Notes:

Sorry, was sick all last week and only am now feeling better.

Thanks you so much to everyone who is still reading this, and your patience with me. I really appreciate you guys a lot. I hope you all have a wonderful day.


Chapter 64

What's small turned to a friendship, a friendship turned to a bond, brotherhood come first how could we not talk about family when family's all that we got?

Roy

The reason behind Sara's phone call had been unexpected. Having the Canary herself ask him to stay with her while Oliver was gone spoke volumes. Whatever was going on in Star was bad. And neither Queen was willing to take any chances when it came to their unborn daughter's life. Yep, that was going to be one lucky little girl, growing up with parents that loved her more than anything in the world.

The thought suddenly made him wonder… Star City 2046 had been a disaster, Oliver had been a broken shell of a man… but there had been no mention of Sara. They had talked about Dig and Felicity. He wondered what Oliver's future would look like now, not that he was going to find out. Nothing good would come from it. He was reminded of Rip's words, and grateful his captain had been right.

"This future is only a potential timeline."

"So this... this version of Star City... this doesn't have to happen?"

"Correct. The future is always in flux."

"Hopefully, this will never come to pass."

He wondered what had changed. Was it also because of Barry's travels to the past? Were the changes part of flash point, or simply a choice Oliver had made? He wasn't sure if it mattered or not. He tended to go with not, not if it meant Oliver's future would no longer be that bleak, and lonely. And he seriously doubted it. He had Sara now and their beloved baby girl. They loved her enough to ask for help. Something neither Oliver nor Sara were particularly good at. Something neither of them liked to do.

I had surprised him when he had learnt that Sara had removed herself from any potentially dangerous situation the moment she had found out about her pregnancy, even though she hadn't planned on keeping the baby at that point in time. She had still valued the life growing inside of her enough to ensure its survival and safety at all costs.

But it fit. It was such a Sara thing to do. Sara stood up for those without a voice. She fought for those who couldn't fight for themselves. The Canary had pointed out the plights of the weakest within society. She had made it a point to get justice for women who were wronged and couldn't fight back when she had first come to Star. She had saved a child from a burning building. The Canary had been a symbol of hope and recognition for the forgotten ones, the ones who couldn't get up and fight themselves. She had been a symbol of hope for the people living in the Glades.

So, Sara valuing her unborn child's life this highly made perfect sense.

He had the utmost respect for her for that choice. Even more so knowing how difficult it must have been and probably still was for her. Sara was a "right in the middle of any trouble" kind of woman. Standing on the sidelines was probably very, very hard for her. And yet, she wasn't complaining. Wasn't doing anything stupid. No, she was actually picking up the phone and asking for help, to make sure nothing was going to happen to her baby girl. That was actual strength. It was one reason he admired her and had for years. The Canary never shied away from making the tough decisions. Sara had such an unbelievable inner strength it was inspiring, and a little intimidating, to be honest.

He finished up what he needed to, gave Gideon instructions to contact him before the team got in too much trouble, not that he didn't trust Jax and Amaya or doubted that they could keep the rest in check… he was simply doing it because he knew how their missions usually went, and that was not according to plan at all and way out of hand way too fast most of the time, chaotic was also a good word to use to describe the missions.

He would never admit it out loud, least of all to Oliver, but he sometimes missed the way the Arrow's missions always were planned to precision and executed that way. There was a plan, and a backup plan for every possible scenario that derailed from the original plan. There was almost no chance of any surprises in any of Oliver's plans. Not if he had the chance to plan it ahead of time and wasn't just reacting to a situation. Yes, the Green Arrow's plans were usually flawless, even more so when the Canary had given her input as well.

So, better safe than sorry. Not that he would abandon Sara to help his team out, but at least he would be informed about what was going on. Maybe help them come up with a plan or whatever was needed. That could actually work, especially having such a brilliant tactical mind as Sara's at his disposal. Never mind her no nonsense approach to any mission.

He packed some of his stuff, made sure he had the information on Talia al Ghul's location Gideon had found a short while ago, said his goodbyes, made sure everyone knew to stick to the rules and let him know if "the Legion of Doom" showed their faces again somewhere in time where they shouldn't be. Just because he wasn't on the Waverider didn't mean he was going to let them wreak havoc on history to better their own lives. That wasn't going to happen, not on his watch.

