"How long have you known?" Roy asked tightly as he watched her change out of her tank top and into a bigger top. She scowled in the mirror when even that was pulled a little tighter against her growing baby belly. "Thea." He called from his spot sitting on the edge of the bed when she didn't answer him.
It had been harder than she'd thought it would be to keep it from three people who knew her so well and who were always around her. She'd been wearing nothing but flowy tops and uncharacteristic sweatshirts to hide it for the last month. Not to mention the lying to Roy and Ollie had been killing her. Not that both of them hadn't had their fair share of secrets.
"What?" she snapped impatiently, spinning around and ripping the shirt off, throwing it at her closet door. Roy swallowed thickly when she leveled him with the most threatening glare she had given him throughout the duration of their relationship. And she was standing there in a pair of his sweatpants and a sports bra. It was honestly the hottest visually conveyed death threat he had ever received in his life.
"How long have you known?" he repeated, voice strained.
"A month." She answered with a sigh as she looked down at the crimson carpet.
"And you didn't tell me?" he asked, hurt now clear in his tone.
"I was scared." She admitted. "I thought for sure you would leave and I couldn't deal with that. For a while I could pretend I didn't know and that nothing was changing." She murmured quietly. "That obviously worked out well." She rolled her eyes. Roy's hand moved towards the base of his sternum to brace against his chest as he stood up.
"We'll figure this out." he replied, as she turned and stared at her half naked self in the mirror.
"Promise?" she mumbled vulnerably. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and linked his hands together over her stomach.
"Promise." Roy whispered in her ear. "Here." He murmured when she stared hopelessly at her closet. Thea watched him in the mirror as he leaned away from her and shrugged out of his red hoodie he had pulled back on when he woke up an hour ago. He held it for her and she slid her arms into the sleeves, staring at him hands as he reached around her and zipped it up for her. "Make sure you take Felicity shopping with you." He said seriously, shaking his head incredulously when an excited smile spread across her face.
"Ready?" she asked. Roy arched an eyebrow and glanced away.
"I'm dead." He muttered, moping off to the bedroom door. He glanced back when Thea didn't follow to see her looking at herself in the mirror, hands resting over her small baby bump. He bit his lip to keep the affectionate smile away and waited patiently until she joined him and took his hand, leading the way downstairs.
"Ollie." Thea called cautiously. Roy's hand tightened around hers to a point of pain and she immediately started rubbing her thumb across the back of his hand to ease his sudden panic.
"What's up Speedy?" he asked with a wide smile as he looked up at her from his seat on the ground with Connor in his lap, firing his Nerf bow and arrow at the wall. Felicity was sitting behind her boys on the couch, her knees on either side of her husband's body while she moved her fingers through his short cropped blonde hair.
"We need to talk to you guys." She answered. Oliver sobered up immediately and Connor clambered out of his dad's lap, running up to Roy and shooting him in the knee with a rubber tipped arrow.
"Agh!" Roy shouted dramatically and doubled over just slightly, releasing Thea's hand and falling to the ground. Connor giggled and tackled him, sitting on his uncle's leg.
"Careful CJ." Thea warned as the three year old moved to climb onto Roy's stomach. Connor blinked up at his aunt with wide blue eyes that matched his father's.
"I'm fine, Thea." Roy rolled his eyes and pushed off the ground with a wince, chuckling softly when Connor clung to his leg. Oliver cleared his throat, pulling his sister and brother in law back to the present.
"Right." Roy coughed awkwardly, lifting Connor onto his hip with a strong grimace.
"Roy." Thea warned, putting a hand on his arm. He glanced at her and shook his head, smiling slightly.
"Fine." He repeated. She sighed and looked back at Oliver and Felicity, eyes locked on Oliver's, willing him to accept it with more grace than he would usually accept something like this.
"Ollie, I'm pregnant." She told him, forcing the words out of her mouth at a speed that was usually Felicity's trademark.
"You." Oliver roared, pushing off the floor and stalking towards Roy who was still positioned slightly behind Thea.
"Oliver!" Felicity called exasperatedly. Then quicker than anyone in the room had ever seen Roy Harper move, he was shoving Connor into Thea's arms and putting himself between the instinctively recognized threat and the most important person in his life. Oliver stopped immediately when he realized Roy had seen him as a threat to his own sister and son. He stumbled back a few steps and raised his hands in surrender. "Oliver." Felicity repeated as he breathed a little heavier. Thea's chin quivered a little at the disproving and angry look in her brother's eyes.
"Hey." Roy whispered, side stepping behind her and putting his hands on her shoulder, kissing her hair. Thea hugged Connor and rubbed his back while Felicity worked to calm her husband down.
"There's nothing you can do about it Oliver." Felicity told him gently.
"How much you want to bet?" Oliver grunted in response.
"What, are you going to shoot him?" she asked, losing her temper slightly.
"Maybe." He growled.
"He's kidding." Felicity hissed at Roy who didn't look fazed. "Oliver, I know she's your baby sister but you can't change it. She needs her big brother's support right now, not his judgmental prejudice." Felicity reasoned. Oliver sighed and clenched his hands into fists, glancing up at the oversized clock on the living room wall before nodding stiffly and turning back to his little sister.
