Discovery Devotion Destiny

Parental Protection

"There is no friendship, no love, like that of the parent for the child."

-Henry Ward Beecher

There were rough, calloused fingers wrapped around her throat. Katie was both aware and unaware at the same time. The hand around her throat wasn't squeezing or clenching. It just rested there. Harm wasn't the intent. Soon that hand slid from her throat slowly down her chest, and she heard the distinct sound of a low chuckle.

Katie's eyes snapped open with a gasp. She looked down to the hand securely wrapped around her waist and she let out a heavy sigh as she placed a hand above Oliver's arm. She looked back up to the ceiling of the now sun-filled room. The dream was strange. It wasn't a memory, but it also felt like it was one. She shook her head and tried tugging herself out of Oliver's grasp, only for him to groan and pull her closer to him.

"You're not leaving this bed." Oliver muttered as he laid his head beside her, his eyes still closed.

"There's still gift bags—"

"Twinkie, this party is planned, everything is set and our daughter will love it." he placed a kiss on her head. "Just stay in bed with me, and get some sleep."

"I don't want to sleep." she said rolling over on her side, facing the man, intertwining her leg with his. "Maybe there's something else we can do in bed." Oliver smiled as he opened his eyes like she knew he would. "Aw, look who's awake now," she laughed before trying to tug once again out of his grasp, but he wasn't loosening his grip. She let out an exaggerated sigh before turning back to the man. "You're not letting me out of this bed."

"I have woken up the last three mornings without these eyes," Oliver leaned into the woman. "I am not letting you out of this bed." and when his lips descended upon hers she knew he was going to keep that promise.

When it was time to finally start the day, Oliver found himself showered and dressed, and ready to head off to city hall, and yet he found himself sitting at the kitchen table with a stupid smile on his face as he watches his daughter eating her cereal. He's found himself just staring at her lately the closer it came to her birthday. It was still just unbelievable to him sometimes. Thinking back on the craziness of his life. The twists and turns, islands, and madmen, and here was this little girl that he created with the love of his life. This child that isn't even quite a year old and yet he'd loved her so much. Robyn caught him staring, and stopped eating her breakfast. She stared back at him and he couldn't help but want to know what was going through her head. A toothy grin spread across her face.

"Up dah dah!" she called as she extended her short arms toward him. Without hesitation, Oliver stood to his feet and brought the girl up into his arms, pressing a kiss to her head. He turned at the sound of voices, just as Katie and Ari walked in.

"I just don't see what the issue is." Ari said to Katie who hadn't stopped walking. "Oliver wants us all on top of our game in case we come up against Prometheus and this can help."

"What are we talking about?" Oliver asked and Katie and Ari turned to him.

"Ari doesn't want to train with the rest of the team today." Katie says and Oliver looks over to the teen with a quirked brow. "She would like to continue training with Nyssa."

"And I get you guys have a not so good relationship, but with your memories back you have to see that she isn't the person who did those terrible things." Ari said and Katie shook her head. "She was here and she protected me and Robyn when Darhk was a threat."

"And I appreciate that she did that, I truly do, but the answer is no." Ari shook her head about to stalk away. "And whether you believe it or not, it's not my relationship with Nyssa, not entirely, that I'm saying no."