The Blonde in the Black
by angellwings
Oliver cocked his head to the side as he studied the JSA painting. They were helping Carter and Courtney repair the Brownstone. Oliver had looked up for merely a second and had thought he saw some one familiar in the painting. He was now frozen in front of it trying to place one of the figures. He turned to Clark.
"Hey, does she look familiar to you?" Oliver asked as he motioned to the right side of the painting.
"Who?" Clark asked.
"The blonde in the black," Oliver told him. He froze as the words left his mouth, "The blonde in the black!"
"No, that can't be…Canary?" Clark asked in disbelief. "But when we came across her she was just getting started. This group dates back to at least the seventies."
"Chloe did say some of the team had families and children."
"Dinah's related to someone in the JSA? You think?" Clark asked.
"How else do you explain the revealing black outfit and mask?" Oliver said sarcastically.
"Maybe she knew about the JSA and used them as inspiration," Clark observed.
"Before Lois blew the story wide open no one outside of the Society and the government knew these guys existed, Clark," Oliver reminded him. "I know how we could get an official answer though."
"Call Chloe?" Clark asked with a grin.
"Yep," Oliver said as he pulled out his phone and walked away. "Hey, Watchtower. No, no emergency. You looked up the other members of the JSA and their families for Carter right? Anyone we know on that list? Okay, call me back."
Once Oliver hung up he and Clark returned to staring at the painting. Carter walked in and furrowed his brow at the two young heroes. His boots crunched against the glass on the floor and he shook his head.
"Nice to know you two are so good at sweeping," He muttered sarcastically. "What has you two so interested in that old painting?"
Oliver didn't bother to turn as he answered, "We know her!"
"Her who?"
"The blonde in the black."
Carter smiled fondly, "Oh, Dinah? Where in the world did you guys meet Dinah?"
Now Clark and Oliver were really confused. It couldn't be their Dinah in the painting, but Carter had just told them it was. They gave Carter shocked looks.
"Dinah Lance?" Clark asked to clarify.
"Yes, Dinah Lance," Carter said slowly as if they were hard of hearing.
"But…I'm confused," Oliver sighed. "So very very confused."
"I'm not surprised," Carter said dryly.
Oliver's phone rang and he immediately answered, "Hey, Chloe what can you tell me? Really? Maybe it's not her secret to tell. Yeah, thanks a lot, Chloe."
"Well?" Clark asked eagerly.
"Our Dinah's mother was his Dinah," Oliver said as he motioned to Carter.
"Her and her mother are both named Dinah?" Clark asked. "That's confusing."
"Wait, you guys were talking about Dinah Laurel? The only one of you, other than Clark, that I actually like?" Carter asked with a grin.
Oliver smirked, "Laurel? Canary's middle name is Laurel? Oh, I am so filing that away for a more useful time."
"I forgot she was your team's Canary," Carter chuckled. "She does a good job taking up after her mother. She's a little more impulsive than her mom, but she's young…she'll learn. Man, I haven't seen that kid since she was about seven. I bet she's a looker. Is she?"
Oliver smiled and nodded, "Oh yeah."
Carter glared at him, "You're walking on thin ice, boy."
"What?" Oliver said. "You're the one that asked."
Carter rolled his eyes and tossed a broom at Oliver, "Get to sweeping, kid."
Clark laughed softly at Oliver as he caught the broom. Clark's phone rang and he quickly picked up, "Lois? Yeah, I'll be there in a few minutes."
He hung up and shrugged at Oliver, "The Intrepid Reporter calls."
"You're just gonna leave me with the grumpy pigeon over there?" Oliver asked desperately.
"Sorry, I can't stand Lois up twice in one week. She'll kill me," Clark told him as he disappeared with a blur and a breeze.
"So much for boy scout," Oliver muttered angrily.
"Oh wow, this place hasn't changed a bit!" a new voice called from the doorway.
"It's been a while since I've been here, but it looks the same as I remember it."
Oliver froze. That was his Canary. She was here?
"Carter!" The new voice called.
"Dinah!" Carter explained as he moved across the room. "Speak of the devil."
