CHAPTER FOUR

In the end, Kara suggested the solution to honoring her Kryptonian heritage - a public ceremony for Green Arrow and Supergirl, where odd traditions wouldn't look out of place. Oliver and Kara could be married privately, among their family and friends only.

Oliver gladly spent hours memorizing the parts he'd have to speak in Kryptonian. Now that the day had arrived, he felt oddly out of place at the old hangar where he and the others had been honored by the president after fighting off the invading Dominators. That event had, of necessity, been private. This event, however, was a novelty - a semi-public superhero wedding.

Thea had told him that no one who'd received an invitation had declined and, surveying the crowd that had gathered, he believed her. He shook his head, briefly, bringing himself back to the present and his duties as quasi-host.

Oliver knew how to make polite small talk thanks to years of watching his parents do the same, but this was the first time he'd done so in full kit. He hoped his discomfort didn't show.

But then, the guests seemed almost as uncomfortable as he felt, if their bland congratulatory responses to his, "Thank you for coming," or "It's good to see you," were anything to go by.

Then he remembered - he'd activated his voice modulator. Who wouldn't be uncomfortable being addressed with his Arrow-voice, even if this were a purely social event?

For that reason, he'd almost left his modulator behind. But there would be a few people in attendance who knew Oliver Queen and he wouldn't risk arousing their suspicions about his double-identity, especially when two of those people were Detective Billy Malone and the Channel 52 reporter, Susan Williams. Either of them could make his life much more difficult than it already was.

Although the crowd was crawling with superheroes - all of the Legends had come, as well as what Felicity called Team Flash and Team Arrow - long habit had Oliver scanning the crowd for security threats, even as he made his way toward the main entrance.

Lyla Michaels looked up from where she scanned the invitations of arriving guests, looking for counterfeits. Beside her, Alex Danvers, Winn Schott, and Hank Henshaw did the same. Henshaw, Oliver was told, was also scanning for hidden cameras or electronic devices. Oliver privately wondered how that might be possible, since the older man didn't appear to have any equipment.

Everyone in this room has secrets. Henshaw's aren't dangerous to me or to Kara. Not today, anyway.

"Status?" he asked, mindful of the Secret Service team escorting President Susan Brayden to the door.

"The president's the last to arrive," Lyla told him. "Henshaw assures me everyone's abided by the no-electronics rule."

Oliver looked up to meet the other man's eyes, nerves he'd never admit aloud making him seek confirmation. "You're certain?"

"I know my job," Henshaw countered. "What Schott didn't find, I did."

Oliver could almost hear Kara telling him not to worry so much, so he nodded once and hoped his tone was less brusque when he said, "Thanks."

Alex smiled at him and spoke quietly enough that even the Secret Service agents approaching the table wouldn't hear. "We're all nervous today - nothing like this has been done before, on either of our worlds."

"Superman, Firestorm, and Atom are making one last aerial sweep of the area before we get started," Winn added.

Oliver nodded again, but before he could say anything else, the president spoke.

"Green Arrow."

Instinctively, Oliver straightened his already-straight posture. "Madam President."

She smiled. "I just wanted to wish you and Supergirl well. Is she here, or is it considered bad luck to see the bride?"

Oliver's lips twitched, briefly. "That's an Earth thing, Ma'am. Krypton has different customs. Supergirl, President Brayden is asking for you."

Seconds later, she was at his side, and Oliver had to force himself not to look at her. The moment he did, his reserve would crumble into sheer joy at her presence in his life, at the incredible, amazing fact that she'd agreed to marry him, and Green Arrow's image and reputation would never recover from grinning like an idiot, even at his own wedding.

"Madam President," Kara said, smiling for him. "I'm so glad you could come."

"My security detail is going crazy, not being in charge," Brayden replied. "But I told them there's no place more secure than here, not today. Congratulations."

Kara's smile widened even further. "Thank you, Ma'am. And thank you for welcoming me. I'm a stranger to your world, and you've made me feel like I was born here."

