FicWad

Title: Dragonfly Wishes and Butterfly Kisses
Author: Me
Email: Miss_Incognito4@live.co.uk
Rating: M for language and implied sexual situations
Category: AU
Content: Chlollie
Summary: Donations come in all forms.
Disclaimer: I own nixies.
Distribution: Here, there, everywhere LOL
Notes: This chapter is dedicated to Joyblue. A big, giant thank you to Al, Solo, and Strom for their much appreciated help because this chapter kicked my lily ass! Ladies, I raise my teacup in gratitude :-D


Mr. Green had always been one of Oliver's favourite people.

He was a portly man with eyes wrinkled through laughter and lips permanently turned up through constant smiling. Hair that had once been a dark brown was now speckled with grey and Oliver had the urge to make a witty comment, but refrained.

After all, the good doctor was the one who held the needles and it wouldn't be good sense to anger the man.

"Good to see you, doc," Oliver shook the man's hand.

"Not good to see you," Henry grinned as he sat down, seeing the nervousness coming off his client and frowned. Never in all his years had he known Oliver to be this nervous. "Sit down, please."

The younger man rubbed his hands against his thighs and sat down, not exactly sure where to start.

"What can I do for you, son?" Henry kept smiling even as he studied his patient.

Oliver cleared his throat and dove in. "See, there's this girl," he began. "She's four and she's mine."

If there was one thing Henry was not expecting to hear, it was that.

He'd always known Oliver to practice safe sex and to hear that there may have been a mistake was quite the surprise. He gave the boy a chance to continue before bringing up any possible medical issues.

"I, ah, donated some sperm a few years ago and instead of it being thrown out, it was used." Oliver hurried on before his doctor said anything. "My kid has leukemia, doc. She needs a bone marrow transplant. I wanna give it to her."

Now that was something Henry Green was not expecting from Oliver.

"So, here I am," Oliver continued and slapped his thighs as though the act would give the Go sign. "Let's do this," and then silence descended as his doctor looked at him.

Instead of smiling and getting ready to take his marrow, his doctor was basically staring at him. "Well? Are we gonna get this done?"

Henry sat back in his chair and regarded the boy heavily. "Do you know what bone marrow is?"

"Yeah, course I do" he said as he shifted. "It's the stuff in the bones, right? The fatty stuff?"

"There's a little more to it, but yes," Henry said. "That's right."

Oliver made a gesture with his hands. "You can test with the blood. So, take the blood and get the party started."

The doctor had to smile at the boy's enthusiasm and he didn't want to disappoint him. "First," he began as gently as he could. "I want to congratulate your generosity, Oliver. Bone marrow isn't something a lot of people think of donating and nor is it a pleasent process."

"Yeah, yeah," Oliver waved that away. "She's my kid, doc. She doesn't know that yet, but that's just details. Can we get to the blood taking?"

Henry inwardly chuckled. Of course paternity would be just details. "I can't just take your blood and hand you bone marrow in a bottle. I wish I could, but I can't."

"Then what can you do?"

Seeing a client's frustration was never nice, much less from soneone he'd come to think of as family. "I can ask what type of leukemia your child has."

Oliver struggled to keep the frustration at bay. "Acute lymphocytic leukemia."

The doctor frowned a little. "She's four, you said."

"Yeah, four years old, so she needs this and I can give it to her."

Henry sighed. "While I'm neither an oncologist or a specialist, I can tell you that eighty percent of ALL children go into remission, but if..."

Oliver held up a hand. "You said a but, doc. What's the but?"

"If she needs a bone marrow transplant, then she's either high risk for a relapse or she has already relapsed."

What? "What do you mean? Like this could be her second time with it?" Chloe never mentioned any of this, but then again, he'd never really asked.

"Where ALL is concerned, a bone marrow is only considered when the patient has a high risk of relapsing," Henry explained, keeping his voice soft and easy. "It's not so much as a case of first or second times, son."

He'd deal with this bit of information when he next saw Chloe. "She needs me, doc. She has no siblings and Chloe's cousins weren't a match and apparently, our folks are too old to donate. I'm it, dude. I'm her dad."

Henry made a point to ignore the dude comment. He got enough of that at home with his tomboy daughter. "Do you know what's involved in bone marrow transplanting?"

He'd only read about the actual illness and not the transplant itself because, if he was honest, he couldn't understand the medical jargon. Oliver figured that admission wouldn't get him what he wanted and so he lied. "Yes and I don't care."

