Tis the season for friends and family and all things merry, not to mention the occasional Christmas parties. One party, in particular, is tonight, on Christmas Eve, and entertains many of the whos-who in the heart of Metropolis. The hosts of this exclusive event are an elite couple from Star City, The Queens. Their guests vary from family and old friends to fellow business tycoons and politician. Even some superheroes make an appearance, though no one really knows for they decided to hang their cape for the night.
In the entrance to the grand ballroom of one of Metropolis's most glorious hotels stands Oliver Queen, welcoming guests with his wife Chloe Sullivan-Queen at his side.
"So how long exactly are we suppose to be standing here for," asked Chloe after welcoming yet another couple, "not that I'm complaining or anything but this is kind of, well boring."
Oliver couldn't help but laugh at Chloe's honesty. She may have been right but it was not very typical for hosts to be so blunt, especially when it came to their personal events. But then again even though Chloe was good at the social aspects of their life, she had never been typical with it, which was one of the many things that Oliver loved about her.
"We'll join the party in a bit," Oliver responded before reminding her, "The invitations did say 7."
"6.45, close enough," retorted Chloe, "beside everyone is basically here already."
"We are the hosts Chloe," said Oliver.
"So that means we have to talk to every guest," asked Chloe, with exaggerated exhaustion.
"You know this party was your idea," he reminded her, teasingly.
"Well yeah," began Chloe before pausing, wondering if and how she wanted to tell Oliver her reasoning. She decided honesty was the best choice and continued, "You told me a Christmas Eve party was a Queen family tradition, and we are the Queen family, right?"
Realization dawned on Oliver's; he had been curious for so long about her desire to host an event, especially one as big as a Christmas party. He should have guessed, she was always able to think so far ahead of him, and that fact has always made him feel so fortunate.
He was beaming with a smile before kissing his wife on the forehead with gratitude. The gesture brought an equally bright small on the petite blonde's face.
"This is more of a trial run though," Chloe further explained, "starting next year we are going to be so Christmas-ee that Santa Claus himself will be jealous."
The boldness of her statement just made him laugh. This Christmas was already turning into one of the best he could remember in a long time.
"With you, I have no doubt," commented Oliver as he leaned towards his wife and whisper into her ear, "I love you."
The two were completely engulfed with each other. So much so that when Chloe leaned in to passionately kiss her husband, neither blonde realized that another couple was making their way in.
"Making out in the doorway," interrupted a male voice, causing the Queens to reluctantly separate to welcome their new guests. To their surprise, it was two people they never would have expected.
"Is that really how you want to welcome your guests now," continued Lex Luthor.
Chloe ignored the attempted insult for her sights were on his company. "Lana! Oh my gosh," Chloe squealed as she raced over to embrace her old friend, "what an amazing surprise."
When the two eventually broke their embrace, Chloe continued to have a tight hold on Lana's hands, wanting to truly express the love and joy she felt in seeing her old friend.
"Look at you," Chloe remarked, making note of the brunettes pregnant radiance before asking, "how far along are you?"
"Due any day now actually" Lana quickly answered. Wanting to keep the topic away from her she added, "and what about you, you look absolutely beautiful."
"Thank you," Chloe graciously responded.
Meanwhile, Lex opted for his usual single word greeting and, as pleasantly as he could muster, said, "Oliver."
"Lex," responded Oliver before adding his own little quirky comment, "I didn't know the devil let you celebrate the holidays."
Chloe could feel Lana recoil at the offhanded comment as she pulled both hands away from her. Chloe then turned her attention, and displease, to Oliver.
"Ollie, play nice," she warned.
"Of course," teased Oliver, who, to Chloe's discontent, decided the best thing to do now was an overdramatic bow, "Luthors' welcome."
Oliver took Mrs. Luthor's hand and said, "Lana you look positively glowing."
Which a grin on his face the boy billionaire straightened back up and winked at his wife to ask, "better?"
This time Chloe didn't feel that a look would suffice. So as Oliver returned to his place beside her, Chloe decided to gift his dramatics with an elbow to the side.
"Ow. What? I was being serious," Oliver responded to her violent response before turning back towards the Luthors to add, "Lana you look great, you two must be really happy."
"Yeah, I, we, couldn't be happier," Lana responded as she took her place at Lex's side once again as well.
'I've said that line so many times in the last 8 months that not even you could hint at the truth, Chloe,' Lana thought to herself.
During this exchange of dramatics and passive-aggressive hatred, another one of the Queen's guest made her arrival.
"Mrs. Kent," Oliver exclaimed joyously at the sight of the Senator. She looked regal as she entered, in an elegant red, off-the-shoulder gown with a plunging neckline.
"I was worried you wouldn't make it," Chloe expressed as she ran over to embrace the older woman.
"And be away from my family," she responded as she held Chloe tight, "what's Christmas without family."
"I couldn't agree more," Oliver chimed in, as he followed Chloe in welcoming Mrs. Kent with an embrace, "it's nice to you again Madame Senator."
"You as well Oliver," greeting Mrs. Kent, "I can already tell that is going to be quite the event you two."
"Thank you," responded the blondes.
"But all the credit goes to Chloe," added Oliver, "this is all hers."
"Hey, you were the inspiration," corrected Chloe, "it's ours like it should be."
While greeting Chloe and Oliver, Martha caught sight of Lana and for a moment she wanted to be happy to see her, but it didn't last. Even though the two were close at one point, after Lana's departure to Europe, still Mrs. Lex Luthor, estrangement was inevitable.
There was a lull, and Martha considered her options. At one point she had loved Lana like a daughter, and part of her wanted to be happy to see the young woman again, to be celebrating her pregnancy but that wasn't possible. As time went by she couldn't defend the choices Lana had made; she had no joy in knowing the woman Lana had become, not anymore.
"Mrs. Kent," Oliver addressed, breaking Martha's inner turmoil, as he put out his arm to ask, "would you allow me the honor of escorting you for a while."
"Of course Oliver," smiled Martha taking the tall blonde's arm.
The pair took their leave to enter the main ballroom while engaging in some much-needed catch-up. Though the two were not ever personally close, they valued what the other meant to the ones they loved most.
"I have to admit, I was quite surprised that you two decided to celebrate Christmas in Metropolis this year," began Martha.
"Yeah, it must seem strange to most people," Oliver responded, "but between Chloe and I traveling so much this year and Queen manor not really being ready for occupancy just yet, Star City just doesn't feel like home right now."
Mrs. Kent grinned as she remarked, "you realize how you are lucky, right, that girl gives with all her heart."
"I know," Oliver says, smiling at the thought of his kind, brave, beautiful wife "she is so much more than I could have ever imagined myself to deserve."
"You love each other, purely and honestly and with everything you have," commented Martha, "that's what both of you deserve."
"Thank you, Mrs. Kent," Oliver said as he squeezed her hand tightly to show his gratitude, "coming from you that means more than you know."
"Now before anything else I feel like I need to apologize in advance," Oliver said, changing his love phased tone to one more serious.
Martha was suddenly feeling skeptical as she asked, "for what."
"I have tried so hard," Oliver began, "but Bart just continues to fail at grasping the whole inside voice thing."
"I just felt obligated to warn you that when you hear a loud-"
But before he had a chance to finish there was a loud "Mama Kent," from an excited Bart across the room.
This resulted in Oliver feeling a moment of concern, as he awkwardly laughed off the pointed looks of his guests. A stark contrast to the gentle smile dawned by Martha at the sight of her smiling son as he and Lois watched Diana scorn a now scared Bart for his outburst.
"Like I said," remarked Martha, mostly to herself, "what's Christmas without family.