A/N: Lauliver Christmas 2015 has a week of prompts….

Day One: Snow Days

Usual disclaimers apply.

Enjoy!

The snow was unending. Some times, Star City would have a rush of snow for three days. Those three days, for people unused to severe weather, would halt the entire city.

Laurel took that day to catch up on paperwork from home, and to relax half the day. Thea was home, too, and sitting on the couch. She looked at Laurel, "Can we do a snow day party? You, me, and Oliver? Like old times?"

Laurel glanced at her, "Is it really safe for him to come over from across town?"

Thea laughed. "He's been living down the hall for about two weeks. He and Felicity broke up."

Laurel froze. "What?"

"They couldn't come to an agreement over kids," Thea scoffed. Laurel raised an eyebrow. "You know Oliver wants a big family… Felicity wanted two maximum. They got into rows over it… And Oliver said he was done. He moved out the next day."

Laurel looked at Thea. A stunned silence grew. Thea fidgeted uncomfortably. Laurel sighed. "If you want to invite him, then go ahead."

The doorbell rang. Thea ran to the door, and gave Laurel a guilty look. Laurel shook her head. Thea opened the door. Oliver was on the other side of the door. He smiled. "I bought ice cream."

Laurel rolled her eyes. "It's nine in the morning."

Oliver grinned. He walked in and Thea turned the movie channel on. "Home Alone good?"

"Excellent," Oliver stated. He settled down against the couch. He heard Laurel shuffle papers and write notes down.

.

Two hours later, Laurel lounged against Oliver. They were watching the second movie, and Laurel yawned. Oliver chuckled. "Go ahead."

"Such a good and quiet pillow," Laurel muttered as she closed her eyes. She didn't see Oliver's smile. Thea watched Laurel's eyes closed and waited until she heard Laurel's even breathing.

"When are you going to tell her?" Thea asked him. He looked at his sister. He smiled. She scoffed. "Really? You're living in the moment? How's that going to go?"

"Easily," he stated. He looked down at Laurel. "I don't want to rush her. Nothing will rush this."

.

Laurel woke up a few hours later, to the sound of Christmas music coming from the kitchen. It was followed by a very obnoxious male voice. She heard Thea shout, "Why are you making so much racket!"

She yawned and rose from the couch. She walked into the kitchen. Oliver was cooking a meal. He grinned at her. She crossed her arms. Thea looked at both of them. "Can we decorate?"

Laurel shrugged. She glanced around the apartment, "I haven't really decorated since…"

"Yes," Oliver stated. He glanced at her. She felt tears form in her eyes. "We should decorate. Start the tradition back up again."

Laurel smiled at him. He grinned at her. She quipped, "Especially since we're neighbors now."

"I don't want to talk about it." He grabbed plates from the cupboards and set them down on the counter. She shook her head at him. He grinned. "I avoid my problems, remember?"

"Hopefully, they won't blow up in my face," Laurel countered. He frowned. "Your problems have a way of finding me… And I don't want to deal with your drama."

"Even when you're at the center of it?" he goaded. She walked away from him. "Coward!"

"Shut up!" she yelled back. "Go back to your perfect, blonde, gorgeous tech geek!"

"Can't," he countered. She glared at him. He glared back. "You really want to talk about this?"

"You're in my house," she reminded him. "You're a guest. You can always leave."

"I told you I would never leave you," he muttered. She paused in the doorway. He grinned at her. "Do you want to know the whole story or the bitter parts?"

She went to the fridge and grabbed the ice cream. She took a spoon out and opened the container. She took a large spoonful and started eating. He chuckled. He finished cooking and put the food on the table. She put the ice cream away. Oliver sat next to her, and Thea across from them. She looked at him and stated, "Spill."

"She and I were talking about starting a family," he began. He looked at Thea. Thea nodded to him. "You know I've always wanted a big family, one that is loud and rowdy…. Felicity didn't agree. She wants a small family, two children, and not one more. She said her company was too important."

"How are you going to pay back her money from the campaign?" Laurel asked. Oliver frowned at her. "Well, you do owe her a huge favor."

"The Queen family owns a portion of her company," Oliver countered. Laurel raised an eyebrow. "Walter purchased about twenty five percent after they took over the family business. We've been saving the money… and he's reinvested the money into technological advancement…"

"And I used Malcolm's money to invest in medical advancements," Thea gave her input. "I'm broke."

Laurel looked at them both. "You two are not poor. You're learning how to gain everything back. Your parents would be proud of you."

"How are you dealing with your father's new beau?" Thea asked. Laurel shrugged. Oliver looked at his sister with surprise. "Laurel knew the minute he started dating her."

"He had a goofy smile on his face," Laurel muttered. Oliver raised his eyebrow in question. "That's his post orgasm face. He would have it every time he and Mom would… you know."

Oliver made a face. Laurel laughed at him and took a bite of the food. She groaned. He grinned. "That good?"

"Cook anytime you want," she stated.

He nodded. "I will."

.

That snow day changed everything between them. Oliver would come over and cook breakfast for Laurel and Thea. He would pack Laurel's lunch, normally leftovers from his dinner the night before, and he would have dinner started by the time Laurel came home.

She didn't question it. She knew he had to stay busy with his heart being broken. She didn't question his need for company.

She questioned how he was getting work done. As the mayor of the city, he was called to be at different meetings all day. He simply told her, "I'm managing it."

