Cain's alliance with Hush is troubling to Bruce knowing that Thomas is a retrospective photo negative of himself where he had seen his parents' murders first hand, Thomas had been the one to kill his. As for Cain, he had been attempting to salvage the Society in the wake of Ra's Al-Ghul's demise inside the Cadmus controlled Lunar Watchtower. Another question in his mind is what if anything will Cain's daughter have to do or say if she is even privy to this operation, but knowing her, she is likely to know something about it. He makes his vigil trip to Crime Alley, it is that day after all, whether it had been today or over twenty years ago, the memories, the scars, even the pain it put into him does not dissipate much yet with the scarce few who have come into his life over the years, it does not hurt as much anymore especially having Diana in his life made a difference. One does not allow entry nor open that which is contradictory to just anyone. He had almost not become Batman fully when he met and fell in love with Andrea yet the suddenness of her departure, her insistence that he forget her drove him to realize that perhaps he is not cut out to love, but still part of him would form bonds with others and occasionally his resistance to romance would crumble, being a lone watchmen to all of Gotham aside his allies in the police, made it clear he did need help.

His intensity and drive is never in doubt yet his motives and actions often put praise his vigilance or condemn his methods, but he is often the only one who can go where the laws bind the hands and the movements of the police. He recalls the trial his rogues put him through years ago when he had a short lived romantic interlude with District Attorney Janet Van Dorn. Janet seem quite taken with Bruce as he could be affectionate and loving if the chemistry exists, but often as she found he would have different women around because it had been an image to cultivate when he did not want people nosing around in his private life. She also had been one of few women to be privy to the memories of Crime Alley and those mysterious photographs taken after ward that even fewer people had seen ever. They had remain at best friends and she had grown to respect Batman, even find that he had his purpose though they both had agreed to a goal that perhaps there could eventually be a Gotham City that does not need Batman yet somehow it seems unlikely in Bruce's lifetime though that would not stop anyone from trying to achieve that goal. He places the roses on the spot and notes a whoosh in the air, and it is not a consistent familiar whoosh, rather one more common to someone had not seen in years.

"Hello Bruce," says the voice.

"I was wondering when you would show up Cassandra."

"It is nigh impossible to sneak up on you, but it is still fun to try... I know that 'Daddy' has been busy with infiltrating Cadmus among other things."

"This is too public a place to divulge such things."

"It is you, me, and an alleyway... albeit the one where they..."

"Yes... now if you don't mind I prefer to conduct the rest of this elsewhere..."

They leave yet this passage is not unseen.

Diana returns to find Dick and Donna keeping the latest round of the vigil. Dick is at Ace's side and Donna is holding Paladin's hand despite the fact that neither is fully conscious many still find it important to be here. Alfred had been busy with some measure of meals for everyone even the kids who had such an appetite yet better all around as they feel better being back together after the separation via abduction. She pulls up another chair next Donna's seat.

"It's like looking at what your son might look like if you have one or even a daughter for that matter and plus the idea that he might die too."

"The doctors don't have a high recovery rate expected even if they do operate. Ace is stabilized yet her condition would only worsen if she wakes up before they can work out what if anything they could do to save her. I doubt either of them would welcome the prospect of being bed bound in comas."

"If Paladin is that much like you or especially Bruce.... he would rather die than pass time on in this shape of a physical state."

Dick looks over at them before beginning to say something in a stumbling tone, clearly being at the vigil/death watch of an adolescent girl is emotionally trying for him as a father with a daughter and another child on the way too.

"It is a real kick in the chest because with her its like how would I react if this were Cassandra instead of Ace, it would hurt like hell, but Ace's parents died from overexposure to her powers. She only put up that barrier to save him at the possible cost of her own survival as he had already begun to suffer brain damage when someone set off the fail safe in his neural chemistry. Similar protocols have been found in the other six as J'onn has told us."

Donna sniffles and wipes her eyes before deciding to go find Kyle, she misses him, misses how warm it feels in his arms, and the rush of kissing him. Dick goes looking for Barbara who is being looked over by Dr. Aiko Tan, one of the youngest and most recent adds to the Watchers' medical personnel who had made great strides in nanotech for recovery and regenerative purposes.

