AN: Okay, so I've had this idea for a while and thought I'd just give it a shot. The first few chapters of this takes place while Oliver is on the island and is Felicity centric. Let me know what you think. And I wasn't sure when exactly the yacht sank, so I just made it up to fit my story.
Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Arrow.
Chapter 1: Unexpected Consequences
(July 2007)
Felicity shook her hips to the music that was blaring out of her speakers as she finally unpacked her suitcase. She'd been home from college for almost a month now but hadn't gotten around to it; she'd been so busy reconnecting with her friends and using her newly learned computer skills to update her parent's system.
Of course, it didn't need much work, as she'd built the computers herself and had kept them maintained since she was sixteen; but the advancement in technology was lightning fast and she wanted them to be up-to-date. Not that they really cared that much, as his mother was a neurosurgeon and her father was a professor at the University of Coast City. Not that she was bragging or anything. They just were that awesome.
She was startled out of her daze when her phone started ringing, the noise clashing horribly with Smack That. Hanging the shirt she'd been holding, the blonde quickly muted her stereo and scooped up her phone, pressing the talk button before it could go to voicemail.
"Hello?"
"Quick Izzy, you need to turn on the news!"
"Robin? What's wrong?" Felicity demanded, her mind whirling with the possibilities. Had her parents been in a car accident? Was she going to see them on the six o'clock news? Were their bodies trapped under burning metal?
"Felicity! Are you listening to me?" Robin demanded when the silence stretched out, the only sound that of her friend's suddenly rapid breathing.
"Right." Felicity shook her head to clear it of the horrific images and grabbed her tv remote and brought up the local news channel, her eyes widening as she recognized one of the men on the screen.
"The area the ship was thought to have wrecked is being searched thoroughly, but so far there have been no signs of life found. The Queen's Gambit set out last week and went offline yesterday afternoon; there has been no response from the captain, Mr. Queen or his son, Oliver. The search will continue in the hopes of finding survivors."
"That's…that's the guy I—" She couldn't finish the sentence, her cheeks warming at the reminder that she'd actually brought him back to her apartment that night.
"That's what I thought! Can you believe you slept with a billionaire?" Robin's voice had gone high, her excitement over this new development clear. The blonde rolled her eyes and shut off her television, not wanting to see the pictures of Oliver and his dad, who'd apparently been lost at sea.
"I had no idea; I definitely wouldn't have let you guys talk me into leaving with him if I had. I feel so bad for his family." She said sadly, her heart heavy, even though she didn't know Oliver. Like at all. They'd drank, they'd danced, and then they'd gone back to her place. He'd been gone when she'd woken up and she hadn't really thought much about that night since. Apparently she should've paid more attention to the tabloids.
"Yeah, it must really suck. But how cool is it that you actually slept with Oliver Queen? I mean, the girls are going to go crazy over this." Felicity gave a sigh, knowing there was no stopping Robin when she got a piece of gossip.
While she was more reserved and often buried in her studies, her childhood friend was always on the lookout for juicy gossip; it was really a wonder they'd actually been able to be friends for so long. But the two often said that they complemented each other; where Robin was loud and outspoken, Felicity was quiet and awkward, often times blurting out more than she ever meant to say; Robin was always up for a party, while Felicity only went out when her arm was twisted.
"It's not really something I think is that important, Robin. I mean, he's lost at sea! I really don't think we should be spreading this around. What if someone told the press? I do not want to be the girl that slept with Oliver Queen right before he died!"
"Ok ok, it'll stay between us. I promise." Her friend gave in once she heard the panic in Felicity's voice, knowing she was probably on the verge of freaking out. She loved a good story, but not at the expense of her bestie. Besides, it wasn't like anything would come of it. Not with the man presumed dead in the middle of the ocean.
"I need to finish unpacking. I'll call you tomorrow."
"Love you Izzy."
"Love you too." The two hung up, Felicity sighing as she tossed her phone onto her bed.
She didn't know why she felt so down now, but her previous chipper mood was gone; all she could think about was that she'd been with someone mere weeks before they…before they died. It was a shocking and creepy thought.
Shaking her head, she unmuted her stereo and got back to work, trying not to think of anything but what she planned to do tomorrow. It was summer break and she just wanted to enjoy herself after the stress of the second year at MIT.
/*/
(August 2007)
"I cannot believe this is happening." Felicity said, pacing in front of the couch, her parents' eyes following her.
