He was happy.

It was always something that made him stop and pause now. Oliver hadn't had a hard childhood growing up, he'd been happy, but he'd just learned to appreciate the happy moments more. They contrasted so much with his nights at times.

"These are the best pancakes!" William proclaimed.

Oliver just beamed. It was something simple, cooking, but it was something that Oliver found so enjoyable. There was also that extra bonus that everyone else enjoyed when he cooked as well. Felicity would try, but they'd decided back in Ivy Town that it was best to let him wear the apron in the kitchen.

"I'm glad you like them," Oliver called. "I have more if you're still hungry."

He'd been cooking happily in the loft's kitchen for over an hour, but it was well worth it. Everyone had come over and they were having this huge brunch, mainly because sleeping in had been a priority with it being the weekend. Oliver had missed waking up to Felicity beside him. There was something blissful about it. Their morning had been simple, mostly he had just watched her sleep and then a few kisses before just holding her up until the very last point where they both needed to work on getting ready for people to come over.

Today was the last day that Samantha and William would be in Star City for a while. They'd be going back to Central City and living there once more. It wasn't really that far, but it was still a huge deal. His life in general, everything felt like it was a huge deal going on all at the same time. There was so much going on at the mayor's office, he was trying to really rely more on Diggle, Dinah, Curtis, and Rene at night (which was a really big deal for him), trying to make his relationship with Felicity work, and then there was his son… They'd released a press release a week before and so far, there really hadn't been too much of an uproar. Thea had taken some photos of him with William out on a walk and had allowed the press only access to those, but they wanted more.

Every facet of his life wanted more of him.

"Oliver, there's an entire stack of pancakes in the middle of this table! Stop making them and come eat some!" Felicity called.

He turned off the burner and grabbed the plateful of pancakes he had just finished and moved towards the table, his waist apron still on. Oliver set them down in the middle of the table next to the rest of the pancakes before moving around getting himself his own plate together. His eye immediately caught movement and he looked over to see Quentin getting up. "What do you need, Quentin?" he asked, ready to set down his partially made plate.

Quentin got to his feet and held up a hand. "I'm good, you sit, and eat something," he insisted. It nearly came out like an order from Quentin. "I can manage to get myself some more coffee. I'll bring the pot over for refills."

"You are amazing," Thea said from the other side of the table.

So, Oliver went back to work on his plate. He took the open seat next to Felicity and realized in that moment how hungry he really was. Shoveling some eggs into his mouth, he looked around and couldn't remember the last time they were all together like this. The last time he'd had a family dinner with his mother, it had been tense. He tried not to let the sadness at the thought of his parents (especially his mother) not being there for that moment, he knew that his mother would be the doting grandmother. He felt Felicity's hand on his back and he immediately looked over at her and what he saw was knowing.

"If you want us to come over every weekend for brunch, we're totally in," Rene said extremely enthusiastically as he cut up another piece of pancake.

"I expect you to start bringing Zoe if we're doing this every weekend," Quentin said as he started to go around the table refilling coffees.

"That's another conversation," Rene said, his tone turning a bit grumpy.

"Who's Zoe?" William piped up.

"HIs daughter," Quentin said. "She's about your age, actually."

"You know what we should really plan?" Felicity spoke up, it was clear that she was trying to steer the conversation in a different direction. There was a pause. "A holiday dinner...I mean, we can totally have it here...Oliver will just obviously cook."

"Maybe Thanksgiving?" Oliver put out there.

"That's not the planning I thought you were going to say," Lyla voiced.

Oliver eyed Lyla and crinkled up his face as he tried to think of where she was going with that comment. What else did they think they were planning?

"Me either," Diggle echoed.

"Glad I wasn't the only one," Curtis said before sticking a forkful of food into his mouth.

Then it hit Oliver. He realized what they thought that they might be planning. He couldn't bring himself to glare, but instead just smiled and shook his head a little. He reached out and took Felicity's hand and just squeezed it lightly. As happy as he would to be planning a wedding, they needed time. There was so much change that had come in the last few weeks and they needed to figure out how to get to their 'normal' first and be able to survive the world before taking that step forward.

He already knew what Diggle would tell him.

The future wasn't guaranteed.

Was it really necessary to wait?

He also knew that they didn't have everyone that they'd want at a wedding, even a small one. Donna was back in Las Vegas and she definitely needed to be at their wedding. There were others, though. There was no need to rush, at least not rush that fast.

"I'm lost," Felicity said.

Oliver smiled over at her, his thumb brushing the top of her hand as it still sat in his. "Thanksgiving would be nice, right?"

"We could definitely be out here longer for Christmas," Samantha put out there.

"Maybe we could come for both," William spoke up. "We'll have time off for both."

"Well, we have time."

"That's true," Felicity said.

"There's also going to be celebrating of Hanukkah, right?" Quentin brought up. "Donna going to be out here then?"

"Yes and I don't know, I haven't talked to my mom since we've been back," Felicity said. "Didn't want to worry her."

