Destiny Rewritten

Chapter 51

Oliver and Laurel had decided to stop for coffee at Jitters before heading back to Star City.

"Any reason why you wanted to get coffee?" Laurel asked him.

"Well for one thing, Barry has his own drink now." Oliver said, referring to the return of the Flash coffee.

"Think we'll ever get one of those?" Laurel asked.

"Maybe, but I doubt it. Most of what we do is done in the shadows, out of the public eye." Oliver said as suddenly, someone bumped into him.

"Oh, sorry mister." a familiar young voice said and Oliver saw that it was William who's bumped into him.

"William." a voice that also made Laurel's head turn to see Samantha Clayton walk up to them.

"Sorry about that." Samantha said before she recognized them.

"Oliver, Laurel, what brings you guys to Central City?" Samantha asked.

"Helping out a friend." Oliver said, trying to get over his shock at seeing Samantha alive again.

"Well, it was nice to see you again, but William, we need to go if you want to make the game." Samantha said and William nodded as he let his mother lead him out.

"You okay?" Laurel asked.

"That boy, William, he looks about the right age." Oliver said and Laurel now understood the look on his face.

"You think he's?" Laurel asked.

"Yeah, I do. We know my mom paid Samantha a lot of money to possibly lie to me about this." Oliver said.

"I think I'll hang back at the hotel alone tonight. You need to confront her about this." Laurel said and Oliver nodded, since while he'd been hoping to keep William as far away from his life as he could, it looked like he had no choice now.

"You sure you don't want to come with me?" Oliver asked.

"This is something I think is best you do alone." Laurel said as she kissed him.

That night, Oliver took a deep breath as he thought about what he was about to do and knocked on Samantha's door.

"Oliver, what are you doing here? How did you even find my address?" Samantha asked, about why Oliver was here.

"I used this ancient technology called the phone book." Oliver said and Samantha actually rolled her eyes at that.

"So why are you here?" Samantha asked.

"Samantha, I know my mother paid you off while you were pregnant." Oliver said.

"What are you talking about?" Samantha hopelessly tried.

"I found records of her writing a check to you on the same week you told me you were pregnant. And your son, he looks the right age." Oliver said and Samantha could tell that the jig was up.

"Okay, yes, he's yours." Samantha said.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to take him away from you, if anything, with everything going on in my life right now, he's better off without me in it." Oliver said, hating every word he said.

"Good, so we agree." Samantha said.

"But, could you at least let me pay child support every once and awhile? I won't visit, he won't even have to know it's from me, but this is the only request I'm making of you Samantha. Let me have some kind of role in our son's life." Oliver said.

"Child support is fine. But nothing else." Samantha said.

"And I am telling Laurel about him, since she already suspects and I promised her I wouldn't lie to her anymore." Oliver said and Samantha sighed.

"I can live with that. And Oliver, I'm sorry things have to be this way, but I'm glad that you understand why they do." Samantha said.

"Before I go, one more question." Oliver said.

"No, I never cashed your mother's check. I didn't want the money. I didn't need it to know I never wanted William around you." Samantha said and Oliver flinched.

"That's fair. I hope that one day maybe things can be different. Until then, I'll make sure no one else aside from us and Laurel know about William." Oliver said, though he was really going to be telling his team.

"Okay." Samantha said as Oliver finally left.

"Well?" Laurel asked when Oliver finally came back to their hotel room.

"Samantha confirmed it. William is my son." Oliver said.

"So, did you two discuss visitation or anything?" Laurel asked.

"No. We both agreed that William does not need me in his life. She agreed to let me provide child support, but that's it." Oliver said as he sat down on the bed.

"You don't want to get to know your son?" Laurel asked.

"Actually, there's nothing I'd like more, but as his father, I have to do what I think is best for him and right now, that means not getting him involved in the craziness of my life. Which also means keeping my distance from him." Oliver said as Laurel put a hand on his shoulder as she sat down next to him.

"That decision alone proves how good a father you really are. And when we have kids, you'll be just good with them." Laurel said.

"You really want to have kids with me?" Oliver asked with a smile.

"Some day, yes, I do want a family with you Ollie." Laurel said.

"I'd be the fun parent." Oliver said with a chuckle.

"And you'd leave the discipline to me?" Laurel asked.

"To be fair, you had much better role models in that regard." Oliver said and Laurel smiled.

"Fair point. But are you sure you're okay?" Laurel asked.

"I will be. In time." Oliver said.

"Then let's get some sleep. We need to head back to Star City tomorrow." Laurel said and Oliver nodded.