"Well, when a man and a woman—"
"Really?" The blonde arched an irritated brow at the older version of herself, making Charlotte Smoak smother a laugh as she started pacing again.
"I was supposed to finish school and have a career. I'm not ready for this." Felicity wrapped her arms around herself, trying to hold herself together as all she really wanted to do was freak out. But by pressing her arms to her body, she could feel the hardening swell of her stomach, making her jerk her arms away in haste.
"There's nothing stopping you for achieving both of those things, Lissy. Just look at your mother and me. We had you when we were young without it causing any catastrophe." Steven commented with a smile.
"You were both in your mid-20s! I think this is a little different. I'm not even 20 yet!" Felicity remarked, thumb finding its way to her mouth so she could gnaw on the short nail.
"Honey, you're already set to graduate early, so you're already a head of your class. If you chose to keep the child to term, you'll simply have to work a little harder to finish your courses by March. But if you don't, then that's fine as well. We'll support you, no matter what you choose." Charlotte said, reaching out to grip her daughter's arm lightly. While they did pride themselves of being part of the Jewish faith, they did not follow the teachings strictly; if Felicity chose to terminate the pregnancy, they would not turn her out.
"I just…I can't believe this happened." She said sadly, plopping down next to her dad. He reached around her and wrapped her up against his side, her head finding its place on his shoulder, as if she were a child again.
"Do you know who the father is?" He asked quietly, not wanting to offend her. But neither of them had known she'd even been seeing anyone, as her relationship with Andrew had ended on sour terms in April and they hadn't heard of anyone since.
"Yeah. It was…stupid. I feel so stupid."
"Hey, none of that. Accidents happen. I will not have you mad at yourself for simply being human." Charlotte said fiercely, reaching around her husband to give Felicity a light little swat that had the blonde rolling her eyes, but smiling anyway.
"So who's the father? If you decide to keep the baby, then he should be informed as well, as it's only fair. And if he doesn't want to be a part of your life, that's his loss."
"Dad, it's more complicated than that. Way more complicated." She mumbled, her eyes suddenly heavy. Before she'd gone to the doctor, she'd thought she had the flu or some other illness that was making her tired and sick; she'd come out with her entire world spinning on its axis and answers that made shocking sense.
"How so?" Steven asked as his hand stroked over her blonde curls, his instinct to protect his baby almost overwhelming.
"He…he died. Or at least they think he's dead. There was never a body found." Her parents shared a startled look.
"What happened?"
Felicity pulled away from her dad and looked down at her hands, which were unconsciously clasped on her stomach, which hadn't started protruding very much. But it was firm now, the fetus having pushed her organs to the side so the womb could grow properly. Or at least that's what she'd rad online after her visit to the doctor.
"It's been all over the news."
"Really?" Charlotte asked, confused; she didn't remember any reports on any one perishing in the city. Maybe she'd missed the broadcast.
"Yeah. I…it was a onetime thing and I was slightly drunk—"
"Lissy, we're not judging you." Her mom interrupted, knowing she was about to start rambling.
"Who was he?" Steven asked again, his curiosity piqued. Felicity sighed again before glancing up, wondering if her parents not judging her would change if they found out just who she'd slept with.
It wasn't like she was easy or anything. She'd just been celebrating getting through the first year of college and getting over a nasty break up and her friends had egged her on. Not that she could be pressured into anything; she was an adult and responsible for her own actions. Oliver had been easy on the eyes, especially after the shots he'd bought her, and she'd needed and itch scratched. And now she was paying for that indiscretion.
"Felicity?" Her eyes shot back to her mom's, her inner voice going quiet as Charlotte gave her the arched brow look that she knew meant she needed to start talking. Her mom could be scary when she wanted to be.
"I slept with Oliver Queen. Back in June, after the semester had ended. I went out with the girls and he was up here visiting and we met at the club. And one thing led to another. Not that I knew who he was, because I didn't. It's mortifying, but we didn't exchange last names." She blushed as she blurted out what'd happened; her face so hot she was surprised it didn't catch fire. But she'd always had an open and frank relationship with her parents and that hadn't changed; plus, if she tried to edit her words she'd end up saying more than either of them wanted to hear.
"The Oliver Queen? The one that was in that shipwreck?" Her dad asked in shock, getting a nod from the blonde.
"Well that…does change things." Her mother muttered as she leaned back against the couch.
