realize that it wasn't my fault. That there were just bad people in the world. Darkness. We can fight it, but it's not our fault that it's there. Do you know the best way to fight the darkness?"

Oliver felt rather than saw the shake of a small head against his chest. "It's not with bows and arrows, or guns, or even with your fists. It's with light." He pulled back, kissing Williams brow as he did so. He tipped the boy's head up and hunched over so he could meet his eyes. "Every time we love, every time we're happy a little bit of the darkness dies."

William's lip trembled, "My mom…"

"Wherever your mom is, and I think she's in a very nice place, seeing you happy gives her great peace. She wouldn't want you to stay sad because of her."

"You think so?" William sniffed.

"I know so," Oliver said with conviction, because it had better be true. This boy deserved that much from his mother.

William swallowed. "I want to fight the darkness."

God, it was amazing how much Oliver loved this boy already. "You can and you already do. Because you make people happy every day."

Smiling through his tears, William wiped his face with his sleeve.

Oliver cleared his throat. "Now, go make Felicity happy and help her make her list," he gestured to the table with his chin. "She likes to be useful."

He winked, making William giggle as he ran over to Felicity. Instead of taking the seat next to her, he stood at her side, leaning into her. Felicity wrapped an arm around his slender waist and William placed a hand on her back as they whispered together, their heads close.

Seeing the two people he loved most in this world, together…it was unlike anything. The peace. The love. The sense of family.

Oliver understood his son's guilt. It almost felt wrong to be this happy, to get everything he wanted at the expense of Samantha's life. But he'd take it. Because if there was one thing Oliver had learned, it was you need to take happiness where and when it came. You couldn't punish yourself. Life punishes you enough. And, as he told his son, the best way to fight the darkness was with the light.

And looking over at Felicity and William…they were his light.

Author's note.

Brief disclaimer: I adore Apple products; they are my favorite. But that's because I don't have access to a SmoakPad or a StarkPad, because I would totally buy those.