Author's Note: Yes, I totally want Donna back next season in a big, bad way. She is so awesome and I just can't imagine Oliver not liking her. She's sort of the best parts of Felicity
They pulled up in front of Donna Smoak's townhome, where the owner was jumping up and down in a very small pair of white shorts, and a shocking pink tank top. Her hair, a long glorious mane of blonde, cascaded freely down her back and her long tanned legs stretched down into a pair of bare feet with matching pink toenail polish. The front yard, if you could even call it that, was a small patch of white pebbles with a couple of yucca plants and a pink plastic flamingo. Felicity breathed deeply. This was her mother, her roots, and she was tired of denying it. If Oliver wanted to know more about her, well here is it where it started.
Donna screamed and jumped in glee running up to greet the Porsche as it parked in front.
"Oh Felicity! I am so excited you two came to visit! What a wonderful surprise! I have so many plans!"
Felicity got out of the car and was quickly whisked into a firm and violent squeeze with Donna rocking her back and forth, Felicity's arms pinned against her side. Oliver hid a small smile and gently grabbed their bags out of the car and waited behind Felicity for the hugging to stop. Before he could greet Donna she had flung herself from Felicity into Oliver's arms. "Oliver!" and she squealed all over again. Oliver's hands were occupied with luggage and so he sat their awkwardly being most emphatically embraced by Felicity's mother.
"Oh my, he is all muscle" and she elbowed Felicity and without even trying to whisper said, "I bet that comes in handy" And aimed a flirtatious wink at both of them. Felicity wanted to die on the spot but Oliver just smiled. Remembering his manners he said, "Ms. Smoak it is very nice of you to allow us to visit on such short notice."
Donna turned around quickly, "Ms. Smoak?! Oh darling, you can call me Donna. Promise you will call me Donna."
Oliver nodded and shot a warm smile at her, "Yes, of course, Donna"
They walked up two long small stairs to the entrance and into the foyer, which was small but bright. The townhome was decorated like a cheap Floridian hotel with lots of white and glass and gaudy, brightly colored paintings on the walls. There was a narrow staircase that led upstairs, a dining room to the right with a small glass dinette and four tall backed white leather chairs around it. The hallway was short and led to a modest but cheerful kitchen on the left and a surprisingly large family room with cathedral ceilings. The back wall was floor to ceiling windows with a view of a large pond. The furniture was white leather and the coffee table was glass with gold edges. It wasn't fancy but it was clean, nice and you couldn't help but feel alive. Oliver instantly loved it. It was all very different from his upbringing - this house screamed love and joy and living. He set their luggage at the bottom of the stairs and followed Donna into the kitchen.
"I made us a pitcher of Long Island Iced Tea. You want some?" and Donna's eyebrows rose up in expectation. Oliver didn't drink, well hardly ever, but he suddenly found himself unable to say no to this woman. "Sure, that sounds great." Felicity had snuck into the small powder room downstairs and was just now emerging as Donna was pouring them both drinks. Donna handed them each a drink and raised her glass indicating she wanted to toast. Felicity and Oliver both raised their glasses and glanced at each other, Donna smiled brightly and said, "To true love and crazy road trips!" and she took a big swig of her drink. She almost skipped into the family room and called over her shoulder, "Come on you two I want to know ALL the details" and she flopped on the couch and sat cross legged, looking more like a young teenager than a mature mother.
Felicity took the lead and provided Donna with a rather sanitary version of the past three months, leaving out everything regarding the League of Assassins and Oliver turning into a black ninja. She did provide the details regarding Roy leaving, Ray and she breaking up and Oliver's proclamation of love and the desire to leave town in order to start fresh. Donna ate it all up.
"Oh Oliver! What a romantic! Well, if you want to know more about Felicity's past have I got pictures for you!"
Felicity's face flushed and she buried her face in her hands, "Oh God Mom, no!" It was too late though, Donna was up and rummaging through an old 1970's white laminate bureau behind the couch and begun pulling out photo albums. Within moments she had wedged herself in between Oliver and Felicity holding two large photo albums.
