As soon as he heard the door close Roy glared at his daughter on the screen.
"You could at least try not to look angry at him," he sighed.
"I'm sorry if seeing you in bed with a high schooler isn't something that makes me overly enthusiastic. It's been a while," Lian said, rolling her eyes but still smiling.
Roy tried not to smile. "You were ten, and it wasn't what it looked like."
"She was my babysitter! She was underage and…" she began but her cut her off.
"She was eighteen! I was sure of that and this is nothing like that. Like I said, this is it. For real this time," he said firmly, the tone in his voice surprising her.
Lian regarded him silently for a moment before declaring, "You know, I can almost believe that. I've never seen you look so happy before. It's a little scary."
Roy grinned. "Well, I've never felt so…enthusiastic."
She stuck out her tongue. "Well, I have another thing that will make you very enthusiastic, Roy. I'm in Neo-Gotham! I just got home."
Roy's smile disappeared and Lian's grew wider. "You…you're…here?"
Lian nodded, her smile making her look so much like her mother that Roy felt a slight chill. "And guess who I really want to come and visit tonight?"
Roy shook his head and was about to protest when Matt came out of the bathroom dressed and smiling. They both were quiet as he came into view and he frowned.
"Talking about me?" he asked.
Roy blushed. "Um…no. Of…course not, we would never…hey, why are you dressed?" Roy asked.
Lian snickered and he glared at her.
Matt turned very red and mumbled though Roy couldn't make it out.
Roy looked puzzled. "What?"
"He thought that since you were talking to me he should go home," Lian translated, surprising them both.
She grinned at Matt. "I speak embarrassed teenager, I used to teach biology."
Matt smiled at her and she gasped, surprised.
"Nice to know I have a translator around if I need one," he said to her, then grinned at Roy and whispered, "See you later," before kissing him quick and leaving them.
Lian watched her father staring after Matt longingly and coughed, breaking him out of his reverie. He blushed.
She did not smile. "Roy."
He frowned. "What?"
"He looks so much like Jason, it's criminal. Does he know about Jason?" she asked sternly.
Roy looked away. "I've…mentioned him, in passing. I've never explained more."
"You need to. If you're obsessing over this kid because he's a good replacement for…" she began but he cut her off.
"NO. It's…he's….Matt's Matt. Jason's…they're not the same. I know that."
Lian looked unconvinced. "Do you really? Because I'm not entirely sure."
Roy glared at her. "I love him, Li. I really do. I know it."
She sighed. "You were in love with Jason for a really long time too, what makes you so sure that you're not anymore? You distanced yourself from him and tried not to think about him but that doesn't just kill your feelings, Roy. Think on that," she said, smiling sadly.
Roy looked away, not responding as she cut off their call.
When he got home his mother was waiting for him, sitting at the kitchen table with a coffee cup in hand.
Matt stopped in the doorway and said nervously, "You're here."
She nodded, smiling. "I was waiting, though I didn't expect you so soon."
Matt dropped his bag by the door and closed it behind him, taking off his shoes. "Roy was…in the middle of something so I sort of didn't want to get in the way. I…"
His mother's hand on his shoulder stopped him mid-sentence. "Honey."
Matt looked up, his cheeks bright red and tears in his eyes. "Mom, I don't…tell me what you want me to say."
Mary McGinnis smiled. "Nothing, dear…and everything," she laughed, "I'm very envious of my two boys, snagging millionaires."
Matt laughed, a tear falling down his cheek. "Mom."
Mary hugged him with one arm, smashing his face into her shoulder. "I'm happy if you're happy, honey. You know that. But," she pulled back and lifted his chin, "Don't run away and not look back like your brother did. I'm a lonely old woman, Matty. I need my baby boy."
Matt threw his arms around her, nodding into her shoulder.
She smiled, kissing his head.
"I just hope this is right for you, Matthew. And that you're not rushing into things."
Matt lifted his head. "Mom, for one thing, we're not rushing…at all. And two, if I am….and things…don't work out…I'll live. Really."
She smiled. "Okay. Now go get changed. We'll go out for breakfast."
Matt ran past her and she sighed, all the worry in her features evident. She prayed that this person would not break her baby's heart, but feared the worst.
She knew this man was light years ahead in age of her young son and that worried her the most. Roy Harper knew more about the world, knew more about life, than her son ever would.
Most mothers would go to the man and plead for him to leave her baby alone. He was too young, she knew that. But she promised herself to always be there for her boys, even if she didn't trust in their judgment.
Matt came back in and frowned at her. "You okay Mom?"
She smiled. "Of course. Let's go before all the waffles are gone."