After ordering Gideon once more to let him know about anything important that was going on with the team on the ship or in history, he stepped off of his current home and walked towards the city he used to call his home. Looking forward to seeing Oliver and Sara again and especially Thea. He was planning on hopefully spending some time with her during his stay in Star City. He definitely enjoyed their semi regular phone calls, or video chats and was grateful they had stayed in contact again, ever since the alien invasion in October, this was better than the no contact at all they had before but still, it wasn't the same as being in the same room with her. He missed her a lot.


"Harper." The words left the blonde's mouth pretty much the same time she opened the door for him, making it perfectly clear that she had known exactly who was on the other side. It would've been a lot more impressive, if he hadn't texted her a while ago to let her know approximately when he was arriving, and if they didn't have a peephole and probably the best security system money could buy, and which he was sure they had tweaked even more.

"Lance." He returned the blonde's greeting, biting his tongue to keep from replying with the more appropriate and legally correct "Queen", trying to stay as cool and collected as she was, but his composure cracked pretty soon, or the moment she raised a brow in challenge, she had always been better at this and chastised him more than once about needing to work on his poker face.

"Aw, fuck it, come here, Birdy." He let his grin and happiness at seeing her push through the facade he had tried to hold up and held his arms out for her, not sure whether she was feeling like getting a hug. She just stared at him with this intense look that made him waver and uncomfortable and gave him this intense urge to reach for his weapon, even knowing that she was no threat to him, he struggled to imagine how someone who didn't know her the way he did, didn't know that she was actually a complete sweetheart, would feel under her scrutiny.

Sara was one of the biggest contradictions combined in one person. She was one of the nicest and most caring people he knew; she was also one of the most calculated and deadliest ones. If he'd have to pick, he'd rather have Oliver as his enemy than Sara. Because Sara would not take any chances. She'd go for the kill if shit got real, while Oliver had the tendency to go for the capture for almost too long, at least for the last few years. Taking unnecessary risks to his life sometimes. Risks Sara usually wasn't willing to take. Their different approaches had led to more than one argument while they were fighting side by side. They had usually found a middle ground, most of the time anyway.

He was almost ready to lower his arms and recognize that she apparently didn't feel like physical contact when she closed the distance between them.

"I missed you." The words were softly whispered into his shoulder as she was taking what he was offering and returning his hug in kind. He pulled her close and returned the sentiment. The new shape of her body, and the now very obvious roundness that came with her advanced stage of pregnancy, was something he'd have to get used to.

It was weird. Very weird. The usually very slim and muscular woman's shape was completely different. There was a kid in between them. Her kid. Oliver's kid. Thea's niece. Who he was pretty sure had just kicked him, rather hard for a floating little thing inside someone else's body. Looked like the apple didn't fall far from the tree if the kid was already deciding to use physical harm towards him. Like father like daughter… he made a mental note to never put a bow in that kid's hands, he didn't feel like getting shot at by yet another Queen, even less one that was part Oliver and part Sara… that sounded way too dangerous, man, that kid was going to be a menace. Oliver and Sara sure would have their hands full with their little one. He was pretty sure about that. The thought made him grin, but it was still a strange thought. Oliver and Sara were going to be parents in only two short months. They were going to be parents. There would be a baby in their midst. It was still difficult for him to wrap his head around that. And yes, their daughter wasn't the first kid. That was baby Sara, but still, this was different.

He wasn't sure why, but it just was.

"I missed you, too. And thanks for the invite to be your roommate for the next couple of days. I heard congratulations are in order." He smirked at her after she pulled away, soothingly rubbing her stomach with one hand, almost as if she was trying to calm the tiny martial artist inside down.

"What…? Why?" She looked at him through slit eyes, not giving anything away, not giving him an inch. Smart move. Trying to find out what he was talking about and what exactly he knew. Well, should he show her his cards right away or play the game a little longer and have some fun with her? And risk seriously getting his ass kicked for it later on. What to do... what to do... well, she wasn't in a position to kick his ass right now, and for at least another few months… so… fun it was.

"Aww, c'mon, you know what I'm talking about…" He grinned at her, a grin that slightly wavered when another realization hit him at her challenging stare. Yes, it would be another couple of months until she could kick his ass, except, she didn't actually need to be in physical shape to give him an ass-kicking, she was in a position to make sure he would get his ass kicked after all. And very thoroughly at that. And if there was one person who had any sort of control over Oliver and his actions, it was the woman currently staring him down. What Sara wanted, Sara usually got where the older man was concerned. Oliver was such a pushover where his wife was concerned… not that he had any grounds to stand on, he knew he wasn't that different when it came to Thea… it was still fun to mess with Oliver because of it, though and to use that knowledge to his advantage, whenever possible.