Diana settles into a chair that Donna had been sitting in as Shayera enters after covering a yawn, Warren and the other kids had finally fallen asleep, and somehow they were all quite well despite being held prisoner for over three days by Cadmus.

"Iced Mocha Princess?" jests Shayera in a somber tone.

"Thank you, you look like you could drop any minute, he must be quite energetic."

"How are they?"

"They are resting, but as for their minds or their bodies for that matter only time will tell it seems."

"I heard she made the overexertion to protect him... sound like anyone else we know hmm?"

"She had been without others who care about her for a long time let alone find someone to love... you and I both know what we would do when something or someone harms those we love... those closest to our hearts..."

"Yeah... its a bit of less talking, more hitting kind of thing."

"Something like that... hope Bruce gets back soon... he seem to be the most worried of any of us... I think he is more attached to Paladin than he admits."

"He has sons... well not biological sons... but I suppose if I just barely met someone that would say I'm your kid... whether he or she was born the way most kids are born in my experience then yeah... it would be a shock... Bruce lost his parents at a young age as we both know... but to have watch someone younger than you die.. its a heart wrenching turn..."

"I think we should both head to bed... been up too many hours now..."

Two more beds are brought in and both women head for them. John finds them sound asleep and he sighs grateful that they got to sleep, Shayera look like she could sleep a month, but as for Diana well having Bruce get shot up that badly would keep her up plus what's happening to those two who are in sleep induced comas well even he could see why it felt useless to be here with all sorts of gifts yet nothing so far seems able to repair the internal damage wrought by implant and overexertion. This night or the coming days could very well be their last. On many levels, many gathering here in secret are quite upset about what happen yet few see merit in retaliation knowing full well who had been behind the Cadmus Six as well as the state that Ace and Paladin are in now.

John leaves them to rest. He turns to go look in on the sleeping children only to find he is not the only one looking in on them. It is somewhat curious to see Vic of all people, but then many said he would kill anyone who tries to harm the beloved son of his Helena, but John took it to mean he is a potentially overprotective father. However considering who he had unofficially 'married', it did not totally amaze him that the conspiracy theory detective would probably give any child abductor or attacker a one way trip to hospital... or the morgue... well maybe.

Vic Sage is not a violent man by nature or personality, but he did take a great many things seriously enough to warrant using his combat knowledge instead of cracking enemies with verbal sparring not unlike Batman who had long since built a reputation for making people feel fear long before they saw him coming from any direction. Vic walks pass John without a word though he considers Vic might be glaring at him yet it is difficult to tell with his faceless expression and nearly no one had ever seen his face aside from Helena. Vic murmurs only three words on the way out of the room.

Sine Qua Non which if John remembers the translation right means without which not and likely points to what Vic states is part of their purpose now, it is not just the world, but their world sleeping in these tiny beds in front of him now. He lightly steps towards little Warren's bed and smiles just a little then wonders how he might feel in Diana's position if Paladin had more been then just a genetically engineered weapon, that the youth had been born from her yet it takes more then genetics to bond and bind lives together. He had seen that with Bruce, Dick, Tim, Alfred, Barbara, and Diana since their return from the Justice League reality... Diana had become a part of that life too.

He quietly exits then messages the kids' room is secure and they made triple sure of that this time. They had security everywhere in the wake of the ease of those abductions. John catches Oliver keeping an eye on Dinah and Helena, those two women despite their differences had made quite a team at times then of course they catch him watching when he shifts his gaze to notice John.

"I'd almost think neither side is going to stop watching me, waiting for a slip up," mumbles Helena.

"You worry too much about what they think," remarks Dinah.

"Vic kept me from doing the irrational thing with Mandragora and of course I had to keep him from doing the insane thing after Flagg interrogated us."

"He seem pretty upset that time... you would almost think nothing would have kept him from strangling Flagg until he saw you in pain."

"He means well, just certain things go much further than upsetting him... being a father has made him a little less prone to the behavior he is known for, but becoming a parent changes a lot of people even me... I never thought I have a husband or a kid for that matter... it is all very unconventional and in no way a formal marriage."

"You don't always need the ceremony for it... you can just say be bound through your emotions and through your kids. As for me and Ollie, we get married and somewhere along the way I had our twins."

