"Are you sure about this wall?"

"I'm sure."

"Is she sure?"

"I can hear you," Felicity told them as she stood not more than three feet away. "I said that wall can come down."

"Then there will just be two rooms instead of three," Diggle pointed out.

"I'm aware," she said slowly as she stared at Diggle.

He looked between her and Oliver. "Is there something you two want to share with me?"

"What?" Oliver blurted out.

Felicity sighed and wondered if this was really the best plan. It was awkward sometimes when it was the three of them, but mainly because she and Oliver didn't have a label or a complete understanding on their relationship. If they did, she knew that it would be a lot better (at least for the most part) for all of them. "He wants to know if we're officially dating…or if we're just living together…or…I can't think of another 'or'."

"Why does it really have to be so complicated?"

"No, complicated is the kind of rituals they used to have associated with dating way back when," Diggle said. "You always knew exactly where you still then."

"I don't mind complicated…"

"I don't right now either," Felicity told him.

"Okay, okay," Diggle said and pulled the hammer back and then was smashing the wall a moment later. "I hope you checked to make sure this wasn't load bearing…"

"I checked."

"You know, swinging a hammer and breaking down this wall might be good for your frustrations with Mrs. Queen," Diggle told her.

Felicity just smiled. "Oh, watching you two do it is just as good." She'd hoped that they'd discard their shirts, but they were wearing them rather tight and they were already sweaty. She couldn't help, but admire them.

"I suddenly feel uncomfortable," Diggle teased and shot her a smile before swinging the hammer again.

She had helped them tear up the flooring, but it had honestly taken a lot out of her. Diggle had already told her to take it easy for the rest of the day. She was still recovering from being held in that room…her body wasn't used to more intense activity. It was going to take her some time to build up her muscle strength and she was going to be sore. So, now she was resigned to sit back and watch them work for the time being. It also gave her some time to think about how they could decorate the rooms. She and Oliver hadn't really discussed it.

"You know…Thea would have a field day—" Oliver started to say.

"No," Felicity said quickly. "I think Lucy's room will already be set once it's out here."

Oliver grinned at her. "I thought you and Thea had a good time?"

"It might be more exhausting than pulling up the floor…"

She really didn't mind shopping with Thea, but they had different tastes and Thea got very gung ho when it came to shopping. Felicity preferred to get what she needed without going through every store and looking at every item before finally deciding on two things. It just seemed like too much time wasted.

"She knows how to do it online—" Oliver spoke up.

Felicity interrupted again. "You and I can do the shopping… It'll be good… Maybe it will help to uncomplicated things…"

"Now look who's trying to make things simpler," Diggle teased.

"I thought you wanted me to go for a beer run?" she teased back.

Diggle just grinned. "Are you going to pick up a bucket of pink paint while you're out, too?"

"Lucy's room should be checked to make sure we're not going to have to put new windows or insulation in," Oliver spoke up quite seriously.

"Who said it was for Lucy's room?"

Oliver shook his head and then struck the wall again. It was nearly down now. "I don't care what color the rooms are…"

"You sure?"

"I'm sure."

"You're really trying to earn brownie points…"

Felicity just smiled at their banter. She loved them. She was so happy she had this family. "I'm going to go and get the beer… Behave while I'm gone."

. . .

"As much as I seem like I hate schedules, I feel like we need one," Oliver said.

"Maybe you need to think about letting me go out some nights," Diggle spoke up.

Felicity walked the length of the Foundry with Lucy. She'd started to cry, and though no one could hear her, Felicity still felt the need to calm her down as quickly as possible. She was starting to think that Lucy just didn't like it there.

"I never thought it would be this hard," Oliver admitted.

Lucy started to calm and seemed content with her walking her. Her eyes met Oliver's, she'd been listening the whole time; she knew what he was thinking. "Maybe we can' do it all," she voiced.

"We just need more help."

"We'll figure it out…it doesn't have to be this week…" Diggle reminded.

