Three weeks passed after the group's escape from the island. Everyone slowly eased back into their old lives. All except William and Oliver. With his mom in the hospital, comatose. Oliver spent more time at home with him, even buying a new apartment for himself and the boy, who didn't have anyone else to turn to without his mom.

Oliver spent less time out at night as the arrow. Between trying to console his son and proving William was his, he barely had any time for much else.

Life was quiet around the Queen household. Fortunately it was summer so William didn't have to worry about school on top of everything else.

Oliver came home around midnight to find William sprawled across the couch with some cartoon on, watching tv. A blanket covered his body.

"Why aren't you in the bed?" Oliver asked, too tired to be angry. He flopped down at William's feet, and started undoing his suit and tie.

"I can't sleep, It just doesn't feel the same. I miss her Oliver."

"I know buddy. I know." Oliver didn't know what else to say.

"Do you remember my sister Thea?" Oliver asked the boy.

"Yeah, she was nice. I liked talking to her." He responded quietly, pulling the blanket closer to his face.

"Well, what if I ask her to come stay with you on the nights I have to work late. One perk of being mayor is I can tell her when to leave." Oliver said, hoping that having Thea here would give William some comfort.

"I guess. That could be nice" William muttered after a few minutes of thinking to himself.

"Good to hear. I'll talk to her about it tomorrow." Oliver stood up, walked over to where William's head was resting on the couch and knelt to where they were face to face. "Now why don't you try and get some sleep?" Oliver said, hoping he was comfortable now that he was home.

William just looked around for a second and brought his knees close to his stomach, saying nothing.

"What's wrong?" Oliver asked, completely and utterly confused.

"When I close my eyes, I see him. Sometimes I see my mom, laying there, not moving."

At once Oliver understood what really troubled William. How could he be so stupid. Of course he'd be traumatized and have nightmares over what he went through. Oliver had been so stuck on trying to provide basic needs for the kid and everything else going on he completely overlooked the fact that he might be having nightmares.

"I'll tell you what. Why don't you take your things and sleep in my room tonight. There's a big window on one side of the wall. There's always some sort of light. I'll be up in a few minutes ok?"

"Ok… Thanks a lot Oliver."

Oliver watched as William slowly ascended up the stairs and into his bedroom.

Oliver went over to the kitchen Area to get a glass of water and an idea struck him. He poured a glass of milk and warmed it up, planning to take it up to William.

A few minutes later Oliver entered his bedroom to see William taking up half the bed, Facing the window. He turned and regarded Oliver curiously as he shut the door behind him.

"Here sip this." Oliver handed the glass of warm milk to his son. "I used to have nightmares when I was your age. Warm milk always helped me. Hopefully it'll help you too."

William took the glass with a muttered thanks and sipped it, setting it on the side table after and layed back down, covering himself back up with the blankets.

Oliver quickly changed and slipped in the bed. "Is it going to be okay if I sleep here with you?" Oliver asked before settling down.

William turned around and nodded his head a few times, showing the tiniest bit of a smile. "Yeah, it's fine."

"I don't sleep much these days anyway buddy." Oliver said.

"Me neither." William answered as Oliver turned the light off.

"NO! NO! Stay away!" Oliver woke up to a scream and William thrashing beide him. He quickly threw the covers off himself and looked over to the boy.

"William! William!" Oliver gathered him in his arms. "It's Oliver. William it's ok you're safe." Oliver whispered to him. Trying in some way to calm him down. William was covered in sweat, his clothes were drenched, his eyes were clenched shut. After a few horrifying minutes the screaming finally subsided. William's eyes burst open and his head exploded into movement. He looked around the room with a horrified look on his face. Finally he looked up to see Oliver staring at him. A look of overwhelming sympathy.

"i'm- i'm sorry I woke you." William quickly forced himself out of Oliver's embrace.

"William why didn't you tell me that your nightmares were this bad." Oliver was baffled.

"I thought I could get over them myself." William muttered, shying away from Oliver.

Oliver looked over to the clock beside him. It read four am. He thought to himself for a second then faced the boy. "When I can't sleep you know what I do? I train. It clears my head and gives me a goal I can achieve."