Plus, Sara was usually on board with giving Oliver shit in good fun. She loved to push his buttons and tease him. There was almost nothing he enjoyed more than being around both Oliver and Sara when they were in a playful mood. That shit was hilarious. Plus, he usually learnt a lot about their past and who and how they were growing up. That was always fun. They had some crazy ass stories… they got into a lot of shit as teenagers. He was sure if Oliver hadn't been the son of one of the most influential and richest people in the city and Sara hadn't been the daughter of a detective, they'd be in juvie for sure at least going by some of the stories he had heard.

"Nope, I don't. Can I get you something to drink? Ollie's still out, but he should be back soon. He wanted to see you before leaving. He's missed you too." She stepped back from him, denied his allegation, and looked at him expectantly. She had probably noticed him spacing for a moment.

"Shouldn't I be the one catering to you? I'm looking forward to seeing him, too." He gestured towards her middle as emphasis and raised an eyebrow. She was pretty far along and that was some serious extra weight she was currently carrying around and he had read something about the ligaments in her back loosening to prepare her body for labor or something along those lines… most of the medical stuff about pregnancy he had read went right over his head. He did know about and understood the concept of sore feet though… so having her get off them and relax was something he planned on doing as much as possible while he was here.

"I was trying to be polite but hey, do what you can't help and make yourself at home." Sara raised her eyebrows before answering him good humored and grinning while gesturing him to follow her inside. He took off his jacket and shoes and followed her down the hall. Assuming she was either leading him to the kitchen, to get something to drink, or possibly the guest room to show him where he was going to sleep while staying with her.

"So, have you talked to Thea lately?" Smooth Sara was not. Which surprised him and made him assume she wasn't on purpose. She usually had a lot more finesse than that. She was a master interrogator and got you to talk about stuff you didn't want to without even realizing it.

"Maybe... how are things between Oliver and you?" He fired back. Hey two could play that game. And he really wanted to see how far she was going to take it and how long they could go without either of them admitting to either knowing or having gotten married thing. It was fun, and he was pretty sure neither Sara nor Oliver would mind him knowing about it. He hoped he was right with that assumption.

Sara signaled towards her stomach in an obvious gesture, looking at him as if he had just asked the stupidest thing possible before answering him.

"Well, we're having a kid together so..." yeah, right, as if that meant anything with the two of them. They were having a kid together for the last seven months and they had only gotten their shit together a few days ago. So… her answer was a bullshit, none answer.

"As if that statement answers my question… you and Oliver tend to not play by the rules, so that means nothing when it comes to answering my question. Besides, you ended up with said kid while not actually being together, so..." He playfully rolled his eyes and made sure she knew he was teasing her.

"Well, that's what you get for answering a question with a question… you should know by now that shit doesn't fly with me. I answer your question after you answered mine. I hope this is okay, we're still not sure about the décor in this room but Ollie prioritized his little Hummingbird's room over our guests… which made sense in theory… we both don't like people staying over and yet… I'm starting to feel like the owner of a B&B, it feels like it's constantly occupied…" she started in the same manner he had used and went from serious to thoughtful at the end. He could understand that, but her mom mostly occupied it, company she wasn't really minding, most of the time, going by her texts. Even so, he could see how it might become too much.

"Thank you, it's fine, and it makes perfect sense you get the room for your baby girl ready before you do the guest room. I honestly don't mind." He smiled at her and touched her shoulder to emphasize his point. Sara returned his smile before turning around and walking back down the hall, giving him space to settle in. He appreciated it, even though he would've been fine with her staying, too. But it was just such a Sara thing to do. He walked all the way into the room, throwing his duffel bag onto the bed and starting to put stuff away.

"Roy, thank you for coming. I appreciate it. I don't want to leave her alone, but I want her to be comfortable, and I know she's comfortable with you." Oliver, knocking at the doorframe of their guest room, startled him. He hadn't expected the other male to be back already. He was currently putting the last of his things away. It had taken him longer than expected because he had gotten some texts from Jax concerning putting out a fire, figuratively speaking. The door was still open, so the knocking was more a formality on Oliver's side than a necessity to get his attention.

"Oliver, hey, good to see you. Sure thing, it's no trouble at all. I'm kinda looking forward to it and it's also nice being off the Waverider for a little bit. I love what I do, but it can get a little suffocating sometimes." He turned towards him and greeted his former mentor.