What she didn't know was that he was doing most of the work from home. He would go downtown to meet with people, but his staff knew he wanted to be home by six. He would come in early to deal with the problems in the morning, but six was his cut off.

He loved his city, and helped out as much as he could, but one of his foundational principles was to be home to feed his family.

Even if one of them hadn't realized he was fixing on her becoming a permanent member. HIs name change, if need be.

His sister watched him one night and stated, "You're doing a mating ritual. It's really cute. Getting her used to you again, showing her you can commit, and then going, 'Boom! I'm ready for you!' is something I never thought you would do."

He smiled. He knew that Laurel knew, though. They'd talked about it a few days ago, after her long conversation with John and Felicity about the team. Felicity had told Laurel, and John had said, "I'm staying out of it."

Laurel had come back, knocked on his door, and they'd talked for hours. He told her his feelings, that no matter what, he wanted something that Felicity could not offer him and when he'd learned that she didn't want something so fundamentally important to him, he had wanted to leave.

Laurel stated, "I'm not ready… Not for a long time."

"I'm willing to wait," he stated. She nodded.

Seven Years Later

Another snowy day, with all the schools being shut down, and both parents being stuck at home with the four children.

William watched his father maneuver around the toddlers, unsurprised that Oliver was able to scoop up the children and set them back down easily. He watched his Aunt Thea, and "Uncle" Roy try to talk with Laurel over the children screaming. Laurel simply nodded and Oliver passed her with a tummy caress.

He never told his own mother of the craziness here. She had her own drama to worry about, and this to him wasn't drama. She would add it up to it being that way, but he considered that was an aggravated wound between his mother and father. After all, it's not everyday when the woman your father cheated on was the one he settled down with, much to your mother's surprise. His mother, unable to hide it from him, had been vying for his father's attentions.

She would never know that it was Laurel who pushed his father to find him. And that she had hugged him tightly when she'd met him.

"Will, can you get the twins?" his father bellowed. William nodded and walked over to his little brother and sister, who were both four, and scooped them up. He helped them into their seats at the table. Laurel walked the oldest, who was six, over to the chair, and helped him up. The youngest, right now, was a vibrant two year old version of Aunt Thea. Aunt Thea made sure to tell Roy that she would be having five just like her.

Laurel was pregnant again, something she often joked with William as being her constant state of being. She once told him, "Your father and I… wanted a family of love that neither of us grew up with. Our parents loved us, yes, but the expectations… they bore down on both of us too much."

Oliver looked at Laurel. "All flights have been delayed. When were Sara and Nyssa getting in?"

"Now," an exotic voice stated from the doorway. Every calming technique used in the past five minutes ceased. The three oldest rushed to their Aunts. Laurel hugged both women and looked at Oliver.

"I'll put your bags in your usual room," he stated. He marched up the stairs with the bags. Laurel smiled at his retreating figure.

"When will you have a normal figure again?" Nyssa chided. "It's like he doesn't want you to kick his butt, and he keeps you pregnant to do it."

"I don't mind," Laurel confessed. She hugged Nyssa tightly, and then hugged Sara. "It means we have a noisy family time."

"As it should be," Sara finished. Laurel laughed and nodded. Sara looked around. "When are Dad and…what's her name getting here?"

"Donna," Laurel confirmed. Sara rolled her eyes. "So will Mom. And Walter's coming… John, Lyla, Sara and… I believe Felicity and Ray are coming, too."

"He didn't tell me that," Sara scoffed. Laurel raised her eyebrows. "As teammates, we should be told when we have to associate with each other outside of team time. I see him enough as it is."

"Be nice," Laurel scolded. Sara pouted. Nyssa kissed her cheek. "We're together as a family… enjoy your nieces and nephews."

"I'm so glad you have the grandchildren situation under control," Sara stated. "Mom loves coming over here. And seeing them when you're in Central City."

Laurel groaned. Nyssa looked at her, "What?"

"Oliver! Where are the Allens going to sleep? And where is Cisco… and what's her name going?" she yelled up the stairs.

Oliver came running down. He smiled at her. "We've already got that covered. Thea's place."

Laurel nodded. Thea came into the room, holding her niece. "Yeah. I told Barry and Iris they could stay at my place… Convenient since it's right next door."

"Not convenient because the kids are going to wake me up," Roy countered from the kitchen.

William watched his family argue. He watched his father bring Laurel to the table, hold out the chair for her, and kiss her cheek as he went to the kitchen. Each child had an aunt or uncle to hang onto. William put an apron on and walked into the kitchen.

His father smiled at him. They started cooking together. William noted, "The family's getting bigger every year."

"They all come together for one person," Oliver confessed. William looked at him with shock. Oliver chuckled. "I don't… I've never showed affection easily. She is a light that people want to protect, even though she can protect herself. There's always been something about Laurel that brings people together. She brought our family back together after your grandmother died. She helped Thea when I… many times when I wasn't here. Her heart is what draws people to her. To be considered family by her is a treasure. The people coming, that are in this house, are family to her."

"So sentimental for a snow day," William joked. Oliver chuckled and they started cooking a gigantic Christmas meal.

Uncle Roy finally built up enough courage to propose to Aunt Thea that Christmas dinner.

A/N: I always imagine these two surrounded by a lot of children. Given the upbringings that they had, with parents loving them, but the expectations being very high, their parenting styles would be a lot different than their parents…

I hope you enjoyed it! I'll upload tomorrow as soon as I can… I was waylaid with this one because I didn't know how to start it, or where I was going with it.

Until Next Time,

DBA