FALLING FOR YOU

Chapter 6: Goodbye, Niagara

A/N: So, here it is - the longest and final chapter. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did writing this fic. Thank you for reading!

Meaningful conversations were hard to come by in Oliver's line of work. People in Queen Consolidated – from the Board members and top executives down to the clerks and interns – came from a variety of backgrounds, yet everyone had something in common when it came to communication. They either spoke litanies about duties and deadlines during work hours or ranted about the dismal state of their personal lives during break times and even after work, wherever they hung out. Oliver had learned the ropes of corporate conversations over the years since he'd started working for his family's company. In the beginning, he was merely enduring office small talk and impersonal business chit-chat, but over time, he'd gotten good at concealing the fact that such conversations bored him to death. He much rather preferred to talk with Thea than with his superiors or his subordinates, no matter how seemingly well educated they were; Thea was usually more sensible and sincere.

Last night's dinner, however, had afforded him quite a delightful conversation. He and Felicity had talked for hours over bread sticks, onion rings, pizza, and milkshake. They had only been forced to bill out (finally) and leave the restaurant because the manager had told them that it was five minutes to closing time. And that's saying a lot, since the branch of Boston Pizza in Felicity's hotel – being a sports bar – closed at midnight. They had lost track of time, enjoying talking about their lives and listening to each other's stories. They hadn't even noticed that there were no more customers left except them.

Truth be told, they had stretched their time together, knowing that they were running on borrowed time. Felicity was leaving for Toronto with Barry and the team early in the morning in order to catch their 11:00 flight back to Vancouver. Without having to acknowledge it, they were just trying to make the most of the hours they had left. The feeling was mutual. They hadn't parted ways yet, but they had already started missing each other.

"So, what are you going to do when you get back?" Felicity had asked Oliver as the waitress cleared their table of the dessert plates. He'd been talking about his career frustrations and aspirations and had opened up to her about venturing on a business of his own instead of walking in his parents' footsteps.

"I don't know yet," Oliver had replied. "I'm decided about leaving QC eventually. It's just a question of when. And since I have no definite plans about a start-up yet, I think I'll have to stay put in the meantime."

"Believe it or not, Oliver, that's actually a plan," she had said, half-teasing and half-encouraging him that his present predicament wasn't all that bad. Then she had asked, "Do you, at least, know what kind of business it is that you would like to start?"

He had heaved a sigh and then replied frankly, "Honestly? No."

"There you go. We're in the same boat after all," Felicity had remarked. She meant to encourage not just him, but also herself.

"Well, Felicity, I am grateful for the company," he had said. It wasn't just a witty remark for the sake of sounding cute. He had meant to communicate how much he liked her and liked being with her.

Picking up the signal he was sending, Felicity had smiled. A pinking blush had blossomed on her cheeks as she dropped her gaze and stared at the napkin on the table, the one with her lipstick stains on it. Oliver, on the other hand, had fixed his gaze on her lovely face.

After a moment of silence between them, she had cleared her throat and attempted to speak – attempted, being the operative word. "Oliver, I…"

She couldn't find the words to say what was in her heart, because she hadn't yet settled the internal debate in her mind about whether or not she should tell him how she felt. How could she, when he hadn't made his feelings and intentions clear to her either? All they've been doing all day were reading between the lines and dropping hints, hoping that the other would pick them up and act accordingly. She had opened her mouth to try once more, but she still couldn't find her voice.

Oliver had taken that as his cue. Since their moment alone in his room at the Queen vacation mansion earlier that day, he'd been waiting for the perfect opportunity to tell her how he felt about her, to ask her if he could take their newfound friendship further, no matter how fast it seemed to be growing, and despite the distance between them when she left. Sensitive as he was, Oliver had noticed that she was having a difficult time responding to his remark. That was when he had decided to take the plunge.

"May I?" he had courteously asked permission to speak instead.

Felicity had given him a shy smile and nodded. "Go ahead."

"Felicity, I really-"

"Excuse me, sir," an unfamiliar voice had interrupted Oliver from behind. "I'm so sorry, but I'm afraid it's five minutes to closing time," the manager had informed them while placing their bill on the table.

And just like that, their moment was gone. Again.

Oliver had paid for dinner, and as soon as the manager came back with his credit card and receipt, he and Felicity had stood up to leave the restaurant.

He did bring her to the door of her hotel room. Before she had made a move to insert her key card to open the door, Oliver had told himself that it was now or never.

"It was wonderful meeting you, Felicity. Niagara will never be the same for me."

Felicity had been well aware that it was just her first time to visit the popular tourist destination, but without the slightest hesitation, she had looked into his eyes and instinctively replied, "Me, too."

Oliver had smiled. Really smiled. He would have grinned from ear to ear, had he not made the extra effort to rein in his emotions. She was truly remarkable, he thought.

"Thank you, again, for showing me around. I had a really fantastic three days," she had added with emphasis.

Unlike Oliver, she had not been able to keep all of her feelings at bay. She had taken a tiny step towards him, gone up on her tippy toes, and planted a chaste kiss on his cheek.