There were a few seconds of silence before the doctor spoke again. "Then you know the procedure is done a by a nine inch needle that goes straight into your spine when you're awake and injected with a drug which causes paralysis?"

Oliver's brown eyes turned saucer wide. "Paralysis?"

Henry gave a grave nod. "It can have severe complications, like anti-moronic disease."

Oliver stared at his family doctor and realised his lie had been caught. "Anti-moronic disease," he stated, unimpressed. "That's funny. Really splitting my sides here."

Henry's straight face faded as he chuckled. He did love catching his clients on their lies. "The bone marrow is taken under general anaesthesia, but that's not to say it isn't painful afterward. Some liken it to a fall on the ice or a hard landing on your rear."

Oliver didn't care about the pain. "Tell me, doc. How do I give it to her?"

"Have you spoke to the child's..."

"Molly," Oliver said. "Her name is Molly."

Henry wanted to smile, but he couldn't. A smile would give the boy hope that giving bone marrow would magically save the child. "Have you spoke to Molly's Oncologist?"

Oliver shook his head. "Not yet, no. I don't wanna..."

"Don't want to what, son?"

"I don't wanna let Chloe know what I'm doing."

Henry frowned in confusion. "Why wouldn't you want her to know?"

Oliver ruffled his hair with his fingers and blew out a breath. "Because I don't want her to think I'm doing this out of pity or just because I want Molly to know I'm her dad. I want to do this because she's four years old, doc. Just four years old."

The doctor watched as the boy leaned forward. "I can do it, Henry. I can save her." He knew he could.

That broke Henry's heart and he wanted to tell what young Ollie wanted hear, but he couldn't. "You might be the same blood type, but that doesn't mean you're a tissue match, son."

"I don't understand," Oliver said. "Tissue match?"

The doctor knew then and there that the only way the boy would get his answers would be through talking to Molly's oncologist. "I'm not a specialist," Henry repeated. "I can get some information for you, but I can honestly say you need to speak to your daughter's doctor."

"I don't want to be given information, I want to do it. As in now, doc." Oliver thought quickly to find a way to get the man to do something now. "You're not a specialist or an oncologist, but you are a doctor. You can at least tell me what's involved. I mean, you just take the fatty stuff and give it to her, right?"

"No, son, we don't just take the fatty stuff and give it to her."

"Of course not, because that would be easy," Oliver pulled a face. "Then what do you do?"

Henry was silent for a few moments. "You're given a course of medication that release the stem cells into the blood stream. After four to five days, a blood sample is taken for tissue testing." He paused before playing the devil's advocate. "I can't guarantee the outcome," and the boy glared at him. "I've seen that expression too many times to be affected by it."

"Then tell me something, dude. Anything," Oliver's voice was thick. "She's four years old and this could be her first relapse. Chloe came to my house, asking a man she never met or wanted to meet, for bone marrow."

The Queen family doctor took a good, hard look at the boy sat in front of him and being more selfless than he'd ever known. "I don't know what you want me to tell you, Oliver. I really don't. I can take a blood sample if you want, but it would be pointless without the medication."

"What about the transplant? Can't you guys just hook me up to her after finding out I'm a match?"

Henry shook his head. "No, son. We can't. What us guys can do is see if you are a good match."

Frustration caused Oliver to snap. "What is the next step, doctor? Molly's second relapse? Molly's death? Cos that isn't happening, man. I'm telling you it's not going to happen."

The doctor ignored the boy's heart-felt statement. "If you're a match, then the next step will be the bone marrow harvesting and the transplant itself."

"Harvesting?" The sites never mentioned anything about harvesting. It didn't sound too sweet. "What's, uh... What's harvesting?"

Henry took a deep breath. "It's the clinical name for the process."

Oliver nodded as relief drowned the dread. "For a minute there, I thought harvesting was like, you know, harvesting, but with bones."

Sometimes being a doctor was a trying profession. "No, son. It's got nothing to do with harvesting."

Another nod. "Okay, so how is it..." He really didn't want to use that word. "Harvested?"

"Well," Henry sighed. Oliver Queen obviously wasn't going to seek out answers from the person he should be asking. "The donor is given a general anaesthetic while several punctures are made at the back of the pelvic bone to remove the marrow."

Oliver took a moment to digest the information. "How is it given to Molly?"

"The marrow is then given to the recipient via an IV and usually takes fifteen minutes."