"Vic did seem ill at ease with Felix at first yet once he started teaching him simple things about the conspiracy he had at least done something my father did to some extent before Mandragora killed him and mother... storytelling... the one thing that fills a child's imagination... no matter how young they are... you don't quite loose it either if there's something to nourish it."

Arm in arm they walk pass Oliver and John to go look in on the kids, sure they did trust everyone in this facility to do their job, but there's always something about mothers no matter what species that compels them to be doubly or even triple aware of what is happening to their children especially when they are as young as these kids. John merely nods with a smile and Oliver watches them walk in the direction of the 'nursery'. Oliver then takes a cup of coffee and offers one to John. They both sip in silence before Oliver considers what to say and John awaits whatever the archer aims to say now.

"I know Vic had a point in ordering me to get the women to extraction point, but I had come for my family above all else plus his son was not among the taken."

"Batman's warning barely got them enough time to side step Felix's abduction as Helena had been in the shower and Vic was in his cubicle of a den with Felix playing with letter blocks."

"Guess I was little rough on him... I mean his son was safe and my kids were down there... Helena got them out instead and then he seem afraid... not of me of though... afraid for her..."

"From what Kara told me off his behavior back in Arizona during the build up to Near 09... it makes sense as Flagg had been torturing all of you though her worst of all... it almost set him off if not for his tendency to refrain from violence and Helena's physical distress... he did give Flagg a beating to remember... however he didn't kill him for harming her... he refused to compromise to beat Cadmus."

"You think I should talk to him?"

"Whatever you do is up to you... I'd only advise to take his suggestions seriously in the field...he knows how to his job his way... he sees things some of us don't consider or notice... so at least be open to alternative routes or methods."

"Yeah... I think I need to sleep this off... maybe you do too."

Vic is hard at work at his computer shuffling through everything he had gotten out of that facility's computers before they had to pull out due to the activation of the self-destruct system. His suspicions find confirmation that the same fail safe or kill switch is in the six except theirs is an alternate chemical in their neural chemistry and their circulatory system that links them to a singular directive, eliminate the targets designated by the men known to the Six as Director Ducard and Dr. Hollis. Both were phony identities that enough credible history, but dig deep enough and the image starts to crack, begins to fall apart, and reveals what Batman had already found out. A further question in his mind relates to Cain's daughter Cassandra, but of course given her history, she holds no compulsion to adhere to her father, she would likely seek out Batman if she had not already to tell him what she knows about her wayward father's agenda.

The seven were made as a countermeasure to the most high profile costumes including the most obvious, the former Justice Lords and their former partners if they ever had partners like Nightwing. He had made a board with photographs, lines of string between them, his usual arrangement, and so Progeny is just another part of the larger plan though he wonders if there is not one that his belief in a singular conspiracy is faulty, that often individuals act autonomous or manipulate who they can to advance their own ends.

It is a definite possiblity yet there are ties between any number of incidents whereas other have verifiable connections.

"Pulling another all-nighter Vic?"

"You are one to talk Bruce... no sense in hiding Miss Cain..."

"I prefer Cassandra if you don't mind Sage."

"Right.. so what is the apparent plan this time?"

"Daddy's plan is well underway with his operatives within all the major agencies including the perplexing and troublesome Cadmus who had the most likely resources to cultivate his ally Dr. Elliot's psychological experiments after Professor Hamilton's latest round of precision replication or genetic hybrids."

"Plenty of evidence considering the array of powers shown to be open to the hybrids...they learn the errors well between Bizarro, the Ultimen, and of course the psychic link that occasionally forms as a feedback loop of the cloning process... near identical brain waves often overlap... so you'll be aware of what the other is up to especially in your sleep... that's what happen to Supergirl."

"They never intended to terminate Paladin yet once realizing over time he seems too much like you Bruce... they saw the probability of having to terminate him."

"Well somebody set it off."

"Given what little could be found at the scene before the implosion we have no way of knowing who exactly set it off unless we go into their memories and their minds yet they are in such a fragile state as it is... going in their risks killing them prematurely when we might still be able to save them."

"I doubt Cadmus would make such a mistake a kill switch... meaning if they want him dead... he'll be dead."

