Finding Home

The moment the cargo door closed, Nate turned to Ray to introduce himself properly.

"Hi," he said, holding out his hand, and moving closer, "I'm Nate—"

Ray took a step back, lips curling up to bare his teeth as he snarled.

Nate's eyes widen in surprise, and slight fear. Mick, who had been watching the Omega all the way back to the ship; did not look one ounce of surprised as he settled between the two, facing Ray.

"Alright Haircut," he said, voice firm, "let's get you cleaned up."

Ray glanced at him, then back at Nate. Mick raised a brow when the Omega gave a low rumble. Nate squeaked.

"Haircut," Mick said again, this time his voice was laced with a growl, "look at me."

When Ray doesn't, the Alpha slowly reached up, placed his hand on the back of the Omega's neck, and squeezed. Ray went tensed; eyes' locking onto Mick who squeezed again. There is a tension for what felt like forever, then Ray whimpered, and his shoulders slumped. Mick doesn't let go.

"Alright?" the Alpha asked.

Ray shrugged, deliberately not looking at Nate.

Mick grunted, he looked over his shoulder at Nate, "Don't touch anything, come on Haircut, let's get you cleaned up before you start stinking up the place."

With his hand still in place, Mick lead Ray down the hall to his room, it took some coaxing to get the Omega to go inside the bathroom. The good doctor seem to find the small bathroom uncomfortably closed in, thankfully he did nothing more than tense when the shaving laser started up, and the promise of warm water had Ray stripping and into the shower easily. Mick watched from the door, eyes tracing the thinner frame and scars that were never there before, particularly the large claw mark on the Omega's back. Leaving that for later, Mick left Ray to his shower, left the room to get a beer. Once the bottle was in his hand, he headed to Ray's room, found a set of clothes, and headed back. Gideon informing him that Ray had finished his shower along the way.

Ray was indeed done with his shower; he was also naked, wet, and smelling like the body wash the Alpha had taken a liking to during one of their supplies run. Mick doesn't say anything at first, just watched as the Omega stood in the middle of his room with a look in his eyes that Mick himself had when he had first come back to the team.

Lost.

"You'll get sick like that."

Ray whipped around, body dropping into a defensive stance, fingers twitching for a weapon no longer there.

Mick doesn't move.

Ray blinked, and he straightened up, expression apologetic. Mick took a step forward, stopping when Ray flinched.

"You've been pretty quiet," the Alpha said after a moment, "thought you would have talked my ears off by now."

"H—Habit," Ray stuttered out, voice hoarse, as though he hadn't used it in a long time.

Mick hummed as he moved further into the room, he placed the beer, and clothes down. He went into the bathroom, coming back out with a towel.

"Here."

Ray took it, and dried himself, when Mick turned his attention to the clothes; Ray put them on. Only to take all but the boxers off after a few minutes of tugging, and scratching at them, Mick doesn't make mention of it. The state of the clothes Haircut had been wearing previously giving him a good clue as to the reason, instead he ordered the Omega to bed, and Ray does, curling up in the middle of Mick's mattress, facing the door. The Omega nuzzled into the pillow that he had pressed up to his chest, before settling down with a sigh that spoke volumes. Grabbing his beer, Mick sat down in his chair that faced the bed, and went about finishing it off.

~.~

They are still in the Temporal Zone trying to locate the other Legends, when Nate entered the kitchen for a quick break. He stopped short upon seeing Ray sitting at the table picking at his food.

"Erm, hi," Nate said nervously.

Ray nodded, and Nate nervously moved around the kitchen, the Omega's gaze following. It's uncomfortably quiet, which does nothing for Nate's nerves, the poor man nearly dropping the coffee pot when a voice spoke up.

"Thank you."

Placing the pot back on the coffee burner, Nate looked over his shoulder at Ray, the Omega wasn't looking at him anymore, but was staring down at his food. "For helping," Ray said.

"Oh, erm, no problem." Nate scratched the back of his head, feeling one part awkward, and one part pleased.

"….And sorry," Ray spoke up again, "about before."

"Oh, that! Um, I think I should be the one to apologize, it didn't cross my mind that you wouldn't react kindly to some strange Beta-Omega approaching you."

Something flicker in Ray's expression that made Nate feel as though he had missed something, whatever it was, the Omega made no mention of it. Just smile politely, and went back to eating…well poking at his food. Confused, Nate went back to making his coffee. Once done, he debated on whether or not he should sit down with Ray, the decision was made for him when Ray looked at him once more, practically staring him down. Uncomfortable again, Nate all but ran out the room, almost bumping into Mick.

Once safely in his research area, Nate sat down with a sigh of relief.

