Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Moira doesn’t often pick Oliver up from school herself. Typically, she lets their driver, Antoine, go get him. He’s been with the family for years and Oliver practically worships him so Moira always trusts that her sweet boy is in good hands. Besides, Antoine usually takes Oliver to the new playground the city just put up by the bay before coming home so he’s nice and worn out, and less likely to break anything expensive running around the house.

Today’s different. Robert is in Italy on a business trip — and more than likely screwing his intern — and she has no board meetings to occupy her mind today, so she decides to pick Oliver up herself. They can spend some time in the city together and end the day with a mother/son date at Oliver’s favorite restaurant.

“Mom!” Oliver says, surprised when he crawls into the back seat of the car and sees her sitting there already. “You’re here!”

“Yes,” she says with a smile. “I thought we’d spend the afternoon together.”

“You’re coming to the park with me and Antoine?” he asks, his face full of excitement.

“Antonie and me,” she correct him. “And no.”

Oliver’s face falls immediately and he looks out the window sadly.

“I thought we’d go shopping. You need a new suit for the upcoming children’s hospital gala and then we’ll catch an early dinner at Russo’s.”

She expects that to cheer him up since he loves going to Russo’s, but it only makes his frown grow deeper.

“We can’t go to Russo’s anymore,” Oliver says, shrugging off his backpack. “Don’t leave yet, Antonie,” Oliver says, holding his little hand out to their driver to stop him from pulling away from the curb.

Moira gives him a confused look. They’ve been going to Russo’s since before Oliver was born. His first solid food was at Russo’s. The only thing Oliver will eat faster than Raisa’s special mashed potatoes are the buttered noodles there.

“Why can’t we go to Russo’s?” she asks as Oliver swings open the door and hops back out.

She has no idea where he’s off to.

“Felicity says that Mr. Moretti is a big meanie and we shouldn’t give him any more money,” Oliver says matter of factly before running off without another word.

“Where are you going?” Moira calls after him, about to climb out after him.

“He’s probably just going to tell Felicity that he won’t be at the park today,” Antoine informs her.

“I see,” she says curtly. She has no idea who this Felicity girl is, or why she’s going around school bad mouthing one of Moira’s oldest friends, but she's not impressed.

Moira watches as Oliver runs over to a small girl with a brown ponytail, glasses, and last season’s uniform. He throws his arms around her and the two of them talk for several minutes, both of them looking rather upset.

“Who is Felicity?” she asks, watching as Oliver takes Felicity’s backpack from her and carries it to a beat up old Honda and puts it in the back seat for her. She’s never seen Oliver do anything so chivalrous in her life. She doesn't know where Oliver got that from. Robert hasn't done anything like that for her in over a year.

“She’s Oliver’s best friend,” Antoine says, as if it’s no big deal. But it is.

Tommy Merlyn is Oliver’s best friend. Oliver and Tommy have been playing together practically from the day they were born. They used to share a crib back in the day during the many vacations the Queen’s have had with the Merlyn’s.

Moira’s never seen or heard of this Felicity girl before, and if the car she’s getting into is any indication, she’s not from the kind of family Moira would typically approve of Oliver spending time with.

“Who are Felicity’s parents?” she asks.

Starling Prep is a prestigious school with a very exclusive clientele. The children that attend are all part of the city’s elite. There are the rare scholarship students that attend, but Moira hadn’t thought that Oliver’s class had any scholarship students in it. Perhaps she really is from a well-off family that just hasn’t figured out the rules and expectations yet. Perhaps they are eccentric.

Moira can handle eccentric.

“I’m not sure, I’ve never met her mother and her dad is out of the picture. I’ve only ever met her babysitter. That’s her right there,” Antoine explains. “Shawna is a sophomore at Starling U and watches Felicity after school while her mom works.”

The woman picking her up in the beat up old car is her babysitter. That’s reassuring, Moira thinks. At least she can breathe a sigh of relief. She’d been thinking Felicity was some little kid from the Glades the school had taken in for charity.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Moira is all about giving to those less fortunate. It’s just not who she wants Oliver hanging around with.

Oliver comes running back to the car and climbs in.

“Felicity said it’s okay,” Oliver says. “We can play tomorrow.”

“Well, I’m glad I have Felicity’s permission to spend time with my own son,” Moira says with a surprised scoff that clearly goes right over his head, because he just smiles back at her.

“Yeah,” he says. “I didn’t want her to be sad.”

****

“Eat your food, Sweetheart,” Moira leans over to whisper into Oliver’s ear, not wanting Rose to think he’s rude for not eating the dessert that had been made especially for the boys.

He hasn’t touched the chocolate brownie that’s been put in front of him, which is odd. Oliver loves anything sweet. Especially if it has chocolate in it.

“I can’t,” he grumbles, pushing his plate away in annoyance, causing the entire table to look up at them.

“I’m sorry, Rose, he must be getting sick,” Moira quickly covers for her son, lest her friends think she’s raising a heathen.

She places her hand to his forehead, but doesn’t feel any temperature.

“I’m not sick,” he protests. “It has nuts.”

Moira gives him a confused look. “You’ve eaten nuts before.”

“Mom,” he says, looking at her like she’s missing something major. She recognizes that look. It’s the same one Robert gets when he’s annoyed by whatever it is she’s doing. She’s just never seen that look on her own son’s face before. At least, never directed at her.

“Felicity’s allergic,” Oliver says, like she should have somehow known this.

“Okay,” Moira says, still confused what that has to do with her son. “I’m not asking her to eat it, I’m asking you.”

“I can’t eat it,” Oliver says. “Felicity could die .”

“Did she tell you that you can’t eat nuts?” Moira asks, feeling the pit of annoyance that she gets whenever Felicity’s name is brought up grow. “She’s not even here.”

It’s not that Moira honestly dislikes a six year old girl, but lately every word out of Oliver’s mouth is ‘Felicity says this,’ and ‘Felicity says that.’ She’s starting to think that this girl has too much say in Oliver’s life. Last night, Oliver refused to put on a clean sweater because Felicity told him he was wasting water by not wearing his dirty sweater several days in a row. He’d actually preferred to go to school in the same sweater as the day before because Felicity said it was better.

It’s getting old. Moira misses her little angel who never talked back or questioned her word.

“Who’s Felicity?” Rose asks Oliver.

“My friend,” Oliver says with a surprising blush.

“Do you have a crush?” Rebecca asks with a warm smile.

“Ollie loves Felicity,” Tommy says with a smirk, causing Oliver to groan. “They’re going to get married.”

“We are not,” he says. “I just think she’s really smart, and really pretty, and really nice, and I like her smile. She tells funny jokes.”

“Watch out Moira,” Rebecca says with an amused smile. “It seems like you’re about to lose your baby boy to another woman.”

Moira rolls her eyes and laughs. “He’s six. I think he’ll still be my sweet boy for at least a few more years. Isn’t that right, Oliver?”

“Yeah,” Oliver says, giving her a big smile. “I don't want to get married yet. Maybe when I'm ten.”

“I don't ever want to get married,” Tommy says. “Girls are gross.”

Moira smiles at Tommy. If only Oliver thought that girls were gross, then she wouldn't have to worry about how much influence Felicity has on her little boy.

“You won't always think girls are gross,” Rebecca says.

Tommy just shrugs. “Can Ollie and I go play with Mrs. Davenport’s dog?”

“Yeah!” Oliver says excitedly, all thoughts of Felicity out the window.

Rose smiles at the boys. “I’m sure Max would love that. Just don’t run over my flower beds.”

Oliver and Tommy take off towards the back yard, leaving the ladies to chat without young ears.

“So who is this Felicity that Oliver is so smitten with?” Rose asks.

Moira is saved from having to admit she doesn’t actually know who Felicity's parents are by Rebecca.

“Felicity and her mother moved to Starling several months ago,” Rebecca explains. “I met them both when I was visiting my clinic. When I realized how smart Felicity was and that she had applied for the scholarship at Starling Prep, I put in a good word for her.”

Moira nods, trying to hide her shock. If Rebecca met Felicity and her mother at her clinic, that means they are from the Glades. Suddenly, Moira is a lot more concerned with how attached Oliver is to Felicity. What if he wants to go over to her house to play? Would she really be able to allow that? The Glades is dangerous. Oliver could get hurt. He's an easy target. Their family is well off and the people in the Glades can get desperate for money. What if they see her son as an easy paycheck and hurt him? Or worse?

No. This won’t do.

Moira should set up some more play dates for Oliver so he can meet some other, safer friends.

“It’s good that you help all those people in the Glades, Rebecca,” Rose says with a smile that Moira knows really just means ‘It’s good you’re helping them so that I don’t have to.’

Rose Davenport comes from old money, like Moira. She prefers her charity work to be from a distance.

“Well, when we have this much, it seems cruel not to help out people who have so little,” Rebecca says. “And Donna is a good woman. She works hard and Felicity is a good kid. They deserve a break.”

“And how sweet of your little Oliver, Moira?” Rose says. “Taking this Felicity in and helping her feel welcome. He’s got a big heart. You’re raising a good boy, there.”

Moira smiles at the compliment and tries to reassure herself that Rose is right. It’s good that Oliver is spending time with Felicity. It’ll teach him to be more gracious and kind. He's only six. It's not like he's going to marry this girl. His infatuation with her will pass as quickly as his obsession with Sesame Street did.

She just needs to keep a closer eye on him to make sure that he doesn’t end up getting hurt somehow for being kind enough to extend his hand in charity.  

****

“I don't want to go to Monaco,” Moira hears Oliver whining to Raisa as she walks past his bedroom.

“You'll have fun, Mr. Oliver,” she says. “You'll see.”

“Why can't I stay here with you?” he asks.

Moira stops at the door to listen to the conversation. Oliver's always enjoyed their family vacations. He loves traveling on airplanes and exploring new places with Tommy. He especially likes the time he gets to spend with Robert, as family vacations are some of the only times he can have Robert’s undivided attention. They are supposed to leave tomorrow. The plan is to spend Thanksgiving with the Merlyn’s before Robert has to head to Paris on business and they need to get back home for school.

She’s honestly surprised Oliver isn't already packed and waiting at the door. They usually have the hardest time getting him to sleep the night before a vacation, he's so excited.

“You'll see Felicity in one week,” Raisa says.

“It's too long,” Oliver complains. “I don't understand why she can't come with.”

“Monaco is very expensive,” Raisa explains. “Miss Felicity and her mom can't afford to fly there.”

“But I can pay for them,” Oliver says. “We have money.”

Moira’s heart drops. Has Felicity been asking Oliver to pay for her to do things? How else did Oliver understand? It's not like they talk to Oliver about money. He's too young.

“It's not just the money, sweetheart,” Raisa explains. “Ms. Smoak can't take time off of work.”

“Felicity can come alone. You can watch her,” Oliver says, sounding so sad that Moira’s heart pulls. She hates hearing Oliver upset.

“Don't you think Felicity’s mom would miss her?” Raisa asks.

Oliver sighs so loud Moira can hear it through the door.

“I guess,” Oliver says. “Can I stay with Felicity and you guys can just go?”

Moira knows it's probably normal for Oliver to feel attached to his friends, but she doesn't like it. Would he honestly prefer to spend the holiday with Felicity than her? She's his mother.

“You'd miss your mom and dad too much,” Raisa says. “I promise, Mr. Oliver, you'll have so much fun that you'll barely notice the time pass you by.”

“If you say so,” Oliver grumbles.

Moira tries not to let his attitude get to her. Raisa is right. He’ll enjoy himself once he’s there. And it’s not as if Oliver honestly loves Felicity more than he loves her, but it’s hard sometimes. He’s her little boy and she knows there are only going to be so many years that they have together like this. He’ll be a teenager before she knows it and won’t want anything to do with her.

