Thanksgiving at the arrows.
It'd been years since Oliver had all the family round-by family he meant his protégés and their other halves. Although Roy aka arsenal didn't attend the dinner due to being more than distracted by wonder girl,Ollie was still pleased when his other previous protégés came and brought along their families. Artemis had brought Wally (Wally lives on-yey) which was a surprise as Wally always went round to his own families for thanksgiving but seeing as artemis had attended them with him the past few years he thought he should go round to hers. Wally promised not to cause any trouble. And then there was Roy aka red arrow who had brought along his own trouble. Jade aka cheshire who is also his wife had came along with their now one year old daughter. Canary was there but that wasn't anything unexpected after all Ollie and Dinah had been together for a while now and were officially now engaged. But what was unexpected was the fact that Wally and artemis had showed up early. Wally might be one of the fastest people alive but that didn't mean he showed up to every occasion early. Ollie invited them in and the four started talking:
"Artemis,Wally,we weren't expecting you yet." Ollie said as he opened the door and invited them in.
"Yeah,well,we didn't want to be the last ones here,as usual. Are Roy and Jade here yet?" Artemis said looking around to see if she could spot them.
"Uh no,it's just us and Dinah for now."
"Oh man am I hungry." Stated Wally whilst putting his hands on his stomach in effect.
And just as if it was perfectly timed Dinah emerged from the kitchen with a tray if cookies that smelt oh so good. They may not be like M'ganns but boy were they good.
"You kids want anything to drink?" She said as she bent down to give out the cookies to the three sitting on the couches.
They all accepted a cookie Wally taking at least five which wasn't exactly alot for him.
"I'll have a coke thanks Dinah and Wally will probably have the same." Said artemis as she looked at Wally with a particular look on her face which said he'd been impolite.
He heard his named mentioned but was too busy indulging into the cookies to realise what was being said. He replied whilst still chewing "hmm babe?" The hmm sounded more like an mmm for the cookies.
Artemis ignored his question and just looked at Dinah "He'll have a coke,thanks dinah."
Dinah went and got the two a drink of coke while she got herself and Ollie some rose. When she returned she gave everyone their drinks and they sat down and continued their conversations. They fell asleep after half an hour of waiting for the others to arrive. But not for long. They'd napped for at least 20 minutes each before they heard a knock at the door. Dinah answered,and it was Roy and Jade and little lian. They walked through to the sitting room where they were greeted by the others.
"Sorry we're late. This little one wouldn't settle down this morning." Roy said before saying hello to everyone. Lian was in his right arm,resting on his hip. She pointed at everyone and said "hiya" in her normal cute way. She may only be one but she was very advanced in her speak. She could say a few things on Vietnamese and a little French too. Although she was advanced in her learning and her speaking she still didn't have a wide variety of words,after all she was one.
"Yeah,she was too excited to grandpa Ollie and grandma Dinah." Said Jade whilst handing over a bag to Dinah which contained a not so cheap bottle of champagne.
"Oh you didn't have to get us anything." Ollie said standing up to go see his granddaughter.
"None sense,I'm sure arty and kid clutz got you the same." Said Jade before taking a seat next to artemis.
"It's kid flash y'Know...and we did it's just-" Wally started but artemis cut him off.
"We left it a home." Artemis said embarrassed,trying to hide the fact that they forgot to get them anything.
"Okay then,since we're all here now,we should go get started with the dinner." Dinah said calmly before leading the way to the dining room. Roy and Jade stayed back a second to calm their daughter to sleep. It was her nap time and although it was thanksgiving they weren't going to ruin her routine.
Once lian had settled and fallen asleep in her cot in the guest room,Jade and Roy made their way to the dining room not without a short kiss first though. They may have been in someone else's home but that still didn't stop them from getting intimate,well unless people were right there-then that was just a turn off. Once they made their way back down everyone minus Dinah looked at them oddly. Due to the fact that there was smudged lipstick on Roy's face and the side of his neck,which thankfully no one noticed on his neck. A still shocked and disappointed Ollie went to help Dinah in the kitchen and Wally discretely tried to tell Roy to wipe his face by rubbing his own hand across his own cheek. To indicate it needed wiped. Roy really wasn't catching on and then artemis just lost it.
"You've got lipstick on your face!" Artemis screeched in frustration.
"Oh" was all Roy said before Jade interrupted him.
"Woops,what can I say we got a little carried away." Jade purred in her normal sultry voice.
"Yeah 'a little'" Wally said sarcastically.
