They try.

For a whole year, they try.

They even resort to research; five or ten Google searches of the best way to get pregnant. One method suggests so many days of celibacy and multiple ovulation tests to time it just right, another method suggests relaxing and letting it happen naturally. They tried everything - and, she does mean everything. If only they had more to show for it than a bunch of negative pregnancy tests and exhaustion. When it doesn't happen, they decide to go back to their schedules, their routines, and when it happened, it happened. But, it never seems to happen and Felicity grows increasingly frustrated, after her second negative pregnancy tests in as many weeks, and calls her doctor for an appointment.

"Thea, hey, it's Felicity." she's near tears on the phone with the youngest Queen, but she needs somebody and she doesn't know anyone else. "I need your help. I have a doctor's appointment and I - I can't go alone. Come with me, please?"

"I'll be right there, Licity. We'll go in my car." Thea reassures her gently, already reaching for her keys and purse. "You don't sound as if you should be driving, right now."

"Thank you, Thea."

God, how she wants to break down.

She wants to cry and scream and sob and hit something and just tell someone, anyone, what she's been through. How hard she's tried to give Oliver the family he wants, and how frustrating it is to read all of the negative tests. But, she doesn't. She takes a moment to compose herself, wipes the tears from her eyes, and fixes her mascara before Thea pulls into the parking garage and rings her over the intercom. Gathering her purse and cell phone, she rushes out to meet the youngest Queen, and when slips into the Prius, Thea is the picture of poised and ready.

"I called Ollie, told him where I would be." Thea smiles gently, pulling out of the garage.

"Thanks, Thea." Felicity keeps her head down.

"He knows, Licity." Thea murmurs. "He hopes this helps you."

"I know." Felicity nods, looking over at the woman. "I know that - but, I still...he's Oliver and as much as I love him. I don't want to burden him with anymore."

Thea says nothing for the rest of the ride.

It's obvious Felicity is not in the proper mental state for any sort of conversation, so she decides to just be there, when Felicity needs her. The waiting room of the doctor's office is shockingly empty, but still typical of a doctor - even, for a gynecologist. The magazines might feature articles on subjects that are more intimately female than the usual Sports Illustrated and Cosmopolitan and the colors might tip the balance a bit towards the feminine end of the spectrum, but those were about the only differences.

Felicity's doctor is nice enough, if a bit abrupt, and seemingly harsh. She'd attempted to make it very clear that Thea wasn't welcome into the room with Felicity, but the blonde had simply looped her arm through her sister-in-law's and insisted that she was family, and was most certainly welcome.

In the end, she orders bloodwork and a few other relatively non-invasive tests for Felicity.

"It'll be okay, Felicity." Thea's thumb traces over Felicity's knuckles, while the technician prepares her for bloodwork. "Oliver loves you, no matter the results."

"It's not him, I'm worried about, Thea." Felicity looks down at her lap. "It's me."

"I know."

#

The results come in a few weeks later.

Oliver is working studiously in his office when she receives the call. All of the bloodwork and the tests and everything else is all normal; the cause of her infertility is unknown. No obvious anamolies. There is no way of knowing what exactly is standing in her way. Tears cling to her lashes and when she thanks the nurse before hanging up, she has to swallow hard just to be able to get the words out. She drops her phone back onto the cradle and stands up to make her way to her husband's office.

"Oliver?" she knocks lightly on the doorframe, to get his attention.

"Hey Felicity." he breathes tiredly, looking up at her with bleary eyes, as he drops his pen on the desk and stands up to make his way over to her. It only takes him a second's observation to notice the tears and the overall devastation wearing down on her features. "The doctor called, didn't she?"

"No - no, um, no obvious anamolies." Felicity murmurs, looking down to keep him from seeing the way her bottom lip quivers violently. "She does - she doesn't know what's wrong."

She tenses, bracing for the worst.

But, it never happens. She wants it, needs it, though. She wants him to get angry, to yell, to blame her. To make the burden that much heavier. Instead, he simply takes her into his arms and his hand strokes her back as he presses his face into her hair. The feel of damp warmth on the top of her head is all she needs and she crumples into him, sobbing into his chest, for the baby that they might never have. For the family, they might never be able to build.

"I'm sorry, Oliver." Felicity pulls away abruptly, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I'm sorry."

"For what, Felicity?" the sudden change in behavior confuses him. His hands wrap lightly around her biceps and his signature elongation of her name slips out before he can stop it. "Fe-lic-ity."

"I can't give you a family, I can't give you the next Queen heir." she's rambling - of course, she wouldn't be Felicity if she didn't - but, he finds he couldn't care less about producing the next Queen heir. That is not his concern.

His wife is.

"Hey," he cuts her off sharply. "Felicity Meghan Queen, listen to me. I don't care. It is not, nor will it ever be, the only reason I married you. Your sole responsibility is not to give me children." he softens, taking her face into his hands, thumbing the tears from her cheeks. "Yes, okay, I wanted - want children with you. I do. But, I never said how because it's never mattered to me if you carry our child or we adopt him or her or surrogacy or however else. He or she will be our child, no matter how he or she comes into our life. We have other options, Felicity."