Brayden smiled. "The first thing you did was help repel an alien invasion. Since then, you've saved lives in fifty-six countries, and assisted with disaster relief in thirty more. I am sincerely honored to have made you an American citizen, and more grateful that you're one of the good guys."

Kara's lips parted, but before she could respond, the sound of a gong echoed through the hangar.

"That's our cue," Oliver said, and even he could be forgiven for returning Kara's joyful smile.

He offered her his hand, and they walked together toward the dais at the far end of the hangar. Superman waited for them there, and as they climbed the steps, he set aside the mallet he'd used to strike the gong.

He straightened and smiled first at Oliver and then, with more genuine warmth, at Kara, before looking out over the crowded hangar.

"Ladies, gentlemen, others." Superman pitched his voice to carry without shouting. Oliver respected the skill - it was a hard one to learn. "It's my pleasure and my great honor to welcome you to witness the joining of two people in that most sacred, most enduring of bonds - matrimony. The couple has asked the ceremony to follow Kryptonian traditions, but I think you'll find the intent similar, even if the details are different than what you're used to."

Though Oliver didn't take his gaze from Kara, a rustle from the crowd told them that many were shifting position, presumably for better vantage points. The ceremony and reception were standing only, a subtle nudge to the guests not to linger - the longer they lingered, the greater the chance of someone overhearing or seeing something they shouldn't.

"In ancient times," Superman continued, "Kryptonian couples exchanged ceremonial headbands, which were then bound together to symbolize their binding union. In practice, it made the couple more like conjoined twins for the rest of the ceremony, so I think you can understand why that tradition died out."

A ripple of laughter echoed around him, and Oliver felt his own lips twitching, though not from amusement. No, his lips twitched from joy that today was happening, that Kara was before him, and about to join her life to his.

"Modern Kryptonians -" Superman's voice cracked, a slight sound that Oliver thought no one else would notice "- exchange bracelets of a color unique to each couple. They're made of a mineral not found on Earth, so Green Arrow and Supergirl have chosen bismuth crystal for their bracelets."

Barry, in costume as the Flash, stepped forward, cradling a pillow bearing two bracelets in his hands.

"In the name of truth and honor I declare the marriage vows binding upon you," Superman said. "From this day forward, throughout all time and space, even unto eternity."

Kara took the larger bracelet from the pillow Barry carried, and a moment later, Oliver took the smaller.

"Place them on each other's right wrists," Superman instructed.

Shifting the bracelet to his left hand, Oliver extended his right. Across from him, Kara did the same, and now, now he let himself look into her eyes, hoping that she could see all that he felt for her.

Her smile trembled just a little, and her eyes sparkled with unshed tears.

Of happiness, I hope, Oliver thought oddly, and smiled in return as he slid the bracelet he held over her hand, moving gently because the bracelet was only just big enough for her hand to fit through, and onto her wrist.

Kara mirrored the action, only to find the bracelet stopped by the glove he wore. She quirked an eyebrow at him, and he had to chuckle.

"Sorry," he said to Superman more than her, and stripped off his right glove. All the times they'd practiced the move, he'd never thought about how his glove might affect it.

Kara slipped the bracelet on his wrist, finally, and the parti-colored band gleamed in the light.

"It is done," Superman said. "You are made husband and wife this day–and for all days hence. May the countenance of Rao ever shine on you."

Superman had barely finished speaking before Kara was in Oliver's arms, her mouth pressed against his. He'd laughed when he learned that Kryptonian marriage ceremonies also included a kiss, but now he could only lose himself in her enthusiasm, tempered to match his Terran nature. She knew just how hard to kiss, how tight to hold…

And had apparently forgotten about gravity, Oliver realized, as his toes dropped away from his body. Still, he trusted her strength, and kept kissing her until his head brushed against the rafters.

Even then, he only broke away just enough to say, "We might want to take this back down to Earth. So to speak."

Kara ducked her head, obviously embarrassed to have lost control before the crowd, and guided them back to ground to the sound of applause.