The thing was, would they ever figure it out. This only worried her more when it came to pushing farther… When they thought about her going back to working at Queen Consolidated…

"Too bad Dinah isn't moving back… Between her and Sara, we might have a good team," Oliver said. "I know Dinah works, but I'm sure she'd be more than happy to help out…and then we wouldn't have to worry about strangers…"

"I think we're going to have to turn to heavy background checks on strangers, though," Felicity told him. She wasn't too pleased with it, but she needed to get out of the house. "If QC was set up differently, I'd suggest on-site daycare…"

"I was thinking that earlier," Oliver admitted.

"You know Felicity doesn't have to be there all the time," Diggle pointed out. "She could work two or three days a week…and not even full days…at QC and then the rest from home. People have virtual assistants now… It would be similar and then Felicity could still spend time with Lucy."

"And if we hired someone for part time," Felicity said. "We could schedule it so was brought to the office here and there… For lunches or those breaks that you should be taking…"

"But you know, if Sara was around…that could make things easier here…" Diggle pointed out. "She and I could take a couple of nights a week… I'm sure we could handle things…as long as it didn't involve too much hacking…"

Felicity smiled. Diggle had gone on to her about how he really needed her for that. Even though she wasn't on the physical field like Oliver, Diggle, or even Sara…she had her own thing. They did need her for her skills with computers. She was still starting to wonder how they ever got along without her.

"I love that you just said that," she blurted out. They both turned to look at her. "What? I like to be appreciated."

"Believe me, you are…" Oliver told her. His voice was gentle and sweet and absolutely honest.

It made her feel more like she hadn't been gone for all those months. With the three of them, it was easy to pick things up where they left things. Oliver and Diggle didn't expect her to be caught up with anything. They loved her for who she was and weren't pushing her. If anything, she was pushing herself. She couldn't help it, being in the mansion all day long made her feel too claustrophobic and it was far too reminiscent of those months in that room. It made her far too scared and sad and ghosts haunted her…

Felicity needed this.

She needed things to have some kind of semblance of normalcy.

She didn't think it was too much to ask for.

"I guess…let's see how things go with Lucy here a couple of nights… Then we can talk to Sara and we can figure out about QC and possibly a nanny…" Felicity finally spoke up. Right now, though, she just wanted to ease into things. More importantly, she wanted it just to be them.

. . .

"You work fast."

"Was a bit harder than moving in with Roy."

"Hey! I'm training him… That takes a lot more work than you can imagine," Thea told her brother. "Just wait… Felicity will feel my pain soon enough!"

"She already knows it," Diggle whispered.

She doubted that any of them realized that she could hear them. She'd been at the main house getting Lucy. This was going to be their first night in their own little house. Thea had come for the grand tour, but she and Oliver wanted to enter for this first time as a family.

It had taken them only a week, but Oliver had also called in help. They'd done the demolishing and Oliver had hired people in to check and deal with any plumbing, bathroom, kitchen, flooring, or window issues or installation. They'd ended up taking walls apart and putting in new insulation and drywall. It had all been interesting and eye opening, but she'd loved it. Oliver and Diggle had both taught her things and she'd taught them how to use youtube for help. Things weren't perfect, but they were close. The walls needed art or pictures, but they'd get to that.

"We better get in before it gets too cold," she said and they turned to look at her a moment later. Felicity just smiled. She had Lucy bundled up, but she really didn't want to take any chances. The last thing they needed was a sick baby.

"Right," Oliver said as he held up the key. He unlocked and then pushed the door open.

"Shouldn't you carry her in or something?" Thea questioned.

"Isn't that for when you get married?"

Thea shrugged. "Isn't this like the same thing?"

Felicity was amused, but hid it. She really liked how Thea tended to jab Oliver. She was positive that Diggle was barely holding it together too. She took a moment to steal a look and he was definitely amused by the Thea and Oliver banter.