Then Dinah came in with the turkey and placed it at the centre of the table. By this time Roy had wiped the lipstick off his face and artemis had calmed down. Ollie brought in the rest of the things such as the vegetables and sauces and was about to carve the turkey. But had a bit of a struggle. The turkey was hard to cut and Oliver couldn't get the knife through. Roy offered to do it and struggled in the process too. Although he did better than Ollie did "here let me" said Jade as she stood from her seat whipping out a sai. Roy wasn't fazed the slightest after all this was his wife, it's be a lot to surprise him. But everyone else including artemis were surprised. Next year they should do a weapon check,Ollie thought. By the time everyone had snapped out of their astonishment, Jade had already carved the turkey into lots of slices. And Oliver then stood as Jade sat,to place it on everyone's plates. "Well of course a sais going to cut right through it,the only reason I couldn't is because I used a knife."Roy said sulking."Of course sweetie" Jade said sarcastically whilst cupping his cheek .They set lian a little bit of turkey and few carrots and other veg .Carrots were her favourite vegetables at the moment. Once everything had been set up to eat,Jade went to go get lian and when she returned everyone was silent. She placed lian in her high chair that grandma Dinah got for her when she stayed or came round. She ate her food without throwing it everywhere, which Jade and Roy were thankful for. And everyone else ate their meals after saying grace. Wally was the one who had to say grace. And everyone except Dinah snickered. "Erm hey god,we would all just like to say thanks for the...uh...for everything if it wasn't for you we wouldn't all be here today,well you and our parents,so uh yeah and uh we probably wouldn't be thanking you. So err thanks for the food and thanks."
Dinah shot everyone a look before saying "thank you Wally that was...lovely." After that everyone began to eat their food. There was a lot of discussion going on around the table. Ollie was discussing with artemis and Wally about how she continue her archery,Wally was agreeing with Ollie. Whilst Dinah was talking to little lian about how Christmas is approaching soon and that Santa would be stopping by with lots of presents,to this lian cheered and Dinah asked her what she wanted of Santa. Lian just responded with "toys" and "tedwy bear" and other little cute answers. Roy and Jade however weren't answering cutely. They were discussing who would change lian next, Roy kept saying how he'd been the one to do it last and that it was now jades turn, to which jade responded that Roy hadn't been there the first three months of her life therefore she's changed a lot more diapers than he had. To this he didn't respond because he was quite hurt that she would use that against him but she soon apologised. He forgave her and they carried on eating their meals. She guessed this meant that she'd be the one that changed lians next load. After a while conversation changed to Dinah's and Ollie's recent engagement. Jade had been curious as to how they'd gotten engaged in the first place. So Ollie explained to her when and how it happened.
"Well we've known each other for years now" he said as he placed his hand a top of hers "and I guess it was going to happen eventually."
"About time old man. Even I tied the knot before you." Roy said which rewarded him a glance from the older couple sat across from him.
"Yeah well Roy not everyone settles for anyone." Said artemis cockily.
"I didn't settle for anyone actually, I happen to love your sister." He snarled back at artemis which left everyone shocked at his little announcement.
"...maybe Ollie should finish his story." Jade said whilst looking at Roy with a softened expression. The two never really said that they loved each other much,they didn't need to either. They both loved each other and it was obvious. They liked to show their love through other ways of affection. But every time one of them did say it,it was like the others heart melted. For some reason artemis didn't believe that they loved each other truly over wise Roy wouldn't have been completely obsessed with his search and Jade wouldn't have had to leave, but she didn't understand, no one did. Wally was convinced they loved each other and so was Ollie and Dinah. I guess it's just sisterly instinct.
Oliver finished his they were on a night of patrol after dining at some fancy restaurant in town and he just popped the question with a rock the size of an eye. They went on to talk about how Wally should be starting to prepare for proposing to artemis.
"Well there's still plenty of time for all that,not like I don't love you babe it's just marriage is a big commitment." Wally said stuttering a little bit at the last part.
"Well you better start saving up for a ring like Dinah's if you ever want to propose to my little sis."Jade said half jokingly and half serious.
"Hahaha,thanks Jade. And wally's right marriage is a big thing. I don't want to rush into it." Artemis said shooting a glance at Roy accusingly.
Dinah flushed a little at the thought of rushing in,and marriage being a big commitment. She wasn't sure if she was ready herself never mind the kids. She pushes her thoughts to the back if her mind and focuses on the evening instead.