"Thea." He sighed when he realized just how much his reaction had hurt her. Roy winked at Connor and held his arms out for him. He immediately left Thea for Roy and started slapping his uncle's face with his little hands. Roy snapped his teeth close enough to Connor's fingers to make him giggle hysterically and keep going. Thea Harper stared up at her brother with hope in her eyes as he smiled down at her.
"Congratulations Speedy." He smirked. Her countenance morphed from worry to something much happier and she stood on her toes, throwing her arms around his neck. "You're going to make a great mom." He whispered in her ear. Her smile grew and she kissed his cheek, letting her arms slide away. Felicity bowled her husband out of the way and hugged Thea tightly. The younger girl laughed and hugged her back, glancing over her shoulder at Oliver who was approaching a suddenly very nervous looking Roy.
"Ollie." Thea called warningly. Oliver ignored her and tensely held his hand out to the kid. Connor cocked his head and high fived his dad who grinned at him and ruffled his curly blonde hair. Roy blinked at the offered hand for a moment before he shook it, maintaining eye contact like he was taught to.
"I'm happy for you both. Really." Oliver said sincerely with a too tight smile then he brushed past him and grabbed the keys off the kitchen counter, making a beeline for the door that opened seconds before he could reach it.
"Where you going, man?" Dig asked, concerned. Oliver just shook his head and kept walking to his car that was still parked out front from the night before.
Felicity sighed and stared after her husband for a minute before she turned her attention back to Thea for the girl's sake.
"How long?" she asked conversationally.
"Almost five months." The brunette answered distractedly, ignoring Roy's worried gaze on her back.
"We should go shopping later, then." Felicity suggested, repressing a wince at the idea. Thea nodded and forced a smile.
"Dig!" Connor shouted, making grabby hands at his other uncle who took him without hesitation.
"Hey, little man." Dig smiled. "What was that?" he asked Roy.
"Thea's pregnant." Felicity offered in way of explanation.
"Ah." Dig sighed heavily. "Congratulations, you two." He said to Roy and Thea, the former nodding with a halfhearted smile. "Seeing as kids not dead, it must have gone pretty well." Roy huffed a laugh and shrugged shortly.
"I'm going to go talk to him." Thea said quietly.
"Whatever you're going to do, do it fast. I came down here to tell Oliver and your boy that they've got some work to do downtown." Diggle muttered, crossing his arms over his chest. Thea swallowed thickly and nodded.
"Roy will you give me a hand with Connor?" Felicity asked with a smile that dared him to decline.
"Yes ma'am." Roy sighed, switching Connor to his other arm and tilting his head to kiss Thea quickly. "We'll meet you there." He promised lowly. She nodded and kissed Connor's forehead.
"Watch him." Thea winked at the toddler who giggled and smiled proudly, nodding wildly. "Good boy." She smiled and glanced back at Dig jerked his head in the general direction of the door. Thea's arms wrapped around herself as she followed Dig across the floor to the front door. Dig squeezed Roy's shoulder reassuringly as he passed, hoping to ease his anxiety at letting Thea at of his sight so soon after she had confessed her one month old secret to him.
Diggle walked ahead of Thea and opened the passenger door for her, waiting until she was buckled to shut it and move around the sports car to climb into the driver's seat.
They didn't speak throughout the duration of the drive, Thea staring contemplatively out the window and Diggle keeping his eyes on the road. It wasn't until the pulled up in front of Verdant that the silence was broken.
"I'll wait here." Diggle spoke after clearing his throat. Thea nodded and smiled appreciatively.
"Thanks Johnny." She grinned, trying to force an air of humor into her tone as she used the nickname he hated coming from anyone other than Carly.
"Anytime kid." He chuckled as the girl in her husband's red hoodie got out of the car and climbed the steps to the front door.
"Ollie." Thea snapped tightly, staring up at Oliver as he hung from the suspended bar.
"Hey Speedy." He smiled, dropping his chin to his chest to stare down at her.
"Will you get down?"
Oliver closed his eyes for a moment and exhaled slowly, nodding then letting go of the bar and lithely falling to the floor in a crouch.
"I really am happy…" he smiled widely at her. "for both of you."
"Cut the crap." She hissed. She had always seen through his falsity – always known when he was lying to her or lying about his feelings. He sighed and dropped his gaze to the floor.
"You're my baby sister, Thea. I'm trying to be happy for you." He whispered apologetically.
"I know you are. But you're kind of sucking at it." She nodded slowly, folding her arms and pursing her lips.
"Thea…" he whispered painfully.
"No Ollie. I know it sucks for you to see me all grown up, but I'm not a baby anymore. I need you to get on my team here."
"I'm always on your team, Thea." He defended, eyes tightening and countenance turning hopelessly sad.
"But you're not Ollie. Not right now your not. I need you." She whispered, staring up at him with big eyes.
"Okay." He whispered, pulling her into a hug. "Okay." He repeated, kissing her head quickly. "I meant it when I said you're going to be a great mom." He murmured into the brunette curls at the top of her head.
"Thanks Ollie." She whispered. He nodded and pulled back, smiling a wide, closed lip smile.
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