****

“Mom?” Oliver comes into the reading room carrying a book in his hand and a concerned look.

“What is it, sweetheart?”

She reaches out and pulls Oliver into her lap.

“Why do we live in a castle when other people just have a house or a ‘partment?” he asks, clutching his book to his chest so tightly that she can't see what he's reading.

“Well your daddy works very hard running Queen Consolidated everyday, so he's able to buy us nice things,” she explains.

Their fortune also comes from her trust, but that is too complicated for Moira to try to explain to her second grader.

“Ms. Smoak works hard,” Oliver says, leaning his head back against her shoulder. “She works everyday from early in the morning til late at night and she can't buy Felicity anything nice.”

Moira sighs. She doesn't know how to explain to him that some jobs are worth more than others. That working as a cocktail waitress and at a 24-hour diner isn't the same as being the CEO of a Fortune 500 company.

“Your daddy has a lot more responsibility,” she says. “He has to make sure thousands of people are doing their job right. If he makes a mistake, people could lose their job. It's a lot of work.”

“If Ms. Smoak makes a mistake, she can lose her job and then they lose their ‘partment.”

“Is that what Felicity told you?” Moira asks, not wanting to be nosey but curious if Donna Smoak had lost her job again. She wonders if they get evicted, if it means they’ll have to move back to Vegas.

Oliver nods.

“Ms. Smoak got in trouble because Felicity was sick,” Oliver says. “Mr. Jordon said she can't work there.”

Moira sighs. She doubts that the only reason Moira got fired was for missing a few days of work with a sick kid. Parents are entitled to family leave. Paul Jordon certainly gives his employees that. Donna probably got caught stealing money from the register or talking back to a customer and doesn't want to admit it to her daughter.

“I'm sure Ms. Smoak will figure something out,” Moira says, brushing his hair off of his forehead. “You don't need to concern yourself with things like that.”

“But Felicity is worried,” Oliver says. “It's making her sad.”

“Felicity shouldn't worry about it either,” she says.

Felicity is only seven. Donna shouldn't share so much information with her daughter. She's not mature enough to understand the world and it's only going to make her worry. Donna should know better. Felicity is her daughter, not her best friend.

****

“What’s the big deal?” Robert asks as he unbuttons his shirt.

“What’s the big deal?” Moira asks. “Did you see that woman? She was wearing… I don’t even know what that was. It wasn’t appropriate for a school function.”

“Why are you letting this get to you so much?” he asks, shrugging off his shirt and putting it in the laundry basket.

“Because that woman was Felicity’s mother,” she explains, turning around so that Robert can help unzip her dress.

“I think you’re overreacting,” Robert says. “Donna was nice enough and Oliver loves Felicity.”

Moira pulls off her dress carefully and hangs it back up, putting it over with the rest of her clothes that need to go to the cleaners.

“Donna?” Moira says. “So you introduced yourself to her then did you?” she scoffs.

Why is she not surprised? Robert never has been able to resist a trashy woman in a short skirt.

“She’s Felicity’s mother,” he explains with a deep sigh that he reserves only for when he’s annoyed with her. “Of course I introduced myself. Oliver has been friends with Felicity for two years now and we’ve never met her mother. Don’t you find that weird?”

“ You’ve never met her mother because you are always working during school events,” Moira says. “I’ve met that woman plenty of times.”

“Well good,” he says. “Then you’ll have plenty to talk about tomorrow. I invited her over for dinner.”

“You did what?” she asks, suddenly livid. How dare he invite them over without asking her first. What if they had plans?

“Felicity clearly isn’t going anywhere, so we should really get to know her mother,” Robert says.

“You’re only saying that because you want to sleep with her,” she says, scathingly, storming out of the closet to grab his pillow off the bed.

“Moira, you’re being ridiculous,” he says, trailing after her.

“Am I?” she asks, handing the pillow to him. “And was I also ridiculous when I asked if you were sleeping with your intern and you said no? Because I’m pretty sure I don’t own a black lace thong, but you had one in your suitcase last week.”

Robert opens his mouth to give her what is sure to be a well thought out lie, but she holds her hand up to stop him. “No. You can sleep in the guest bedroom down the hall.”

“Because I invited Donna Smoak over for dinner?” Robert asks, shaking his head.

Moira takes a deep breath and swallows down the scathing words that she knows she’ll regret later. Like her mother always used to say, ‘a temper is unbecoming of a lady.’

“I know you don’t believe this, because you didn’t grow up with money, but our society has rules. It has expectations. And women like Donna Smoak don’t fit into those expectations. You shouldn’t be encouraging Oliver’s friendship,” she says. “And if you’re going to have an affair, you can at least do me the decency of hiding the underwear you collect from your interns like every other man.”

“Moira,” Robert says with a smile, looking at her like he thinks she’s being ridiculous. “Donna Smoak is harmless.”

He doesn’t even try and defend himself on the intern front. She breathes a sigh of annoyance.

“Right now, his friendship with her is cute,” she explains. “People will say that Oliver’s a good kid for befriending her. They think it’s charitable. But in a few years when Oliver decides he wants to date her? It won’t be so cute. People will think he’s marrying down. That our family is getting too liberal. That we don’t share their values. Or worse, they’ll think we can’t control our own child. They won’t see Oliver as an acceptable leader of the company which will destroy QC’s long-term profitability. And do you know what starts happening then? People start second guessing their decision to invest in QC and your stock prices plummet. You own a Fortune 500 company, Robert. We have an image to maintain.”

“You’re being completely paranoid,” Robert says, shaking his head in disbelief. “The company is doing well and it doesn’t matter who Oliver decides to date. Besides, Moria, he’s 8. I think we’ve still got some time on the dating front.”

“You have no idea how things work for people in our position,” she explains, knowing it’s going to once again fall on deaf ears. “I’m not saying this because I agree with the way things are. Or that I like it. I’m saying this because I’m realistic and I know that we can lose all of this just as quickly as we got it.”

“Have you seen the size of your trust?” He laughs.

She grumbles.

“Your family has been rich for generations,” Robert says. “Stop worrying.”

Moira rolls her eyes and climbs into bed, not bothering to protest when he climbs in with her.

“I promise you, the world is not going to end if Oliver has one normal friend. If anything, it’ll make us look more human to our workers.”

Moira scoffs. QC’s workers aren’t the ones investing millions of dollars in contracts with them. The workers aren’t buying up thousands of shares. She’s more concerned about appeasing the board and their major investors.

****

“No,” Moira says firmly, not even thinking about Oliver’s request. There is no way in hell she’s letting her son go to the Glades, least of all on a holiday that’s known to bring out the crazies.

“But Mom—” he starts to whine, but she cuts him off.

“What’s wrong with Felicity joining you at Carter Bowen’s party?” Moira says. “There’s going to be games, plenty of candy, a costume contest.”

“I want to go trick or treating,” he grumbles.

“You can go trick or treating in our neighborhood,” she says.

“It takes 15 minutes to walk to the next door neighbors,” he says, looking at her like she’s crazy.

“Then take a car,” she says with a tone that ends the conversation.

Oliver pushes his plate away and crosses his arms, sulking.

“What’s the problem?” Robert asks, walking into the room with his briefcase in hand. One of the maids rushes to pour him a cup of coffee while he pulls some fruit onto his plate.

“I want to go trick or treating and Mom says I can’t,” Oliver grumbles.

“I loved trick or treating when I was a kid,” Robert says with a big smile. Moira glares at him. “What’s the problem?”

“He wants to go trick or treating with Felicity,” Moira says, giving him a pointed look.

“And this is surprising,” he says, clearly not getting the point.

“Felicity lives in the Glades. It’s not safe,” she says.

“He can take Antoine,” he says with a shrug, and instantly Oliver perks up. Moira scoffs. “Antonie was a Navy Seal and we pay him a king’s ransom each month to make sure that Oliver is more than protected, do you really think he’d let anything happen?”

“It’s the Glades ,” Moira argues.

“Felicity says that people in the Glades are really nice,” Oliver says. “Not that I’d know, since you never let me go over to her house.”

“Let’s not kid ourselves, Felicity Smoak doesn’t live in a house, she lives in a rent controlled apartment in the slums,” Moira says in a moment of annoyance before catching herself.

Robert’s fork fall to his plate loudly in shock. She turns to look at Oliver, ready to apologize, but rather than looking upset like she expects, he looks determined.

“Felicity is the smartest girl in our school and when she grows up, she’s going to be richer than all of us,” Oliver says. “And when that happens, I hope she lets her kids play with mine .”

Moira is shocked. So shocked by the words that come out of his mouth that she doesn’t even stop him when he stands up and leaves the table without permission.

“Did my son just call me an elitist?” she says, still in shock.

Where on earth did he even get that idea? He’s in fourth grade. He can’t have gotten that from anyone but Felicity.

Robert starts laughing to himself.  

“And what do you find so amusing?” She glares at him.

“It’s funny that he honestly believes the two of them aren’t getting married one day.”

God, Moira can only hope. The last thing she needs is Felicity Smoak to become Felicity Queen.

****

Moira stands in the bathroom re-reading the instructions for the fifteenth time, begging for a different answer. Blue can’t mean pregnant. She cannot be pregnant. Except, she knows that the test isn’t lying.

She hasn’t had her period in 9 weeks. Despite how careful she’d thought they had been, she’s pregnant. Which means she has a decision to make. Right now, she can either make an appointment to take care of the problem or she can tell Robert and hope that he never does the math.

If he does the math, he’ll realize that they weren’t having sex 11 weeks ago when this child would have been conceived. He’d been conducting “business” in Tokyo at the time, which really was just code for him screwing yet another intern. Moira had been pissed and Malcolm had been lonely. Their affair had lasted exactly 9 days before they both realized that it was an awful idea. Moira doesn’t love Malcolm and Rebecca had been her best friend. It had been wrong to sleep with her husband, even after her passing.

She needs to make a decision.

If she gets rid of the baby, she’s never going to be able to live with herself. She’s wanted another child with Robert for years and despite how this baby is coming into the world a part of her still desperately wants it.

If she tells Robert, he will leave her. It doesn’t matter that he cheated on her first. There has always been a gross double standard in their world when it comes to affairs. If Robert finds out that she slept with Malcolm and got pregnant, he will leave her. Oliver doesn’t deserve that. Robert may not always be around, but when he’s here, Oliver worships the ground he walks on. She can’t take his father away from him. And even if she could. Even if she could justify putting Oliver through the pain of a divorce, she won’t. She loves Robert. Despite his transgressions, he’s a good man with a good heart. She can’t help but love him. She just wishes he could feel the same way about her.

One option is so far off of the table it’s not even a possibility. Malcolm will never know that she is pregnant with his child. Even if he hadn’t abandoned Tommy to travel to god knows where, he’s an awful father. Ever since Rebecca died he’s been distant and cold with Tommy, never showing him nearly enough love. On the rare occurrence he calls to check in with his son, he can barely speak to him for 5 minutes before hanging up without so much as an “I love you.”

Maybe if this were a few years ago things would be different… Then again, if this were a few years ago, she wouldn’t be pregnant. Malcolm was one of the few men in Starling that had never once cheated on his wife. He worshiped the ground Rebecca walked on.

If she’s being honest with herself, that’s what had made it so easy to fall under his spell for those 9 days. She’d always been jealous of the way Rebecca had her husband’s undivided attention when she could never figure out how to get Robert’s.