Jade gets up from her seat to go change lian but Roy stops her and says he should instead. They argue a little and everyone else continues to talk amongst themselves. They finally reach agreement when Roy threatens quietly to Jade that there'd be no sex tonight if she didn't let him change lian's diaper. Of course this would be a punishment for both of them and thankfully she obliged and let roy change her. (Seriously fighting over who wants to change her diaper) whilst Roy went to change lians diaper everyone asked Jade how she and Roy had gotten engaged. "Well it wasn't really as romantic as your engagement" she said pointing at Dinah and Ollie "It wasn't after dining at a fancy restaurant or a room full of flowers,it was just at one of the star labs in Taipei. We thought we had a solid lead,turns out we didn't. Next thing I know reds on his knee,said I was the only one stuck around for him, proposes and as you can tell I said yes."
Ollie looked a little saddened at the last part. "We stuck around for him he just pushed us ou-" Ollie was cut off by artemis.
"So he only married you because you were helping him and had stuck around!" Artemis argued annoyed.
"No artemis,that's not why." Jade snapped back. "He loved me and-"she was cut off.
"And he still does." Roy said as he came into the room. His daughter in one arm and her bag full of baby things in the other. "Look artemis I know you mightn't think I love your sister but I do,more than you'll ever understand. Yeah she stuck around but that's not why I married her." For the second time that night Roy told Jade he loved her in front of others. He shouldn't have had to tell her not like that, not being forced into it. He wants to tell her things like this romantically not to prove a point.
He sits there quietly after. Cradling his daughter,not paying attention to what anyone else says. Desserts about to be served and Jade goes into the kitchen to help Dinah plate it takes lian off her father and sets her down for a well needed nap. Leaving artemis Wally and Roy alone. He here's Wally and artemis arguing quietly. Something about apologising Roy doesn't really listen.
"Roy" he looks up at Wally who's speaking. "Look we're sorry about before. I mean I know id be pretty pissed if someone said I didn't love artemis when I do. We know you love Jade,Jade and lian."
He was about to reply but artemis interjected for what seemed like the millionth time this night."look Roy I'm sorry. It's just me and Jade aren't as close as we used to be. I still care for her and want her to be happy-" this time Roy was interrupting her.
"And what makes you think I wasn't making her happy?"he asked bitterly.
"I...I just thought that you pushed her away and used her for her information." Artemis stated feeling a little horrible at how she'd acted. What ever happened to keep an open mind?
"I might have pushed her away but I didn't do it intentionally. I love your sister. I thought you'd know that by now." Roy finished as Jade came in with the desert soon followed by Dinah. She placed the cake down on the table and walked over to roy. Oliver arriving at this point.
She cupped his face, "And I love you too." She said before she gave him a quick kiss.
"See,they're happy. So do you believe that they love each other now." Wally said leaning over to artemis.
She sulked "...yeah,I believe them." Then Wally gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.
Oliver gave canary a quick and hesitated kiss before announcing.
"Well,who's ready for some desert."
"Mmm,yes"
"I'll have some."
"Definitely."
"What are you guys gonna eat?"
All four of the younger ones said at the same time.
They all ate in silence and after they'd eaten Dinah and Ollie went back into the kitchen to clean up whilst the other four sat in the living room watching TV. Wally and artemis snuggled on the love seat whilst Jade and Roy snuggled up on the chair. Artemis in wally's arms with her head resting on his shoulder, and Jade on Roy's lap on the very narrow chair. It's strange for Jade to be sitting on Roy's lap without being to intimate,same for Wally and artemis now that they were living together. After a while of cleaning Ollie and Dinah returned to find both couples asleep. So they decided to go get the now-awake-Lian and play with her for a while in the living room. After a few minutes of lian playing with her grandpa and grandma in the living room Roy's and jades eyes immediately flew open as they could hear their child's gurgles and little noises-parents instinct- they saw her in front of them playing safely with her grandparents. After seeing this they calmed down. And relaxed again. Ollie and Dinah just chuckled at their sudden awake. Dinah even commented on how great parents they were. And Ollie even asked if they were thinking about having another child. To this Roy and Jade moved away from each other slightly. "Erm no..nope..we're not thinking of having any more kids...yet..are we?" Roy said a little worryingly,he was just getting the hang of this whole dad thing and people were asking if they were planning on any more.
"No,not unless your referring to the child right in here" Jade said whilst putting her hands on her stomach.
Everyone who was awake looked astonished and shocked. Roy looked flushed.
"Jade..your not..?" Canary started.
" 't worry Red,I was only joking,you can stop looking so shocked now." Jade said snapping Roy out of his shock.
"I..." Nope he was still shocked.
"Looks like you gave him a scare." Ollie said laughing.
"I don't know why,I mean it's not like we haven't had a few pregnancy scares before." To this she earned some glares from both Ollie and Dinah,and the now awake artemis.
