Disclaimer: Not mine.

Rating: T

Warnings: sex. Heh.

Notes:back to the present (December, 2020).

Chapter 3 "As blast, news come"

Star City. 15th December, 2020

Ollie had been thinking about it for some time now. Over the years the whole League had become his extended family, and he took his responsibility over them seriously, but Clark and Lois, and Chloe, they had been there from the very beginning, with and for him. They were his family.

Lois would be pissed at his suggestion, he concluded with a snort. Clark, most probably thankful but not letting it out so he didn't upset her. Chloe would chuckle knowing he was going to do it despite her cousin. Dinah? She was the only one he really needed to agree with him, and she would most surely do.

Stretching his arms, Ollie let a lazy smile form into a grin when he heard the last object of his thoughts arrive home.

OOO

Home. Home sounded awesome right now. A hot relaxing bath and then, if she was lucky, breakfast in bed with Ollie.

She looked through the big windowpane; Star City would wake up soon. She smiled as she suddenly noticed a presence approaching. A certain someone had beat the city and was already up. A few steps more, and a warm embrace from behind was followed by a very appealing offering.

"I made you some tea."

Dinah took the cup and let the warm moist enter her nostrils. "What are you doing up so early?"

"I had Chloe text me when you guys were done." He kissed the back of her neck. "Wanted to greet my wife with a homemade tea."

Dinah closed her eyes at the touch as she drunk. "Mmm. You won't happen to have a bath ready too, will 'ya?" The nibbling and kissing stopped and Dinah felt her arm raising and her husband sniffing around. "Ollie!"

"You don't smell that bad, tiger," he said as he dodged her playful slap. "C'mon," he said grabbing her hand and pulling her closer for a hug. "I do have a warm bed waiting for you."

She left the cup on a table. "Does it come with company?"

"I think that can be arranged," he said smiling. They both walked to their bedroom, Ollie with his arm around Dinah's waist. "The mission went well?"

"Piece of cake. Only a couple of minor bruises."

"Minor?," said Ollie a little unconvinced. "That's news."

"Mmm."

"Let me check. You never know these days," said Ollie as he started taking Dinah's clothes off. He paused for a smirk when he saw her raising one eyebrow. "Gotta take care of you, birdie."

"You know," she said all fatigue suddenly gone, "there are other ways for that…" Dinah pulled down his trousers and soon both were naked and kissing.

"I'm glad we communicate this good," managed to agree Ollie.

"Yeah, communicating is essential for couples."

Between words and kisses they both ended on their bed exploring each other's bodies with expert fingers on familiar territory, certain very sensitive spots targeted by both.

Somehow, one of those corners of Ollie's brain lacking logic, decided it was a great time to raise the subject of Lois and her pregnancy and them moving. "You know," he said. "I've been thinking…"

"About?," she asked while keeping the kissing on his neck.

"Moving to Metropolis for a while," came the innocent reply. "You know-" A chuckle interrupted him.

"I do know," she said as she played with the hair below, smiling victorious when Ollie's body reacted to the less than innocent touch. "You'll probably get off Lois' nerves too. She will be unhappy about this. You're aware, right?"

"Oh, yes. That'll be a challenge." Ollie nodded as he guided Dinah's hand to his penis and she started stroking the already aroused member.

"But I also know Clark will be thankful, and Lois will appreciate the gesture, even if she doesn't know it yet."

Agreeing with a silent nod, Ollie let his hand travel down her back by gentle touch conveying Dinah's legs apart as he began an exploration of his own. "My wife the optimist. I love that about you, you know."

"Well, I wouldn't mind to have that kind of care if it were us."

"Oh yes. Lois would make a kick-ass bodyguard."

"I was thinking about Clark."

"Clark?," he paused faking serious pondering. "Yeah, he would be ok too." Before Dinah could emit a word he silenced her with a kiss, closing his eyes as he deepened it. "So." Ollie guided his penis with his hand and gently slid inside, making eye contact with her as he entered. "What do you think?" Then he placed that hand on her back, pulling her closer.

"I think it's- ouch."

The wince made Ollie stop. "What was that?"

Two big innocent blue eyes stared back at him. "Nothing."

Ollie then touched more carefully Dinah's back, right where he had pressed the moment she complained, and found an area with tender skin. "Turn."

"Ollie…"

Using his other hand and already on his knees, he turned Dinah onto her side, discovering a huge bruise starting to form on her lumbar region. And swelling. "Piece of cake mission, uh?"

"I didn't even notice it when it happened. It's your fault that it hurts now," she added, not really convincing Ollie's fingers, assessing the sore area.