"Is that all?" Oliver couldn't keep the surprise out of his voice. "Just fifteen minutes? I thought it'd be longer."

"Unfortunately, her recovery will be a much longer process and isn't just physically and mentally taxing for the recipient." Henry rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I'm just a general practitioner, Oliver. You truly need to ask your daughter's oncologist. He'll be able to tell you everything you want to know."

"I know, doc," Oliver said, his voice laced with frustration. "I just don't want to give her hope, you know? I wanna find out if I'm a match first and then I wanna..."

"The most important thing for both donor and recipient is the support network. Family, friends, doctors, nurses and the like. As the patient's father, you're not an anonymous donor. You're emotionally involved and as such, I'd advise you to at least discuss your plans with the mother and the oncologist."

Oliver scruffed up his hair and ran both hands down his face, irritated that he couldn't get what he wanted. There was a part of him that wanted to stamp his foot and scream and shout, but the more mature side of him understood that it simply couldn't be done.

"I get you, doc," he eventually said and returned his attention to Henry. "Could you make me an appointment with the oncologist?"

"Asking this might be better coming from yourself, son. No doctor worth his salt would mind giving his time to answer a few questions."

XOXOXO

The drive back home was made in silence as Oliver absorbed what he learned from his doctor.

Despite Chloe and himself knowing their first impressions had been very wrong, he still didn't want her to think he was doing it for publicity or anything like that. He wanted to do it for the simple reason that it was the right thing to do. Sure, it may not be changing or saving the world, but Molly was Chloe's daughter and it was obvious to him Molly was Chloe's world.

Oliver slowed his car as he pulled up to the main gates and waited for them to open. "Huh," he mused aloud and grinned. "I'm saving me a Fishcake."

Much better than saving the world.

He was still grinning when he entered the house and dropped his keys on the antique 'Key Table' his mom fell in love with on Ebay. He stared at the atrocity as he questioned his mother's taste in furniture, then thanked God his dad got his own way with the main living area.

If it was up to his mom, then there was no doubt the whole house would resemble Dracula's castle, and Oliver shuddered at the thought.

Hell, he shuddered each time the doorbell chimed.

"Dad," he called as he walked through the house. "Dad, I'm home."

Thirty three years old and he still had to let his folks know he was home.

That made him pause for thought.

Where was Molly?

Apart from the hospital, of course, but was she in bed asleep or was she in David's room watching her beloved Freddy? Was Chloe taking her outside for a short walk? Was she...

Oliver slipped his hands into his pocket and touched his cellphone. It'd only take a few seconds to call the hospital to ask...

He shook his head.

It was an overly protective thing to do and Chloe was there, so there was no cause for panic, right?

Right.

He was about to shrug off his jacket when his father came into view with two hands carrying two bags. "Going somewhere?"

Robert lifted his chin. "I'm going to see my granddaughter," he informed.

Oliver eyed each bag individually, seeing things of various shapes and sizes. "Going with gifts are you?"

His dad brightened at his son's enthusiasm. "Oh yes! The Wikipedia site said that stuffed toys may not be allowed, but books and games were okay. I've got Junior Edition Scrabble, Simpsons Monopoly and a Simpsons deck of cards. Plus a few other things, like Boggle and some junior puzzle books."

"You're not trying to worm you way in at all."

Robert managed to look innocent. "No. The poor girl must be bored."

"Right," Oliver drawled. "So bored she'll need everything."

His dad tried to keep up a facade, but failed.

Robert's shoulders slumped and he looked at his son. "You think it's too much?"

"Mom and I never took anything but ourselves," he paused before admitting. "Well, on our first visit."

"So you do think it's too much?"

Oliver resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "It's very thoughtful of you, dad. Plus, some of the other kids might enjoy them, too."

"So it isn't too much?"

This time, brown eyes did roll. "No, it's not too much and I'm sure Chloe and Molly will be very grateful."

Robert's shoulders straightened and he perked up. "The staff at Toys R Us were very helpful," and they hadn't even commented when he got lost in aisle four.

Oliver arched a brow. "You went to Toys R Us?"

"Why is that so surprising, Oliver Jonas? I went into a lot of toy shops when you were born."

"Uh-huh and how many of those toys were really for you?"

Robert immediately changed the subject. "Well, I best be off, son. It's rude to keep ladies waiting."

Oliver bit his lip.

