Chapter 1

Ice Cream

Oliver realizes some opponents come in various forms

There are some challenges in this world that are so fierce, so grueling, that you feel at any moment it will beat you. Oliver Queen had been challenged for the most part of his life, pushed so hard that he didn't think he could push back harder. But he did. He did and with the help of his friends, he won.

There was a new challenge on the horizon. A new opponent attempting to beat him, and there were moments it actually got pretty close. Three weeks had gone by since he and Katie had left Starling, and he thought it might get rough, but he didn't expect it. He didn't expect the unexpected beast that was called the first trimester.

His eyes snapped open at the sound of subtle movement from downstairs and he quickly sat up. He looked over to the clock that read three o'clock in the morning before jumping to his feet. Soon Oliver took on a mode he hadn't had to take in these last couple of weeks. Instincts kicked in, and so he quietly moved through the dark halls of the cabin. He glanced over to Katie's closed door, when he heard movement from downstairs. Oliver didn't expect the change in himself. The moment he realized it was now his sole responsibility to protect the woman he loves and their child she is carrying. It was a role he took very seriously, and something that should put fear in anyone who even attempts to hurt them. His feet padded down the stairs, trying to make as little noise as possible. Since they left, Oliver tried to focus one hundred percent of his time trying to win Katie back, trying to win her forgiveness back. And for the most part he'd done that, but Oliver couldn't turn everything off. He knew that there were probably people looking for them. If it wasnt Damian Dhark, then it was Jacob and for either case, Oliver always tried to be diligent which is why this was perplexing. He checked the security on this place, and no one should even be able to walk inside without them being notified.

When Oliver finally took the last step, he heard noise coming from the kitchen. The man clenched his fist at his side before making his way over. Oliver took a deep breath, before pushing open the door, ready to attack anyone on the other side. Almost anyone.

"You skulk very loudly." came the voice of Katie who had her head in the freezer looking for something. Oliver let out a sigh of relief as he slid a hand across his face.

"Can't sleep again?" he asked walking around to take a seat at the table to watch her. The woman had been having trouble sleeping since they left and he assumed that maybe it was the leaving Starling. But then he read a book. One of many books he grabbed on the joy of pregnancy. He read that sometimes it can be difficult to sleep during the first trimester.

"I'm fine, I just need my ice cream, but apparently it's all gone." Katie slammed the door to the freezer closed with a groan before turning to Oliver.

"It can't all be gone." the man said standing to his feet. "We bought a crap load the last time we went to the market." he too searched the freezer and realized she was right, and that it really was all gone. "You ate all that ice cream?" he turned to her with a quirked brow.

"Is that judgment in your voice?" she asked with a shake of her head as she stalks away from him. "I mean it's ice cream, it's meant to be eaten."

"That was a lot of ice cream eaten in a very short span of time Twinkie." Oliver says turning back to the freezer still kind of amazed that there was none left.

"So you're calling me fat. That's just great!" Katie snapped before stalking out of the kitchen, leaving Oliver to just drop his head to the freezer door and let out another side. He only stood there for a second, before turning to follow her. He walked out of the kitchen, not able to spot her right away.

"Twinkie?" he began searching for her, until he saw her at the door, pulling on her coat and boots. "What are you doing?"

"I'm leaving, because I shouldn't have to deal with your judgment." the woman turned grabbing her hat, pulling it over her head before turning to open the door. Oliver quickly walked over closing the door, only letting a second of the cold wind pass inside. "Let me go."

"No, because it's the middle of the night, and it's freezing outside." Oliver shook his head as the woman turned back to him. "I don't think you're fat, and when you eat a freezer filled with ice cream, I'm not judging you."

"It wasn't a freezer full." Katie muttered turning from the man's eyes, and he couldn't help the tired smile that came to his face. "I can't help that sometimes I just want to eat ice cream. Only ice cream." she turned back to the man with a pointed finger. "And you can't judge me for that because you did this to me."

"I'm not judging you. It's just this is new. I don't expect some of the things happening now. To realizing that you really like this ice cream, to finding you slumped over the toilet because your morning sickness is bad that day. I just—I'm trying to get a handle of this."

