Chapter 7:

It was a stormy night in Starling, which hadn't seen rain in a while, and rain in a city which rarely saw it tended to make people in Starling a little crazy. It had been three weeks since Oliver and Felicity's conversation. He found himself avoiding her, what little interaction they had was completely gone; they spoke only about business, QC and Arrow. But nothing else, it had come to the point where they weren't even greeting one another. Oliver would still follow her home, watch her, he didn't know that when he said keeping her at arm's length meant literally, far away to the point where they weren't even civil to one another. His jealousy one night began to eat him up when he saw her go on yet another date with Nick. He had been watching them from afar, they were having a picnic in the park, he had seen changes in Felicity, she was more content and smiley. She went for a run with him every morning and when she got to work she always looked relaxed, these were great changes he knew it but he was still jealous. He had sat in his usually spot across the road from her house and watched them, they were having a pillow fight, which went on to a tickle match between them, he did not know that she practically dies when somebody tickles her feet, he had seen her screaming, trying to fight Nick off with a pillow. This then went onto something more, her on the floor in her living room with him on top of her kissing her, kissing her neck, he watched as he took her glasses off, something he has wanted to do before, and watched as she wrapped her legs around his waist, they continued for a few moments, he could not keep his eyes off them. It made him sick and angry, he wanted to go and knock him out, grab her and make out with her instead. He couldn't take his eyes of what they were doing, he saw him lift her off the floor, she still wrapped around him as he carried her to the bedroom. He wiped a tear that had fallen off his cheek; he needed to find somebody to put an arrow in.

Back in the lair Laurel was training with Diggle, since her fight with Felicity, she found Oliver to be more distant with her. She knew that he was mad that she punched her but she did apologise even though Felicity just glared at her, she knew Oliver wouldn't stay mad at her for long it was only a matter of time before they went back to the way they were. Oliver had decided that he needs to keep his distance from both women, he didn't want to come out and tell Laurel that there was no chance in hell of them again, but he didn't want to, not because he wanted to be with her but sometimes he would see glimpses of her struggling and the last thing he needs is for her to go back. He knew she was strong after coming into this and learning about Sara but he always worried about her.

When Felicity arrived at the lair at 10PM, Oliver noticed that she was dressed up, a date, she just came back from a date he thought, she wore a loose flowery dress, it didn't hug her body, it flowed and she had paired it with a pair of beige coloured heels, her hair was down and she had her contacts in. "Hey" she said addressing everyone, she had come in with coffee for all, she walked towards Diggle and Laurel handed them coffee, had brought Roy a smoothie, and walked up to Oliver holding out her hand, this was his chance to touch her he thought. He grabbed the cup but managed to place his fingers across her hand. She swallowed and let go walking over to her desk. He did it he touched her, this should be ok for the next couple of weeks he thought, he can hold on to this.

2 Months had passed the team had taken down some gang members, infiltrated a cocaine king and saved a bus full of kids. Everything was quiet, Roy was doing sit ups in the lair, Oliver was on the salmon ladder, Felicity and Laurel at their desks and John Diggle looked like he had seen a ghost. Felicity was the first to notice "Digg you okay?" she asked now by his side hands in the air almost touching his face, she was concerned. Oliver came down from the ladder and made his way over drying his sweat with the towel.

"Diggle?" he too was a little concerned he hadn't seen his friend like this before.

"The baby is coming" he gasped holding on the med table.

"OMG, well what are you doing off to the hospital we go" Felicity shouted shoving Diggle towards the stairs. "Let's go people the baby is on its way".

Laurel and Roy had left the hospital, as Felicity and Oliver remained in the waiting room; Digg had been in with Lyla for 2 hours. Digg came out ever half an hour with an update looking terrified, each time he came out his friends would hug him and reassure him. Felicity was looking at magazines and Oliver was leaning back in his chair, eyes closed. "Eww, did you know that once you have a baby apparently your never the same again down there, it's like you just enter, no shoving just enter" she said to herself in a low voice, but it came out as a fact she was telling Oliver. Oliver smiled, amused, he still held his head back, eyes closed. She noticed him grin and began to blush, "I mean, quite unlikely because people have more than one, so if that was true it would just be a hole like a tunnel and …" Oliver started laughing, shaking his head.

"Your nervous" he said turning his head to look at her.

"Yeah I am, just want her to come into this world already, they have been in there for three hours, that is long labour, I hope when I get pregnant my waters break and the baby just comes out no labour nonsense" she started fidgeting with her hands, great she just told Oliver Queen that she wants babies.

"Hopefully, how many kids do you want?" he asks, doesn't know why but he is wondering.

"4, 2 of each would be nice, so they can have each other, depend on each other, be close and …" she watched Oliver he had thinking face on, and when he had thinking face he tended to zone out. "Oliver I'm sorry" he looked at her confused, "Thea, I shouldn't of said that and …"

"It's ok, I was just thinking how close we were, how I let her down, she believed in me and I let her down" his eyes looked sad, hurt, he gritted his teeth.

