Detective Lance walked over to the ambulance where Slade sat with a EMT fussing over his neck which had a large cut along his throat, it did not look deep, the man was lucky, pale and pissed off but lucky. He was shirtless as his shirt and coat had been taken as evidence and his neck and collarbone were stained pink from the blood. The vehicle was pointed away from the line holding back the many reporters that were hanging around. There were more than usual for a crime scene this late at night but knowing them, they likely knew who had been hurt by now.
"I've been shot, stabbed and batted around by explosions. I can take a cottonwool covered with alcohol." Slade said, sounding unbelievably board. "If I'm not stitched up in the next ten minutes, I will do it myself."
"Done that before, have you?" Lance asked, pulling out his note pad and pen.
Slade's vision moved up to Lance, not looking remotely surprised by the man's presence. "It's a bit of a pain when you have to use a mirror."
"What happened?"
"I was on my way home from doing some shopping. Guy was following me as I was coming out the park. He threw a dart at me but it came out the other side or something because it had no affect. I kicked him in the head and got a bit of blood out of him. Both the dart and blood, I gave you. He cut my throat. People came to help but I had a feeling this guy was trained," he sighed, "which would explain the dart. I was worried for their safety so I moved us to this store."
"That it?"
"Yep." Slade replied, popping the 'p'.
"I'm going to start the stitching now, I recommend you take a sedative." the EMT told Slade.
Slade gave him a deadpan look. Mirakuru mean that drugs and alcohol were removed from the body rather quickly. Years of practice had shown Slade that by calming himself or getting stressed he could change the speed at which drugs were metabolised, a neat trick to make alcohol last or sedative darts leave quickly. "I'll be fine."
The EMT went to say something but then dropped the matter.
"You're going to regret that." Lance said.
"I doubt it." Slade said.
Lance watched as the EMT approached Slade's neck with the needle, taking a breath before sliding the metal in. Slade only blinked. The EMT then pierced the other piece of skin before pulling the two bits together.
"Just think of me as a cadaver." Slade said.
"Jesus." Lance chuckled.
"I wouldn't go that far." Slade said.
"Detective Lance." A officer called, "You're going to want to have a look at this."
Ten minuets later, Lance arrived back at the ambulance to see the EMT almost done bandaging up Slade's neck.
"The crime scene is gone." Lance said, "No blood on the floor, or the bloodied scarf. Nothing."
"So instead of bringing friends with guns, they brought friends with mops?" Slade raised a brow.
"But why?"
"Well he did leave blood behind. Could not really tell whose was whose." Slade said.
Lance hummed in thought. He looked over to the line of people and waved someone over, the cameras flashed wildly. Slade knew it was a group from the sounds, he felt himself calm as he heard that one voice.
"Slade." Oliver said as he saw the man, running forward and wrapping his arms around the Australian's body.
"Hey." Slade said softly, wrapping his arms around his partner. Oliver still had rather unstable mood swings from the large amounts of hormones whizzing around his body. "I'm alright."
Oliver held him tightly.
The rest of the group included Moira, Thea, Walter and Tommy.
"Glade to see you're okay." Thea said, hand over her heart. She could not help looking at all the marks on Slade's chest and shoulders; a multitude of large cuts over his back and abs, patches of burn all along his right rise and a few circular pink scars. Bullet wounds?
There was a pause, maybe it was the shock or maybe they were waiting for Oliver, either way Tommy decided to help.
"So... Were you shaving and decided a jog was a wise idea?"
Over hisses of "Tommy." from Thea, Slade said. "It sounded like a good idea at the time, yes."
"Who ever did this," Oliver growled pulling back, "I'm going to find them and pull their ass out through their throat."
Slade smiled. "Yeah. I know." he kissed the blonde. "Let's get out of here." Slade said as they parted. He peeked over Ollie's shoulder to see Lance. "You done with me?"
Lance nodded, little stunned by Oliver's words, as were his family. "For now, yes."
"I would like you to stay with us for the time being." Moira said, eyes on her son. She had never seen him like this. "It would put our minds at ease."
Slade stood, wrapped an arm around Oliver's waist. "Thank you." he sat his chin on Oliver's head when the pregnant blonde leaned into him.
"I cut his throat. Blood came pouring out, went everywhere." The hazel eyed man said, wanting to zigzag around to relieve stress, had there been room in the phone box. "The guy wasn't human. There's no way. I came back and the guy was almost completely heal and someone had cleaned up all the blood like it never happened." he paused to listen to his boss. "Yeah. I'll drop it off." he heard the phone hung up. "Christ." He slammed to phone down, "Send me after some freakin' super human."