"Well I'm sorry. I only eat the stuff because it distracts me from other cravings." the woman said, suddenly wishing she hadn't because she knew he was going to try to dig deeper.

"What other cravings?" he asked and Katie sighed because she couldn't tell him. More like wouldn't tell him that sometimes she looks at him and just wants to maul him. She'd never felt anything like it, but the ice cream distracts her from wanting to pounce on the man every second.

"It doesn't matter, because it's not going to happen."

"Maybe it can, if it saves us money on all the ice cream you eat-" the woman swat his arm. "Sorry, it's not a lot of ice cream. It's a normal amount. I'm just saying if we focus on another craving-"

"It's not going to happen Oliver." the woman tried to move around him for the door once again.

"Wait, where are you going?" he asked and she turned back to him.

"To go get ice cream."

"It's three o'clock in the morning. Nothing is even open and even if it was, I'm not letting you go out there alone." The woman turned to the man, folding her arms over her chest. "I-I didn't mean let you, because I know I don't let you do anything because you're an adult. I get that, it's just-"

"It's really cold right?" she asked and the man gave a nod.

"Right." he replied. "It's cold and nothing-"

"Well that seven eleven is open twenty four hours." Katie said and Oliver quirked a brow. "I mean never mind. It's just ice cream, that your unborn child really wants tonight. We will get over it." she turned about to head for the stairs.

"That was very dirty Twinkie." the man said and Katie turned to see him shake his head before grab his own coat. "Will this ice cream make you happy?"

"It really will." she replied walking back over to the man.

"Fine, I will travel in the snow-"

"Hey you chose the cabin in the Alps." he turned a look to the woman who just shook her head. "I mean I would really appreciate it Liver." She gave him a smile and Oliver knew there was no way he was not going out to that store tonight. At this point he'd go anywhere for this woman.

Oliver could barely keep his eyes open as he found himself walking down the aisles of the mini mart. He grabbed different snacks he knew she'd probably want, before walking over and spotting her favorite mint chocolate chip ice cream. He grabbed everything they had in stock before walking over to pay. Oliver didn't miss the glances from the check out girl.

"You must really love cream." she said and Oliver let out a snort.

"No, I love the woman who loves this ice cream." he replied.

It was a trip down icy streets, in the dead of night for ice cream. And now none of it mattered as he sat at the kitchen table watching the woman as she enjoyed every bite. She glanced over to him with a quirked brow.

"Are you going to watch me the entire time?"

"I just might." he replied sitting back in his seat with a smile. She gave a smile back before going back to eating her ice cream. "What was the other craving?" she stopped and glanced back to the man. "I'm just curious."

"Well stop being curious, because it doesn't matter." the woman took a final bite of her ice cream before standing and heading over to the sink.

"It has to be something weird, that's why you won't tell me." Oliver said standing to his feet. "You don't want to feel embarrassed." the woman didn't say anything as she cleaned her bowl. "Twinkie you don't have to worry about feeling embarrassed. I told you, I won't judge these cravings." still not a word. "C'mon Twinkie it's-"

"Sex." she replied finally turning to the man and folding her arms over her chest. "During the first trimester it's kind of rare, but not unheard of for a woman's libido to go through the roof. I'm lucky enough to suffer from it." she grabbed the towel to dry her hands. She looked back over to the man who still stood there staring, and she notices the small smile at his lips and she shakes her head. "It has nothing to do with you." that was a total, blatant, lie, that she would never admit.

"I didn't say anything." the man replied.

"You don't have to, it's all over your face." she replied with a shake of her head before walking around the man.

"So are you saying if I didn't get that ice cream tonight..."

"I think this trip could've gotten a little more complicated." she replied with a chuckle. "So are you enjoying the first trimester as much as I am?" the woman pushed through the door and headed for the stairs.

"I think I might." Oliver muttered before turning and heading out of the kitchen as well. "Hey, you sure you don't want anymore ice cream!' he called after her and he heard her laughter. "Twinkie!"

Author's note:

Aw, I think I'm going to like writing these little ficlets. Thanks for reading