He wasn't planning on going to the hospital until a little later, but if his dad was going now, then it could come in handy. His dad could sit with Molly while he took Chloe for a coffee to discuss the transplant.

It was a plan.

"You gimme a ride, we save on gas."

"You're coming with me?" Robert wanted to spend some time with his granddaughter and if she had too many visitors, she might get sleepy and he wouldn't get to spend any time with her.

"I was gonna go later, but if you're going now..." Oliver thought about the doc's advice regarding a good support network. "Look, I sorta need your help on something, dad."

Robert looked at his son suspiciously. "With what, exactly?" The last time his boy mentioned help, it involved moving a lot of furniture around and his back had paid the price.

Oliver had to chuckle. "It's not manual, pop, so keep your hair on. I went to see Dr. Green today..." He didn't get a chance to finish.

"Are you okay? Maybe you shouldn't be going to see Molly if you're ill."

"I'm fine, dad. Honestly. I just went to ask a few questions is all. About, you know, bone marrow and stuff."

Robert put the bags down and inhaled a deep breath before slowly exhaling. Whatever decision was made, he would back his son one hundred percent. "Okay. Have you made a decision, son?"

Oliver nodded. "I'm gonna do it and this is where I need your help."

"Anything you need, Oliver Jonas. Anything at all."

"I need too talk to Chloe today, so I'm gonna take her to a local restaurant for something nice to eat and I need you to sit with Molly until we get back."

Robert jumped at the chance. "Would Chloe trust her a stranger with her daughter?"

Oliver laughed. "The question should be would Chloe trust her daughter with a stranger? Dad, you'll be in a hospital watched over by nurse Hawkeye. I don't think Chloe will be too worried."

"What about Molly? Will she be okay with being alone with a stranger?"

Remembering his kid's Stranger Danger thing, Oliver chuckled again. "Molly loves visitors, so she'll be fine. There's really nothing to worry about and oh, the green sticker means you can take the mask off."

"Mask?"

Instead of replying, his son basically said. "Instead of asking questions, why don't we go introduce you to my kid?"

Robert nodded. "Yes, let's do that," and he went to pick up the bags only to find Oliver already had them. He kept his smile to himself.

It may have taken a while, but it looked like his son was finally growing up.

XOXOXO

Like Oliver and Laura, Robert was a little overwhelmed at the rules and regulations for visitation. Unlike his wife, his only expectation was being allowed straight in and to find out different gave him a better understanding of the situation.

After getting a green sticker, he went to take off his mask, but his son shook his head and glanced to the right. Robert looked in the direction and saw the charge nurse watching them carefully.

He left the mask where it was.

Oliver nudged his shoulder. "Just down here, dad."

Robert followed and God, he hadn't been this nervous since he first held Oliver. It was hard to believe his six-three boy had once fit into the palm of his hand. His son had been such a small baby, that he'd been terrified of hurting him and a good two days had passed before Laura smacked him upside the head.

He was about to share that little story with his son, but was prevented when his boy's mouth split into a wide smile and pretty much bounced into a private room.

A split second later Robert was treated to the voice of a little girl as she spoke and he'd honestly never heard his son greeted with so happily.

"Hey, Fishcake," he heard his son reply. "I've brought someone to see you."

"Excuse me, sir," came from just behind Robert and he jumped out of his skin.

Turning, he saw a pretty young woman with short blonde hair. "Am I in your way?"

Chloe only had to take one look at the man in front of her to know he was Oliver's father. "You must be Mr. Queen," she said and smiled.

It took a few moments for Robert to realise this was his granddaughter's mother and when he did, he eagerly stuck out his hand. "You must be Chloe. Please, call me Robert or Bob."

She coughed to hide her laughter and returned his handshake. "It's nice to meet you at last. I'm guessing it's not me you've come to see, am I right?"

Robert felt terrible. "I..."

This time, Chloe did laugh at the poor man's expression. "Don't worry about it," she continued to chuckle. "Molly's just in here."

He followed her into the private room and caused the little girl to instantly go quiet.

"Molly," Oliver said gently. "This my dad," your grandfather, he wanted to add, but didn't.

Robert saw five little fingers wiggle up at him. "Hello, Molly. My name's Bobby," then watched as she tugged on his son's sleeve.

Oliver leaned towards her so she could whisper in his ear. "Molly says hello and we can take our masks off and are you really my dad?"

"Boy, I did one helluva good job on that stranger danger thing," Chloe muttered to herself. "Yes, sweetheart. He really is Oliver's dad."

