Oliver followed a nurse into the NICU and across the room to where Roy and Thea were sitting, cradling their twins in their arms.
"Ollie, come here. I want to introduce to Robert Oliver Harper-Queen…who Roy is holding, and Alexander Thomas Harper-Queen," Thea told him from where she sat, cradling the smaller of the twins…Alexander…in her arms.
"Informally, though, they'll be Robbie and Alex…unless they're in trouble," Roy added.
Thea nodded, "Which considering us…they will be fairly often."
"You…you named one of them after me…and Tommy…and dad?" Oliver asked faintly, a lump forming in this throat.
"Yeah…we did…and after a friend of Roy's dad," confirmed Thea with a smile, "Is that ok with you."
Oliver nodded, "It's…yeah it's fine with me…it's great. Thanks, I, I really don't know what to say."
"Then now probably isn't the time to ask you if you would be Godfather then," Thea smirked. Oliver, who had been looking at Robbie, sound asleep in Roy's arms, whipped his head towards his sister.
"Godfather…me?"
"Yeah…We kind of always had you as Godfather. We know that you're already Arabella's Godfather, and you're also Robbie and Alex's uncle, but if something happens to us, we know you'll take care of them." Thea explained.
Oliver's mouth had gone dry, and his voice cracked with emotion when he finally croaked out a feeble "OK."
"Do you want to have a hold?" Roy asked. Oliver could only nod in reply, carefully taking Robbie into his arms as Roy transferred him over, both of them mindful of the tubes and wires the baby was still attached to. Oliver felt his heart swell as he gazed at his nephew, cradling him in his arms…the same arms that he had killed countless people with.
His hands, usually used to deal with crime and death, now held a new life, his baby nephew, less than a day old. Looking at the sleeping baby Oliver could clearly see Roy's features, and he couldn't help but smile. Robbie was already mini Roy…he wondered if he would continue to look like his dad, or if, as he got older, he would grow to inherit more traits from his mother's side.
"I think we broke him." Thea stage whispered, "I have found a way to shut Oliver up, finally. Just give him a baby to cuddle. Tommy would be in hysterics if he could see you now."
"Tommy would be just as bad," Oliver countered, "Who were you going to ask to be Godmother?"
"Felicity, if she wants. None of my school friends are old enough or responsible enough," Thea replied, "also something that we've had planned for months."
"I'm sure she'll be honored," Oliver smiled confidently, "Now that you guys have organsied names we probably should arrange a press conference."
Thea nodded, "before you do that, can you call Malcolm and tell him the news. I know he hasn't been the best of people…but he still should know before we make it public."
Oliver nodded, "Of course I will. Do you want me to send Felicity in so you can ask her?"
"That would be great, thanks Oliver," Roy smiled. Oliver carefully transferred Robbie back into Roy arms, reluctant to let his nephew go, his arms feeling oddly empty without the newborn's reassuring weight.
"I'll be back soon," he promised, before he walked from the room and out into the corridor, walking over to where Felicity, Sara, Laurel, and Diggle were sitting waiting for them.
"How are they?" Felicity cheerfully asked.
"Doing great, they want to see you," Oliver replied.
Felicity's mouth fell open in confusion, "Me? Why me? Did they say what they wanted?"
"Just that they wanted to see you," Oliver replied with a smile and a shrug. Felicity bit her lip, before walking towards the NICU, glancing back at Oliver nervously.
"Everything ok?" Diggle asked.
"Yeah…they want Felicity to be Godmother…they've already asked me to be Godfather," Oliver replied.
"Have they picked names yet?" Sara asked.
Oliver nodded and sank into one of the chairs, "Yep, the older twin, the one that Roy's holding, he's Robert Oliver Harper-Queen, and his little brother is Alexander Thomas Harper-Queen. Informally, though, it's Robbie and Alex."
Oliver glanced sideways at Laurel as he spoke, and her eyes filled with tears at Tommy's name. He reached towards her and squeezed her hand.
"They're good names," Diggle nodded, "So, how does it feel to be Uncle Oliver?"
Oliver couldn't help the smile that spread across his face at the title, "It feels pretty good…except Thea wants me to ring Malcolm and tell him the news."
"Sounds like fun," Diggle supplied dryly, and Sara couldn't help but giggle.