"What should I do?"
"That's up to you, pumpkin. It's your life that's going to change. But we'll support you no matter what." Steven replied, squeezing her hand and giving her a smile.
"Should I…should I tell his family?"
"I don't think that'd be a good idea. At least not right now. They'd most likely think you were trying to get rich and famous off their loss. Let them mourn properly and then when the baby is born, if you decide to keep it, then you can tell them." Her mom said, receiving a nod of agreeance from her husband.
"Okay. I just…I need some time to think." She got off the couch, leaning down to give them both a kiss on the cheek before locking herself in her room.
Walking over to her mirror, Felicity pulled her blouse up, turning to the side so she could see the slight swell. She couldn't believe that one night of irresponsibility had actually led to such repercussions; it served her right for not staying true to her character.
But maybe this was just the course her life was supposed to take, as she was positive they'd used protection that night. And she liked to believe that things happened for a reason; maybe she was supposed to be a mother a lot sooner than she ever planned; maybe she was supposed to bring a piece of Oliver Queen into this world now that he was gone.
She didn't know the reasons, but as she stared at the small curve of her stomach that held her growing child, she knew there was no way she could cut that life short. While her parents were prepared to support her even if she did decide on abortion, she wouldn't be able to live with herself if she murdered the fetus.
Not that she judged other women who chose that path; it was their choice and she thought every woman should have the right to decide what happened to their bodies and life. No, she just knew that for her own personal life, she had to stay true to herself; and she couldn't terminate her pregnancy just because she wasn't prepared for it. She had seven months to get herself prepared.
/*/
(August-September 2007)
School started the next week and Felicity had to be thankful she'd wanted to graduate early already, as she was scheduled for eight classes that semester. It was going to be really tough, especially if this exhaustion didn't lift soon, but she was determined to get as ahead as possible. Like her parents said, there was no reason to let this new development get in the way of her life; it was simply another obstacle that she'd conquer.
Once she'd decided to keep her baby, she'd begun keeping an electronic baby book, as she knew if she tried to do it manually that she'd just end up with a half-finished book. And she wanted more than that for her kid; she didn't have anything of their father for them and didn't know if his family would accept her, so she wanted them to have something they could look at when they got older.
Felicity even went through the tabloids and picked out the best pictures of Oliver she could find, pasting them to the desired pages and writing up as much about him as she could find. Not that she thought him getting a D in 10th grade algebra was relevant, but it was something. But hopefully their child would take after her in the brains department; not that she wouldn't love her baby no matter what. Because of course she would; she already did, really.
It was a little surprising how quickly she'd come to accept the unexpected path her life had taken, but she figured it was better to be happy and deal than to be bitter and resent the fact that she'd accidently gotten pregnant. And sure, she wished the father was here to experience it with her, but she'd come to terms with knowing she'd be an only parent.
She just hated that her child wouldn't know their father; they wouldn't be able to go to Oliver for advice or help or anything. Hopefully his family would want to be a part of their lives; that they'd want to know Oliver's kid, even if it might be painful. But even if they didn't, Felicity swore her child would never feel unloved and she would do her very best to be enough for them.
/*/
(October 2007)
By midterms she thought she was going to go crazy with how much work she had to do to remain at the top of her class in every course. It wasn't enough for her to just do well in school; she'd graduated the valedictorian and gotten a full ride to MIT, and now she wanted to be just as successful in college as she had been in high school. But taking 8 classes at once was really something she'd not recommend to anyone, as it was brutal.
Thankfully her friends were there whenever she needed them; although none of them, aside from Robin, knew who'd impregnated her, as she refused to divulge that information. The man was already a victim of the unforgiving ocean, there was no need to drag his name through the mud by letting it be known he'd fathered a child before that fateful trip.
But they helped her whenever she needed it; rather it was a pampering day at their favorite spa or helping to organize their study sessions around her availability. Felicity was so thankful for them, as she doubted she'd have gotten through the semester without them; especially not when she'd started getting overly emotional about everything, from her changing body to the terrifying reality that she was going to be a mother. Her friends were priceless and she wouldn't trade them for the world.
/*/
(December 2007)
Felicity completed the fall semester with straight A's, even if they were harder to acquire than normal. She had to be thankful she was a genius with computers and had only struggled with the amount of work instead of the actual homework itself. But she'd made it through that and her first two trimesters, so she thought she was doing pretty well.