"I can't believe this actually happened." Thea said, "I mean, why?"
"That's what I want to know." Slade said. He was sitting on the sofa, facing along it with one leg dangling down. Oliver lay out in font of him, rest his back on the older man's chest that was now covered by a white polo shirt Oliver let him borrow, which was stretched tight across his wide chest and large biceps.
"Do you have any enemies?" Walter asked.
"No." Slade said. Poking Oliver in the rib when his shoulders shook.
"There has to be someone." Moira said.
"That's what I'm wondering about." Slade said, looking over to the blonde woman with a look that said 'You know something'. "There has to be a reason. I was targeted."
Moira blinked but then crossed her arms. "None that I can think of."
"It could have just been a mugging." Thea said.
"By someone who knows how to throw a dart? Unlikely."
"You got darted?" Oliver leant his head back so he could see the man.
"I moved, it came out the other side. The fact the he still knew how to use it is questionable." Slade said, "I collected the guy's blood, so we should find out who he was by tomorrow."
"Why did you collect it?" Tommy asked from where he sat.
"I had a feeling that he would come back so we left and just in case he cleaned up, which he did, I took evidence."
"Tonight has just been too weird." Thea sighed, dropping down next to Tommy.
"Indeed." Moira said, "The police will stay here tonight and tomorrow I'll assign you two a bodyguard."
Slade and Oliver both gave her a look of 'You're joking, right?'
"I will not listen to any arguments." Moira said. She held a hand to Slade, "You're injured." and then to Oliver. "And you're pregnant."
"Yay." Oliver groaned, "A babysitter."
"I think getting knifed says that you need it." Thea said.
Slade opened his mouth but then closed it and nodded. "You may have a point." he sighed. He smiled as Oliver yawned and rubbed at his eyes. "Great acting there." He said in Russian.
Oliver elbowed him, smirking when the man grunted dramatically. "Right. We're off to bed." Oliver said, leaching into another yawn, this one real. He grabbed hold of Slade's hand as he stood. The older man followed, moving slowly and shaking slightly.
"After tonight?" Thea asked.
"Blood loss makes me sleepy." Slade explained.
Oliver could not help but snort at that as he lead the Aussie out the room.
"Ollie has... Interesting tastes in men." Tommy said.
"Agreed." Thea shook her head with a smile. She'd have to text Roy about this.
"And that's the last of it." Oliver said, pulling the last piece of thread from Slade's neck. The stitching would only get in the way, by morning there would be nothing there anymore. Ollie stepped over to the sink and dropped in the bloodied scissors and forceps. "You okay?" he asked, glancing back to his other half.
"Yeah. I'm fine." Slade said. He was sitting on the toilet seat, holding a cloth to his neck. He looked pale for a normal white guy, let alone a naturedly tanned man with a blood full of mirakuru.
"Okay." Oliver said. He washed the tools with warm water, watching the blood and used stitching wash down the drain. Then he rinsed the metal tools with alcohol. Ollie turned back to Slade, who had his eyes closed, resting his head against the tiled wall, still holding the cloth in place. His breathing was slow but not as much had he been asleep and he opened his tired dark brown eyes when he heard Oliver seize movement.
Slade gave the blonde a weak smile, removing the cloth from his neck, the wound had stopped bleeding. He grabbed the bandages from Oliver's rather advanced first air kit and pulled a fresh bandage around his neck.
Oliver left the medical equipment in the sink, wiping his hand on the bathroom towel before walking over and grabbing the roll from the Australian. Slade did not complain as Ollie wrapped his neck. "What happened?"
Slade hummed in question, eyelashes flickering closed.
"It's not like you to get this hurt." Oliver said, "The dart did get you, didn't it?"
"Yeah." Slade said, voice low. "I was a little out of it for a seconds but it was enough. I think the fact that I was still standing freaked him out."
"So he knows then?"
"He should know that I am not exactly a normal bloke." Slade said, "but he had no idea beforehand, I could tell as much."
"Did you know him?"
"No. Hazel eyes, white, male, about six foot."
"Doesn't sound familiar." Oliver shrugged. He tied off the bandages. "Hold the roll for a sec." Slade lifted his arm and Ollie placed the roll in his hand. The blonde then went over to the sink, grabbing the scissors and drying them on the towel before cutting the roll lose and taking it from the man. He placed the roll and tools back into the wooden box, placing the box back in the space he had removed the floorboard from, where the towel stand would be placed back over it after. He covered it with the floorboard and moved the towel stand back.
