The Timeline Changes

By: Malaizjan De Jesus

The time was at hand.

The tides were turning.

The Legion of Doom was poised for victory.

And the Heroes were clueless to see…

Orin & Areina were having a midnight picnic in the back of his home, which had a large pool and a deck overhang. The two young adults were having a late dinner-both were on missions. So the ribs, corn & mushroomed pasta tastes great on an empty stomach.

Just don't call Kid Flash.

Areina put her corn-on-the-cob down onto her plate. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked.

Orin sat up a little straighter. "About Marik?"

"Yeah." Areina reached over to touch his webbed hands.

Orin knew she was going to ask. In fact, she was the last to ask him. The rest of the team had already done so, learning of the young man that never got to grow up with him, Mathen, Carlos, Brian, Vincent and Meygan. "Because we were the first three born. We were best friends." He sighed. "To lose a best friend for being born…There are times I think about him…when me and Mathen were in the school plays. I miss him."

Areina held him to her. Her head was over his and she had both arms around him. "I'm sorry, Orin."

"Don't be," he told her. "I remember him a bit more than Mathen. So we do talk about him privately…"

"It's a quiet night," Areina told him.

Orin stared up at Areina's face. "Let's go swimming."
"Huh?" Red Bird let go of Orin.

"Let's go swimming." Orin got up and helped Areina to her feet. "We can leap from the deck." Aqualad tore his shirt off over his head.

Areina blushed.

Orin then pulled off his pants and Areina's blush deepened. He was only in his boxers. "Go on. Get undressed."

"Um…I don't have a bathing suit."

"Don't worry. Just strip down." Orin smiled before climbing onto the deck railing. "I won't do anything you're not ready for, Areina." Orin then dove into the pool below.

Areina pulled off her red tank top. She hesitated before her gray shorts came off next. Her satin blue bra and matching boy short set glowed in the moonlight. She ran down the steps, popped off her heeled sandals and jumped in.

While the two took a moonlit swim, Kevin and Meygan snuck into Meygan's room. The teen couple was going to the Fortress of Solitude so Meygan could practice. She was wearing the gown she brought back from Camelot and Kevin loved the dress.

"So I'll take you to the pool inside the fortress. You can practice in peace," Kevin told her.

"Okay. You better hope my dad doesn't blow a gasket."

"I told my parents. And your mom knows too." Kevin activated the Boom Tube.

Kaldur walked by the kitchen window to check on the two. He saw the two in the pool and walked away.

Across the way, Dick was standing on his back porch/deck, fuming. He had a tight hold on the railing. It cracked under his grip.

"Dick?" Serenity said, walking onto the deck to be with him. Her stomach was now showing her pregnancy. And all of the grown males were overprotective. But M'gann had it worse. And she was about due.

"They're swimming in Kaldur's pool," Dick said tightly. "In her bra and panties."

"Pepping Tom." Serenity grabbed his ear. "She is a grown woman now. Let her and Orin enjoy themselves. You hated it when Bruce watched us."

"She's my sister's daughter."

"With her mother's meta power. I already had a talk with him. If he forces himself on her, he will be turned into a toad."

Dick started for Kaldur's home but was yanked back by the ear she still held. "OW!"

"You and I will leave them be."

Over at Artemis' home…

Artemis watched as Wally, aka the Flash, take a huge bite out of the 4th piece of sample cake. "Well?" she asked him.

"All of them! I can't decide on one!"

"You are no help!" she said to him.

"But you still love me, babe." Wally pulled Artemis to him. She tried to get out of his hold.

"This is serious, Wally!" We have a week to plan this wedding!"

"I know. But why can't Serenity and M'gann help us?" Wally asked, grinning.

"They are pregnant!" Artemis hissed at him.

"So are you," Wally reminded her. He let go of Artemis only to drop to his knees and kiss her stomach. All this time, he wondered what a child with Artemis would be like. He was going to have Vincent as a son. And his own son, Brian, would at long last have a mom.

"I'm not nearly as far as them. And asking our pregnant friends to bake is crazy!"

"Can't we have a tier cake? One tier for each flavor?" Wally asked, pouting.

Artemis sighed in defeat. "Fine. A 4 tier cake."

"Great! All the more for me!" Wally picked Artemis up and carried her over to her bedroom. He kicked open her door and walked over to her bed. He lay her down onto it gently.

"Wally…" Artemis shook her head. The Flash has been protective of her since the two decided to try again. And he really was trying hard not to make her mad. She loved him for it.

"You need to rest. Don't work so much. I can do some of the planning."

"Wally." Artemis caught his hand. "I'm not Claire. I'm not sick." She knew that Wally really loved his first wife, Claire. She died giving him his son. So she knew what he was thinking.

It then dawned on the speedster. "Arty, I'm sorry…"

"Don't be. I understand. She was fighting cancer. It's sweet." Artemis faked a yawn for his sake. "I could use a nap. Thanks."

"I'll call in the cake order." Wally turned to leave.

"Wally? You forgot something."

Smiling, Wally walked back over to Artemis and kissed her.

Artemis grabbed Wally's shirt and pulled him onto the bed with her.

"But the cake-!"

"Order later!" Artemis told him.

Wally was ready to go. But something in his mind was nagging him. However, he ignored it.

The time was at hand.

The tides were turning.

The Legion of Doom was poised for victory.

And the heroes were clueless to see.

History was going to change…