"Logically you are right... but emotionally I would be liable to hit you fro that... one wonders how Helena puts up with such a calculating and callous tendency in assessing the survival probabilities of someone dying from an imbalance in neurochemistry and as for the girl, she's already been on borrowed time given the frequency of the nose bleeds since leaving the Templars behind... she exceeded her limits too many times and now her body can't take the strain even with her heavily sedated."

The death talk is an ill at ease subject for many yet for Bruce, he only wants to leave this room, to be out there or somewhere accomplishing something to save them, but of course as Thomas would likely say to him, you can't save everyone my son. He heads back to the ICU ward where the two of them sway between life and death. As he nears the room, he finds he is not quite there right now as a hand clasps on his shoulder and he turns to face the visitor. They often say justice is blind yet few have ever met Themis face to face, even for a blind woman, she holds perhaps the highest respect for those like Bruce Wayne who constantly remind her why mortals are never to be underestimated for their resilience is remarkable especially Bruce Wayne for he has lost a great deal in his life so starting with his parents. Few ever know the true face of Bruce Wayne or Batman... there is an identity that merely answers to the name Bruce that is the one that operates all the controls to keep his body moving except when he is with those whom have his trust and his love.

"You are troubled about the fates of those two.. they have long since balanced through each other and through helping you to save the lives of those taken captive by your enemies... if they are to pass on soon regardless of them having surgery or not... they will have the solace of Elysium."

"Like Wally?"

"Yes like him."

"It lightens the load, but still so much of a life unlived..."

"They have lived more than you know through each other... the essence and meaning of life is not length... its much more... language is imprecise to describe."

"I stopped behaving like a child after they were murdered, I turned to training myself first with my mind then with my body as the years progressed, and finally the night had come for me to don the cape and the cowl... then she had come along and now I'm not really sure what motivates me to keep being Batman... its almost as if he needs me more than I need him now."

"Your purpose as your paternal figure of a butler often notes is deeper then you grasp at times... the symbolism of Batman will outlast you.. but for the moment... don't deny yourself a life simply because you fear what your eventual 'death' will mean to those closest to you... she did not retain her immortality as a condition of regaining most of her Amazonian abilities... the truth is... we, the Goddesses pulled a double take on that one... partly for her sentence and partly because we had been aware of your romantic interest long ago... Aphrodite is not one to miss that sort of thing... so in essence part of why is she mortal in the sense of time is that she'll die one day too. However she is impervious to injury... she is merely about as physically resilient as you are... she can be hurt, she can die, but like you she is quite stubborn."

"Appearances be deceiving..."

"Indeed... she sleeps now as does the one called Shayera.. in fact many sleep... too weary to worry out of their minds over things like death. It is part of the cycle, the body dies, but the spirit, the soul endures either by memory and by energy... it is after all a charge led by Persephone that had given Wally the chance to culminate his missed chance to have a romance with Linda... now she carries his child."

"Yes... it is just difficult to watch anyone die whether it is a shot from a gun or dying from the inside... do I just let them die because its the thing to do or am I being stubborn just to prolong their existence by machines?"

"Only you can decide that... I think I have taken enough of your time for now... if they are to pass then Celesta will come for them... as the goddess that ferries the spirits to Elysium... it is what she does."

"Yes... until next encounter Themis."

"Indeed..."

Bruce leans against the wall after the haze of meeting with Themis again wears off. He sits down in the chair nearest to Paladin and gives into the exhaustion in his limbs plus his still healing injuries. Batman may have no limits, but as a human being Bruce can only push his body so far.

Diana rouses awhile later and drapes a thin blanket over Bruce, stuck between smiling and tearing she kisses his forehead though hopes that does not wake him. He is in a deep sleep, too many hours up and about plus he had been pretty badly shot up. She goes to join the others who have gotten up since dawn and they are having breakfast. Inara is as usual the one with the biggest appetite. She spots Roy talking to a woman who looks like she took a red eye flight to get here, of course it must be that woman he told Donna about after they all got away from the Cadmus trackers.

Later on in the morning a formal declaration is made by the government through the media to the nation regarding the recent actions of Cadmus and there is something an uproar at the mention that Cadmus had taken civilian hostages including women and children to provoke the Watchers in an effort to show the costumes for their true selves. Superman made a public response of his own. Everyone at the Insiders' bunker in Metropolis is intently watching before suiting up to turn out in numbers to shore him up. Cameras pivot to note the appearance of several more costumes led by Diana. She stands shoulder to shoulder with Superman, so does Shayera, and every other costume forms a loose lineup and of course somebody asks where Batman is yet that is when he makes his appearance.