"Come on." Oliver said, sliding an arm around Slade's waist. "Let's get you to bed."
"Right." Slade grunted as he stood and walked with Oliver to the bedroom, allowing the man to sit him down. He removed his own clothes. He was exhausted, quite literally drained but not a child. He removed his jeans and the small fitting polo shirt Oliver had leant him, dumping them on the floor where usually he would fold the clothing and place it on the set of draws.
Oliver paid it no thought. He stripped off his own clothing, throwing it into the laundry basket before slipping up the covers.
Slade got under as well, smiling when Oliver rolled over and pressed his back into the older man's front. Slade wrapped an arm around the blonde, arm curling the bump while his hand rested on it.
Oliver smiled. "Have you thought of any names?"
"Yes but they're all in the maybe pile." Slade said, nuzzling into Ollie's neck, who arched his back and neck at the feeling of the man's tickling stubble.
"Like?"
"Charlotte."
"Won't suit her when she'll older."
"Sophie."
Oliver made a displeased sound.
"Doris."
"Please tell me you're joking?"
Slade chuckled.
"The names are okay I guess but they're just not... Right." Oliver said, "Plus..."
"Hm?"
"Well." Oliver sighed, "What about her last name?"
"Something Queen Wilson. I imagine." Slade rubbed his thumb along the bump. Oliver's shoulders shook with a laugh. The Aussie hummed in interest.
"Maybe just Wilson."
"What's wrong with your last name?"
"It was the last name of my father, who would have never forgiven me for dating a man, let alone getting pregnant. My mother by a marriage she is no longer in, who is clearly hiding something." Oliver said, "She knows something about why you were attacked, I know it. She only keeps the last name for the purpose of running my father's company, anyway."
Slade kissed Ollie's shoulder and slotted his body further against the younger man's.
"And Thea..." Oliver's shoulders shook again, he tried his best to will away the sadness heighten by his hormones. "She should not even have the name."
That caught Slade by surprise. "What do you mean?"
Oliver smiled, it was wobbly and the weak laugh further highlighted how sad he felt. "My father, mother and I. Blonde hair, green eyes. My sister, born at a time my parents had long since stopped cared for each other, both having affairs. Brown hair, blue eyes. The only thing that links mom, Thea and I, is our smile. Nothing from dad." Oliver wiped his eyes, pleased to find that the wetness was minimal. "I love Thea. I want to believe that my mom is a good person and respect my father but our baby shouldn't have to carry the last name just because I feel bad."
Slade moved his hand up, finger tips tilting Oliver's chin up so their eyes met. He did not say word, just smiled, lend down and lay a kiss on the pink lips. "She will be loved." Slade said, "By myself, you, Thea. We will all love her and raise her to become whatever she wants to be. We're going to teach her Mandarin," his smile grew as Oliver smiled. "so we can have our own private language. Teach her to cook, to ride a bike and after we teach her to fight she'll kick everyone's arse."
Oliver laughed, "You could fix her dresses with your sewing skills. Or make them using a sewing machine."
Slade clamped a hand over Ollie's mouth with a mock frown, the corners of his lips pulling up when the blonde continued to laugh against his hand. He should have never told him about that. He pulled his hand. "You could teach her how to ride horses or how to boss maids around."
"Oh, ha ha ha." Oliver said, putting on a unbelievably posh accent.
Slade pecking Ollie's cheek before kissing his mouth once more. Oliver ran his hand through Slade's wiry hair, gripping it sharply just the way the man liked. The two practically melted into each other in blissful relaxation. Parting, Slade moved his head back to the pillow, laying a kiss on Oliver's scalp after he moved his head back.
"I love you." Slade said against the blonde locks.
Oliver smiled. "I love you too." He fell asleep to the sound of Slade's breath and the feel of his hand stroking his belly, right where their baby lie.
"It's incredible." The scientist said. She was in her early forties with long brown hair held back in a bun, freckles scattered across her cheeks. "The white blood cells are mutated. They're still alive, even now. Really to fight off anything." She pulled back from the microscope, turning to her boss. "And I tested the blood before. The drug was completely gone, no sign that it had ever exited. It's amazing."
"I told you. He's superhuman." the hazel eyed man told his boss.
The man walked over to the lab desk. "Can it be extracted?"
"Extracted?" The hazel eyed man exclaimed, "Why?"
"Wouldn't you want to be super human?"
The hazel eyed man smirked.
"I believe so," The lab tech said, "Mr Merlyn."