"Yeah, I can see how. There is something Sara and I wanted to talk to you about. Preferably before I leave." His friend looked serious and distant, his posture was very straight, so he didn't even attempt to initiate physical contact, something Oliver was not a fan of on his best days and he was most definitely not welcoming right now, at least not according to his body language.

"Yeah, sure. Just give me a minute and I'll be right there." He assured the older man, feeling a little anxious by his words. Not sure what to expect.

"Of course. Take your time. We're in the living room." Oliver smiled at him disarmingly. He had probably noticed his standoffish behavior, knocked at the frame again before turning around and leaving him alone. He put his stuff away as fast as possible, being very intrigued about what they wanted to talk to him about now. It seemed important if Oliver couldn't wait until he returned from his travels to talk to one of his former mentors. He was also surprised because that meant Oliver was probably planning on leaving tonight. Whatever it was he needed from Talia must be very important.

Oliver and Sara were sitting on the couch together, quietly talking until he arrived. He sat down across from them, waiting to figure out what was going on. He could feel the anxiety build when Oliver took hold of one of Sara's hands, sitting up and moving slightly forward, closer towards the edge of the couch. Sara seemed less anxious and tense than Oliver, but still, she sat up a little straighter, too, almost as if anticipating something. Were they going to tell him about them having gotten married?

"Roy, Sara and I… we wanted to ask… we were wondering…" Oliver started a couple of times, but stopped before actually getting to the matter at hand. It wasn't like him. Not at all. It wasn't about their wedding then. He moved his gaze from Oliver to Sara and back, trying to figure out what was going on. Feeling anxious. Sara was looking at Oliver expectantly and moved her head towards him as if to say go ahead.

"Roy, you're one of our closest friends. We really appreciate everything you've done for us. I appreciate everything you sacrificed for me, and I can never make it up to you. You'll probably never know just how much your actions, your loyalty and trust mean to me. In the last couple of years, you've become more than a friend. You're a part of our family. So, this is why we wanted to ask you… It would mean the world to us, if you…" Oliver paused to take another breath and gaze at Sara once more. Now he was seriously getting nervous. What the hell was going on? This was a lot for his friend. He didn't like to share his feelings and yet, here he was, laying them out for him.

"We would love for you to be Mila's godfather." Roy did a double take at that, not sure if he had heard right. He looked from a serious-looking Oliver to Sara, who was grinning at him.

This was not what he had expected at all. They wanted him… they trusted him that much?

"You want me to… are you sure?" This was a lot. Not that he was going to say no, of course not. He was honored that they wanted him to be their daughter's godfather. Wait, did they just say…?

"Mila? You finally picked a name?" both Queens were grinning at him now.

"Yes, we are more than sure about wanting you to be our little Mila Beatrice's godfather. And yes, Ollie decided on it about a week ago. There is no one better we could get as a godfather for our baby girl." Sara answered both of his questions and reassured him.

"So… what do you… there is no pressure, and it's fine if you don't want to or need some time to think about it. I just wanted to ask you before I leave." Oliver added to his wife's words.

"Yeah, man. I mean, of course, I'm honored, guys. This means a lot." He was very touched by their question and their words and he knew it was showing, not that he cared. Sara got up from the couch and pulled him into a tight hug.

"Thank you. And we are the ones who are honored!" Her words were a little muffled by his shoulder, but he could still make out every single one of them. She kissed his cheek before stepping aside to make room for her husband, who, very un-Oliver-like, pulled him into another tight hug.

"Thank you, Roy. This means so much to us. Mila is going to be lucky to have you as her godfather." Oliver ended the hug, smiling at him. He looked more at ease than he had before.

"Thank you, man. And love the name, by the way." Roy wasn't sure if they understood just what this meant to him. He looked at the couple again. Sara was holding one of Oliver's hands with both of hers, leaning her head on his shoulder, both of them smiling at him in understanding. He guessed they did know.

"Alright, I'm going to make a couple of phone calls and then go grab my things and leave. The faster I talk to Talia, the faster I'm back home." Oliver kissed Sara's crown before detangling his hand from hers and stepping away, walking out of the room, Sara's head and eyes following his every move. There was worry in her eyes now.

"Phone calls?" He wondered out loud, which led to him getting the woman's attention instead of the retreating form of her husband.

"Yeah, a couple of contacts to help him get to Talia. You know, people who own him a favor. And probably Thea, just to let her know he will be out of town for a couple of days. Speaking of, how are things between the two of you? I was thinking about maybe having her over for dinner tomorrow." She explained seriously, which made perfect sense. He wasn't sure why Sara circling back to the subject of Thea was surprising him, but he could easily detect the mischievous glint in her eyes while suggesting they invite her over for dinner tomorrow.