"Do you think you can call the QC PR team, tell them that I'm ready for the press conference whenever they can set one up." Oliver asked Diggle
"No problems," Diggle nodded, getting out his phone and walking away to a area where the use of phones was permitted. Oliver got up and followed him, searching through his contacts until he found Malcolm's number. He knew that the only reason the man wasn't there already was the fact that, legally speaking he was dead, and there were too many people and surveillance tapes in the hospital to make sneaking in plausible. He would have to wait until the twins were at home at Thea and Roy's before he got to meet them. Before today Oliver would have shrugged it off, concluding that Malcolm was the one who decided to level the Glades, so he would have to deal with the consequences of his actiions. After holding one of his nephews in his arms, gazing down at Robbie's adorable little face, seeing Alex cradled in Theas arms, so tiny and young and innocent, Oliver's thinking was a little different. He felt a little sorry for Malcolm, knowing that the boys' grandfather wouldn't be able to meet them, or get to hold them, until they were well enough to go home. Even though they were doing well so far, Oliver knew, realistically, that it might be a week or two, or more, before the twins were big enough and strong enough to leave the hospital and go home. Not being able to see his grandchildren for that long was not going to be an enjoyable experience for Malcolm.
Oliver tapped the call button on his screen and lifted the phone to his ear as it rang. It didn't take very long at all for Malcolm to answer.
"Oliver," he greeted, "how is Thea? Has she had the twins yet?"
"She's fine. She asked me to tell you that you have two grandsons. They were born last night, but she and Roy have only just got around to naming them. Thea was pretty wiped out last night, and she was bleeding a little more than they thought was normal, so they thought they'd wait until she was feeling a little better and they'd both had a sleep."
"She's okay now, though?"
"Yeah, she's doing a lot better now, especially since she's been reunited with Roy and the boys."
"Reunited? I'm surprised Roy left her side," Oliver could almost hear the surprise, and the hint of anger directed at Roy, in Malcolm's tone
"She told him to stay with the twins last night in the NICU. He spent the whole night sitting in between their beds, watching over them," Oliver explained, "I stayed with Thea for the night."
"Makes sense…Thea's going to be just as protective of her children as your mother was. Are the boys alright…what did she and Roy decide to name them?" Malcolm asked, more cheerfully, as if his anger towards Roy for leaving Thea's side was forgiven and forgotten.
"They're doing really well, considering that they were born at the just under 35 week mark. They're pretty little, and they're being very heavily monitored to make sure they're doing okay. They're being fed through tubes at the moment, but the doctors are pleased with their hear rates and blood pressure and their breathing. The smaller twin was having trouble regulating his temperature last night, but he seems to be doing better today. The bigger twin was born first, and they named him Robert Oliver Harper-Queen. The younger twin is Alexander Thomas Harper-Queen."
"They're good names…I'm sure your father and Tommy would be both proud and honored. Thea said the last time I spoke to her that, judging from the last ultrasound she it looked like the larger twin would be first to be born. Have you seen them?"
"Yeah…Robbie is mini Roy already…and Alex…it's less obvious, but he looks more like Tommy, or maybe Thea. He's definitely got my mom's nose, though. I couldn't get over how small they both are. Roy let me hold Robbie for a bit, and it was just…" Oliver faded off, unable to think of words to describe how he felt as he'd held his nephew in his arms for the first time. Malcolm laughed.
"I know how you feel. I felt the very same way the first time I held you, ad Tommy, and Thea as well. Tell Thea that I'm happy for her, and for Roy too."
"I will."
"Thank you for keeping me informed Oliver. I know that we haven't seen eye to eye in the past, but I hope we can both see past that for Thea's sake, and her children's sake as well."
"I hope so too," Oliver agreed, before he and Malcolm both hung up. Diggle, having finished his own phone call, approached Oliver.
"How was the new grandfather?"
"Surprisingly cheerful," Oliver replied with a wry smile, "how did you go with PR?"
"They're arranging a press conference in one hour in the park next to the hospital. All of the local and major news outlets will be informed of it."
"Good, thanks Diggle."
"I took the liberty last night of picking up one of your suits from your place, so that you didn't have to leave the hospital to go and get ready. It's hanging up in the car."