Moira takes a deep breath and pulls herself together. She wraps the test in plenty of toilet paper before tossing it. The last thing she needs is one of the housekeepers gossiping about how she’s pregnant. Not before she’s figured out how she’s going to handle this. She tears the box and instructions up into pieces and then flushes it down the toilet. Finally, she splashes some cold water on her face and touches up her makeup before heading downstairs for lunch.

On her way to the dining room, she hears a familiar giggle that may as well be nails on a chalkboard as far as Moira is concerned. She had forgotten, in all of her inner panic, that today is Saturday. Of course Felicity is over. Donna Smoak works on Saturdays and Robert had graciously volunteered their house without waiting for her input. If Robert thinks they aren’t going to claim this as a tax exception, he’s wrong. They aren’t running an orphanage here.

Taking in Tommy is one thing. The Merlyn’s are their dearest friends. It’s a favor. Taking in Felicity is just charity and their friends are already talking about it in the condescending way they have. Last week Hannah Rosenburg had pulled her aside and asked if they were having money problems. She’d assumed Moira was running a daycare out of their house in order to help pay the bills. It’s embarrassing. Why doesn’t Robert see that?

“That’s not how it happened,” Felicity says as Moira enters the room and takes her usual seat next to her husband.

“How would you know?” Tommy says. “Your head was buried in yet another book.”

“It’s called multitasking. Some of us have that talent,” she says with more sass than Moira finds appropriate for a young lady.

“One of these days you two are going to be friends,” Oliver says with his mouth full, earning him a glare. He knows better.

“We’re friendly,” Tommy says with a mischievous smile, quietly adding, “But I’m not friends with nerds.”

“And I’m not friends with future frat boys,” she argues, glaring at Tommy.

“Alright,” Moira says, having had enough. “It’s hardly appropriate to argue at the table. Especially for a guest,” she says, looking directly at Felicity. If Donna isn’t going to teach the girl some manners, Moira will have to.

“Sorry, Mrs. Queen,” Felicity says with a deep blush, staring down at her plate.

“It’s alright, Sweetheart. It’s a woman’s job to keep her boys in line,” Robert says with a kind smile and a wink, which makes Felicity smile. Moira can’t help but roll her eyes. Robert and her never seem to be on the same page of anything these days.

Moira pours herself a cup of tea.

“Is that herbal tea?” Felicity asks, staring at her cup.

“No, it’s Orange Pekoe,” she says, wondering why she’s asking. Felicity’s never liked tea before.

“Shawna says that non-herbal teas are bad for pregnancy because it has caffeine and you really shouldn’t have caffeine when pregnant if you can help it. Orange Pekoe has like 34 milligrams of caffeine in it and—” Moira’s entire world stops spinning as Felicity continues to ramble on.

She can feel Robert’s gaze on her as the walls feel like they are closing in.

How on Earth could Felicity have found out when she only just took the test? Had Felicity been sneaking around in her bathroom? She wouldn’t put it past her.

“You’re pregnant?” Oliver asks.

Moira shakes her head, but there’s really no turning back now. The cat’s out of the bag.

“Moira,” Robert says loudly, pulling her back from her thoughts. The walls seem to snap back into place and the world starts spinning again. She takes a deep breath and composes herself. She’s Moira Queen. She doesn’t lose it.

“I was waiting to tell you until after I saw the doctor to confirm,” Moira says, quickly covering for herself.

“I’m sorry!” Felicity exclaims while Tommy snickers. “I just thought everyone knew already. I never meant to just… I mean if I thought that it was a secret… I just… Shawna says you’re not supposed to have caffeine and I didn’t want you to—”

“It’s okay,” Robert says, reaching his hand out to place it on Felicity’s shoulder so she’ll stop blathering on.

“How did you know?” Oliver asks Felicity.

Felicity shrugs. “You said your mom’s been sick and she’s been more tired. Plus her skin is glowing and that’s what happened to Shawna when she first got pregnant. She said it’s the hormones. I just put the pieces together.”

“So it’s true?” Oliver asks, turning to look at her.

Moira nods and Oliver’s face breaks out into the biggest smile she’s seen from him outside of Christmas morning. She looks over to Robert and his smile is more reserved. More suspicious.

“When’s your appointment?” Robert asks.

“I haven’t made one yet,” she says.

“Well make sure you check with Martha before you schedule. I’d like to be there for it,” he says and she can hear what he’s not saying in front of the children.

He wants to know when her due date is. He’s already doing the math. She wonders how much she would have to pay Dr. Gill to lie about her due date.

****

Moira closes her eyes, trying to will herself to sleep. In the last month or so, it’s become increasingly difficult to get any kind of rest. She’s uncomfortable all of the time. Her back aches constantly. The shooting pain in her thigh won’t go away because, as Dr. Gill explained, the baby is pressing on her nerve. In addition to those symptoms and the fact that she’s going to have to get up to pee about a hundred times tonight, she’s got heartburn.

“Just four more weeks,” Robert says, reaching out to massage her lower back, which actually does help.

While Robert may not be the most attentive husband on a normal day, he’s been incredibly attentive for her entire pregnancy. It almost makes her wish that the baby would stay in there for another few weeks, despite the uncomfortable side effects of being in her third trimester. She knows that’s unlikely, though. Her real due date, despite what they’ve told Robert, is just two weeks away. Their baby girl will be here before they know it.

Moira settles against Robert’s back when he’s done massaging her and he wraps his arms around her, feeling around her stomach for where the baby is. She guides his hands over towards her head which is currently lodged right under her ribcage.

“We can’t wait to meet you little Dorothy,” Robert says.

“I told you, we aren’t naming her that,” Moira says with a smile. “She’s not an 80 year old woman.”

“My mom really wants us to name her after my grandmother.”

“And while I can appreciate that, Dorothy is the name for either an 80 year old woman or a girl who’s lost in Oz,” Moira says. “What would we even call her? Dot. No, thank you.”

“We could call her Thea,” Robert says. “That was my grandmother’s nickname growing up.”

“Thea,” Moira says, testing the name out to see how it sounds. “Thea Queen.”

She likes it. It’s unique enough to stand out. It rolls off of the tongue easily. It’s regal. “It’s perfect,” she says.

“So we can name her Dorothy?” Robert asks.

“No, just Thea,” Moira says. “Thea Dearden Queen.”

“It’s perfect,” he agrees, nuzzling into her neck.

She smiles. They’ve been arguing over names for months. Ever since they found out they were having a girl. She’s happy they’ve finally settled on something they both like.

While Robert mouths at her neck, he takes hold of her hips and pulls her against him. She can’t help the moan she releases. The one third trimester symptom she hasn’t complained about is the heightened sex drive. She’s never felt closer to Robert because of it.

She’s about to pull her nightgown off when she hears it. The little sound of feet making their way down the hall.

“Shh,” Moira says, holding her hand out to stop Robert from moving so she can hear better. She waits for a second, and then she hears the sound of a door being opened and closed down the hall.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” she grumbles, moving to get out of bed, but he reaches out to stop her.

“Let it go, Moira,” he says, nibbling on her ear, trying to distract her but it won’t work. Not now that she knows Felicity is currently climbing into bed with Oliver.

“It’s not appropriate,” she complains. Her son isn’t old enough to be sharing a bed with a girl.

“They’re ten. What do you think they are doing?” he laughs, earning him a smack on the shoulder.

“I don’t know, but it’s not appropriate,” she huffs.

“Tommy’s asleep on Ollie’s couch,” he says. “It’s fine.”

Robert’s hands move to massage her breast and she weighs his words. If Tommy’s in the room, then she knows Felicity won’t try anything scandalous. She doesn’t know what kind of activity a ten year old would honestly get up to, but she doesn’t put much past Felicity. Lord knows the kind of things she’s learned growing up in the Glades. Moira’s sure that Felicity’s building has at least a few hookers working out of it...

At least if Tommy is there, he’ll act as a buffer. And Robert’s hands do feel really heavenly right now.

“You’re sure?” she asks, not believing that she’s actually going to go along with this.

“I checked in on them about an hour ago,” he reassures her. “He fell asleep in Ollie’s room watching a movie.”

“She should know better,” Moira complains.

What kind of ten year old sneaks into a boy’s room at night? She has a perfectly fine guest room of her own to sleep in. It’s not like they’d put her on a beat up cot or something. She’d been on egyptian cotton sheets and a ten thousand dollar mattress.

“Again, I’m not sure what you think is happening in there,” he says, pulling the strap of her gown off of her shoulder to kiss it.

“I don’t want Oliver getting any ideas,” she says, moaning when Robert presses himself against her. “They won’t be ten forever.”

“No,” he says, pulling her nightgown up over her thighs. “They won’t. But I don’t see them getting together for a long time anyways.”

“Why not?” she asks, her breath hitching as he traces the outline of her underwear. “You don’t think she’s going to try and tempt Oliver?”

“ I’m trying to tempt you ,” he teases. “Can we let this go?”

The two of them make love before settling back into bed. Moira’s just about to fall asleep when Robert starts laughing uncontrollably.

“What?” she asks, turning around to watching him in amusement. She doesn’t often see him like this.

“You think Felicity has some kind of siren song?” he says between gasps of air as he tries to control himself.

“She’s always had a pull over Oliver,” she says defensively.

“I agree, but it’s not because she’s some kind of temptress,” he says. “The girl can barely string two words together without rambling on. You think she’s going to somehow get it together to seduce Ollie?”

“You’ve seen her mother,” she argues.

It’s not ridiculous to think that Felicity would do exactly that. Moira’s long suspected that her little innocent act is just that. Donna Smoak is a gold digger and she’s positive that she’s training Felicity well. After all, she’s already wedged her way into her son’s life and she doubts that has nothing to do with his ever growing trust fund.

“When are you going to lay off Donna?” he asks. “She’s a cocktail waitress, she has to dress that way.”

She laughs in disbelief. “To a school function?”

“Moira, let it go,” he says, signalling that he’s done with this conversation. “Felicity is a good kid. She’s a good influence on Ollie.”

“Oliver doesn’t need a good influence,” she says. “He’s a good boy on his own.”

Robert snorts. “We’ll see about that when he enters middle school next year.”

****

“Donna Smoak is talking to Paul Jordan,” Rose comes up to whisper into her ear.

“The divorce has been finalized for what? A month?” Moira asks in disbelief.

“Three weeks,” Rose says. “Isabelle is pissed.”

“I’d imagine,” Moira says. “Today is supposed to be about the children.”

She glances across the room to where Donna Smoak is standing at a table near the bar being chatted up by Paul. While her body language says she’s playing hard to get, that dress is anything but. Most of their husbands eyes have been on her since she arrived and she’s sure that’s exactly how Donna likes it. There’s no other way she continues to wear dresses like that to school events.

“Poor Felicity,” Rose says. “It’s must be embarrassing to be at these functions with her mother.”

Moira looks to Felicity, who is sitting at that table with a glass of soda and her nose buried in a book. She keeps her comments about Felicity to herself. She’s sure that the girl is busy taking notes of her own on how to attract high society men. She has to know that Oliver not only lives to play the white knight, but that he also admires a smart woman. Sitting at events reading, pretending to be an awkward wallflower is exactly the kind of play aimed at attracting her son.

“What’s this I hear about Oliver asking Felicity out on Valentine’s Day?” Rose asks.

Moira rolls her eyes. “He wasn’t asking her out. He gave her a stuffed animal. They are friends and he wanted to make sure she got a present on Valentine’s Day. Don’t read too much into it.”

Rose holds back a smile and Moira knows there’s little she can to do convince her otherwise. It’s starting. Ever since Oliver entered middle school the tone has switched around his friendship with Felicity. It’s no longer about how sweet he is for taking her under his wing, it’s about how he’s clearly in love with her. Nobody dares voice their displeasure about Felicity to her face, so they make comments about Donna instead. It’s a subtle way to remind her that the Smoak’s are not the kind of people they want in their world.