His voice turned serious. "Dinah, you got hit on the kidneys. They knew what they were doing."

"So did I. You should see the other guys."

"Chloe didn't say anything."

"Chloe doesn't get into other people's lives like we're going to do with Clark and Lois, hon. And she trusts my judgment."

"Something I'm gonna have to have to talk to her about."

"Ollie, I got kicked, big deal. It happens all the time, it is part of the job, so lay it off, will you?"

Ollie blinked, silent for a few seconds while locking eyes with Dinah. "Ok," he finally said. "But you're not getting any sex until you're healed."

"I can't believe this," she protested rolling her eyes as she felt Ollie's weigh leave her. Just as he was lying down carefully by her side, his cell beeped.

He sighed. "That's the JLA, gotta take it."

"And there goes the rest of the morning," she mumbled as Ollie sat up and grabbed the device.

He shifted to look at her before checking the screen. "I'll let you know who you have to-" His face changed slightly into a frown when he saw the caller.

"Who is it?"

"It's Dick."

That was new, not very Dick to call or write Ollie. "He was on Watchtower duties," said Dinah. Ollie nodded, and looked back at the screen with an intrigued expression. "So? What does he want?" Not a mission, please.

"He wants us to turn on the news."

OOO

Metropolis. Ament street, 1407

Chris entered home through the window as silently as he could. Walking slowly, he peeked into Chloe's room and frowned when he didn't see her in bed. Sighing tiredly, he hovered to the living room and into one of the most favorite things above all the new stuff he had discovered and learnt during those past four months on Earth. He picked carefully among the collection and grabbed one of his favorites. He pulled out the paper sleeve and took the round object with his palms and on the edges. Just like Chloe had taught him. He put the needle down and let his ears listen to the sound of it making soft contact with the vinyl before the music began. Flying backwards, he sat on the floor and closed his eyes, trying to relax with it.

He didn't.

His mind started turning again with the unpleasant thoughts that plagued his dreams and turned them into nightmares, like the one that had woken up tonight. Chris scolded; he was tired and really wanted to sleep, it was not as if he was asking to dream. Only sleep. To close his eyes and drift away. But no. He was wide awake in the middle of the night and now worrying about aunt Chloe not being home, and while he was at it, concerned about that woman in the lab, who now had a face, a name and a story behind her. He never stopped worrying about Mom and her health, now she was pregnant, so that one was a given, not an added bonus.

He was worried because all those things that he so wanted to be right, or righted, they turned into nightmares when he closed his eyes. Aunt Chloe in some kind of trouble, this woman, Tess, suffering in the lab, and the worst of all, Mom having problems with the baby, stuff he didn't want to remember. That last one had been the nightmare keeping him awake this night, terrified to close his eyes again. Sheepishly he had walked to Chloe's room, forgetting she had some mission going on. No way would he bother Mom. At that moment, some hours before, he had decided, no, reminded himself, that he was a grown up kid, so he should start behaving like one.

So there.

Resolve anew, Chris had willed his mind to stop thinking nonsense and decided he would simply wait for Chloe to make sure she was ok, because he was a Lane-Kent, and the son of Superman too, and that was what his Dad did. He cared for everyone. And sometimes made the women of his life mad with solicitous attention. Chris had found out through experimental practice that he seemed to have some kind of upper hand with Lois. Something about him being a damn weak spot, he had heard Mom saying. Chloe mostly rolled her eyes but not suppressing a slight smile when Dad cared in the Kent way, so Chris had focused on studying if Chloe's reaction to him was the same so he could take care of her if she needed it.

Aunt Chloe. Chris smiled. She was pretty cool to talk to. And if she finally didn't get home and stayed at the Watchtower, like she sometimes did, he could always go to see Dad and Mom at a decent hour. Mom was kinda funny in the mornings, half asleep and all. Well, not so funny when she woke up throwing up the first months of the pregnancy, he mused wincing in reflex, but the hormone thing she talked about that annoyed her so much was something he found…it felt weird to use that word together with Mom, but truth was she was…cute.

His thoughts were interrupted by the familiar sound of the transporter. Chris woke up and flew over the hidden door to see a very tired Chloe stepping inside home, greeting her with the best smile he could muster.

OOO

Missions gone well let all the stress out, and after assessing everyone was all right and sweeping the system for security breaches, Chloe had finally got back home. Her mind was already in a warm, comfortable bed, she just needed her body to get there. She didn't expect a one-person committee waiting for her. The cutest ever.

