Roy is 15, Connor is 9, Artemis is 5, and Mia is 2 in this chapter. By the way, Connor is Connor Hawke (He's Oliver's biological son).

Chapter 2: Mr. Mom

Ollie's POV

"And just where do you think you're going?" Dinah asked as I froze.

"Work?" I replied as she crossed her arms.

"Not today. We talked about this last night."

Was that before or after sex? "What did we talk about?"

"Ollie, I have to go see my mother. She's sick again."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Pretty Bird. Are you taking the kids with you?" I asked.

"No. You promised to watch them. Remember?"

Oh shit.

*********Break********

"Remember, you have a meeting with Connor's teacher at three-thirty. Artemis has gymnastics at two. Mia's doctor appointment is at eleven. Roy's school gets out at three, but he has football practice. Connor's school gets out at three-fifteen. And Artemis gets out at twelve thirty-"

I stared at Dinah in horror as she handed me a bunch of random shit and continued on about a schedule. Couldn't I just pay someone to do this for me?

"Dinah! Don't go! Don't leave us with him!" Roy cried as he attached himself to her waist.

"Please don't go!" Connor whimpered as he grabbed her by her arm.

"Don't go Mommy!" Artemis sobbed as she wrapped herself around Dinah's leg.

"Mommy stay!" Mia wailed as her arms encircled Dinah's neck.

Doesn't anyone love me? So much for loyalty.

"Don't worry. It's only for a couple of days. I'll be back Sunday." Dinah replied as she hugged them all goodbye.

I took Mia from her as she kissed me.

"Don't kill my children, Oliver." She hissed into my ear as I frowned.

I'm sure I can keep them alive for a couple of days.

"Don't worry about anything except your mother, Pretty Bird. I'll take care of them."

********Break********

"Alright. Who's hungry?" I asked as the four of them took their seats at the table.

"Mia gets Cheerios and a banana. Artemis gets raison oatmeal. Connor likes whole wheat toast with unsalted butter and a side of grapefruit. And I get two fried eggs, toast, a muffin, a banana and a bowl of maple sugar oatmeal on school days." Roy stated as my mouth nearly fell open. "On the weekends we get pancakes and sausage."

"And you have to make mine and Roy's lunches for school." Connor added.

"No problem… Roy, where do we keep the milk?"

********Break********

"Um, Dad? Do you need any help?" Connor asked as I futilely tried to get Artemis and Mia in their car seats.

"No. I can do this." I mumbled. How hard can this be! I'm freaking Green Arrow for crying out loud! What evil villain designed these damn things?

"I bet Batman could've done it faster." Roy smirked from the passenger seat of the car.

"Shut up Roy." I growled before finally getting Mia strapped in. "See. This was easy."

"And it only took you thirty-two minutes and twenty-seven seconds." Roy smirked as I glared at him.

Okay let's see. Roy's in high school. He gets dropped off first. Connor and Artemis are in elementary school. They get dropped off second. Mia stays with me.

"Have a good day, Roy." I stated as I pulled into the high school.

He opened the door of the car and replied, "Yeah whatever."

Damn teenagers and their hormones. Why can't he be nine again?

Then, I drove to the elementary school and dropped Connor and Artemis off.

"Okay, Mia. It's just you and me now." I stated, looking at her in the rearview mirror.

********Break********

"This way Mr. Queen." The nurse directed us into a waiting room.

I set Mia down on the examination table before taking a seat.

"Daddy, me no want doctor."

"I know baby. I don't like taking you here either. But, it makes you better. And we can get ice-cream afterwards."

"Yay! Ice-cream!" she cheered as the doctor walked in.

Her smile instantly vanished as the doctor opened his clipboard.

"Hello Mia. How are you today?" he asked as she ignored him.

"She's a little tired." I answered.

"I see… How has her medication been working out? Have you noticed any of the side effects?"

"It seems to be working fine, despite the vomiting and the bathroom trips." I replied as he nodded and wrote something down on his clipboard.

"It's to be expected Mr. Queen. It is the best medication you can buy. But, the side effects could lead to have a negative impact on a child so young… And it's standard procedure for me to remind you to make sure you are monitoring her. Children on antiretroviral drugs must be monitored. It's serious when a two year old tests positive for HIV."

"I understand." I relied as I watched her expression turn sour as the doctor poked and prodded her.

She's too young to even understand why she's here. She's too young to understand what they did to her in that orphanage. She doesn't understand it right now, but one day she will. And that day will break her heart and mine.

********Break*********

"How was school?" I asked as Artemis climbed into the car.

"It was okay. All we did was work on addition and color." She responded.

"And what did you color?" I asked.

"A picture of me and Mommy." She responded.

Why is there never a picture of me colored?

"Oh and I beat up a boy at recess."

"Artemis, don't beat up your classmates." I muttered as she shrugged.

"But, he had cooties."

"I hope he still has them when you're a teenager." I muttered.

An hour later, I drove towards Star City's Gymnastic Academy.

I held Mia as she colored as we waited for Artemis to finish. Let's see, I've got a meeting with Connor's teacher. And then I need to get Roy from football. I need to do something for dinner too. I could make some chili.

"Daddy look." Mia said as she shoved her drawing into my face. "It's you and Mommy."

I looked at the green stick figure and the black stick figure holding hands.