Robert chuckled as Oliver said the magic words. "He brought you some presents."

Molly's brown eyes widened. "Really?"

Chloe sighed at her daughter. People were gonna start thinking she didn't buy her daughter anything.

"Really, really," Robert told her. "Games and books and puzzles."

"I've got em right here for you, Fishcake." Oliver lifted one of the bags he'd managed to sneak past her.

"Can I have them?" Molly asked, looking from her mom to Ollie to Robert and back, only to frown when her mom arched a brow. "I mean may I have them, please?"

"Good girl," Chloe gave her daughter a warm smile.

"Course you can have them, princess. They're yours. I can show you how to play them if you like?"

Robert felt quite proud of himself when her little face lit up. "Can you show me now? Mommy, can Bobby show me how to play my games now, please?"

Chloe found herself the target of all three sets of big brown eyes. There was no chance of saying no. "Only if Robert says it's alright."

Molly immediately looked to the elder Queen. "Is it alright?"

Robert was careful not to appear too eager. "I'd love to show you how to play them now. Why don't we look the games and see which one you want to play first?"

Oliver got up and offered his dad the chair. "Tell you what, Molly," he stated. "You have some playtime while your mom and I go to the store for some proper cocoa and marshmallows. How does that sound?"

Chloe's heart skipped a beat as it became clear Oliver wanted to talk to her alone. Oliver wanting to talk to her alone could only mean one thing and there were two possible answers, one of which she couldn't bear to think about.

"A trip to the store would be a good idea," she agreed and gave Oliver a swift nod. "Would you mind giving me a ride into the city? I could do with picking up a few things."

"You want me to go shopping?"

Chloe shook her head at the horror on his face. Men. "Suck it up, Queen. You offered."

Oliver was about to deny all knowledge when her eyes flashed and he read the signal clearly. She was buying them enough to talk, seriously talk.

He mock sighed. "Shopping it is."

"Mommy, mommy, can I have..."

Chloe stopped the question right then and there. "No."

Molly was not to be detered. "But I just..."

"You've already got presents today and you're getting cocoa later."

"But..."

"Molly Anne..."

Molly knew that tone and what it meant. "Alright," she pouted. "You will get juice, though, right?"

Chloe had to smile. Juice was the one thing she never denied her daughter. "Yes, I'll get your juice."

Robert couldn't help but feel a little strange as he sat there, listening as his granddaughter was given firm boundaries. He struggled to remember if Laura and himself had ever been that strict with Oliver and nothing sprung to mind.

Laura and himself had always given their son what they never had, and seeing parenting done by someone with a lot less resources was eye-opening.

Maybe Laura and I should have given Oliver what we did have, Robert thought.

"Ollie and I won't be long, sweetheart," Chloe said as she picked up her jacket. "You be good for Bobby, okay?"

Molly nooded. "Promise. Bye, mommy, bye Ollie."

Robert watched them leave and turned to Molly. "Now let's look at these games."

XOXOXO

Oliver glanced at a silent Chloe as he pressed the elevator button.

Both hands clutched her purse strap and her eyes were focused on the steel doors. Sure she wasn't the everyday chatter box, but neither was she quiet as a mouse. Considering the talk they were about to have, he couldn't blame her for being on edge.

Still, she could at least acknowledge him or give him a smile or hell, a thank you for pressing the elevator button.

Unless she really was one of the quiet types and only talked around her daughter?

Oliver shook his head.

Nah.

Not Chloe.

She was far too quick witted to be a quiet one.

He dove in. "Sorry if I sprung my dad on you," he began. "He just wanted to see her is all and it kinda wasn't fair that he was the only who hadn't. Don't tell him I told you so, but he pouted."

The elevator pinged and jolted Chloe out of her thoughts. "I'm sorry, Oliver. I was miles away. What did you say?"

"I was talking about my dad," he shrugged before hitting the lobby button. "Nothing important, really. Just saying how he pouted about not being invited to see her."

Green eyes widened and her mouth fell open. "Oh my God!" She exclaimed. "I never thought. I figured being the man behind the Queen Industries wheel wouldn't have a lot of time to spare, so I assumed he would do what you and your mom did."

"Nope," Oliver grinned. "Poor guy was feeling left out."

Chloe cringed. With everything else going on, she hadn't once thought about Oliver's father. "Oops."