"What? Artemis has them all the time." Jade said pointing at artemis as though to shift the blame off of her.
"What?!" Ollie shouted,which resulted in Roy officially snapping out his daze-even though he was still aware of the conversation- and a sleeping Wally to wake up.
"Mama!" Wally said as he woke up and jumped at the same time.
Everyone was staring at him and artemis.
"What, so it's fine for Roy and Jade but not me and Wally." Artemis said pointing back at Jade.
"Yes but we're married..and older."
Jade pointed out.
"Oh like that makes a difference-" artemis was interrupted by a confused Wally.
"Wait what are we talking about?" He said half sleepily.
"We're talking about how much very unprotected sex we all have." Roy deadpanned which earned a quiet chuckle from Jade.
"Oh right...uh cool." Wally said a little confused by how they got onto this topic.
"But like it hasn't happened to you 'old man',old but still fertile." Roy said back to a very angry Oliver.
"I didn't get the enemy pregnant Roy." Ollie raised his voice-borderline shouting.
"I'm a clone,I didn't exactly think I'd be able to 'produce'"
"Still didn't stop you after you had little lian here." Ollie said pointing at the one year playing on the floor with a toy.
"That's different." Roy said crossing his arms- not even he was sure what he meant.
"And how would that be?" Artemis intervened.
Roy was lost for words,he didn't really have an explanation of how it was different.
"Because we've been trying for another baby for a while." Jade said or rather lied. They hadn't been trying for another child nor were they sure they wanted another child.
"You just said that you-" Dinah started.
"Yes well we lied,we didn't want to jinx our luck." Jade continued the lie. Roy didn't know what she was playing at. But they all believed it and Roy wasn't getting his head chewed off by everyone there,
except his wife and daughter.
"Oh so that's why you guys are always doing it?" Wally said. Everyone in the room glared at him. "What? I mean they are very 'active'" that got a few "hm trues" from throughout the room.
"Yeah,that's why." Roy said looking at Jade who was looking more than amused.
"Well good luck,I hope that you are able to have another." Dinah said placing one hand on top of jades and one on top of Roy's.
"Thanks." They said at the same time.
"So how long have you been trying?" Artemis said still in shock. She had no idea her sister wanted another child.
"Um about...two months." Jade said looking at Roy for a reassuring look.
"Uh yeah,yeah. It was a few months after we'd found Roy that we decided we wanted another.. right." Roy said carrying on the lie.
"Dude that was ages ago,if you've been trying for two months then-" Wally was cut off by Roy.
"We didn't want another then! We were just talking about it."
"Y'Know how about we change the subject I mean Roy and I don't want to jinx our luck." Jade said
"Sure,so how about-" Dinah couldn't think.
"How about my lil sis tell us about how her and flash boy got together." Jade said teasingly which earned her a glare from artemis.
"Hey it's kid flash,why can't anybody get my name right." He murmured the last part annoyed at how hard it is for people to call him by his actual name.
"Fine,but after you can all tell us how you all got together. Okay so it was on New Year's Eve...
~Flashback~
It had just turned midnight. Wally scooped artemis up off her feet and carried her in bridal style.
"I should've did this a long time ago."
Artemis but her hand on wally's cheek whilst she said "ya think."
They shared a deep meaningful kiss and from then on became a couple.
~end of flashback~
"...and we went from hate to love so yeah now you know the story. Who's next?"
"Awh that was very touching arty although you could at least include some detail,what are you embarrassed about being all loved up?" Jade teased her little sister which caused both artemis and Wally to blush.
"No!" Artemis snapped quickly.
"Maybe you should tell us how you two got together." Wally demanded at Roy and Jade.
"You mean how we got together or when we started dating?" Jade said with a wink this time red was blushing. Everyone especially Oliver shot her a look of disgust.
"I think they mean when we started dating." Roy said carefully trying to not get looks himself which of course he did by the other two archers.
"Oh alright then, Roy do you want to tell it or-" Roy cut her off.
"I think it's best for everyone's sake that I tell it." Roy said as he glared at his wife to indicate she'd taken it too far and they were infront of family. "Okay so er, my cover had been blown in the shadows-"
Roy was cut off by Wally "wait you were in the shadows."
"For a while yes, Jade helped get me in. She convinced them I'd went rouge and the accepted me, anyways she helped me escape, risked everything for me and then we talked about our relationship.. so yeah that's how we er started dating." Roy finished.
"That's not how I remember it." Jade said pointing out her husbands lie. Everyone looked at him.
"Yes well I couldn't exactly tell them what really happened could I? Besides our daughters is present." Roy said and Wally could be heard quietly saying "Ew gross."