"She'd want to be out here with you."

"Would you want that?"

"Wouldn't be for me, it would be for you."

"Maybe we can call her later...after we're done here," Oliver said. He knew that Donna could be a little over the top and that she could drive Felicity crazy, but she also fiercely loved her daughter...and Oliver was certain that Quentin still loved her. "I'm sure she'd love to be out here for the holidays again."

"She can help with the decorating," Thea said cheerfully. "Party planning and all of that."

"I can't wait to meet her," Dinah added in.

"She doesn't know about our extra curricular activities," Oliver said slowly. "I'm not sure how she'd react if she knew."

"She'd probably think it was cool," William gave his opinion.

And maybe he was right.

"She'd probably definitely think it was cool and think freak out," Felicity told William.

It was so nice. Really. He wished that they could have these family dinners more often and he found it a bit heartbreaking thinking about how William and Samantha would be heading back to Central City later that day.

"After all, a secret identity should stay secret from as many people as possible," Samantha told William. They'd had an extensive talk about it, the three of them, and William seemed to understand.

"Yeah, look at how many people already know the 'so called' secret identity," Oliver could barely hear Quentin grumble quietly before taking a drink of his coffee.

"You know you could have gone to Central City-"

"I know."

"Do you?"

He had been out on the balcony of the loft apartment. It was dark and the stars were out and this seemed like a rare night where he wasn't leather clad running around the city. Felicity had come up behind him quietly and she'd known exactly what he'd been thinking about. Looking back at her, Oliver smiled at her. "I do."

"If this is because of me being back in the wheelchair-"

"I know that you can take care of yourself, that I don't have to be here-"

"I mean, I want you here, but someone could totally hang out with me while you went to help them in Central City...and then you know maybe you could find out what's going on with Barry and everyone since no one's returning my calls…"

Oliver had gone back and forth with this. "I don't want to be in the way or-"

"Seriously, you should just go," Felicity told him.

"They're already on their way-"

"So, just text Samantha and see what she says, if she's open to the offer."

They were getting in late and it was more to make sure they were settled in more than anything. He'd thought about asking Samantha about it before they'd left, but he'd not found the right talking moment for it. He'd not wanted to overstep and he'd not wanted to make it harder for any of them. "Yeah, maybe I'll do that," Oliver said before crouching down so that he was at the same level as Felicity. Reaching out, he tucked a piece of hair that was blowing into her face back behind her ear. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Being amazing."

Felicity beamed at that and gave him a dismissive wave. "It was just my normal amazing."

Oliver looked down and chuckled at that before looking back up at her. He could see it in her eyes and how she was holding herself. The pain. This was really the first day that she'd probably pushed herself. The doctor still wanted her to be mostly on bedrest and she'd been following orders no matter how it was driving her crazy. "You ready to go upstairs?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Are we not going to talk about how much pain you're in?" He didn't miss the cringing face she briefly made.

"Is it that obvious?"

"To me, yes," Oliver said. "It's been a long day, though."

"It was."

"Tomorrow we can just stay home and relax-"

"You can't just stay here, Oliver," Felicity told him. "You have your duties as mayor."

"It's Saturday."

"You haven't even texted Samantha yet."

"I'm starting to think you don't want me here," he teased with a smile.

She reached out, her fingers going through his short hair on either side of his face. "You caught me. I'm trying to get rid of me so that I can invite Curtis and whomever else I can convince to come over and play video games."

"I could play video games."

Felicity laughed at that. "Maybe if there was a controller that was an actual bow."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I just want to make it through The Tomb of Sargeras before they release it into LFR."

"What's LFR?"

"Looking for raid," she explained. "It's basically putting together a group to go fight the monsters or demons...and I as kickass of a hunter you'd make with your bow skills...your practical skills I don't think will translate well to a twelve button gaming mouse."

"How many buttons?" Oliver asked as he made a face. "Don't they just have the two clicky buttons on the top and the scrolly thing?"

Felicity just beamed and leaned in and kissed his confused face. "I love you."

"I love you...even though I think that I just amused you."

"Always."

"So, does this mean I'm not invited to this Tomb?"

She patted his arm. "You always watch out for me here, but I'm afraid that you can't journey with me to Azeroth."

"I think you're just making up words now."

"Ask Thea."

"Wait...Thea plays?"

"Paladin."

"Paladin?"

"Ask her."

Oliver really didn't know how to feel, if he should feel left out or just amused that when he was gone Felicity played this game with Curtis and his sister. "Wait, is this that game that you tried to get me to play and that Hogger guy kept killing me and you kept laughing?"

"To be fair, you were cursing at the screen like Hogger could hear you...and also, you were too low level to have even come close to killing him anyways."

"Maybe I just need another chance at this game."

"Stubborn."

"I was going to go with 'determined'."

"As much as I think you'd enjoy battlegrounds, dungeons, and raids...there's no way that you wouldn't flip out on all the people that are just stupid and don't follow strategy or do the mechanics."