It was his turn to blush. Even after her lips had lost contact with his skin, the spot where she had kissed him still burned. The hair on the back of his neck had stood, giving him the tingles all the way to his fingertips and his toes.

Then, Felicity had taken a step back, situating herself to the spot where she had stood a couple of seconds ago. "Good night, Oliver."

He had replied, "Good night, Felicity." It was as if he could hear an imaginary clock ticking in his head. He could hardly breathe with this countdown hounding him.

"I guess, I'll see you when I see you?" she had asked.

"Yeah. Sooner than you think." He had winked at her.

"…"

"I'll call you," he had promised.

"You better."

Three weeks later…

"Welcome to Vancouver Island!" Felicity greeted Oliver as her Mini Cooper rolled off the ramp.

They had gone on the ferry boat in her little car for their tour of the island, the city of Victoria, and, as previously agreed upon, the famous Butchart Gardens. He would never admit it, but he did feel like his legs were already feeling numb curled up in an uncomfortable position in the front passenger seat of Felicity's car. Her car hardly had room for his longer legs to stretch even just for a bit. But it was perfectly okay. He didn't mind at all, especially if it meant sitting so close to her in her tiny car.

Oliver had taken the weekend off, specifically instructing his assistant not to schedule appointments with anyone and also to block all business calls. Except in the case of emergency, and only if it involved his sister Thea, Oliver was determined to avoid all distractions and give his undivided attention to the beautiful blonde that he'd begun dating officially three weeks ago.

He just couldn't stay away for long.

A few days after they'd said their goodbyes outside her room at the Americana, he had taken the company jet and flown to Vancouver. He had asked his father if he could personally check on QC's investments and corporate accounts there, and Robert Queen had been more than delighted to see him so enthusiastic about work. What his father didn't know was that his enthusiasm was really because he intended to see Felicity again.

He had surprised her, appearing at the door of her office with a very green fern to adorn her tech-dominated desk. (He had remembered her telling him in the botanical garden that ferns were perfect indoor plants because they thrived in low light.) Felicity had been thrilled to see him, looking so gorgeous in his suit, with a potted plant in his hands. They'd spent the weekend at the Waterfront and exploring the downtown area on foot. Oliver had been to Vancouver before, but he'd always been driven in a limo by a professional chauffer. She had enjoyed being his tour guide this time, showing him around her city.

In the weekend that followed, he'd taken the Queen family jet and flown back to see her. Because, of course, Oliver Queen could. That time, he had picked her up at her apartment, bringing her a bouquet of fresh flowers, and her eyes had glistened in delight as she let him in. They had spent all day Saturday in Stanley Park, enjoying nature and the view of the city's skyline from the Hallelujah Point. They'd sat on a bench near Brockton Point Lighthouse all afternoon, sharing more stories, hands entwined as the sun disappeared slowly in the horizon.

This time, though, on his third weekend visit, Felicity had surprised him by getting them tickets for the Vancouver Island ferry and for Butchart Gardens. He had thanked her, recalling how she had invited him to visit the beautiful gardens back in Niagara.

They spent all day Saturday touring the city of Victoria, taking selfies and solo snapshots of each other in front of the Parliament Building, the Inner Harbour, and the Fairmont Empress Hotel. She also brought him to Hatley Castle, which was located at The Royal Roads University Campus, and in the afternoon, she took him to Craigdarroch Castle. Since there were still so much more to see on the island, Oliver offered to check them into the Empress, so that they could spend the night there instead of going back to Vancouver and taking ferry rides to and from the island again tomorrow. Felicity was hesitant at first, but when he very politely insisted, she caved.

Because it was a weekend, the hotel was almost fully booked with tourists. The staff at reception offered them a deluxe room with a double bed, but Felicity felt a tad bit uncomfortable about sharing a room with him. Oliver would have gladly taken the couch if that would set her at ease. It was a good thing that a family had checked out at an odd hour, making available for them an executive suite with two bedrooms. Oliver quickly booked the room after they had dinner.

With just meager personal effects, they both had to sleep in their underwear, with just the comfiest bath robes to keep them warm in their separate rooms throughout the night. The spontaneity of it all was like a throwback to their all-day date in Niagara when they chose outdoor adventure over a formal dinner at the Skylon Tower.

The next day, Sunday, was another outdoor adventure for Oliver and Felicity. The entire morning was spent exploring nature at the Goldstream Provincial Park, and the entire afternoon was spent on leisurely strolls and photo ops at the Butchart Gardens, which became the highlight of their weekend trip. And just like on their last night in Niagara, neither of them wanted to say goodbye when they had to part ways at the end of the day. The only difference was that they capped the evening with their first passionate kiss just before Oliver boarded his jet bound for Toronto.

Three years later…

"Ugh, I can't wait for this little nugget to come out!" Felicity exclaimed, a slight irritation laced her voice. "I feel like a penguin that swallowed a giant bowling ball and then got lost in the Sahara," she complained.

It was summertime in Niagara. The view of the Falls was magnificent, and Niagara On the Lake was bustling with tourists wearing summer clothes.