"It's okay," Felicity finally spoke up. "I'm good with walking." Oliver looked relieved. Things really would be a bit easier if things were simpler. She and Oliver were working on it though. It was just going to take time.

Felicity took a breath in before walking in with Lucy. Oliver was right behind her with Diggle and Thea on his heels. She looked around and even though she'd been in there before, it just looked different. It was so much different than when she'd originally walked into there. They'd talked about not changing it so much, but there was just so much that had to be done. Plus, it was nice to make sure that everything was safe for Lucy.

"I'm going to go show her her room," Felicity announced as she walked with Lucy towards the nursery room. She was certain that Thea would approve. It was definitely girly and it was beautiful and Felicity knew that it really wasn't going to need much updating until Lucy was a lot older. God, she thought, as she looked down at the little girl in her arms. Lucy already seemed so big to her, it made her sad for a moment to think of Lucy as two years…five years…or any older… She was already growing so fast.

"Definitely perfect," Thea spoke up from behind.

Felicity just smiled and put Lucy down in her crib. She wiped the bit of tears that had just fallen from her face. She didn't want Oliver to think she was upset. She was just overwhelming herself with thoughts. It was just suddenly so real.

"Oh! Roy is here with the food! We're eating out here, right? Is Mom invited?" Thea asked.

"Yes…and yes," Oliver responded.

Felicity turned to see that Oliver was in the doorway with Thea now. She really wasn't sure how ready she was for this family dinner, but at least it would be interesting. It always was.

"As long as she behaves?" Thea asked, but didn't wait for an answer.

Oliver looked at her. "You okay?"

She nodded and put on a smile immediately for him. "I just…I had a moment…" she admitted.

"A moment?" he asked as he approached her.

"I got to thinking about how big Lucy already is… And then I thought about her being older…and I just… It made me so sad…"

"That's how you know you're her mom," Diggle spoke up from the doorway and they both looked in his direction.

"He's right," Oliver chimed in a moment later. He pulled her into his arms and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "You need to realize that you really are her mom…"

Lucy's room was the 'perfect shade of pink' as Thea called it. It had all the necessary furniture and toys…and things that she'd grow into. They'd put up white letters that spelled out her name above her crib. Thea had even found a rather large sparkly crown to put above Lucy's name.

They'd put up a long frame that said 'family' one the left side of the crib which had pictures of Laurel when she was younger, Sara and Laurel, Quentin and Dinah. They weren't Lucy's only family, of course, but it made her feel a little better about things. She only wished that Laurel could see how much people loved Lucy and how she was getting so big. She'd overheard Dinah saying on one of the last days that she was here that Laurel was watching over Lucy as she rocked her. Felicity wanted to think that was true. It was a little creepy, but sweet at the same time…to be watched over by a loved one who was no longer with them.

A matching 'family' frame was on the left side of the crib, which contained pictures of the Queen family before the Queen's Gambit went down, a picture with Walter, a picture with her and Oliver holding Lucy, and then a picture of them with Diggle. After all, as far as she and Oliver were concerned…Diggle was their family. She took it all in and knew that it really was perfect.

"I know," she finally whispered.

. . .

Dinner had gone along fairly well. Which surprised Felicity. They'd ordered in Chinese and everyone had seemed good with it, except Moira had seemed a bit irked. Felicity had chalked it up to being irked at her, since Moira had yet to accept her and Oliver as a couple let along them plus Lucy as a family. Felicity had kept telling herself, any day now… So far, it hadn't happened. She was starting to think it never would.

"Oliver went to walk Thea, Roy, and Mr. Diggle inside," Moira announced.

Felicity nodded. She'd been putting Lucy down and she figured that Oliver just hadn't wanted to disturb them. After all, she wouldn't have been very happy if he had and woken up Lucy right when she'd put her to sleep.

"I promised him that I wouldn't be unkind to you," she continued.

She was thinking that Moira wasn't going to be able to keep her word on that. Felicity had found that Moira had no fear into stating her opinions at all times to anyone who would listen even if her opinions were unwanted.