"I mean, sometimes people have to learn-"

"Oliver, people stand in fire. They have addons that yell at them to GTFO and they still stand there and expect their healers to heal them," Felicity said. "I tried healing, but there comes a point where you just want to kill everyone that you should be healing because you just can't heal stupid."

"So, what are you in this magical world?"

"Mage."

"Mage?"

"Fire mage though it's not really number one in the expansion, I'm totally going to make it work."

"You know you could teach me how to play."

Felicity crinkled her nose at that. "I don't hunter."

"Maybe I don't want to be a hunter."

"I fail at melee."

Oliver just shook his head and let out a short laugh. "I feel like this is just you not wanting me to play this game with you."

"I didn't say that," Felicity said as she started to wheel herself in the direction of the stairs.

He just followed with a smile on his face. He really wasn't taking it personally, but he thought it would be nice for him to be able to do something that she found interesting and that was more of her thing...technology tended to be her 'zone' and so video games fit that. Perhaps if Felicity wasn't willing to give him a lesson for whatever reason then he could convince Curtis or Thea. Sure, he'd tried to play the game before, but it was more just fiddling out of curiosity and boredom. This was different. He had a genuine interest in sharing this with her.

At the bottom of the stairs, he carefully picked her up, cradling her in his arms as he moved up the stairs. As much as he didn't mind doing things for her, like carrying her up to bed, he knew that she'd rather be doing it on her own. She didn't like to have to depend on people or feel like she was burdening them, which she wasn't. It made him feel guilty because he couldn't shake it deep down that this was all his fault, the fact that she couldn't walk on her own and the fact that she couldn't even try with the chip currently.

"Were you serious about trying to play WoW again?" Felicity questioned.

"Yes," Oliver told her in a whisper as his eyes met hers.

"Why?"

"You're always helping me and doing things with me...even when we were in Ivy Town, I think we were still doing everything that I wanted and that I had interest in...but never for you," Oliver told her as he came to the bedroom. "I want to do this because it's something that you have interest in."

"We don't have to do everything together," Felicity told him as he laid her onto the bed.

He crawled up next to her, popped up on his elbow as he stared at her. "If you honestly just don't want me to play because you want that just for you, I understand."

"I just don't want you to feel like you have to."

"I don't," Oliver told her. "I want to."

Felicity smiled at him. "Text Samantha."

"Okay," Oliver said as he leaned in and kissed her before heading back downstairs to where his phone was. It didn't take him long to grab it and start texting. It wasn't a long one, just a simple one asking if Samantha wanted or needed him tomorrow in Central City, he could get up early and be there. It really wasn't that late, but he and Felicity were definitely done for the day. It had been a long day and felt like they'd been back in Star City for far longer than they had. He was also worrying about Felicity's physical state, rest was definitely warranted. He'd prepare some snacks for them a little later, but for now they could just relax.

With Felicity on pain medication, wine was definitely out of the question. While he was down there, he went to the fridge and pulled out some cold drinks. His phone beeped and he looked down at it. Samantha had texted him back letting him know that they were okay and that if they did need him that they'd let him know. Shoving the phone into the back pocket of his jeans, he grabbed the drinks and headed back up the stairs.

"Samantha says that if they need anything that they'll let us know," Oliver told her as he set the drinks on the bedside table. He moved to remove his shoes and a layer of clothing to get more comfortable.

"Good," Felicity said. There was a beat that passed before she spoke again. "So, what shall we do?"

"I was thinking that maybe we could just lay down and watch something?"

"Netflix and chill?"

"I mean, if we're actually just going to Netflix and chill."

"You mean as long as we're not doing what the kids consider Netflix and chill?" Felicity asked.

"I mean, it's not that I don't want to-"

"No, I know," Felicity cut him off.

They'd talked about it. They both wanted to be intimate beyond kissing and touches, but Felicity's doctors still wanted her to wait. It was all a process and he was more than okay with that. Oliver didn't want to do anything that might compromise her recovery. "Didn't you have a list of things that we could watch?"

"Yeah, but I mean...there's a good amount that I don't think are really your type of shows."

"Maybe I"ll surprise you," he challenged as he moved to his side of the bed.

"Maybe you will, " she said as she started to work the remotes she had on the bedside table. "But I think that I am going to start with one that I haven't been able to watch yet, but from what I read I think we'll both enjoy."

"What is it?" Oliver asked.

"A TV show. It's called Killjoys, it's basically space bounty hunters," Felicity filled in. "If that's okay?"

"Sounds great."

"You're sure?"

Oliver gave a nod and moved closer to her, trying to figure out the best cuddling spot and positioning. "There's nowhere else I'd rather be."

The truth of it all was that it wouldn't matter what they watched. This. Their time together was so special and something that didn't happen often for them. It truly felt like they let the world pass by forever as they just snuggled in bed. Maybe it was because he could live in those moments.

Truly a perfect day.

TBC…