"Sure, whatever you want." He wasn't going to let her know just how much he liked that idea. Not that there was any reason for him to not let her know, but she had yet to tell him about her nuptials, so… it was only fair. Besides, it was fun. He loved the easy, friendly banter Sara usually had with him, and it was good to see her like this again. Relaxed, happy, teasing. He had missed that side of her during their last couple of interactions.

"Alright, I'll go tell Ollie, to invite her over when he calls her. Make yourself at home. Oh, and Roy? Thank you for being here. It means a lot." Sara smiled at him knowingly before walking in the same direction Oliver had just left, just to turn around before walking through the doorway to the corridor.

"Of course, anytime." He smiled back at her. He meant it. Whenever they needed him, he would be there to help in whatever way he could. Oliver and Sara and Thea and Sin and Team Arrow had been the first time since the death of his mother that he had felt like a part of a family. Yes, he had the Legends now, and they were his family too, but they were like his in laws, or maybe some cousins. Oliver and Sara felt more like blood relatives. It sounded weird even to him, but it was how he felt. Even more so now, now that they entrusted him with their daughter's life, should anything happen to them.

He was still floored that they had so much faith and trust in him. Roy swore to himself wasn't going to let them down. He was going to be the best damn godfather to their little Mila Beatrice there had ever been on the planet, and he was going to make sure nothing was ever going to happen to that little girl, that she would be able to defend herself, just not with a bow and arrow. The current captain of the Waverider was still standing by his earlier thought on that. There was no way he was not going to get shot by his goddaughter.


He had gotten himself something to drink and gotten comfortable on the couch, checking in with Jax, making sure everything was fine and he had managed to take care of the issue.

Sara had returned not long after, and sat down next to him, flipping through a parenting magazine. It was an interesting sight. She would sit up straight from time to time, taking one hand from the magazine and move it to the top of her rounded stomach, right where her ribcage started. He was just about to ask her if everything was alright when another voice beat him to it.

"Mila putting her foot up your ribcage again?" Oliver was walking towards them and kneeling down in front of Sara, putting one of his hands on her stomach, softly moving it back and forth.

"Yeah, it's alright though. I just don't want her to fall asleep with her foot up there. That would suck. You ready to leave?" The mother to be replied. She had placed her hand on his cheek, softly stroking it when asking him the question.

"Okay. Yeah, everything's set. I should only be a couple of days, a week at the most." He turned towards him at the end of the sentence.

"No hurry. I'll be here until you're back. It takes as long as it takes. Don't worry about us." Roy assured his friend, it was true there was nowhere he needed to be right now and even if things went downhill for the Legends, they'd manage without him for a few days.

"Thank you, Roy. You good? Or do you need anything?" Oliver turned back towards Sara after thanking him and it left him watching the couple's interaction. Roy wasn't sure if he should leave them alone, but then again, they could leave the room if they didn't want him around. He wasn't sure what he should do, but decided to stay, because both Oliver and Sara knew he was in the room with them and they didn't seem to care. So why should he? Plus, he had seen them in far more compromising positions before… he had to smirk at that thought. More than once.

"I'm fine, Ollie, I have everything I need and if not, I got Roy here. Or Lyla, Thea or Sin that would be happy to get me whatever it is I need. You let me know when you land and keep me updated?" she reassured him and gently requested.

"Alright. Of course. I love you, Pretty Bird." Oliver bent down and softly kissed Sara on the lips.

"I love you too, OJ." Sara pulled him into a longer and deeper kiss, that made him look away.

"Take good care of them." He could see Oliver bend down and kiss Sara's stomach before softly pecking her lips again, and standing up, holding his hand out to him.

"Of course, you make sure to come back home in one piece." He assured and joked, trying to lighten the mood a little.

"I'll do my best." Oliver graced him with a quick grin and winked at him before walking away from them and out of the room. Sara had closed the space between them, lying her head on his shoulder while watching Oliver walk away. He couldn't even imagine what she must feel like right now. He put his arm around her and pulled her closer, trying to provide some comfort.


Notes:

I really, really hope I got Roy right. Let me know what you think.

So the plot about Chase and Ruvé is starting to pick up now, slowly though for the next couple of chapters but it will become more of an A than a C plot, lol. Never expected it to take me this long to actually get to the plot of Arrow season 5. Sorry about that.

Chapter title is from the song "See You Again" by Wiz Khalifa feat. Charlie Puth.