There he was, in all his adorableness, standing in front of her wearing a smile. She waved a hand and even made an attempt to smile while trying not to finally close those very, very heavy eyelids. The bed would have to wait. "Hey, Chris." She only had time to look at him and see him lift his eyebrows before he disappeared at the same annoying super speed as Clark. Whooshing and air current included. Sighing tiredly, she marked the code to close and hide the transportation from the lunar base and turned to go to...

…her wheelchair, suddenly awaiting in front of her with a kryptonian behind it. "Chris…"

"C'mon, you look tired, sit down."

Exhausted, Chloe abided. "Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

He pushed the wheelchair to the living room and resolved not to tell her about the nightmares. "I woke up a little ago," he lied.

Chloe saw where he was taking her. "Sweetie, I'd rather go to bed."

"In a minute, I promise." Chris placed the chair in front of the sofa and flew over Chloe, carefully grabbing her ankle and placing her leg on the soft surface. He smiled when he saw her relax. The music helped. "I hope you don't mind I turned the music on."

"It's ok. I like your choice." She really did.

"I like the sound of her voice. And the accent. The funny way she pronounces the 'r'," he responded. Then he sat in front of her and began to easily take the prosthetic leg off. "Was this among the ones Lois bought?"

Chloe let him do while she nodded. "Mmm. On my birthdays she chose the music forgetting her tastes." Chris carefully placed the metallic leg on the floor. "Oh, that feels good, honey." With her eyes closed, she didn't see him smiling proudly at the compliment.

"I learned something with Dad. Can I show you? You don't have to do anything," he quickly added. "Not even opening your eyes."

"What has your father taug-? Oh." The gentle massage on the stump eased the soreness. "Wow." She looked at him and didn't miss the shy yet triumphant smile that made way to his face.

"Dad has been learning all sorts of massaging techniques in case Mom's back needs it in the near future, and the other day we figured we could…" he gave her a sheepish look "I've seen how it hurts sometimes, so…"

Chloe leaned and cupped his chin. "It was very sweet of you, honey."

His face lit. "Is it working?"

"Like you have no idea. But Chris, you're doing too much already, I-"

"Mom would kick my butt if I didn't take care of you," he interrupted with a hint of seriousness in his voice.

"Chris…"

"Seriously. I think she's channeling her frustration over you guys hovering over her."

"Like you're not?," she asked amused.

"I'm her kiddo. Soft spot of the Lane defense wall," he proudly stated.

Chloe rolled her eyes chuckling. "Still, it is not fair."

Chris stopped the massage for a second, not quite understanding. "Why?"

"My being here has placed your life upside down. Moving in with me, not being able to call Lois 'mom' in public to keep appearances…" They shared a silent look. "Honey, you do have a right to be a little angry at this." Chris stared at her for a second, and then his mind took his eyes elsewhere. Chloe waited.

"Can I tell you a secret?," he asked shyly. Chloe nodded. "After you came, I… I had a talk with Mom. I needed some…," he paused, struggling to find the correct word. "I needed some distance. To sort things out by myself. But without going away. I needed my family too," he confessed with that sheepish smile that made everyone think Clark and him were really related. "So I figured I could move in with you. After all, you were my 'real' mother, no one would ask questions."

"So it was you who decided?"

"Kinda." Then he smiled. "Though I think mom approved when she figured out how much over-pampered she was going to be by all of us. This way she'd get rid of one."

"Look at you two, conniving all over the place." Chloe's cell rang at that moment. "Oh, come on…" She shifted to grab the phone from her pockets and looked at the screen. "It's Ollie. Hey." Chris stooped massaging and watched. "No, we haven't. Watching the news at-"

Reading the conversation and Chloe's intrigued face, Chris flew over the player and turned the music off. Then went back to Chloe, who had hang up the phone, pushed the chair away, lifted her and helped her onto the sofa. "I guess I don't have to ask you to-" Chris was already turning on the television. "… Turn on the news." And sitting by her side.

"I'm practicing my reading people skills."

"Good job on that one, grasshopper."

"So what are we looking for?"

"Ollie didn't say, but by his tone I'd guess it's-"

"Isn't that the prison where Lex Luthor is in?" The answer was not reassuring; Chloe's heart beating had changed its normal rhythm. They both grew silent while they listened to the news.

"… of why would Lex Luthor put an end to his life, remains a mystery. His lifeless body was found this morning by one of the guards. Forensic analysis will undoubtedly shed light on this striking news. Mr. Luthor leaves an economical empire of-"

Chloe turned off the TV. None spoke a word. None knew what to say.

Lex Luthor was dead.

OOOOO

Music notes: Chris plays an Edith Piaf vynil. The song playing is Eden Blues.