"What's that got to do with me?" William asked, not understanding.

Oliver slid across the bed so he was face to face with William. "How about we go to the bunker. We can work out together, clear our heads." Oliver suggested. "You don't have to if you don't want to but I can't think of anything else that might help out right now."

"We can try it I guess. I never go back to sleep after the nightmares anyway."

"Wait right here i'll be right back." Oliver quickly headed out the door and into William's room. He picked out a pair of clothes, Sweat pants and an old t-shirt, easy to work out in and brought them back to the boy. "Change into these. Lay your pajamas on the floor. When you're ready come downstairs.

Minutes later William came downstairs dressed in sweats and a t-shirt, similar to Oliver.

"Let's go." Oliver said and led the boy out the door, hoping for once something would work.

"How exactly do we get down to the Bunker?" William asked as he and Oliver made their way down the sidewalk towards Oliver's Mayor's Office.

"I'll show you." Oliver teased with a smirk. They entered the office with Oliver's key and headed into his private office.

"Here look at this." Oliver headed over to the far wall. "Now you can't tell anyone about this, nobody at all." Oliver said but William just nodded eagerly, excitement replacing his previous exhaustion. Oliver pressed a small button under a ridge in the wall. The Arrow Cave's secret elevator opened up.

"Woah…" William stood, wide eyed.

"Come on." Oliver smiled and lay his arm over William's shoulder, leading him into the elevator. "If you think that was cool wait till you see the bunker."

A second later the elevator opened back up to reveal team arrow's secret base.

"Woah… This is sick Oliver." William's eyes darted back and forth looking at everything he possibly could at once. His eyes locked onto the six biometrics holding Team Arrow's suits. He hurriedly walked over to Oliver's and stood in front of it. "Oliver. Isn't this your's?"

"Yea. it is. It has been for almost six years now." Oliver said answered.

"I know you have a lot on your plate right now but why haven't you been out there?"

"Well buddy." Oliver came behind William and wrapped his arms around his torso, something he hadn't expected himself to do. "The only person who needs me right now is you."

William just stood there and accepted the embrace. "Didn't we come down here to work out?" the boy asked suddenly. Oliver was for once enjoying an intimate moment with his son that didn't involve nightmares or death.

Oliver chuckled. "Yeah" He nudged William on the shoulder "Let's get started then."

About an hour later Oliver had William fast asleep atop a blanket and pillows he had lying around after a certain incident about a year ago.

He got his phone out and dialed John diggle. It was six am. He would be up by now.

Oliver finally reached the man. "Hey John, I need a favor. I'm at the bunker with William and before you ask we were just working out don't worry. I need you to drive to the back entrance and come get him to take him to my place. I'll have Thea stop by and check on him later."

"Be there in ten." John answered and hung up the phone not even wanting to ask any questions.

Oliver walked over to the sound asleep William and gently shook him. "Hey buddy." Oliver whispered. Slowly but surely William opened his groggy eyes and looked at him.

"What time is it?" He asked sleepily.

"Six in the morning." Oliver answered with a smile. He gathered William up in his arms, who didn't have the energy to even try and complain.

"Where are we going?" William asked, starting to become more alert.

"John Diggle is coming to get you, he's gonna take you back to the loft. I'll have Thea come check up on you in an hour or so. You can sleep as long as you like."

"Sound's good to me." William said and to Oliver's surprise curled deeper into the embrace.

"You have my cell, do not hesitate to call me for anything."

"Okay I won't, I promise." William answered.

A few minutes later John met them in the bunker to see Oliver still holding his son.

"Well that is a sight to see." John proclaimed with a smile on his face.

"Hey John." William said as he hopped down from Oliver's arm's, his face a blush red.

"As I told you the other day. My friends call me Dig." He poked a finger at Williams chest. "And you can call me Uncle Dig." John smiled.

"Fine. Uncle Dig." William said happily.

"Thanks again for this Diggle." Oliver said. "I've got to get changed and head up. Can you take him home. Thea will be by in a while to check in on him."

"Will do. Anytime brother." William lightly grabbed William's arm and led him to the car. "Come on buddy."

Before getting into the car William looked back to Oliver and said. "Bye Oliver."