"Don't beat yourself up about it, Chlo. Mom and me enjoyed seeing a grown man sulk into his coffee cup."

"I."

Oliver blinked. "What?"

Chloe looked at him. "You said mom and me. It's mom and I."

"That's an..." He tried to find a good word to describe something so irritating. "Educating hobby you got there. Been doing it long?"

Chloe didn't seem the slightest bit apologetic. "It started when I began to write. The more I wrote, the more I realised how lazy I was with my speech and how it must sound to other people. Plus, can you imagine if word got out that an author couldn't string a sentence together?"

She shuddered at the thought. "Not exactly inspiring for the youth of today."

"Never gave it that much thought, to be honest," Oliver confessed a little ruefully.

"Well, you should," she stated with some firm nodding. "First impressions are very important, Ollie, and good speech can only help give a great one."

When no response came, Chloe looked at him and found him grinning. "What?"

"You're such a mom," he chuckled.

"Benefits of lacking adult conversation, I'm afraid."

"Not so lacking these days," and Oliver pointed to himself.

Green eyes sparkled slyly. "Your mom has been great to chat to."

"Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit."

"There's a reason why I use it with you."

"My handsome face stunts your keen intellect?"

Chloe arched a brow. "Your face stunts something and it's not my keen intellect."

Oliver went to reply, but the elevator came to a halt and the doors smoothly slid open. He gestured for her to go first. "Ladies first."

"Age before beauty."

"Dust before broom."

She walked ahead of him, but not before getting in the last word. "Pearls before swine."

"Parker and Luce, right?" He asked as he trailed after her and he must have done something good because the smile he got was nothing short of brilliant. Not to mention contagious and he couldn't keep from returning it.

"Yep."

Oliver thought. "Ass before foot?"

"Not bad, Queen," Chloe said in approval. She may steal it. "Brawn before brain."

"Beauty before beast..." This time it was him who paused. "Damn!"

Maybe challenging a writer was not the most genius thing to do.

XOXOXO

"I'm going to the store one day," Molly told Robert quite matter of factly. "I'm not allowed to go cos I'm sick. When I get better I'm going to the store and I'm gonna buy lots of candy and chocolate and food for my fish. I don't have my fish yet cos I haven't been to the aquaroom."

He wondered how many people would give anything not to go to a store. "Where else do you want to go when you're better? Apart from the aquarium."

The little girl thought for a moment. "The movies so I can watch my movies on a big TV. Mommy bought me some new DVD's. I got Freddy 1, 2, and 3 so I don't have to borrow David's anymore."

Robert recalled what Oliver said and chuckled. "I have a big TV at my house," he told her. "When you're better, you can come watch your movies there and you can have popcorn and anything you want."

"Can mommy and Ollie come, too?"

"Of course they can, princess. If my groundskeeper says it's alright, you can pick your own apples and oranges."

Molly's eyes brightened. "You have apples and oranges?"

Robert thought of how large the Queen estate was and honestly couldn't wait for her to see it. "There's apples and oranges, lemons and limes, cherries and gooseberries, and lots of other fruits. Laura might even bake you a pie."

"Like an apple pie? Could I help make it?"

"I'm sure she'd love you to help."

"Do have have dogs and cats, too?"

"No, but the groundskeeper has some dogs." He knew better than to mention the new puppies that had just been born.

"Tina brings Penny once a week. Penny's a special dog who comes to the hospital to help people." Molly explained with nodding. "Sometimes I'm not allowed to pet Penny cos I'm too sick."

Robert only heard of therapy dogs when one had been mentioned in one of his favourite books, . "Do you know that in England, those special dogs are called pat dogs?"

She gasped. "You've been to England?"

"I have," and he just had to tell her, "I met the Queen."

Molly chewed her lip. "Did you meet the Doctor?"

Robert blinked. "Did I meet a doctor?"

"No," she shook her head. "The Doctor. He's funny and lives in a blue box."

Now he got it and he hated to disappoint her. "No, princess. I haven't met the Doctor."

Her face fell. "Oh, well that's okay, I guess. I mean, he must be very busy saving the world."

It was a hard struggle not to laugh out loud, but he managed. Bearly. "Yes, I imagine he is a very busy man."

"Um-hm," Molly nodded. "He does come to Earth sometimes and my mommy wrote a funny doctor in one of her books."

That surprised Robert. Neither his wife or son mentioned Chloe was a writer. "Your mom writes books?"

"I'm not s'posed to tell, so ssh."