"But I have to say… I think it's time that you and I have an honest discussion… You tend to flee whenever I come into the room or keep your head down," Moira went on. "How do you think you appear to others?"

"As someone who isn't going to make an unnecessary scene," Felicity spoke up. She quietly closed the door and motioned for them to move towards the living room area. If they were going to have this discussion, then at least they could do it away from Lucy's room. She didn't want to have Moira waking her up.

"Your only place in my son's life is as his assistant. The sooner you realize it, the better it will be for everyone," she told Felicity. Her voice was level and all too calm. "You're hired help who my son's grown some attachment to. Like Mr. Diggle. It isn't love, it's lust…if anything…"

Felicity wondered if Moira Queen practiced saying such things in front of the mirror before she was actually saying them to her right now. "Oliver and I have been waiting for you to understand that this isn't something that's going to go away…"

"How does he introduce you to friends?"

"By my name," she said quickly. "He doesn't need to introduce me as his girlfriend or something like that… Our relationship status really isn't anyone's business, but our own. I understand that you're his mother and that you want what's best for him…but that doesn't mean that you're always right. I can guarantee you, you aren't right about us… If you'd just take the time to get to know me…to talk to me…without talking down to me or like I'm not in the room…or like I'm unimportant, then maybe I'd surprise you," Felicity told her.

She took a breath and then continued. "I graduated from MIT. I didn't set off to be Oliver Queen's executive assistant. I was in the IT department and Oliver befriended me. I think he wanted someone he could trust when he took over as CEO. I really didn't even want to take the position. That's not what I went to school for…and in all honesty, I've never had a profound love of babysitting people or bringing them coffee."

Felicity didn't stop there though. "I don't lie to him. We have an honest relationship. I don't let him get away with being a jerk and I've never felt more alive than I have since our relationship changed from just Oliver Queen and IT girl. I thought I'd hate that change, but I don't. And Diggle, he's our friend…he's our family… You might not understand, but you don't have to. All you have to do is be civil and respect the decisions your son makes. That's all either of us are asking…"

"Well, don't you have it all figured out?" Moira finally got a word in.

"And another thing," Felicity said quickly before Moira could get very far. "I understand that you're Lucy's grandmother and that you're looking out for her, but if you want to continue to be part of her life…I'd suggest you start respecting our decision to be a family. You may not get it. Like other things. Lucy's my daughter and I'm her mother… Everyone else seems to be able to understand that except you. I want you to be in Lucy's life, but I won't have you continue to disrespect me in front of her…or any of the other people we call family. We wanted to be close to you, so that you and Thea could spend time with her and see her grow…but Oliver's old enough to move completely out and off of this estate. Don't make me be the one to push for that."

Moira just stared at her.

It was then that Felicity realized for the first time that she really took ownership of being Lucy's mother. It felt good and she had no idea if Moira was about to explode of not, but she'd said what she needed to say. Right now, that was really all that mattered.

The door opened and they both looked over. Oliver walked in and then stopped to stare back at them. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," Moira said quickly. "I was just saying goodnight and leaving…" She looked to Felicity. "Goodnight, Felicity." She turned to her son. "Oliver…"

"Mrs. Queen," Felicity replied evenly. She wondered if it was obvious that they'd had some kind of heated discussion or if Oliver was just ready to pick up the pieces. The truth was that she wasn't weak, she knew that deep down. She just didn't want to make waves, especially when it might divide a family.

"Mom," Oliver said in confusion as she left quickly. He closed and locked the door behind his mother and then looked over at her. "What happened?"

"We had a discussion."

"A discussion?"

"I think I won," she whispered.

"How do you win a discussion?" Oliver questioned.

"I think she might finally understand," Felicity said as she looked to Oliver who was finally there with his hands on her arms. She stared up into his eyes and finally knew that they were going to be okay.

They were home.

They were a family

Nothing else mattered.

. . .

The End.