"She still does Oliver, she needs time, I'm sorry my searches haven't turned anything up, but when she is ready she will come back"

"Your right she will, hopefully, about her still believing in me I doubt it, I wouldn't believe in me either" he turned, his features now showing, strong, he had great cheekbones she thought.

"Well I still believe in you" she smiled.

"You do?" disbelief in his face, was she serious.

"Of course, always". How, how can this woman say all these things to him, they have been so distant yet she still chooses to believe in him, what had he done in this life to deserve her. Before he could challenge her about it, Digg walks into the room.

"It's a girl" the man was clearly in shock.

"Well we knew that, congratulations" Felicity wrapped her hands around him. Oliver took this opportunity to hug Digg whilst Felicity was still hugging him. He knew what he was doing, he hadn't had contact with her in weeks, so in essence he was hugging her, and well her back he thought. They stayed like that for a few seconds. "Guys your kind of squashing me here" she added as Oliver stepped back.

"Congratulations dad" Oliver said going for a handshake.

"You two want to meet her"

"YES" they both said at the same time.

When they got to the room, Lyla was cradling the baby; she was looking at her with so much love. Felicity walked up to the bed as Lyla turned the baby to face her. "Hi baby, welcome to the world, beautiful girl" tears began to stream down her face. "She is beautiful" her voice broken. Oliver walked up towards her he looked at the baby, so tiny he thought; she had Lyla's brows but Digg's facial features.

"Congratulations, she is beautiful" he said smiling, he was happy, happier than he had been in a while, since his mother's death he hadn't felt like he had a family anymore, especially with Thea gone, but he knew he did, he had Diggle, Lyla, the baby and he had Felicity he had family.

"You want to hold her" Lyla looked at Felicity who merely nodded her head, tears still streaming down her face. Felicity took the baby in her arms, supporting her head, it had been a while since she held a baby. She turned and sat in the chair next to Lyla's bed, as she stroked the baby's head, she was so beautiful.

"Hey gorgeous girl, wow you are going to be a heartbreaker, you are going to drive your daddy crazy" she laughed and she got was a stern look at Digg who was shaking his head.

"O No, she isn't dating till she is 25" he said. They all began to laugh.

"25, forget that Digg it should be more like 45" Oliver added.

"Would you seriously stop your daughter from dating Oliver" she asked not taking her eyes of the baby.

"Yes, boys only want one thing" he said taking a seat on the armchair rest looking at the baby.

"Not all boys Oliver, besides she should learn to make mistakes"

"I'm pretty sure all boys want that, and why let her make mistakes when you can avoid them" he asked.

"Are you actually serious, you would stop her, she should make mistakes and learn from them"

"Not if I can help it, but I'm sure you would tell her to go out and would encourage boyfriends" All Digg and Lyla could do was exchange looks, they were not mentioning daughters, they talked as if they were expecting a daughter of their own and were arguing about when she is older.

"Of course, I'm not going to tell her to go out with any Tom, Dick and Harry, but she would need to experience life and learn"

"Like I said I would probably stop her" he glared at her raising his eyebrows, grinning.

"And I would stop you" she knew what she had just said, she was implying that her and Oliver would have a child together, but for some reason she didn't correct herself, maybe the baby brought it out of her, but she would regret those words tomorrow. All Oliver could do was smile, his dimples beginning to show. "Hey baby, did I welcome to you to the world, just so you know that you are loved, little one, yes, your daddy loves you, your mommy loves you, your aunty Flick loves you, Uncle Oliver loves you" she was still stroking her head as she felt Oliver's hand squeeze her shoulder. "O, what's her name, totally forgot to ask" both her and Oliver faced them waiting for a response. All the got was huge smiles.

Diggle walked up to them, folding his arms, "her name is Felicity Oliver Grace Diggle". Both their faces dropped and Digg and Lyla began laughing.

"You named her Felicity" she was so shocked, she looked at Digg then back at Lyla and Digg again.

"Of course, we will call her Lizzy for short" he grinned.

"To avoid the obvious I threw in Grace after my Mom" Lyla added in.

"Felicity, you have the best heart that I know of and if my daughter turns out to be the tiniest bit the woman you are I will be a proud father" Felicity cried, this time her chest started to move up and down, she tried to keep her mouth shut not to allow the cries out, she didn't want to scare the baby. "And as for Oliver, do I have to go there, you are my best mate man, my family and I hope that she will turned out to be brave and courageous like her Uncle Oliver" Digg added. Oliver shook his hand and pecked Lyla on the cheek, he just nodded he couldn't bring himself to open his mouth and say anything.

"Are you crying Oliver Queen" Felicity asked as she held on to his hand. He shook his head, but she knew better. Digg took out the camera and began to take snaps, of the two of them and the baby, he took multiple shots of them, the Oliver took the camera and took pics of the three of them, then with Felicity added into the mix, and finally they had gotten a nurse to take a picture of all of them together. Today was a good day, they were happy, content, and they were family.