For the spring semester, she only signed up for four classes, all software development and programing ones, so even if she didn't finish the coursework by March, she could work from home. It most likely wouldn't be a problem though, as Felicity thought she'd most likely be able to fly through the classes and take the midterms by late January and the finals before her due date. Or at least that was the plan.
She moved back in with her parents at their insistence, which she also agreed with seeing as she didn't see the logic in paying for a one bedroom apartment when she'd probably be at home a lot after the baby was born anyway. Her family wasn't hurting for money or anything, but it was still smart to save when they could.
And she was able to transform the guest room that shared her bathroom into a nursery, which her mom said was really important to have. Apparently some parents got into the habit of letting the babies sleep with them in their bed or next to it, as it was easier in the beginning when they were constantly waking up, but it made it harder in the long run to set them up onto a schedule.
Felicity didn't know what type of mom she'd be yet, as experience would really be the only thing that made her a good one. So she took her own mother's advice and trusted that she knew what she was talking about, knowing that changes would come later on, once she'd gotten her feet under her and grew more confident in herself.
Because right now she was kinda freaking out. She only had a few more months before her child arrived and she still wasn't sure if she was ready. Before, it's just been about the planning and preparing; now the reality was looming in sight and it was terrifying.
All she could do was hope that the doubts and uncertainties that plagued her went away when she held her baby for the first time. She'd always been relatively good with kids, so hopefully that would translate into actually being a natural with her own kid. Fingers crossed.
/*/
(March 2008)
Felicity was studying with Carly and Robin in the library, the table laden with their laptops, books and notes, when she felt the sudden and embarrassing flood of wetness. She'd been feeling cramps for a few hours but thought she could get through the final that was later that day before going to the doctor, as the contractions weren't that painful and were separated by a large margin of time. She had no idea that her water would break when she was just sitting, reading about how to break through a framework and plant a bug without leaving a digital footprint.
Robin had started freaking out, much to the librarian's irritation, while Carly called for an ambulance, knowing they needed to get Felicity to a hospital soon. She didn't know anything about how quickly after the water broke that the baby would come, so the faster they got her to the maternity ward, the better.
After Felicity had slapped Robin and told her to calm down, to Carly's amusement, she'd asked her to go get the blonde's emergency bag that was in her car. Carly went to the bathroom and got paper towels to soak up the fluid on the plastic chair, trying not to think about it too much as it was gross.
Felicity took the bag and wobbled to the bathroom, Robin helping her to wipe herself down and slip into a pair of sweats. It wasn't the most attractive outfit, but they were comfortable and she'd be in a hospital gown soon anyway.
The small group had drawn a crowd when the two girls returned, the other students all wanting to know what was going on. Many of them knew Felicity and were excited about the new development, helping her to clean up her things while they waited for the paramedics. One of them even volunteered to get word to her professor so that they knew she wouldn't be able to make it to the exam.
Felicity was oddly calm during the entire ordeal, not letting herself panic, as that wouldn't help anything and might actually speed up her labor. And she did not want to deliver her child on the library floor, no matter how interesting of a story that might be to look back on. She wanted a clean, sterile environment that had doctors and anything and everything she might need in case there was any complication.
Thankfully, the paramedics arrived soon after that and rushed her to the hospital, Robin riding with her and Carly activating the phone tree, starting with her parents. The contractions were steadily getting more painful and the time between them was shortening, making Felicity send up a silent prayer they got to the hospital soon so she could get an epidural and numb some of the pain. She was so not okay with going through labor without the assistance; she did not have the pain tolerance level for that.
Felicity didn't know if it was because this was her first pregnancy or if she was just one of the lucky ones, as her labor only lasted a few hours after arriving at the hospital. It might have gone by quick in the eyes of the maternity ward, but it was the most excruciating pain she'd ever felt and she wasn't looking to repeat it any time soon. Like not for years and years.
But all that seemed to vanish when they placed her daughter in her hands, her heart filling with more love then she'd ever thought she could feel for one person. She was the most beautiful thing Felicity had ever seen; when her tiny hand had wrapped around her finger, the new mother had been goo. She swore to do everything in her power to give her daughter the best life possible and to protect her from anyone who would try to hurt her.
Marie Olivia Smoak was born at 5:16 on March 5, 2008 and Felicity's life was never going to be the same.
AN: So, any good? Please let me know! REVIEW! Thanks for reading!