As if she needs that reminder.

As if she has any control over who Oliver chooses to spend his time with. If she did, Felicity would have been gone a long time ago.

“Where is Oliver?” Rose asks.

“Robert is bringing him later,” she says. “Tommy had a polo tournament this afternoon and they wanted to watch.”

“Let me guess, Malcolm’s out of town again?”

Moira glares at her for her tone. “He’s a CEO of a Fortune 500 company. He’s in China on business. Robert is gone just as often but he has the luxury of not being a single parent.”

Moira may have her own thoughts on Malcolm’s distant relationship with Tommy, but she’s not going to air that at a public function. And she’s certainly not going to let Rose Davenport get away with saying a bad word about the Merlyn’s when she hasn’t done anything for the family since Rebecca’s funeral. The woman had been one of Rebecca’s closest friends as well, and where is she now?

“You’re right, I apologize,” Rose says awkwardly. “Oh look, there’s Grace. I should really go say hello.”

And with that, Rose slips away.

“Well that looked pleasant,” Robert says, coming to stand next to her.

“You made it,” she says with a smile, accepting a kiss on the cheek from him. “How was the tournament?”

“Tommy’s team took first.”

“That’s great,” she says. “We should take him out to celebrate.”

“I promised him we’d go to Russo’s for some real food after this thing is over,” he says.

Moira nods in agreement as Robert excuses himself to go speak to some business partners of his. She looks over and is hardly surprised to see that Oliver’s already at Felicity’s table attempting to pull the book out of her hand. Ten other girls in Oliver’s 6th grade class and yet Felicity’s the one that has him wrapped around her finger. It’s never made any sense to her.

****

Moira ties the robe tighter around her waist before descending the stairs in an effort to find out what all of the commotion is about.

“What’s going on?” she asks, seeing James Holder in their foyer. He looks irate.

“ Your son broke Alex’s nose,” he says the word ‘son’ like he’s speaking of gum on the bottom of his shoe and it immediately puts Moira on the defensive.

“I beg your pardon?” she asks.

“I’ve got this, Moira,” Robert says. “Go back to bed.”

Moira crosses her arms and doesn’t move, but she does let Robert take care of this.

“What do you want, James?” Robert asks.

“I want your son to be expelled! That little heathen is out of control,” James yells.

“First of all, this didn’t happen on school property, so they aren’t going to expel him,” Robert says. “And second of all, did you even ask your son why Oliver hit him?”

“What does it matter? He broke his nose. Nothing makes that acceptable,” James says.

“It seems to me that you have two options here James,” Robert says, using that dangerous voice he gets sometimes. “You can continue to stand in my home and yell at me about my son, at which point I’ll call my lawyer and file a harassment suit against your son on behalf of Felicity Smoak, or you can go home and get some rest. It’s been a long night for everyone.”

Moira schools her expression and resists the urge to roll her eyes. Of course this is about Felicity. When is it ever not?

“You’d never win.” James scoffs. “They were playing spin the bottle and your son got jealous.”

“I don’t have to win,” Robert says, his voice low and gravely. “Your name would get dragged through the mud on this case and you know it. Meanwhile, Oliver would come out looking like a hero.”

“He broke Alex’s nose because he’s jealous and you think that the papers will praise him?”

“They will when we make it clear your family has a history of sexual assault,” Robert says.

“Yes because people usually listen when white trash from the Glades start looking for a payout,” James laughs. “You’ve lost your mind, Robert.”

“She’s not white trash!” Oliver yells, storming into the room, his face red with anger.

“Oliver, go sit back down,” Robert says firmly, pointing at the sitting room. Oliver stands there for another minute, fists clenched like he’s ready to hit James Holder, before he thinks better of it and storms back into the sitting room.

“Your son has a temper. You should really take care of that,” James says.

“Thank you for your parenting advice, but I think you’ve got a child of your own to worry about, don’t you James?” Robert says.

James crosses his arms clearly trying to appear as if he’s still in control of this conversation when he lost the second Robert brought up lawyers. James probably has a case against Oliver, but the Queens have the best defense lawyers in the country. James has to know he won’t ever win against them.

“I don’t want Oliver around Alex anymore,” James says.

Moira can hear Oliver laughing in the other room.

“That won’t be a problem,” Robert says. “I doubt Oliver wants to be anywhere near Alex anymore.”

“He can’t punch every kid that makes a pass at Felicity,” James says.

Robert sighs, dropping his hands to his side as he walks to the door. “Go home, James.”

James leaves without another word.

“He broke his nose?” Moira asks him the second the door is closed.

“There was a party,” Robert says. “Alex got a little too enthusiastic and Oliver intervened. It’s fine. Go back to bed.”

Moira rolls her eyes, but heads back upstairs. She’s going to hear about this for the next several weeks. She’s going to get judgemental looks as people gossip behind their backs about how they’ve raised a hellion. Moira loves Oliver, but a part of her wonders if they are right. He’s been spending more and more time in the Glades recently and she feels like it’s having an effect on him. After all, he’s just broken a classmates nose. That’s something her sweet boy never would have done before.

What was Felicity doing kissing boys at this party anyways? She’s twelve.

****

Moira walks into their bedroom with a box of condoms in her hand trying not to freak out.

“Robert, we need to talk about Oliver,” she says, gesturing to the box in her hand.

He looks up from where he’s reading on their bed.

“Are you going through his drawers now?” Robert asks. “You know he won’t forgive you for that.”

“I was looking for his missing cufflink. I was going to send it out to get polished before your sister’s wedding next week,” she explains trying to figure out why Robert isn’t more surprised at the fact that their son has a box of condoms in his nightstand. Unless…

“You bought him condoms,” she says. It’s a statement rather than a question. She already knows it’s true.

“You asked me to talk with him,” Robert says, putting down his book on the nightstand and taking off his reading glasses.

“Yes, so that you could tell him to wait,” she says.

When she’d asked Robert to talk to Oliver after rumors started going around that he’d been making out with McKenna Hall in the coat room a few weeks ago, she hadn’t meant that Robert should encourage him.

“It’s unrealistic to expect Oliver to wait,” Robert says.

“He’s thirteen!” she exclaims. “I hardly think that’s an appropriate age to be having sex. You didn’t lose your virginity until you were sixteen.”

“Kids are having sex younger and younger these days,” he says. “And if I tell him no, he’s not going to listen to me. At least this way we can make sure he doesn’t get anyone pregnant.”

Moira can’t help but laugh. They cannot honestly be having this conversation right now.

“Oliver and McKenna are going to have sex and your solution was to give them condoms?”

“No,” he says.

“No? I’m holding the box!” she exclaims.

“No, I mean, I don’t think Oliver’s going to have sex with McKenna,” he says. “She’s not who I’m concerned about.”

“Then who?” Moira asks, but the second she says it she knows exactly who Robert is talking about. “No.”

“You’ve seen the way he looks at her,” Robert says.  

“He’s always looked at her that way. You told me you didn’t think they’d get together for several more years!” Moira says, instantly starting to panic. If she thought Oliver having sex with McKenna was bad, him having sex with Felicity is even worse. At least McKenna Hall is a fleeting problem. Felicity is anything but.

“Well clearly I was wrong,” Robert says. “You were in his bedroom. Didn’t you see the picture on his nightstand?”

“The one from Fourth of July?” she asks, sitting down on the bed in defeat. Yes. She’s seen the picture. There’s no hiding how deep his love for Felicity goes.

“Felicity is going places,” Robert says. “She’s going to get into an Ivy League school and really do something with her life. I’d hate to see her get pregnant and ruin that.”

“That’s nice, you’re concerned about how a baby would screw up her life,” Moira says. “What about Oliver’s?”

“Moira,” he says, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her against him. “They are good kids, but they are kids. They are bound to make mistakes. I just wanted to make sure that when they make this one, that they do so safely.”

“I cannot believe that my baby is having sex already,” Moira says. “In my mind he’s still five years old and chasing after fireflies.”

“He’s not having sex,” he says. “Yet.”

That gives her a little relief, but not much.

“I swear to god, they better use condoms,” she says, shaking her head. She’s not about to welcome a little Smoak-Queen into this world.

“Then you should probably go put these back in his room,” Robert says, tapping the box in her hand.

Moira rolls her eyes, but reluctantly agrees.

Despite how much she hates it, they have very little control over what Oliver does with his life. He’s stubborn and considers himself invincible. He does whatever he wants, whenever he wants and all they can do is stand back and help him clean up the messes he creates and hope he learns from them. Pregnancy is not going to be a mess of his that she has to clean up.

****

When Moira walks into Oliver’s room Tuesday morning, she’s not overly surprised to see that he’s not remotely ready for school. Instead, he’s laying in his bed with a picture frame cradled against his chest, crying. Felicity and Donna left for the airport three hours ago and Oliver is still crying.

She sits down next to Oliver and opens her arms for him and he comes right to her.

“She’s really gone,” he cries, shaking his head.

“I’m so sorry,” she says, finding that she really means it.

She may never have been overly fond of Felicity, but that doesn’t mean she ever wanted to see Oliver get his heart broken. Not like this.

“It’s not fair,” he says. “It’s not fair that they had to leave.”

“Things will be better for them in Vegas,” she says, truly believing that. “Donna won’t have to worry about paying rent and she’ll be able to get her feet under her.”

“She worked two full time jobs,” he cries. “I don’t understand. How can you work two full time jobs and not be able to pay your rent?”

Moira doesn’t have an answer to that. Not one that Oliver will understand, at least. So instead she just lays back in bed and runs her hands through his hair as he cries himself back to sleep.

****

“What did he have to say?” Moira asks when Robert enters the room.

“Oliver and Tommy were picked up for breaking and entering and underage drinking,” he says, running his hand over his face in frustration. “He’s not going to press charges this time, but this is their final warning.”

“Was Malcolm there?” she asks.

“No, I figured it was best if Malcolm wasn’t involved and Brian agreed.”

Moira nods her agreement. Malcolm has a quick temper and Tommy has a way of pushing his buttons.

“So what did they do this time?” she asks, unsure if she really wants to know.

“They broke into the planetarium and polished off a bottle of tequila,” he says.

“The planetarium?” She searches her mind for any reason Oliver and Tommy would want to hang out there alone. It wasn’t like they took any girls there to look at the stars and Oliver’s never liked museums. Neither of them have.

“There was a special exhibit on loan from the National Air and Space Museum,” he says, giving her a pointed look and it all becomes clear.

“Felicity,” she says with a deep sigh.

“It’s been almost a year,” Robert says. “I’m not sure he’s actually going to get over this on his own.”

“Well what are you suggesting?” she asks. He can’t be saying that Oliver needs to see a shrink. They’d never hear the end of it.

“We have a guest house. There’s really no reason why—”

Moira can’t help but laugh. “Really? You want Donna Smoak to live here? You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“We could get them an apartment,” he argues.

“I thought you hated Donna,” she says. “Ever since you tried to sleep with her at the Christmas party two years ago and she turned you down.”

“I did not,” he says with an air of outrage.

“Please,” Moira says. “You think I don’t know everything that happens in this house?”

Robert looks like he’s debating trying to defend himself more, but decides against it.

“He can’t keep going out and getting drunk. Especially in public places,” he complains.

“He’s in high school. It’s what they all do,” she says, even though she knows it’s not that simple.

“When our son does it, it makes the front page and it’s bad for business,” he says. “I honestly don’t know what else to do with him, Moira. His behavior is getting out of control.”