Donna flipped through the pages until she found the ones she was looking for – Felicity at eight years old. There she stood with two long brown braids on either side of her head, a large pair of black rimmed glasses, wearing pink shorts and a rainbow t-shirt. She was sitting at a table with a young dark-haired man, clean cut, also with dark glasses, wearing a t-shirt and jeans. In front of them was a kitchen table covered in wires and circuit boards. Donna gently touched the photo and said almost meekly, "This was Felicity with her father. The two of them were always building things together. Do you remember that Felicity?" And Felicity just quietly nodded having heard this same narrative so many times. Donna tried to perk up but there was still sadness to her voice, "They loved building things those two. I of course never understood what they were doing but Felicity loved it and her Dad loved the fact that she understood." Donna flipped some more pages until she found a picture of Felicity older – maybe 16. Her and Donna were standing in a casino. Donna's hair was full and large and blond and framed her small face. She was wearing gold tight shorts, with a gold bustier and gold stiletto heels. She was holding a tray and smiling. Felicity was in a pair of jeans with a black t-shirt and black Converse tennis shoes. She had braces, her hair was a darker shade of brown and she looked miserable. "Oh, this was right after we found out she had been accepted to MIT's early admission program for gifted and talented students." She placed her hand on Felicity's knee, "Oh darling, do you remember that? I was so proud of you that I made you come down to the casino so I could tell all the girls." Felicity was trying desperately to melt into the couch and disappear. She was humiliated at what Oliver was seeing. This felt more like "over-sharing" than actual sharing.
Donna kept flipping pages and pointing out pictures. Felicity on a pink bicycle with the same brown braids as maybe a 7 year old and then Felicity on a couch reading a book. The pictures of Felicity's father were few and far between but they were there and they were all happy pictures. These family photos gave Oliver the impression that for a short while Felicity had a very traditional and happy childhood. Felicity squirmed in her seat and lightly pinched Donna in the thigh.
"Oh! Yes, you two must be tired and probably want to get your things unpacked." She stood up and took the albums with her. "The guest bedroom is upstairs on the right. It's the 'yellow' room. I'm assuming you two are sleeping together so I just made up the one bed. You are sleeping together right?" Oliver stood stoic and Felicity just mumbled an agreement and headed for the stairs.
The room was small and in comparison to the grandiose atmosphere of the Queen mansion Felicity felt a bit self-conscious. The room held a full-size bed with a headboard that was covered in a bright floral print that had yellow sunflowers. The walls were painted a matching yellow color and the small white dresser that sat across from the foot of the bed had three drawers with sunflower knobs. The small closet on the wall by the door was mirrored and to the right was only one small window that only looked out onto the street. Oliver closed the door behind them and Felicity's shoulders slumped. She said nothing. He squeezed past her, setting their two bags inside the closet and sat on the edge of the bed. He patted the spot next to him indicating that she should come sit down. Felicity obeyed and leaned against him as he wrapped his arm around her. "So, let it spill."
She sat up and faced him, opened her mouth to say something, thought better of it and buried her face into her hands. Oliver gently rubbed her back, "C'mon Felicity it's just me – what is wrong."
She looked up with tears welling in her eyes and her voice defeated. "This is me Oliver. My mother is a cocktail waitress, my father walked out on us when I was ten, I grew up in mobile homes and small apartments. Honestly, this is the nicest place my mother has ever lived and it looks like Florida threw up. This is what I come with and it isn't much."
Oliver carefully considered his words. "Felicity, my family has a lot of material wealth, and I can't lie about that. And I know you aren't going to believe me but I actually really like your Mom and I like her house." Felicity looked at Oliver in utter disbelief. He stood up so he could walk around but there was no place to walk so he just leaned against the dresser. "Your Mom is honest and funny and her love for you is very obvious. One of the things I love about you Felicity is your honesty. You never shy away from sharing your opinion and your funny. You have a light inside of you that reminds me of all the good in this world and you get that from your mother. So, I like your mom – because I like you."
Felicity sat up a little more and said, "really?"
Oliver resumed his spot next to her on the bed and grabbed her hands, "Really. And yes, the house looks like Florida threw up but isn't that what vacation is all about? Tacky bedding?" And they both laughed. He nudged her with his shoulder and she leaned in against him, "C'mon, let's get unpacked. I bet Donna has a wild night planned for us."
Felicity groaned and said, "You have no idea."