"I don't want other options." her bottom lip trembles again. "I wanted to give you a family."

"I have a family, Felicity." Oliver smiles tenderly, leaning down to rest his forehead against hers, his hands falling to her shoulders. "I have you and I have my sister. And, Dig and Lyla and Sara. Even your mother. We have a family."

"Are you sure?" Felicity sniffles.

"Yes."

"This - this is not something you are responsible for, Felicity." Oliver reassures her firmly, but his voice is soft and for her ears only. "I want you to be happy and healthy and I don't want this to make you feel like there is something wrong with you. There is nothing wrong with you. You are my girl. I dare anyone, your doctor included, to question that. I love you, Felicity. No questions."

"I love you, too, Oliver." Felicity wipes the tears from her eyes, lashes forming soft black crescents against her cheeks. "I'm sorry for freaking out on you."

"It's alright." he laughs, lifting his head, eyes all bright blue and affectionate. "Just promise me something?"

"Anything."

"Promise me, you'll never change." Oliver speaks reverently.

"I promise."

#

One year later.

The adoption center is buzzing with activity.

In a rocking chair in the corner, a sweet lady with soft eyes is quietly reading a book about a teddy bear to a group of children, watching her with rapt attention. There's a woman with a baby boy stretched across her front in a green paisley sling, humming to him while she sorts through papers, looking down occasionally to coo at him. Different playrooms are marked with signs for specfic age groups make up the long corridor, just off to Oliver's left. They're standing in front of the door, waiting patiently for the social worker, who will guide them through the adoption process.

"My name's Rosanna. I'll be your social worker through the adoption process." she's a slip of a woman, with a smile as bright as her eyes, holding the hand of a girl, who can't be anymore than three. "And this is Charlotte. You must be Oliver and Felicity."

"Nice to meet you." Oliver greets the woman, while Felicity kneels down to greet the little girl.

"Hi Charlotte. My name's Felicity."

Charlotte's eyes brighten, "Hi!"

"How about we take you back and let you get to know miss Charlotte?" Rosanna suggests, kneeling down to talk to the little girl. "Would you like to play with Oliver and Felicity?"

"Yes, Miss Ro." Charlotte nods happily.

Felicity stands up and turns toward her husband, who just nods, and motions for her to follow Rosanna and Charlotte. They're led down a different corridor and into a private room with dark oak furniture and toys for children of various ages. While Rosanna speaks quietly to Oliver about the circumstances around them seeking adoption, Felicity takes a seat in the old rocking chair. Charlotte immediately seeks her out and climbs into her lap, little fingers tangling in the necklace around her neck.

" - Felicity is one of the few people I call my best friend." Oliver speaks so fondly of his wife, Rosanna almost wants to ask what the catch is, but there doesn't seem to be one. "We both want children, but we were unable to conceive. So, we explored all of our options before deciding to adopt. Our whole family is one we've adopted for ourselves, so it seemed like the perfect choice."

Loud, happy giggles catch their attention and they look over to see Charlotte and Felicity rubbing their noses together and fluttering their eyelashes in a facsimile of the childhood "eskimo kiss". Oliver just laughs quietly and Rosanna just shakes her head with a fond smile. "That's the happiest Charlotte's been since she got here."

"Felicity has that affect on people."

"Well, I'll leave you alone to get to know Charlotte." Rosanna excuses herself politely, even though Oliver can hear the scream of a baby, probably waiting for a bottle, from down the hall.

When the door closes behind her, Oliver turns to his wife and hopefully adoptive daughter. Felicity has the girl in stitches with her rapid-fire speech and the three-year-old hangs onto every word, looking at her as if the blonde hung the moon in the sky. She catches his eye and her chubby little hands motion him closer, "Hi, I'm Charlotte!"

"Hi Charlotte." Oliver laughs, kneeling down at Felicity's knees. "I'm Oliver."

"Ollllie!"

Oh.

Wow.

Charlotte is almost a miniature Thea; from the way her hair falls in her face to the sweet green of her eyes and the way she immediately shortens his name from Oliver to Ollie. Even her mannerisms remind him of Thea. He still remembers the first time Thea called him Ollie, instead of Oliver. She couldn't have been older than five at the time and he had been almost fifteen, when she had given him the sweetest little look and asked him if he'd buy her an ice cream from the truck driving down the street.

"Are you gonna be my new Mommy?" tears burn Felicity's eyes as she rocks the three-year-old gently. "I want you to be my new Mommy."

A silent agreement passes between Oliver and Felicity.

Yes.

Charlotte is their daughter. Maybe not biologically, or legally - yet, but in all the ways that count, she is already their daughter. This little three year old girl has them captivated, and while Felicity would love nothing more to adopt every single child in this center, it just isn't possible.

"I'm going to try, Liv." she smiles at the little girl; all brown curls and sweet green eyes. "Would you like that?"

"Yes!" Charlotte bounces enthusiastically. "And, Ollie can be my new Daddy."

"Absolutely."