“And you think Felicity would be able to stop it,” she says in disbelief. “This is what kids do. It’s what you and I used to do when we were younger. It’ll pass.”

“And in the meantime, we’ll basically be putting the Nudocerdo kids through college with the amount I’ve had to pay to keep Oliver out of jail.”

****

“Damn, when did Felicity Smoak get hot?” she hears Tommy ask as she walks down the hall.

Moira peaks her head into Oliver’s room. “I didn’t know you were coming over Tommy. Will you be joining us for dinner?”

“I can’t, Mrs. Queen,” he says.

“How many times do I have to tell you? Call me Moira.”

“Sorry, habit,” Tommy says. “I’ve got a date in about an hour. I was just stopping by to get some last minute advice.”

“Who’s the lucky lady?” she asks.

“Megan Pike,” he says with a smile.

“Lieutenant Pike’s daughter?” she says with an easy laugh. “Well I hope you’re wearing a bulletproof vest.”

“He’ll be at work, I confirmed it to be sure,” he says. “I’ll see you later, Ollie!” Tommy says before headed out the door.

“Good luck!” Oliver says.

“What were you both looking at?” she asks, stepping further into the room.

Oliver holds up a stack of photos. “Felicity sent me the pictures she got developed from my trip.”

Moira reaches out her hand to take a look. The first picture in the stack is of the two of them at a water park. Felicity is wearing a skimpy purple bikini that leaves little to the imagination and Oliver has his arm around her while she hugs his side. While she wouldn’t use Tommy’s words, he wasn’t wrong. Felicity has certainly grown up since Moira saw her last. She’s a lot more… developed.

She flips through the photos that were sent. There’s one of Felicity in what looks like Oliver’s Starling Prep sweatshirt and a pair of cutoff shorts where she’s sitting in his lap while they roast marshmallows.

“You were supervised the entire time?” she asks, giving him a knowing look.

Oliver rolls his eyes and takes the pictures out of her hands. “We’re just friends, Mom.”

“Yes,” she says, mentally building a time machine so she can refuse to let Oliver go out to Vegas. “Your father and I were just friends at one point in time.”

“Eww,” he says, wrinkling his nose. “Please don’t tell me these things.”

“I just want you to remember how heartbroken you were when she left,” Moira says. “It’s not a good idea to fall in love with Felicity Smoak.”

She highly doubts there’s anything that can be done about it now since that ship has long sailed, but it’s worth mentioning.

“Mom,” he says with a laugh. “It’s fine. Don’t worry so much.”

“Your father says that to me whenever he’s about to do something I should worry about.”

Oliver smirks before headed out the door. “I won’t be home for dinner. The boys are going to watch the girls volleyball game tonight.”

“And maybe you’ll take an interest in one of those nice girls,” she calls after him.

“Sure, Mom! Whatever you say!”

****

“Why did I just get a call from Oliver’s school saying he skipped his Latin and AP History finals today?” Moira asks, walking into Robert’s home office.

“I don’t know anything about this,” he says, putting the papers he’d been reading down on the desk. “You’ve tried calling him?”

“His cell phone’s been turned off,” she says.

“Have you tried Tommy?”

Moira shakes her head. “Tommy doesn’t know where he is. And no, before you ask, he’s not just covering for Oliver. He really didn’t know.”

“Excuse me,” Raisa says, interrupting their conversation.

“Yes?”

“Ms. Felicity called Mr. Oliver last night,” Raisa says.

Moira stares at the woman, waiting for the news. Felicity and Oliver talk on the phone most nights, this doesn’t tell her where her son is or why he missed his finals today.

“She sounded quite upset,” Raisa says.

“He wouldn’t,” Robert says at the same time that Moira puts the piece together.

Oliver went to Vegas without their permission.

“I’m calling Stanley,” he says, picking up the phone.

Stanley’s been their personal pilot for the last ten years.

“Thank you Raisa,” she says. Their housekeeper nods and leaves the room.

Moira waits anxiously for Robert to get off the phone, all the while plotting just how much she’s going to yell at Oliver for this.

“Oliver didn’t take the jet,” he says once he hangs up.

“So he didn’t go to Vegas?” she asks, but Robert shakes his head.

“No, he’s there. He asked Stanley to take him but he refused without our permission.”

“He deserves a raise,” Moira says. “If he didn’t take the jet then what?”

Robert gives her a look.

“No,” she says. “You think he flew commercial?”

He grumbles a few choice words under his breath before saying, “It wouldn’t be impossible. He’s got enough cash in his pocket to buy a ticket. He wouldn’t even need the credit cards.”

“What do we do?” she asks.

“Freeze his credit card accounts and hope he either runs out of money or comes to his senses soon?” he suggests.

“He has three more finals tomorrow,” she says. “He’s going to fail all of his classes.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

“Robert—”

“I said I’ll take care of it, Moira.”

“Alright,” she concedes and leaves his office. Moira cannot believe that Felicity would do something like this during the middle of finals week. Doesn’t she care that Oliver will fail and won’t be able to get into any good colleges?

****

It’s late when Moira walks through the door of her home. Tonight had been the charity gala for Starling General and she’d stayed late to make sure that cleanup process went smoothly and all of the donations got into the right hands as well as the auction items correctly labeled for delivery the next morning. Robert had left several hours earlier due to an early morning conference call with the London office. So when she walks through the door at 1am, she doesn’t expect to see anyone apart from their night shift security. She certainly doesn’t expect to see Tommy Merlyn walking down the stairs.

“Tommy, it’s a school night, what are you still doing here?” she asks, causing him to jump then immediately look sheepish.

“I didn’t realize anyone would still be awake,” Tommy says. “I was just leaving.”

“May I ask what you’re doing here so late?” she asks.

Tommy looks torn. His eyes go to the stairs before focusing back on her looking helpless.

“Did something happen?” she asks, growing suspicious. It’s clear that Tommy doesn’t want to tell her what he’s doing here so late, which has her worried.

“Tommy,” she pleads and his shoulders instantly slump.

“Oliver found out that Felicity is with somebody and didn’t take it well,” he explains. “I was talking him out of a trip to Boston.”

Moira sighs deeply. Of course. When have their lives ever not revolved around the actions of Felicity Smoak?

“She’s had boyfriends before,” she says, trying to figure out what makes this time any different from before.

Tommy looks around the room awkwardly for several moments before he carefully says, “I think this time is more… serious.”

There’s clearly more to the story that she isn’t being told, but she knows Tommy well enough by now to know that he’s told her all he is willing to.

“You should get home, your dad will be worried,” she says.

“My dad’s in Shanghai,” he says with a dismissive wave of his hand, but she knows that Malcolm’s repeated absence hurts him more than he likes to let on. Not for the first time, Moira wishes Rebecca were still with them.

She reaches out to put a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Then you should stay here. It’s late and the roads will be dark.”

“Thank you, but I’ll be alright,” he says with a brave smile. “Mariana is expecting me and you know how she worries.”

She nods her head. The Merlyn’s housekeeper has always treated Tommy like her own. She has no doubt that the woman has waited up for Tommy to come home.

“At least promise me you’ll stop by for dinner this week,” she says. “I don’t see you enough anymore and you boys will be off to college soon.”

“I wouldn’t miss it,” Tommy says before giving her a kiss on the cheek and walking out the door.

Moira takes off her heels before walking up the stairs with aching feet. She enjoys planning charity events, but the long hours playing hostess are murder on her feet. She walks down towards her bedroom and isn’t surprised to see light coming out from under Oliver’s door. After all, Tommy’s only just left.

She knocks quietly and slowly opens the door to find Oliver lying face down on his bed sobbing. He doesn’t look up. She doubts he even heard her knock. She stands at the doorway for several minutes debating what to do. She wants to go lay down next to him and comfort him. Help him see that things will be alright. However, Felicity has been a touchy subject with them for the past few years and she doubts Oliver would let her comfort him. Not with this.

She stands there for another few minutes with watery eyes, hating seeing her son so distraught over a girl who doesn’t deserve a single one of his tears. Then she quietly closes the door and heads to her bedroom.

Robert is asleep when she gets there, so she silently gets herself ready for bed. She’s exhausted, but sleep doesn’t come that night. She lays away thinking about how heartbroken Oliver is and how it’s all Felicity’s fault.

****

“You must be thrilled,” Caroline says, coming up behind her.

“About?” Moira asks, taking a sip of her champagne as she watches the happy couple dancing across the floor.

“Oliver dating Professor Lance’s daughter,” Caroline says.

“If Oliver is happy, then I’m happy,” she says with a smile, glancing across the room to where Oliver has his arms around Laurel and is whispering into her ear while she laughs. They’ve been together for a month, which is the longest Oliver has dated any single girl.

“Well we’re all just happy he’s come to his senses and found somebody more worthy of the Queen name,” she says.

Moira doesn’t need to ask what she’s talking about to know that it’s a dig about his infatuation with Felicity Smoak.

“They’ve been dating for a month,” Moira says with an easy laugh, refusing to be dragged into a debate on who is and who isn’t worthy of her son. “Let’s not marry him off just yet.”

“I’m just saying,” Caroline says with a shrug. “Laurel’s a good choice. Her mother is tenured at Starling University. Laurel’s well educated and clearly going places. Word is she’s thinking about applying to law school when she finishes college. And with a police officer for a father, well… It makes it look like you care about the middle class. It’s going to play very well for your family.”

Moira doesn’t need a lecture on how things play from Caroline Porter of all people. Last year, her husband’s company just barely survived bankruptcy by embezzling money from their clients. The only reason they’ve been able to weather the storm so far is because Caroline started sleeping with the DA to avoid prosecution. The fact that she continues to act like she isn’t when everyone in this room knows the truth is laughable.

“Thank you for your concern, but my family is doing just fine,” she says before excusing herself to go find Robert.

“If I have to listen to one more snide remark about how thrilled everyone is that Oliver’s dating Laurel, I’m going to call Page Six and air out all of their dirty laundry,” she says, walking up to her husband at the bar.

“Weren’t you just telling me how happy you were that he started dating Laurel?” Robert asks.

“I’m his mother, I’m allowed to say it,” she says. “Besides, that’s not what they are really saying. When they talk about Laurel, they’re really commenting about Felicity.”

“Felicity hasn’t lived in this town for five years,” he says.

“And yet, she’s still the most popular topic of conversation,” she says. “Are you willing to admit now that I was right about their friendship?”

“Never,” Robert says, grabbing her hand and pulling her to the dance floor.

“I’m surprised Laurel’s willing to put up with the rumors,” Moira says. “Everyone still thinks he’s in love with her.”

“Well, isn’t he?” Robert asks, causing her to glare at him. “I’m just saying, he calls Felicity every single night and they talk for at least an hour. Our phone bill is outrageous.”

“He’s dating Laurel.”

“He’s doing something with Laurel,” Robert says with a laugh. She smacks him on the shoulder.  

“He needs to make sure he doesn’t mess around with her,” Moira says. “She’s a smart girl. She’s not going to put up with his usual stunts and I’d hate to see him lose her.”

“I’d remind you that Oliver is your son, and he’s whose team you should be on.”

“I am on Oliver’s team,” she says defensively. “He’s not in high school anymore. He needs to start thinking about his future, and Laurel can help him stay on the right track.”

“So could Felicity,” Robert says, earning him another glare. “I’ll talk to him. Is that what you want me to say?”

“Oh you’ll talk to him?” she says with a laugh. Like he’s got any moral high ground to stand on. “ I’ll talk to him.”

“Whatever you say dear,” Robert says.

****

“You told me that you were going to Avery’s bachelor party!” Moira can hear Laurel yelling from her spot in the kitchen where she’d been going over the week’s menu with Raisa.