"Oliver?" His Dinah called out to him. He turned and smiled.
"Dinah Laurel," He chuckled.
"What are you doing here?"
"If you would have checked your messages from Chloe you would know, wouldn't you?" Oliver teased.
"Dinah? Who's that?"
"Just a friend, mom."
"He's one of the young ones, Di," Carter told her. "Along with your daughter."
Dinah winced and shook her head.
"What do you mean 'along with'? My Dinah isn't…are you?" The elder Dinah Lance asked her daughter.
"I, um, well—"
"Dinah Laurel Lance, what were you thinking?"
"You know, most mothers would be thrilled if their daughters followed in their footsteps."
"Most mothers don't spend every night of their lives investigating drug rings and fighting hardened psychotic criminals," She said.
"Can we not talk about this now?"
"Fine, but this isn't over," The mother said with a glare at her daughter. Dinah Laurel rolled her eyes and turned back to Oliver.
He chuckled, "Mommy didn't know?"
She nodded, "Mommy didn't approve so mommy didn't know."
"My knives are still here!" The elder Dinah cooed as Carter showed her the display cases.
Oliver nodded, "I've seen them. They look exactly like yours."
The younger Dinah nodded, "I stole some mom had stashed around her house."
"Why didn't you tell us about your…heritage?" Oliver asked.
"I've learned it's easier to make a name for myself when no one knows how awesome my predecessor was," Dinah told him honestly. "Did you know she was the first woman inducted into the JSA? That's a lot to live up to."
Oliver smiled at her, "I don't know, I think you're doing a pretty good job."
"Thank you, but she rocked those fishnets long before I did and with out certain advantages that I have," Dinah said as she stared up at the painting on the wall.
"Then I guess you'll just have to set your own standards," Oliver said encouragingly. "You're good at this, and don't ever tell yourself otherwise."
"Wow," Dinah said in an impressed tone.
"What?"
"That was a compliment that didn't have a backhanded remark hooked on the end of it."
Oliver cleared his throat, "Yeah, I'm trying something new."
"And what's that?"
"Letting people know how I really feel, and not covering it up by being a jack ass," He sighed. "I'm quoting Pigeon Boy, in case you're wondering."
She nodded, "I like it, but I do kind of miss the sarcasm. It's cute."
"Really? Cute, huh?"
"Oh, shut up," Dinah laughed as she smacked him lightly.
Oliver cleared his throat, "By the way…Watchtower may have read some of our e-mails."
Dinah sighed, "Big sister watching us again?"
He shrugged, "She thinks it's her job."
"Did she ever think to just call us and check in every now and then? It's a little less…violating," Dinah told him.
"I may have told her they were platonic…were they?" He asked honestly.
"Well, that depends. Let's think about this. We would get a good thing going and then you would randomly avoid me for days, and once you came back the same cycle started all over again. So in order to answer your question, I need to know the answer to one of my own. Are you going to bail on me again? Or are you done being an egotistical jerk?"
"Ouch, you don't soften the blow do you?"
"That was me softening the blow."
His eyes widened, "Ouch, again."
"Well?"
"I'd like to say yes, but I'm just not sure. I mean I'm trying but…"
"Until you can confidently answer yes, Robin Hood, those e-mails are going to have to stay 'platonic'," She told him kindly. "Call me when your answer contains fewer words."
"How do I know you'll be available when that happens?" He asked curiously.
"You don't. The longer it takes you to shape up the less likely it is that I'll be available," She warned him. "So, try not to miss your chance, lover boy."
"Wow," He said with a chuckle.
"What?"
"I really need to introduce you to Mia. She would love you."
"Mia?"
"Um, I'm training her. She's really good. I mean she's unfocused but talented," He said. He was afraid Dinah might suspect what Lois suspected about Mia.
"You've got a student?" Dinah asked with a smile. "A student that you're not sleeping with or planning to sleep with?"
"Um, no, definitely not," Oliver said with a slightly disgusted look.
Dinah laughed, "I'm impressed, and…proud. I should definitely meet her. Tell her to call me sometime."
"I'll do that," He agreed.