Oliver paused and looked down at what he was wearing. His mother would literally roll over in her grave at the thought of Oliver conducting a press conference dressed like he was. While it had once been semi presentable, even when it had been fresh on the casual long sleeve top and jacket, as well as the jeans Oliver had on, it wasn't press conference material, let alone now, when it was all a little rumpled and probably a little smelly.
"You're a hero, Dig…I hadn't even thought of that."
ARROW
Tugging at his suit jacket, Oliver confidently stepped up onto the small platform the PR team of Queen Consolidated had set up in the park beside the hospital, walking up to the microphone and the podium that had been set up. Before him were a throng of over 100 media representatives, including cameramen (and women), journalists, sound technicians and reporters. Felicity and Diggle stood to one side, both of the smiling happily at him. Oliver too was feeling rather pleased, and was looking forward to this press conference, far more than any other press conference he'd ever attended.
As he waited for the assembled people to quiet down, Oliver remembered the very first press conference he'd been on the podium for, not far from where he stood right now, when he was only ten years old, and had stood proudly beside his father as he had announced Thea's birth to the world.
Oliver couldn't help but smile as he rested his speech, hastily thrown together by he and Felicity, on the podium in front of him, appreciating the irony of that moment as he prepared to announce the arrival of Thea's own children.
"Thank-you for all coming out here today. I'll keep this short; none of us want to be out in this cold for longer than we have to." Oliver began, his voice clear and light hearted. A few of the assembled individuals laughed, and nodded in appreciation. Early January was hardly the warmest time of year in Starling City, and this morning was a particularly cold one.
"I'm sure you all know, or suspect, the reason Queen Consolidated announced this press conference, especially given the location. I am very proud to announce that late last night my sister, Thea Queen, gave birth to twin boys."
As Oliver expected, the announcement caused an eruption of cheering and general noise from the individuals in the crowd before him. Before they even began asking questions, Oliver held up his hands, and immediately all went quiet, save for the clicking of cameras.
"Thea is doing very well, and the boys, despite being born earlier than any of us anticipated, are adjusting well. Who knew of a member of the Queen family being early for anything?" Oliver joked, "Obviously, they didn't get it from me."
There was another smattering of laughter, and Oliver, glancing sideways, even saw Felicity have a giggle.
"Thea's firstborn son has been named Robert Oliver Harper-Queen, and her younger son has been named Alexander Thomas Harper-Queen. Informally, however, they will be known as Robbie and Alex. On behalf of Thea, and of Roy, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff of the Maternity unit of Starling City General Hospital, and especially Dr. Johns and the doctors and nurses of the NICU who are currently ensuring Robbie and Alex continue to grow and develop as they should. I would also like to thank you all for your support throughout Thea's pregnancy, and ask that you continue to respect my family's privacy during this time."
Applause met Oliver's words, and he waited for the noise to cease before he spoke again, "To celebrate the arrival of the newest members of the Queen family, It is my honor and privilege to announce that there will be a charity fund set up to support families from the Glades and disadvantaged backgrounds whose newborns need to be admitted to the NICU at Starling City General. This will help ensure that everyone in Starling City can afford the level of care that this top of the line facility has on offer."
Even more applause met Oliver's words, as well as a few cheers as a Queen Consolidated PR representative signaled that it was time for questions.
"Mr. Queen," One reporter asked, "Have you met your nephews yet?"
"I have yes, probably one of the best moments of my life," Oliver replied honestly, unable to stop the smile that crossed his face.
"Do they look like anyone in particular?" another reporter asked.
"Robbie looks a lot like Roy already, and Alex is sort of a mix of Thea and our mother, but it's not as obvious as it is with Robbie," Oliver replied, being honest, but at the same time, keeping his answers fairly vague, a trick that his mother had taught him, years earlier. As he'd gotten older he'd learned how much information to give without giving too much away, and Oliver found, as he answered the media's questions, that it just got easier and easier the more practice he got, like archery. Eventually though the PR representative signaled that the press conference was over, and Oliver stepped down from the platform and walked away from the crowd, fully aware of the camera's tracking his every move as he approached Felicity and Diggle, walking between them as they all headed back towards the hospital.
For the first time in years Oliver was filled with hope about the future, and as he walked back into the hospital that contained his sister, one of his closest friends, and their newborn sons, that he would never let anything happen to them…ever.