She can’t hear Oliver’s side of the conversation, but she can certainly hear Laurel’s.

“No you didn’t! You saw her!”

Moira tries her best to ignore the argument that is clearly happening in the living room, but she finds it difficult.

“Thank you, Raisa, this looks perfect,” Moira says kindly before leaving the kitchen to go see what all the commotion is about.

If Oliver is going to have an argument with his girlfriend, he should know to move it somewhere more private. While their staff can be trusted not to talk to the papers, Robert is supposed to have some business partners coming over shortly.

“Don’t tell me I’m overreacting!” Laurel yells. “If it wasn’t a big deal, then you wouldn’t have lied about it.”

“Laurel, Felicity is my friend. I didn’t tell you that I was going to see her because I knew you would get jealous,” Moira can now hear Oliver as she rounds the corner and can see into the living room. “But she’s just a friend. Calm down.”

“Calm down?” Laurel scoffs. “Screw you, Oliver. I’ll calm down when you stop spending the night in other women’s beds.”

Moira leans against the entrance to the living room and crosses her arms, catching Oliver’s eye who has the decency to look sheepish.

“Why don’t we take this upstairs?” Oliver says, reaching out to grab onto Laurel’s arm but she rips it out of his grasp.

“Don’t touch me. I’m not going upstairs with you,” Laurel says. “You won’t be able to kiss your way out of this one.”

“Laurel, please,” he says with a sigh that sounds so similar to Robert whenever Moira confronts him about another one of his interns. This is hardly the man that she raised. She sympathizes with Laurel. It’s not easy being in love with a man that only gives you part of his attention.

“I’m done,” Laurel says, grabbing her purse off of the couch and storming out of the room. A few seconds later they hear the front door slam.

“I’m sorry,” Oliver apologizes.

“It’s not me that you need to apologize to,” Moira says, giving him a pointed look. “If you’re not careful, you’re going to lose her.”

“I don’t understand why she’s so upset,” Oliver says, throwing himself down on the couch dramatically. She goes to sit down next to him. “Felicity is just a friend.”

“Is she?” Moira asks.

They so rarely talk about this. The days of Oliver mentioning Felicity non-stop are long gone. The only reason Moira knows that they are still friends is their phone bill each month. The two of them talk and text each other several times a day. Her picture is also still on his nightstand where one of Laurel should really be.

“Felicity has never been anything other than a friend,” he says. She knows that much is true because of the slight hint of disappointment that accompanies the comment.  Oliver and Felicity may only be friends, but it’s not because Oliver wants it that way.

“Sweetheart,” she says gently, waiting for him to look at her. “I know that you care about Felicity, but you need to look at things realistically. Felicity and you are never going to work out and while you’re pining after a girl that doesn’t deserve you, you are going to lose the best thing that ever happened to you. Laurel is a good girl and she cares about you.”

“You’ve never liked Felicity,” Oliver says, shaking his head.

Moira chooses her next words very carefully. Felicity has always been a sore spot for the two of them.

“I’ve never liked Felicity for you ,” she admits. “She’s a nice enough girl, I suppose. Smart, sure. But she can’t give you what you need. All she’s ever done is break your heart.”

“Moving wasn’t her fault,” he says, defensively.

“And what about those other boys she dated instead of you?”

“I’ve dated, too,” he says. “We didn’t live in the same state, we weren’t ready for long-distance.”

“And you are now?” she says, unsure what he’s trying to tell her.

Oliver shrugs. “I could go to Harvard, instead.”

“You’d leave Dartmouth?” she asks.

He makes a face that has her groaning in frustration. “Oliver, you can’t continue to get kicked out of colleges. You are going to destroy your future.”

“Maybe I don’t want the future you guys have planned for me. Who needs college anyways?” he grumbles.

“Your father is not going to be happy about this,” she says.

“He’s never happy with me,” he says with a shrug that breaks her heart. Robert and Oliver have been having a rough time lately. They’ve been getting into more arguments as Oliver pushes back against Robert’s wishes for him to go into business and eventually take over the company.

“Your father and I love you,” she says. “We just want what’s best for you.”

“And that means marrying Laurel,” he says, crossing his arms.

“If you honestly can look at me and tell me that you don’t care for Laurel after dating her for almost a year, then I’ll accept that. But I don’t think that’s true. You’ve been dating her for a year because you know that she’s what’s best for you. That she’ll be able to give you things that Felicity never has been able to give you, no matter how desperately you may want her to.”

“I’m not good enough for Felicity,” Oliver whispers so quietly that she can barely hear him, but she does and his words infuriate her.

“That is not true,” she says firmly. “She’s the one that’s not good enough for you. So stop pining after something that isn’t going to work and start focusing on making things with Laurel better.”

Oliver is quiet for several long minutes before he drops his arms to his sides and his shoulders relax. “I do care about Laurel.”

“I know you do,” Moira says.

“I just wish she wasn’t so jealous all of the time.”

“Then perhaps you should stop giving her a reason to be,” she says, not unkindly before standing up. Robert’s guests will be here any moment and she needs to check that the staff has gotten everything ready.

****

“Let me get this straight, you got kicked out of Brown after your mother and I had to practically beg them to take you in,” Robert says, just barely containing his temper. “This is the fourth school in three years, Oliver.”

“I don’t understand why I need to go to college anyway,” Oliver says, defensively. “Our family has plenty of money, it’s not like I need to work for a living.”

If Oliver keeps this up, Moira’s pretty sure the vein in Robert’s forehead may actually pop. As a man who’s had to work for every penny he has, Robert has never liked the idea of either of their children not having to work for their own money. The only reason Robert even made the two children a trust was because Moira convinced him it was the right thing to do.

“What is your plan?” Moira asks, involving herself before things can escalate any further than they already have.

“Why do I need a plan?” Oliver says. “I’m twenty years old.”

“You aren’t a kid anymore,” Robert says. “This was fine when you were in high school, but at a certain point you need to grow up and start taking responsibility for yourself.”

“You mean start taking responsibly as a Queen,” he says in disgust. “I don’t want to run QC.”

“No, you just want to party your life away off of the profits of QC,” Robert says. “That’s not how the world works.”

“Really? When has mom ever worked a day in her life? Her family had money so she lived off her trust before she married you.”

Robert glares at her like Oliver’s behavior is somehow her fault. She’s never encouraged Oliver to blow off school or work. She’s always taught him the importance of hard work so that he can one day take care of his own family.

“Oliver, I understand that at twenty years old, taking over Queen Consolidated seems like an overwhelming responsibility. It wouldn’t happen tomorrow. Right now, the only thing we are asking you to do is to stay in one school long enough to get a degree,” she says.

“And then what?” Oliver says. “After that, you’ll tell me the only thing you expect is an MBA. Then the only thing you expect is a job at QC. Before I know it, I’ll be running the company and I don’t want that.”

“What do you want?” Robert asks.

“I don’t know,” Oliver says. “You’ve never given me the space to figure it out.”

“We need a plan,” Robert says. “A real plan.”

Oliver rolls his eyes, to which Robert actually visibly relaxes.

“Oliver, we love you. You know that right?” Robert says.

“You just don’t like me,” Oliver says with a bitter laugh.

“That’s not true at all,” Robert says. “Your mother and I are just worried about you.”

“I don’t want to run QC,” Oliver says.

“Then come up with a valid plan for your life,” Robert says.

Oliver and Moira look at him in shock. Since Oliver was little, Robert’s talked to him about taking over the company one day.

“My father ran his own restaurant for years, you know that,” Robert says. “As the oldest son, it was my job to take it over, but that wasn’t my passion. So I started QC instead. If you don’t have the passion for QC, fine. I can understand that. But you need a plan. A very real plan for what you’re going to do with your life, because you aren’t going to be the rich boy living off of daddy’s money. You will have a job.”

Oliver doesn’t say anything for several minutes. Moira starts to ask him what he’s thinking about, but Robert reaches out to touch her arm and shake his head. She remains silent and watches as Oliver stares out the window of their home.

“I want to go to Boston,” he says.

Moria rolls her eyes. Chasing after a girl is not a plan.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she says.

“Tommy’s still got a few years before he’s done with undergrad and is planning on staying there for his MBA,” Oliver says.

“You want to go to Boston for Tommy?” she says doubtfully.

“Fine, no. It’d be nice to live near Tommy again, but I’d be going for Felicity,” Oliver says. “I know you don’t like her, Mom, but I think we can all agree I’m going to need help if I’m going to ever graduate from school and she’s agreed to tutor me.”

“I think that’s a good idea,” Robert says.

“Well I don’t,” she says. “What about Laurel?”

“What about her?” Oliver asks.

“Do you think she’s going to be okay with you moving to Boston?” she asks.

“It’s not any further than Providence,” he says with a shrug.

Moira glares at him, he knows that’s not what she means. “Laurel is at Stanford. You could go there. I’m sure she’d help you study.”

Oliver doesn’t say anything, instead he looks at his dad and the two of them have a silent conversation.

“If you come to me with a course of study and a career plan, I’ll put a call in to Matt Gomer,” Robert says. “He runs the admission office at Harvard and he owes me a favor.”

Oliver nods his head and Robert stands up to leave the room.

“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Moira says.

“I thought this meeting was about my academic future, not my love life,” Oliver says with a smirk. “Relax, Mom. You worry too much. Laurel and I will be fine.”

Moira doesn’t say anything. Oliver is too stubborn to listen to her even if she did. However, Moira knows that Laurel will most certainly not be okay with this plan. The last thing she wants is to see him lose the one positive thing he has going in his life. She knows her son, if he’s close to Felicity, he’s going to fall under her spell again and that can only lead to one thing: heartbreak.

****

Moira waits for Thea to step out of the car before nodding her thanks to the driver. Taking her daughter’s hand, they both walk up the stairs to the townhouse that Oliver now lives in. He’s successfully completed his first semester at Harvard and is three weeks into his second semester. To say they are all proud of him and the turn around he’s had would be an understatement. For once in his life, he actually seems to be taking school seriously. Sure, he’s still showing up in the tabloids on the weekends right alongside Tommy, but the trouble they get up to is reserved for Thursdays through Saturdays. It’s a growth she hadn’t expected to see in her son who’d been running away from any and all responsibility as fast as he could.

Thea excitedly pushes the doorbell several times before they hear footsteps on the other side and the door opens.

Moira just barely stops herself from staring at the girl on the other side with her mouth wide open.

“Felicity!” Thea shouts, wrapping her arms around the girl who’s dressed in all black. “I’ve missed you!”

Moira doesn’t know what to make of Felicity’s look. Her hair has been dyed black with streaks of purple throughout. Her nose is pierced and she’s wearing what looks like an entire bottle of liquid eyeliner. Her entire stomach is out for the world to see, which seems highly inappropriate given the fact that it’s still winter. If her goal was to look like a future inmate, she’s well on her way.

“Hey,” Felicity says, giving Thea a quick hug. “I’m late for work, but I promise to stop by later to spend some time with you.”

“Will you paint my nails?” Thea asks.

“Of course,” she says with a smile. “Oliver’s inside waiting for you.”

Thea runs past Felicity who turns to look at Moira awkwardly.

“It’s good to see you Mrs. Queen,” she says, biting her lip and playing with whatever weird symbol she has on her necklace.

“Does your mother know you’re dressing like this?” Moira asks, unable to hold back her shock.

The girl in front of her now has zero resemblance to the Barbie doll-like appearance of Donna Smoak. Moira is having a hard time believing that the girl in front of her really is Felicity. Oliver would never be attracted to a girl like this. She looks like some kind of vampire worshiping cult member.