Betas, had three genders. Beta, Beta-Alpha, and Beta-Omega. Nate was a Beta-Omega, meaning that he had all the physical and characteristics of an Omega, but without the Heats and getting pregnant. He also knew that Omegas did not react kindly to other Omegas not family members, or Pack, and that included Beta-Omegas.

He didn't think it would be this bad.

Especially with Raymond Palmer, who everyone, even other Omegas, he's talked to said he was the nicest person ever, if a little eccentric.

"Kind of suck," the Beta thought with a dejected sigh.

Out of all the Legends, he had been looking forward to meeting Doctor Palmer the most.

Later, he emerged once more, this time to stretch his legs, as he is passing an open doorway, Mick's voice echoed out. Telling Ray that if he's going to hide food at least hide it in places where he wouldn't accidentally squash it. The Historian stopped, brow furrowing as something click.

He really did miss something.

~.~

By the time they find Sara, Ray is talking, and kept his clothes on for more than a few minutes. Mick doesn't say anything about the nightmare, the fact that he was still a bit jumpy, or that he was still hoarding food.

"Sure you're up to it Haircut?" Mick asked as they prepare to time jump.

"Pretty sure."

"That's not exactly a yes."

"Not a no either."

Shaking his head, Mick concentrated on landing.

~.~

The happiness at seeing her teammates alive went away the moment she bordered the ship, and Ray flinched away when she touched his arm. It was replaced with a kind of hurt she knew she deserved when the Omega then hurried out the cargo bay.

"Living in Jurassic Park for fifteen months can miss with ya," Mick said, gently bumping against her shoulder before also leaving, the new guy scurrying to following, looking all kinds of uncomfortable.

Welcome back Ms. Lance.

"Thanks Gideon," Sara sighed, then after a moment headed for her room.

It was a bit of a mess, but nothing had broken which was good. Sighing again, she striped of her time period clothes, and went into her bathroom, moaning in pleasure.

She had missed showering sooo much.

Getting out only when the water turned cold, Sara wrapped a towel around her, and emerged from the bathroom.

A sandwich, and a glass of apple juice was waiting for her.

It was missing the mustard, but it was the best thing she had ever eaten in a long time. After downing the juice, she settled down on her bed with a happy sigh.

Another thing she had missed.

However, Ray and the team were still at the top of the list.

~.~

It didn't take much for Sara to get Mick to tell her exactly what was wrong with Ray, yet she was still surprised when she had accidently startled the Omega, and barely avoided getting beaten in the face with a book.

"I am so sorry!" Ray gasped, dropping the book like a hot potato.

"It's fine," Sara waved away the apology, glancing at Nate who was watching with surprised eyes.

The fact that Ray was in the same room as the Beta said a lot.

Turning her attention back at Ray, she found that he still looked troubled, "I was checking in." She said.

"Nothing on Rip," Ray said after a moment, "but I think Nate may have a lead on the Professor and Jax. We were checking to confirm."

"That's good, and you guys? Are you okay?" The Alpha's eyes stayed on the Omega's face, her voice taking a much softer tone. "Been in here for a while."

There is understanding in Ray's eyes, and Sara expected them to become closed off, instead they gleam with something else, and Ray gave her a little smile.

"Good as can be," he said, "and you? Being almost burned at the stake for being a witch couldn't have been fun."

"It wasn't" Sara smiled a little, "however, the reason for it was."

Ray chuckled, "I'm sure the girls of that village feel the same way."

"Although being called a witch wasn't very nice."

"Depends on your definition of witch," Ray shrugged, "not all witches are evil…or have boils….though they may have beauty marks, like the one you have on your—"

"Hey, you promised never to mention that," Sara pouted.

Eyes a bit more mischievous, Ray smiled.

~.~

Once the doors closed, Jax found himself being all but groped by Ray, an odd look in the eyes as the Omega's hands roamed his body.

"Erm, Raymond?" Stein said he moved closer to the two.

"I wouldn't—" Mick started, but it was too late as Stein placed his hand on Ray's shoulder.

The Professor jumped, and took a step back when Ray tensed, and snarled at the man.

"Tried to warn ya," Mick sighed, though he doesn't move as he watched Ray pull Jax closer toward him glancing at everyone in warning, chest rumbling.

"What—?"

"The period Ray was in for over a year, changed him." Sara explained.

"Well obviously," Stein said, watching as Ray started sniffing his other half, to his credit, Jax patiently stood there and let the Omega have at it. Both halves of Firestorm made a startled noise when Ray then promptly lifted Jax up and started making his way out, and down the hall.

"What is he doing now?!" Stein demanded when he tried to follow, and Sara wouldn't let him.

~.~

Once in the room, and placed on his feet, Jax turned to look at Ray. The Omega was twitchy for lack of better words, tugging on his shirt, and shifting on his feet.

"You okay?" The young Alpha asked.