"It's beautiful, baby… Why does Mommy have squares all over her legs?"

She pointed to the squares and replied, "Fishnets."

********Break*********

"Connor is such a joy to have in class. But, he's not very sociable with the other kids." Mrs. Monroe began.

Connor has friends… Well he's friends with Jason Todd and Chris Kent.

"Is there any trouble going on at home?" she asked.

"No."

"Has Connor said anything to you?"

"Connor's fine. He's just not too sociable with other kids his age." I responded.

"I see. Maybe you could encourage your son to try to be more social."

"I'll see what I can do." I replied as I exited her office.

Connor, Artemis, and Mia were waiting outside of her office for me.

"How did it go?" Connor asked nervously.

"Fine… Everything okay, Connor?" I asked as he shrugged.

"The other kids don't like me." he replied softly.

"Why not?"

"Because I'm different."

"You don't look any different to me. Besides, if they can't see you for the great kid you are, then you don't need them as your friends. We'll talk about it later. But first we have to get Roy from football practice."

"Thanks Dad."

********Break*********

What did he do now? I could see Roy getting yelled at by his coach. Dammit Roy.

"Connor, watch your sisters. I'll be right back." I muttered.

"Okay Dad."

"Roy!" I called as he kept his head down as he trudged towards me.

I could see a large purple bruise on his cheek as he came to stand before me.

"What happened?"

"I got hit."

"Who hit you?" I asked.

"The kid with the broken arm and nose."

"You didn't-"

"He hit me first!"

"Calm down. Why'd he hit you?"

"Cause."

Damn teenagers and their hormones! "Roy, cause is not an answer choice."

"I got benched." He softly responded.

"Start from the beginning."

"I got demoted. Said some things I shouldn't have. He hit me. I broke his nose and arm. I got benched."

"I'm sorry. But, you've got to learn to control your anger."

He shrugged as I squeezed his shoulder.

********Break*********

"Chili's ready!" I announced to their horrorstruck faces. "What? What's wrong?"

"I can't eat that!" Connor exclaimed.

"Why not?" I asked, frowning.

"Dad, I'm a vegetarian." He exclaimed.

"I'm not hungry anymore." Artemis stated quietly.

"Are you trying to kill us, Ollie?" Roy asked.

"Fine. We can order pizza." I grumbled as they cheered.

"Yay!" Mia exclaimed.

********Break*********

"How's your mother?" I asked as she sighed over the phone.

"She's getting better, but a pain in the ass to deal with."

"Your mother is a tough old bird. She'll be fine, Dinah."

"I know, but she's driving me crazy… How are the kids?"

"They got to school okay. Mia's doctor appointment was okay. Artemis' gymnastic thing was okay. Connor's parent teacher conference could have gone better. She thinks Connor's having difficulties at home. And Roy was in a fight and he's been benched from football."

"What?!"

"I don't know, Dinah. You're better at the whole parenting thing than I am."

"Just do the best you can." She responded before the sound of her mother's voice was heard shouting in the background. "I've got to go, Ollie."

"I know, Pretty Bird. But when you get back, the first thing you're going to do is put on your fishnets and then I'm going to tear them off of you with my teeth and then I'm going to carry you-"

"Daddy?" I looked up to see Mia toddling into my room.

"Ollie?" Dinah asked.

"And then I'm going to carry you to bed because you'll be really really tired-"

"Is it Artemis or Mia?" Dinah asked.

"Mia." I replied as she held her arms out to me.

"Let me talk to her."

I pulled Mia onto my lap and handed her the phone.

"Mommy?" she began as Dinah said something to her. "Okay. Love you." She replied before returning the phone to me.

"Ollie, I've got to go. I'll talk to you later. I love you."

"I love you too, Pretty Bird." I replied before hanging up. "Alright, Mia. What's wrong?"

"Want story." She responded.

"Alright. Let's get the others and we'll do story time, okay?"

"Kay."

*********Break********

I opened the door to Roy's room and found him to be passed out. I crept over to him and pulled his discarded blanket back over him before leaving his room.

I opened the door to Connor's room and found him to be asleep with Roy's old teddy bear in his arms. I brushed his hair back before leaving.

I could see Artemis' stuffed unicorn on the floor beside her as she slept. I pushed the stuffed animal back into her arms before leaving.

Opening the door to Mia's room, I could see her sleeping peacefully. I kissed her forehead as she continued to dream.

*********Break********

"Okay. Who wants pancakes?" I asked.

"Me!" Artemis, Connor, and Mia cried as Roy rolled his eyes.

Afterwards, I took the kids outside to get some target practicing in. I smiled as Roy, Connor, and Artemis all got perfect bull's-eyes. However, I frowned as Mia started biting an arrow.

"Mia! Don't eat that!"

*********Break********

"Mommy!" Artemis and Mia cried as Dinah's car pulled in.

She quickly gave all four of them a hug as she smiled at me.

"I missed you, Pretty Bird." I whispered as she smiled.

"I missed you too." She whispered. "Good job, Mr. Mom." She smirked.

"Ha-ha. From now on, if your mother ever gets sick again, I'll take care of her."

"Being a mother isn't easy, is it?" she smirked.

"You are my rock, Dinah. I don't know how you do it."

"It isn't easy for me either… And by the way, I'm wearing my fishnets under my jeans."

"Did I mention that I love you?"