“My mother stopped picking out my clothes years ago,” Felicity says with too much attitude to be appropriate.

In her sass, Moira can see the little girl that used to spend the weekends at her house. It seems that none of her time away has taught her any manners. Moira had hoped life at an ivy league would have at least taught her some class, but that was clearly a pipe dream.

“And you’re going to work like this?” Moira says, eyeing her up and down critically. She can’t imagine any place that would hire somebody who dresses like this.

Felicity grabs a black leather jacket from the coat rack and puts it on before placing her bag over her shoulder.

“Like I told Thea, Oliver is waiting for you inside,” she says before walking right past her without so much as a goodbye.

Moira bites back a remark. It’s not her responsibility to teach Felicity manners.

Moira walks through the living room to where Thea and Oliver are in the kitchen already laughing together.

“Mom! Oliver said I can make hot chocolate!” she says excitedly.

“Well that sounds like fun,” she says with a smile, moving around the island to give her son a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

“I hope your flight wasn’t too bad,” he says. “Thea said there was turbulence?”

“Barely,” Moira says. “You know how your sister likes to exaggerate.”

“I do not,” Thea claims, going through Oliver’s cabinets to pick out the coffee mug she wants to use. “It was scary. We almost crashed.”

“Well then, we should celebrate the fact that you’re both still alive,” Oliver says, sending her an amused look over Thea’s head.

“I saw Felicity on our way in,” she says casually, trying to gage Oliver’s reaction. His shoulders stiffen and he turns away from her to help Thea reach a mug on the top shelf.

“Oh yeah?”

“She certainly looks… different,” Moira says.

“Mom,” he says in warning. “Please don’t start.”

“I’m just surprised is all,” she says. “I can’t imagine you’re thrilled by her new look.”

The blush that slowly creeps up Oliver’s neck says otherwise. She’s surprised. Judging by the women Oliver’s dated over the years and been seen in the tabloids with, she thought she had his type figured out. He always enjoyed a clean cut girl with just the slightest hint of an edge. He was a typical twenty-one year old. He likes women with tight dresses, natural hair color — typically brunette, and a normal amount of eyeliner. He goes for models, not Ozzy Osbourne worshipers.

“Felicity is allowed to dress however she wants,” Oliver says. “We’re just friends.”

“I think Felicity looks pretty,” Thea says.

“Me, too, Speedy,” Oliver says.

“Do you think she’ll help me put purple in my hair?” Thea asks.  

“No,” Moira says, leaving no room for argument. “You’re perfect just the way you are. She’s not touching your hair.”

Thea rolls her eyes, but doesn’t argue any further. “I thought you were making me hot chocolate,” she says, playfully pushing Oliver.

“Yeah, yeah,” he says. “You two go sit down and I’ll get us all drinks.”

Moira and Thea take a seat at the table where there are books that have been left open. Thea picks one up and looks at the cover. “Cryptography Engineering: Design Principles and Practical Applications?”

“Those are Felicity’s,” Oliver says.

Moira wants to ask why Felicity would leave her textbooks at Oliver’s house strewn about like she lives here, but is sure that she doesn’t want to know the answer. So instead she changes the topic.

“How’s Laurel doing?” she asks.

“She’s stressing out about getting her LSAT scores back,” he says.

“I’m sure she passed,” Moira says.

“That’s what I keep telling her, but she’s positive she failed,” he says. “Apparently it’s my fault for taking her to Coast City the weekend before her test.”

“She can always take it again,” Moira says.

“That’s also what I said, but she’s going to be annoyed with me until her test results come back.”

“I thought she was mad at you because you didn’t fly to Stanford last weekend for her birthday,” Thea says, causing Oliver to glare at her.

“Something I told you in confidence,” he says. “Clearly somebody can’t be trusted with secrets.”

Oliver carries a tray over and places it on the table. He bookmarks Felicity’s books and places them in her backpack before placing a mug in front of each of them.

“You didn’t see Laurel on her birthday?” Moira asks with a hint of concern. Missing your girlfriend’s birthday was not something that most women took lightly.

“I had things to do here,” he says, defensively. “I told her I’d make it up to her with a trip to Cabo over President’s Day weekend.”

“I want to go to Cabo,” Thea says. “Take me with you!”

“Fat chance, Speedy,” he says. “This weekend is adults only.”

“You get to do all the fun stuff,” Thea grumbles.

“You’ll be old enough before you know it,” he says. “Don’t be in such a hurry to grow up.”

“If you say so,” she says. “I don’t think I’m ever going to get a boyfriend.”

“That’s fine with me,” Oliver says, causing Thea to smack him.

“You’ll get a boyfriend in good time,” Moira says. “You’re still young. You’ve got time to grow.”

“All the girls at school are starting to wear bras and I’m still flat as a board,” she complains.

“Okay, I demand a new topic of conversation,” Oliver says, groaning loudly.

“Thea, you’re beautiful. The boys at your school will be falling all over you in a few years,” she says. “You’re young. Listen to your brother, don’t be in a hurry to grow up.”

“Eleven isn’t that young,” Thea says. “When did you fall in love with Felicity?”

Oliver’s about to take a sip of his mug when he freezes at Thea’s words. He stares at Thea opening and closing his mouth like a fish as he struggles to find something to say.

Moira could pretend to be shocked by Thea’s comment, but she’s not. She’s known Oliver is in love with Felicity for years. She probably knew before he even realized it. She doesn’t have to like it, but she’s not so blind as to deny it.

“I’m dating Laurel,” is all that he says before placing his mug down on the table and claiming he’s going to go upstairs to shower before they go out for dinner.

****

When Moira opens her front door, she’s confused to see Laurel on the other side.

“Laurel, Oliver’s in Boston,” she informs the girl.

“He’s actually flying home to visit,” she says. “He told me I should wait for him here?”

Moira nods her head. She’s heard none of these plans, but that doesn’t surprise her. Oliver doesn’t tend to plan things in advance and he rarely informs her of his whereabouts these days.

“Very well,” she says with a smile as she opens the door wide enough for Laurel to step inside. “Can I get you anything while you wait?”

Laurel shakes her head. “No thank you, Mrs. Queen. I think I’ll just go upstairs and try to sneak in some last minute studying before Oliver gets here.”

“When do you take your LSATs?” Moira asks. She knows that Laurel is nervous about the test after she failed it last year and had to delay starting law school an entire semester. Oliver and her had a big blow up over it and the entire family had heard every word.

“In three weeks,” she says with a blush. “I’m sure I’ll pass it this time. I’ve been a lot more serious with my studies.”

“I’m sure you will, too,” Moira says with a smile. “Why don’t you head up to Oliver’s room. I’ll send him up when he arrives.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Queen,” she says kindly before headed upstairs.

Moira has always had a soft spot for Laurel. She’s a smart girl with excellent manners. She’s perfect for Oliver, if only he would start treating her better. She worries that one of these days he’s going to mess up badly enough that Laurel won’t take him back.

Moira walks to Robert’s study where he’s currently working. She notices that he’s staring at The List again.

“Apparently, Oliver is coming home,” she says, hoping to cheer him up. He’s been in an awful mood ever since he found out about Malcolm’s plan for the Glades. She knows that he’s planning on doing something to stop Malcolm, but he won’t give her any of the details.

“He is?” Robert asks, putting the List down and looking up at her.

“Laurel said he asked her to meet him here,” she says with a smile.

“Well you must be thrilled,” he says. “Both of your children home under one roof?”

“It’ll be a short trip,” she says. “He still has class.”

“Who would have thought Oliver would ever make it to a third semester at school?” he says. “He’s matured a lot over the last year.”

Robert gives her a pointed look that has her rolling her eyes.

“If you’re about to tell me ‘I told you so,’ you can keep it to yourself,” she says.

“Alright,” he says with a laugh, holding out his arms for her to step into. She sits down on his lap as he nuzzles into her neck.

“Do you have to go out on the Gambit?” she says.

“I’ll be back before you even realize I’m gone,” he says.

“Taking the yacht to China isn’t exactly an ‘I’ll be back before you realize I’m gone’ situation,” she says.

“I have to take care of this,” he says. “We can’t let Malcolm level the Glades.”

“And how is a trip on the Gambit going to stop him?” she asks.

“The less you know, the better,” he says, placing a kiss to her forehead before resting his head against her shoulder.

The two of them have been a lot more affectionate over the last few days. With Robert’s confession and Moira’s unwavering support, they are closer than they’ve been since before Thea was born. She feels like she’s getting her husband back, and the last thing she wants to do now is send him out to sea for weeks. She hates that boat as it is.

“What if something happens to you?” she says.

“Nothing is going to happen to me,” he promises. “Listen, when I get back, why don’t we plan a trip, just to two of us?”

“That sounds nice,” she says with a smile.

“Hello?!” Oliver’s voice carries through the entire downstairs as they hear the front door slam closed.

Moira stands up and goes to greet her son in the foyer.

“Well this is a wonderful surprise,” she says, pulling him in for a hug. “Why didn’t you tell us you were coming home?”

“I didn’t know until last night,” he says. “Laurel convinced me I was overdue for a visit.”

“Well we’re happy to have you home,” Robert says, clapping Oliver on the back.

“Ollie!” Thea yells, running down the stairs and straight into his arms. “I’ve missed you!”

“I’ve missed you too, Speedy,” he says, giving her a tight squeeze.

“Is Laurel here?” Oliver asks. “I asked her to meet me here.”

“She’s upstairs waiting for you,” Moira says.

When he heads for the stairs, she calls after him. “Don’t spend all your time with her, your family would like to see you as well.”

“Brunch tomorrow,” he promises.

“I’ll make sure Raisa makes your favorite,” she says.

“It’ll be nice to have a meal with everyone before I take off,” Robert says.

Oliver pauses on the stairs and looks back at his dad. “Have you decided when you’re leaving yet?”

“Tuesday,” he says.

Oliver nods his head before heading upstairs.

“Are you sure you have to go?” Thea whines, causing Moira to smile. If she can’t convince Robert to stay home with his family, Thea probably can. Thea has had the Queen men wrapped around her finger since the day she was born.

****

Moira is downstairs eating the oreo cookies she keeps hidden in the back of the pantry when she first hears it. There’s somebody knocking around outside. She feels alarmed at first, before she remembers that they have state of the art security and several night guards protecting the property. Nobody is on the property that isn’t supposed to be.

Wondering if perhaps they’ve got another raccoon rummaging through their trash, Moira flips on the outdoor lights and opens the door to the patio. She’s surprised to see Oliver kicking around the patio furniture, clearly drunk.

“Oliver?” she says, surprised. “Aren’t you supposed to be back at school by now?”

It was her understanding that he was going to be taking the jet back to Boston this morning.

“Mom?” he says, sounding confused. “What doing… What are doing… What are you doing up?” he says, his speech is slurred and his eyes are glossed over. She’s not sure she’s ever seen him this intoxicated.

“I couldn’t sleep,” she says, pulling up a chair and helping him sit down before he can hurt himself. She then sits next to him. “I’m worrying about your father going out on that stupid boat.”

Oliver doesn’t say anything, but he doesn’t have to for her to figure out that something is seriously wrong with him. His eyes are watering more than she can explain away by booze or drugs. He looks like he’s about to cry.

“Talk to me, what’s going on?” she asks.

Oliver shakes his head repeatedly before moving to stand, but she grabs his arm to stop him.

“You can tell me, Sweetheart,” she says. “Whatever it is, you can talk to me.”

“I know… with Laurel… you wanthat,” he says. “I donknow.”

She struggles to understand him with how much he’s slurring his speech, but she can put enough pieces together. He’s upset over Laurel.

