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“Da!”
He couldn’t help but chuckle softly, setting glass of orange juice aside and padding softly down the hallway, stopping in the nursery doorway. Three years ago he was barely holding onto life and now the summation of his life’s work was holding tightly to the wooden rails with her chubby hands, staring back at him.
“Da!” she giggled, bouncing on her warmer-covered legs before falling back on her diapered bottom in the crib.
Anastasia Grace Queen came kicking and screaming into the world just after Christmas last year. She was light and fire and chaos and peace all wrapped up in a perfectly rosy-cheeked bundle. He finally understood what Diggle meant in that instant. He thought that his world had changed when he met Felicity, but nothing prepared him for that moment he first laid eyes on his daughter. He was reborn the minute that she was. She was his resurrection and his rebirth, the end of one life and the start of another.
“C’mon princess,” he said, stepping into the room and walking over, scooping her out of the white crib. He carried her over to the changing table, tickling her as he made quick work of changing her and putting her in a festive onesie. “Let’s go make mommy a nice breakfast,” he said, holding her close as he walked down the hall and into the open living area.
It had been two years, to the day, actually, since they’d exchanged vows in front of only their closest friends and family. So many ugly holiday memories in his adult life deserved a perfect one to balance them out. Felicity had surprised him and worn the most gorgeous gown adorned in green, and for as cheeky as it was, the holiday was her cover. It was a sight he would never ever let go of, the way she floated down the stairs to him, her hair pinned up effortlessly and her lips bright red, in true Felicity fashion.
Two years since she became his wife and nearly one since he’d become a father and none of it felt real. Rationally, he knew it was. He could see it, touch it, feel it. This life was his every day. Still, he feared waking up and it would all be gone. Before her, everything that he loved and fought to protect had been taken from him, been compromised and stripped of innocence, but Felicity was the opposite of all of that. Everything they went through made her shine brighter and he grew more thankful for it with each day that passed.
“Da!” Ana squealed, pulling at the tshirt he wore, snapping him from his thoughts. “I know, I know, you’re hungry,” he smiled, setting her in the high chair and buckling her in. “How about a bottle while I cook?” he asked, shaking one up for her, handing it off in to her waiting hands. “What do you think Mommy wants today? We can make eggs and pancakes and turkey bacon and maybe some cinnamon rolls?” he said as he started a pot of coffee. Ana giggled, clapping her hands, tossing her bottle to the floor.
“Mommy definitely doesn’t need all of that,” Felicity said softly, walking in and picking up Anastasia’s bottle and handing it back, kissing the top of her head. “Mommy just needs coffee and cinnamon rolls, that sounds perfect,” she smiled, walking up behind Oliver, wrapping her arms around his middle. She took a deep breath, smiling as she rested her cheek against his back. “Happy Anniversary,” she said quietly, squeezing him a little bit tighter, “and Merry Christmas.”
“Happy Anniversary and Merry Christmas to you too,” he smiled, turning and wrapping his arms around her in return. “Ana and I wanted to surprise you with breakfast in bed, but I probably should have waited to start the coffee if I wanted to do that,” he laughed quietly. “Thank you,” he said softly, pushing some stray hair from her face. “Two years that in another lifetime I would have never believed I deserved,” he said, closing his eyes.
“But you do deserve it,” she said gently. “You deserve all of this and we’re not going anywhere,” she grinned. “You can’t wake up from this, Oliver. This is actually your life,” she said seriously. “You have me, all of me and we have Ana and this is forever,” she told him, standing up on her tiptoes and pressing a chaste kiss to his lips. “Now make us some breakfast, we’re hungry,” she chuckled softly, smacking his butt playfully. “Ana, lets go get Daddy’s presents,” she smiled softly, unbuckling the little girl and swinging her on to her hip.
“I thought we agreed no presents this year!” he called, popping open the canister of cinnamon rolls, putting them in the pan.
“Because that will never hold up,” she laughed quietly, walking back in after a few minutes. “It’s not much, we did so much with Hanukkah this year, but Christmas is important and I wanted to do at least a little something and it’s not just Christmas, it’s our anniversary and I’m not just letting that go by,” she mused, putting Ana back into her high chair, leaning back against the counter as she watched Oliver put the pan in the oven.
“I know, I know,” he smiled, leaning over and sneaking another kiss. “I guess I can’t complain since I broke the rules too,” he chuckled. “So I asked Thea to take Ana tomorrow so that we could have a proper night out, but I wanted the three of us to be together for today.” he said honestly. He pulled two mugs down, fixing them both a coffee, leading her over to the table and pulling out her chair.
Felicity giggled softly, shaking her head as as sat down next to Ana, grabbing the container of yogurt bites in the middle of table and giving her a few. “So I was thinking maybe we could go for a drive later and see the lights?” she suggested.
“Yeah, absolutely, that sounds nice,” he nodded, his attention focused on her. “We’ll get bundled up and go see who’s got what up,” he agreed, reaching for her hand. “We can come home, start a fire, open a bottle of wine?” he grinned.
“Da!” Ana giggled, throwing a yogurt bite his way.
“Hey now princess!” he laughed, looking over her, tilting his head a bit startled . “What?” he said, narrowing his eyes, realizing she wasn’t in the clothing he put her in when he woke up. “Big sister,” he read quietly, more than a little shocked. “‘Lis?” he said taking a deep breath and looking back at her.
“Yeah, about that,” she smiled, looking at him sheepishly. “I think we’ll have to skip the wine tonight.”
She had once asked him if he had any happy stories. In that moment he realized that this was his happy story. His girls were his happy story. The promise of an even brighter future, that was his happy story.