Felicity felt hot and sweaty all over, especially under her arms and between her thighs. It was not a pleasant predicament – being nine months pregnant in the heat of summer. She would have bought maternity denim shorts in the largest size a couple of weeks ago, but she decided against it; it wasn't a wise purchase, considering she was due to deliver their first baby. Last week. Felicity was overdue, and her physical discomfort was contributing to her increasing short-temperedness. She would not admit it, but she was at the brink of a meltdown. She just wanted their baby daughter to come out real soon.

Oliver came around the island in the spacious kitchen of their house along Niagara Parkway. He approached her from behind and wrapped his arms around her waist. His long arms enveloped her in spite of her large, protruding bump. He kissed the side of her neck and then rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Hang in there, honey. Just a little while longer," he told her tenderly. "When Nia comes out, it'll all be worth it."

Felicity sighed. She knew he was right. She loved her unborn baby girl so much even if she hadn't seen her personally yet. "I know," she murmured, suddenly regretting her childish rant.

Oliver began to caress her oversized belly, drawing circles on it with his palms, especially underneath the big bulge where her muscles often tense up for carrying so much weight.

"Mmm… That feels so good," Felicity moaned. It was a welcome massage. All night, she had struggled with the frequent, erratic movements of the baby inside her. The squirmy little creature inside her made her abdomen harden from time to time and in different spots. The massage really helped her muscles to relax. She really wasn't able to sleep well last night.

They were looking out the window of their kitchen, enjoying the view of their vast estate. They both loved to do that every morning, watching the sunrise at the far edge of their vineyard. It had become a habit that they both shared.

Not too long after their weekend trip to Vancouver Island, Oliver and Felicity had made their relationship official. Eight months into their long-distance relationship, they had decided they couldn't stay away for longer than a day anymore. Felicity had resigned from her job in Vancouver and moved to Toronto, since Oliver had made good on his offer of a position in the IT department of QC. A year later, Oliver had proposed and they were engaged for another year.

If they had their way, they wouldn't have opted for a long engagement. But they had chosen to wait. They used the extended period of time to meticulously plan, not just their wedding, but also their major career move – starting out on their own in Niagara. Oliver had spent almost an entire year training his right-hand man to take his place in QC, and Felicity had done the same. They had saved enough money, and with some help from Oliver's trust fund, they had been able to buy their dream house along Niagara Parkway – one that had a vineyard, and an old barn that they had renovated into a modern winery. By the time they had shared their plans with his parents on separate occasions, everything had already been pretty much laid out. Robert and Moira Queen had been impressed by their son's foresight and maturity, as well as by their future daughter-in-law's brilliance and dedication to their son's success.

Moira, especially, had been thrilled that her dream of running a winery that hadn't materialized years ago would become reality for her son. The huge investment she had put into Oliver and Felicity's wine business, which they had named "Nocking Point," had given them additional capital for marketing their new product. In just the last year, their business boomed in the Niagara area, all the way to Toronto and even across the border in New York.

The wedding ceremony had been beautiful and elegant. Love and romance had filled the air and the hearts of every guest present. When the reception program ended, and the host announced that the dance floor was open, Oliver and Felicity had left the scene, driving off in his top-down Porsche from Toronto to their new home in Niagara On the Lake. They really had not seen the need to travel somewhere else for their honeymoon.

Niagara and each other were enough.

"So… when do you plan to tell Nia?" Felicity asked, turning in her husband's arms. It was a little difficult to maneuver herself between him and the kitchen counter, but she managed.

"About what?"

"About the story of how you met her mother…" she replied, biting her lower lip afterwards.

Oliver kissed her forehead. When he pulled away, he answered, "How does now sound?"

"Sounds good to me."

"I love you."

"I love you more."

He chuckled this time. He still couldn't believe that it's been three years since the day he'd saved her life.

He lifted her with his strong arms onto the counter top as if she weighed as light as a feather, and she giggled in the process. He situated himself between her legs, with her bulging tummy pressed lightly against his own.

Placing his hands on their unborn child, Oliver began to say, "Nia, darling, I want to tell you a pretty neat story. It's the story of how I met your mother."

Felicity smiled and placed her hands on top of his.

"One bright morning in late spring, three years ago, Daddy was jogging at the Falls. And as he did, he passed by this beautiful blonde woman…"

Oliver did get to the part when Felicity almost fell headlong into the raging waters, when her water broke. Seven hours later, Niagara "Nia" Queen was born.

Thank you so much for reading this fic! I would really love to hear what you think of this first meet cute.

A/N:
1) I just had to put in the fern. I miss it on the show.
2) It was at Stanley Park (in the vicinity of Hallelujah Point) that the crossover double wedding scene was shot. I had the privilege of standing at that spot with my husband, enjoying the lovely view of the city of Vancouver.
3) The Olicity bench is situated at the Brockton Point Lighthouse area. It's very simple really, looked just like every other bench in Stanley Park. The inscription on it is what makes it special to fans (like me).
4) Hatley Castle on Vancouver Island is actually the Queen mansion in the Arrow show. We did not get to see it when we visited the island because it wasn't part of the tour package. Well, I guess that gives me a reason to go back. ;-)
5) I thought Nia is pretty cool for a baby girl's name. Ya think? ;-)