"I wasn't talking about that. Although you missed that out too." She sneered. Before adding "You forgot about my mother."
"Wait mom knew about you and Roy." Artemis said angrily.
"Of course we had to stay there a few times when we were staying low." Jade replied casually.
"Then how come I didn't know anything,or she never told me."
"Because you weren't living there anymore,oh but don't worry she kept us posted on you and Wally. Hey does Dinah and Ollie know about the night yo-"
Jade was cut off by a very eager artemis who didn't want anyone to know about that night. "No!"
"Anyways" Wally said moving off the subject. "How did you and Canary get together." Wally said nodding at the emerald archer.
"Well I guess you could say the attraction was always there." Ollie said looking lovingly into Dinah's eyes. "And one night I asked her to come out on a date with me and she said yes."
"And I'm glad I did." Dinah said as she intwined her fingers with Oliver's.
"But of course that was eight years ago now." Ollie said day dreamingly, imagining the good times.
"So, what now?" Wally said bored.
"I guess we could play a game." Oliver suggested.
"What kind?" Wally asked curiously.
"Well I think we have jenga,er some other ones like twister or Roy has some in his old room."
"Yeah those games aren't appropriate if you're driving." Roy said referring to his drinking games,which gained him a chuckle from both Wally and jade. "I guess there was that one game canary brought round one time,I think it was taboo."
"Hey Jade remember when we use to play that with dad when we were little." Artemis said smiling.
And Jade drew a smile like the one she was so famously named. "Oh yeah that was before mom left. You and me against mom and dad." They'd played it mostly with their father though. Which made both girls smile. One actual family memory they had of when their dad was a good father.
"So how about we play taboo then." Canary said as she stood to go get it.
"Sure" and "Why not" and "okays" were said at the same time.
When she returned they set up a game plan they'd work in teams of two. The first teams would consist of couples. The next would be Roy and Oliver, Artemis and Jade, then Wally and Dinah. The third round had Oliver and artemis, Roy and Wally, and Jade and Dinah playing together.
The winners in order:
The first round:
1). Oliver and Dinah.
2). Jade and Roy.
3). Artemis and Wally.
Second round winners:
1). Artemis and Jade.
2). Wally and Dinah.
3). Oliver and Roy.(because Oliver sucked at describing things to anyone other than Dinah.)
Third round winners.
1). Dinah and Jade. (because girl power.)
2). Wally and Roy.
3). Oliver and artemis (because artemis got a little frustrated during the end...somebody's on their time of the month)
Once they'd finished playing lian woke up from her little sleep she'd had on the rug in the living room. She started to run around a bit, feeling hyper until she fell over and started crying. Immediately Roy and Jade were up to go get their daughter. When they sat back down with their daughter in Roy's arms they both looked at her lovingly. After she'd calmed down she wanted aunt arty-who was the best Aunty your child could wish for-she spoilt lian and babysat her a lot more than any other family member would in a normal family.
The two played on the floor with some large toy bricks and put them together. Whilst everyone else talked. Wally went onto the floor to join the two as the other couples went into the kitchen.
Wally looked at artemis before saying "Wow you're really good at this whole aunt thing."
She looked back at him "And you're pretty good at this whole uncle thing too" she said back before placing a kiss on his lip.
Lian just clapped at the two as they ended their kiss-kissing was nothing knew to lian after all her parents were Roy and Jade, she may be a toddler but she'd not completely blind even if she doesn't understand. "You never really said if you wanted kids... y'Know when Roy and Jade were talking about how they are 'trying' for another." Artemis and Wally could tell that Roy and Jade weren't trying for another child- Jade was just being defensive of her husband and it ended up as a lie,although Oliver and Dinah were oblivious to the lie.
"What are you on about bay watch." Artemis said avoiding the question.
"I'm talking about us having a baby." She looked at him wide eyed. " I mean not yet just y'Know someday in the near future." He finished.
"Well I mean I do want to have kids but not yet bay watch. Can we at least finish university first. Besides I want a ring before a baby." She said as she focused all her attention on little lian. This left Wally speechless as the other couples returned.
It was getting late and Roy and Jade really needed to be going to put lian to bed, as did arty and Wally they needed to be back home after all they had forgotten to bring the dog with them. So they said their goodbyes at the hallway near the front door. Artemis and Wally were behind Roy and Jade, and Jade turned around to everyone.
"Well,this has certainly been eventful. I can't wait for Christmas. See you all at ours." Jade said as she,lian and Roy hurried to the car before anyone could say a word or object. Yep Christmas would definitely be fun- especially with the rest of the crock family being there.