"I'll make you a deal. You tell me all about your mommy's funny doctor and I won't tell on you."

Molly looked suspicious. "That's what Ollie said and he snitched on me."

That wasn't the way Oliver told it, but never mind.

Robert held out his pinkie finger. "I promise I won't snitch on you."

She still looked suspicious. "Cross your heart and hope to die?"

He thanked God none of his colleagues were here to see what he was about to do, then thanked God he'd had a son.

Robert cross his heart with his pinkie and kissed it. "Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye."

Finally satisfied, Molly began to speak. "The funny doctor was called Mr. Goodbody because mommy said it was a funny name for a bad man."

Why did that name ring a bell? "Your mommy is right, princess. That is a funny name for a bad doctor."

"Mommy says she's always right, but I don't think she is. She says that sandshoes would be good for my feet, but sandy shoes wouldn't feel very nice to wear."

Robert chuckled. Now he got the sandy shoes story his wife and son had been talking about. "No, I don't think sandy shoes would be very nice to wear."

Agreeing with her seemed to have won him some points.

Molly smiled happily and nodded. "My mommy writes the doctor bad because he's a doctor and knows how to clean up after himself and he knows what poison to use on people he's mean too."

Robert frowned.

He'd read a lot of crime novels with killer doctors, but only one with a Dr. Goodbody. He remembered chuckling at the dry humour used in the novel and how the little details used in all the author's novels had made Esther Allred one his favourites.

Wait a minute.

His eyes widened considerably as he realised the mother of his granddaughter was Esther Allred.

"Holy sh..." It was only the sight of Molly that made him sharply rethink his word. "Ship!"

XOXOXO

It had been so long since she'd had the pleasure of something other than microwave meals and fast food, that Chloe honestly didn't know what to have. Everything sounded so damn good.

Yeah, Oliver was probably looking at her like she had six heads, but what the hell. This was of the few decent meals and she was not gonna make the choice lightly. "Decisions, decisions," she sighed.

Oliver wasn't looking at her in such a way at all.

He was actually wondering just how long it had been since she'd treated herself to something other than a TV dinner. Thinking about made him sure he didn't really wanna know purely because it made him feel like crap for how he behaved the day they met.

He'd judged her by appearance alone and sure he hadn't known then what he knew now, but still. That was no way to act toward anyone.

"I say we go wild and have steak."

Chloe's eyes peered over her menu. "I was looking at the Waldorf salad."

Oliver pulled a face. "You're not one of those chicks who diet, are you? Cos you don't need to do that. You look fine to me."

He didn't have to be a genius to know how that would sound to her. "What I mean is you're not, you know, unhealthy or anything. You're good to go."

A single eyebrow rose. "So my breasts are a turn on this time, huh?"

He felt his face heat up and he scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, sorry about that."

Chloe dropped the menu on the table. "Bygones, Ollie," she told him with a smile. "Besides, I wasn't exactly at my best, either. Passive-aggression isn't my forte."

Unfortunately, judging women on appearance was his forte and he didn't want her to know how much of a user he was.

"Hello in there?"

Oliver blinked and smiled to cover up his thoughts. "So, the steak?"

Green eyes rolled. "Yes, we'll go wild and have the steak."

"And your poison?"

"In a little bottle, please," and his expression made her chuckle quietly. "An iced tea wouldn't go amiss."

"You sure?" He asked. "They have a good selection of wine here, so..."

"I'm sure a tipsy mom would provide comic relief at the hospital."

Ah.

Oliver winced. "Hadn't thought of that. Two steak dinners and two iced teas..."

Chloe was quick to stop him. "If you want a beer or a glass of wine, don't let me..."

"It's probably not a good idea, all things considered." Especially since he was planning to donate his marrow.

She took a breath and held it for five before exhaling slowly. "Oh?" She asked, deliberately keeping her voice light.

Oliver coughed to cover his nervousness. "I've done some research, as you know, and I spoke to my doctor today about stuff. Did you know the transplant itself only takes fifteen minutes?"

Chloe purposely avoided looking at him. "I did."

Seeing she what she was doing and knowing why, he reached out and covered her hand with his, squeezing softly. "I'm gonna do it, Chlo."

Her gaze snapped to him. "What?"

He squeezed her hand harder and felt her respond "I'm gonna get tested and I'm gonna be match and..." He swallowed. "And I want Molly to know who I am, Chloe. I want her to know I'm her father."