"N-Not really," Ray said, stuttering much to Jax's surprise.

The Omega hardly ever stuttered.

"The time period really got to you, huh?" And not just in behavior either, Jax noticed, taking in how much thinner the man was.

"….A little."

Smiling, Jax looked around the room, they were in Ray's room. "What do you need?"

Ray doesn't answer, but he does tilt his head toward the bathroom, it took the Alpha a moment to figure out what he wanted, then he went in.

"Um, no, no way are you watching me undress, and shower." Jax said when it became obvious that Ray wasn't going to look away. "I'll leave the door open," the Alpha then sighed when Ray didn't move from the doorway, "I'm going to need some clothes."

Ray, after a moment, nodded, and turned away. Presumably to finally give Jax some privacy so he can get out of his time period clothing and into the shower. As well as to get the young man some clothes. Enjoying the hot water, Jax doesn't come out for a long while, smelling like Ray's soap when he does, having deliberately used it knowing that it would calm the Omega down. There are clothes waiting for him, they are big, and baggy. They also were clean, soft, and smelt like Ray.

He dressed, and came out the bathroom; Ray was standing there, looking very much anxious, which is the Alpha's only warning before he's being probed again. Ray making small almost distressed noises in the back of his throat.

"Hey, hey, Ray." Jax said, voice soothing. "Ray, look at me."

It took a bit more coaxing, but Ray finally looked at the young Alpha, Jax smiled, making sure that his teeth weren't bared. "I'm good, I'm fine. Everything's fine."

Ray doesn't nod, but does calm down, and that's it before Jax's lifted once more and placed on the Nest that was Ray's bed. Ray curled around him, the Omega's back to the door, his head tucked underneath the good doctor's chin and a heavy arm is draped over him.

Surrounded by warmth, and Ray, Jax's body goes limp so quickly he's surprised by it. Apparently the Omega wasn't the only who needed calming, and comfort. Ray purred, and Jax sighed happily, rumbling back. His hands kneading the sheets, he raised a brow when felt something underneath it. He dug around, and found one of Sara's knives, amused, and curious on how he never noticed it before, he placed it back and settled back down. It's then that he felt it.

Gray's worried.

~.~

"Ray said that to survive he had to rely more on his Omega instincts, and it's going to take a while to settle them." Sara explained after she stopped Stein from following a second time.

"That still doesn't explain why he took Jefferson away."

"It's no secret the kid is practically Haircut's Pup," Mick spoke up from where he was lodging, "probably just went in his room to hide him in his Nest or something, after we had to fight our way out and the kid almost got beheaded. Best you don't barge in."

Stein wanted to barge in, and more likely would have done so regardless of Mick's warning, if it wasn't for Jax. His other's half emotional state suddenly hitting was a surprise, but he quickly worked out that the younger was fine, and that he should just leave them alone.

Stein sent back that he wasn't happy about it.

Jax sent back that he found a few of Sara's knives within the Nest Ray had him in, and he was pretty sure the Omega would use them.

Sighing, Stein sent back he understood, "Ms. Lance, you wouldn't happen to be missing a few knives would you?"

~.~

Against his better judgment, Nate stopped by Ray's room.

The door is closed, which according to Professor Stein was odd, and usually meant three things. Either something was wrong, Ray was asleep, or Ray was having sex with someone. The last bit made Nate blush, and a bit curious, but that was for later. Cautiously, and half hoping he didn't walk in on something…awkward (which would have been uncomfortable in many ways.). The Beta took a step closer, and the door slide open.

The room is dimmed, but thanks to the light from the hall, Nate could make out the Nest that was Ray's bed. In it, was Jax who was asleep, and curled up against Ray.

Ray on the other hand, was very much awake, and staring at Nate. Unlike the first time, the gaze wasn't hostile, instead it was more of a weary curiosity.

"Erm, just checking in."

Ray doesn't say, or do anything.

Then he smiled, kind, soft, and warm.

"….Wow." The Beta thought.

~.~

Rip is gone.

Something in Ray cracked.

~.~

"Hey." Sara fall into step with Ray, and while she doesn't touch him, her fingers brush against his.

Ray doesn't flinch away.

"About what I said before, about you being—"

"A billionaire boy scout?" Ray said, voice just a little teasing, "You weren't all wrong."

"Yeah, but, you're more than that." Sara smiled at him.

Ray doesn't smile back, but his fingers do entwine with her. "Thanks….and we will get justice for your sister."

Though she doesn't respond back, she pressed closer to the Omega's side(the feeling of his thinner frame scratches at her instincts and she didn't want to let the Omega come along until he was over a hundred percent better, but, she knew better when it came to Ray), and her hand linked hand squeezed his.

Of course, that's when the JSA showed up.


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