“You don’t want to move in with her,” Moira says, understanding immediately what’s going on.

Laurel had mentioned at brunch that they were going to start looking at condos together. Moira had been thrilled with the news. She had been Oliver’s age when she’d met Robert and more than anything she wants her son to be ready to settle down and start thinking about a family of his own. But not if his reaction is this.

“Do you love Laurel?” she asks, trying to gauge if his reaction is the normal amount of cold feet that most men get with such a big step in the relationship, or if he’s genuinely not willing to take this step with Laurel.

Oliver rubs his face in frustration before looking up at her. He shrugs and looks completely helpless. Her heart breaks to see him like this. She pulls him into her arms.

“I thought I did,” he says, crying into her shoulder. “But…”

Whatever he says next is completely unintelligible.

“Shh,” she tries to sooth him as she runs her fingers through his hair. “It’s going to be okay.”

“I ruined...” he sobs. “Never gon talk to me again.”

“I’m sure Laurel will talk to you,” she says. “She loves you. Just explain to her that you’re scared. That you don’t know if you’re ready yet.”

Oliver shakes his head. “Don’t get it.”

She tries to figure out what it is that she’s not getting.

“Cooper died,” he says.

Moira doesn’t know who Cooper is or what his death has to do with Laurel and Oliver moving in together, but she’s only ever seen him this upset a handful of times in his life and it’s always been about the same thing.

She’d be willing to bet money on the fact that Oliver doesn’t know if he wants to move in with Laurel because something has happened with Felicity.

“Oliver, Sweetheart,” she says, pulling him away from her so that she can look him in the eyes. “Who’s Cooper?”

Oliver shakes his head and stumbles to his feet. “Bed.”

She wants to ask him more. She wants to find out exactly what had happened to lead him to drink more than she’s ever seen him drink before, but with the way he’s barely standing on his feet and the way his eyelids are drooping, she doesn’t think she’ll get anything else out of him tonight.

She’ll talk to him in the morning, once he’s sobered up. After she’s seen Robert off at the pier.

****

Moira stands in front of the mirror as she applies concealer under her eyes to cover up the dark circles that have appeared after a night of little to no sleep. As if she didn’t have enough to worry about with Robert leaving on his trip across the ocean, now she has Oliver’s troubles weighing heavily on her.

“Have you seen my reading glasses?” Robert asks, as he moves around their bedroom packing up some last minute things.

“On the dining room table where you left them last night,” she says without looking up from the mirror.

He leaves the room to go grab his glasses and she puts the finishing touches on her makeup. She puts her earrings in and stands up to grab her shoes.

“Found them,” Robert says, walking back into the room.

“You know, Oliver didn’t fly back to Boston,” she says as she grabs Robert’s deodorant out of the bathroom and places it in his bag with a pointed look. She swears, she doesn’t know what he’d ever do without her. He’d forget his head if it wasn’t attached.

“Didn’t he have class yesterday?” he asks, concerned.

“I thought he did,” she says. “Maybe his classes were cancelled? Or… He was really upset last night. More upset that I’m used to seeing him. Whatever is going on probably had him skipping class. I think it has to do with him moving in with Laurel.”

“You think he’s getting cold feet?” he asks.

“He told me he wasn’t sure,” she says. “But he was also incredibly drunk. More drunk than usual. I think there’s more to the story that he wasn’t telling me.”

“Well, talk to him again today, once he’s sobered up,” he says.

“I just don’t want him imploding his entire relationship with Laurel over something silly,” she says, sighing deeply.

Robert wraps his arms around her shoulders and pulls her in for a hug. “Something or someone?”

“He only ever gets this upset about her,” she says.

“Felicity is in a committed relationship,” Robert says. “She’s been dating Cooper for awhile now. Oliver knows that.”

“Cooper is Felicity’s boyfriend?” she asks, her heart dropping at the name.

“Yeah?”

“Oliver told me last night Cooper died. I didn’t know who Cooper was,” she says.

“Oh god,” Robert says. “Poor Felicity. Oliver said they were really serious.”

“You don’t think… He’s not getting cold feet about Laurel because Felicity is single again,” Moira says, even though she knows that’s exactly what’s happening. She knows her son all too well. “Her boyfriend just died.”

Robert lets out a heavy breath. “You can try talking to him, but you and I both know that he won’t talk to you about her.”

“Because he thinks I hate her,” she says with a roll of her eyes.

“Don’t you?” Robert says with a chuckle.

“I don’t hate anybody,” she says. “I just don’t think she’s a good fit for Oliver. All she’s ever done is break his heart. Laurel is a much better match.”

“Because your friends approve of her,” he says.

Moira doesn’t comment on that. There are many reasons why Felicity isn’t a good fit for Oliver. The fact that Felicity doesn’t fit into their world is only one of those reasons.

“If he honestly didn’t care about Laurel, I wouldn’t push her at him so hard,” Moira says. “I don’t want him to live in a loveless marriage.”

“I know,” he says, zipping up his bag. “You just want what's best for him. You always have.”

“Oliver always leaps before he looks. He goes into everything with his whole heart. I don’t want to see him get crushed again,” she says. “I hate seeing him cry. He hasn’t even done anything with Felicity yet and already he’s crying over her.”

“He was crying last night?” he asks.

She nods her head and follows Robert out of the room as they make their way downstairs so they can head out to the pier.

“Do you want me to talk to him?” he asks as he helps her into the car.

“You’re on your way out of town,” she comments. “Are you offering to cancel your trip?” she asks hopefully.

“Not cancel,” he says. “I have to go.”

“I’ll figure out what to do with Oliver,” she says as Robert starts the car and they head off towards the pier. “It’ll be fine.”

“He’s a good kid,” he says. “He’ll do the right thing.”

“So you think he’ll move in with Laurel?” she asks.

“I think he’ll figure out what the right move for himself is and do it,” he says. “We can’t decide whether that’s Laurel or Felicity. He needs to answer that question for himself.”

Moira knows that Robert is right, even if she doesn’t like it. She has her own opinions about what the best decision is for her son, but Oliver is well aware of her opinion of the situation. He’s going to do whatever he wants to do, just like he’s always done. Oliver is stubborn just like his father. His refusal to back down under pressure is what is going to make him a great leader one day. But right now? That quality is much more obnoxious.

“If Felicity hurts him again, I will make that girl’s life a living hell,” Moira says.

“Moira,” he says looking at her in pure shock. “That doesn’t sound like you.”

“I’ve watched Oliver moon over her for years. You and I both know that he’s going to chose Felicity. I just pray she doesn’t do what she always does and break his heart, because I won’t be able to reign in my temper this time.”

“Moira Dearden Queen, what would your mother say?” he teases her.

“She’d say a temper is unbecoming of a lady,” she says. “But my mother lost her temper more than enough whenever one of her children were threatened. She’d understand.”

They spend the rest of the drive to the pier debating on vacation spots that they can travel to when Robert returns from China. Robert wants tropical, but Moira really wants to get back to Paris to see the museums and recreate their honeymoon.

They arrive at the pier and Moira follows Robert out to where the Gambit is docked as slowly as she can, wanting to delay their goodbye as long as possible. She can see Dennis, Robert’s first mate on the deck already getting things set up to leave. She knows that the rest of the crew is likely onboard getting things ready as well.

When they are standing in front of the Gambit, Robert turns around to look at her. She instantly starts to panic internally. She has such a bad feeling and she can’t shake it. She knows that he’s trained as is his crew. They are more than capable of making a trip like this. They’ve done it before. Still, she doesn’t want him to go. She’s worried that something will happen.

“Robert, I don’t like the idea of this,” she says, knowing he’s unlikely to change his mind since she’s already asked him to multiple times, but she has to at least try one more time.

“It’s gonna be okay,” he says kindly, without the slightest hint of annoyance. He reaches out to run his fingers through her hair and rub her shoulder comfortingly.

“Well, how long will you be gone?” she asks, hating herself for sounding so desperate, but she feels like she’s only just gotten him back after years of feeling like she was living with a stranger. Now that they’ve grown close again, she doesn’t want to leave him.

“A few weeks,” he answers patiently, even though she’s asked this question before and knows the answer. “Maybe more, depending on weather.”

“Why can’t you just fly to China?”

Robert chuckles and reaches out to squeeze her hand in reassurance. “I think it’s better the less you know.”

“I just hate that stupid boat,” she says.

She always has. And she hates it even more now that it’s taking her husband away from her for several weeks so that he can go deal with this insane plan of Malcolm’s to level the Glades. Honestly, this entire situation is still unreal to her.

“Look at me,” he says. When she meets his eyes, he says. “I love you.”

It’s the first time he’s said that to her in years. She wants to cry with happiness, but him saying it as he’s getting ready to leave her is bittersweet.

“Everything’s gonna be fine,” he says as he pulls her closer.

“I know,” she says.

He’s about to give her a goodbye kiss when Oliver calls out. “Hey! Got room for one more?”

Moira turns around to look at him and is honestly surprised to see him not only awake, but looking as alert as he is considering the amount of alcohol he consumed last night.

Then his words register in her mind and she instantly denies him. “No. No. No.”

“Mom, let me keep dad company,” he says.

“Oliver, you’re in school,” she says, trying to reason with him.

“Not really,” he says nonchalantly.

Moira sighs deeply. She wants to be upset with him for getting kicked out of school again, but she’s also worried about how upset he’d been the night before. She won’t yell until she knows what is going on with him. She’s worried that it’s more than just moving in with Laurel and Felicity being single again.

“I forgot to tell you that,” Oliver says, looking at his dad sheepishly with that boyish charm that always thaws her anger.

“I could use an extra hand on the ship,” Robert says.

“Robert!” she chastises him.

Finding out that Oliver is no longer in school on top of everything else they’d already been worried about? They need to get to the bottom of what’s going on and sending him out on a several week vacation is not the answer.

“Moira…” he says giving her a pointed look. “Let the kid take the boat out with the old man.”

He watches her carefully, silently communicating with her. She can see where he’s coming from. If they let Oliver join Robert, it’ll give Oliver some much needed time and space to think. Hopefully, he’ll use that time to come up with a life plan and figure out the right thing to do rather than acting before thinking like he always does.

Besides, if Oliver goes on this trip with Robert, it’ll give Robert some time to talk with him. Oliver is much more likely to open up to Robert about what is going on than her given how little Oliver likes to talk to Moira about Felicity.

“Alright! Alright,” she agrees reluctantly. “But you promise me that you’ll behave yourself.”

“Oh yeah. I promise,” Oliver says before giving her a hug.

It does give her a bit of relief knowing that Oliver will be there to keep an eye on Robert. However, she still can’t shake the worry that she feels. Then again, it’s a wife and mother’s job to worry.

“I love you so much,” she says to him.

“I love you, too.”

Oliver pulls away from her and steps away from them to call Tommy.

“This will be good for him,” Robert reassures her.

“I hope so,” she says. “I can’t believe he got kicked out of Harvard. He was doing so well.”

“I’ll figure it out,” he says. “In the meantime, try not to worry.”

Moira scoffs at that. As if it’s even possible.

“We’ll be back before you know it,” he says. “Just think of all the girl time Thea and you will be able to have while we’re gone.”

Moira nods and gives him a hug and a lingering kiss goodbye. “I’ll start planning for Paris.”

“I can’t wait,” Robert says.

Oliver walks back over to his parents and Moira gives each of them one last hug goodbye before they board the Gambit. She stands there patiently as they get everything in order to leave. She doesn’t head back home until after the Gambit disappears from her view, the gut feeling that something isn’t right won’t leave her, but there’s nothing she can do about it now but trust that Robert can take care of himself and would never let anything happen to Oliver.