Barbara had taken over for him in the ICU vigil along with Tim and Stephanie.

"We turn out by the numbers today because we know we do not have everyone's faith and trust... we never did... we never thought we did... we made mistakes... ones that cannot be forgotten... maybe forgiven... maybe unforgiven... but hitting us where it hurts will not set us off again... it happen before... we cannot promise it will not happen again... however on this occasion we merely went in to recover those who were knowingly taken by Cadmus in an effort to provoke us... whether this is the whole agency or a select circle is unknown to us."

He rubs his temple before resuming his response.

"They made duplicants and hybrids with at least one purpose in mind to capture us... if they thought necessary kill us.. at least one of them did not adhere to their commands... he for his efforts is dying as his girlfriend... who had also been trained to be a living weapon by Cadmus. We don't believe we know what's best for this country or this planet. We believe we should help when we can, but everywhere there is adversity for us and for all of you who support us. We do not wish to endanger you because they think we will harm you again some day. Some consequences automatically come with the territory."

The crowd and anyone who did not change the channel listens with great attention to him.

"Some of us are not from Earth, some of us have past incidents that led to these costumes, some of us think we serve a higher purpose or calling to do this, and as for others well each of them like us is here to what seems right even though we make mistakes and slip ups... consequences are never far from our minds. As for those of you who still believe and keep faith in us... there are not enough words to thank you for your support. This is not for publicity, this is merely a statement, not to sway or decry, just to say thanks in a lengthy yet simple manner."

The costumes start to file out of the area. The news crews and the civilians disperse eventually too.

There is enough clear out of toxins to permit surgery on Paladin so he goes under the 'knife'. Bruce and Diana take the first 'watch' in the viewing area above the O.R. He is in there for hours and they do manage to extract the implant though all indications so far do not indicate that he'll live for much longer so removing the implant only insures that he won't die as soon as it seem he would die before. As for Ace, there is contemplation again about the power disruptor yet again nobody wants to risk it with her physical and mental condition. As for the moment, she is kept going by deep sedation and life support.

Another experimental procedure calls for deadening the parts of her brain response for telepathic/telekinetic abilities, which carries slightly less risk then using the power disruptor. Bruce goes to her bedside once they are told the possible benefits and the certain risks to try this. He whispers to her the question of should he gamble this knowing it might just as easily kill her on the table if he understood the risks to some degree. He decides against it given that her prognosis looks about as good as Paladin's.

He consults the others before asking that the life support machines be shut down by tomorrow, there is no reason in his mind to prolong them like this if only for the compulsion of others to have them around.

The next morning the machines are off and for a brief while both regain consciousness to say their goodbyes to both the Watchers and their Cadmus 'siblings'. Celesta comes by sunset for them and Diana nestles herself against Bruce at the sight of Celesta for it is the first time she had seen Celesta take anyone let alone two she would treat almost as her own children especially Paladin. They would have to name them or at least ask them what name would they like to have before they pass off the mortal coil.

[+]

"Have you ever thought of a name you would like to be called?" asks Diana

"They only had given me a code name... never a real name," answers Paladin.

"Are you familiar with the Argonauts?" continues Diana.

"A band of heroes led by a man called Jason," replies Paladin.

"I would call you Jason after him."

Paladin smiles weakly at her.

"It feels different to have a name and I think I should like it...I mean I know I was not born like a child is from a mother... but to me you'll always be mother, not just genetically...though I do hope you'll one day know the joys the motherhood..."

"I already do... Jason."

He cries, a new experience for him, but often there are tears for happy things, she hugs him.

Ace watches this unfold with her hand in Bruce's hand.

"I'm glad he got to know his parents before we both die... though perhaps it is better that we can make this journey together.. too often is that one precedes the other though I suppose waiting doesn't seem so trying if you are the one waiting on the other side instead of wondering how long you'll be going on for until you are back."

"No...though the experience differs for everyone regardless of age though my only experiences with death are my parents, seeing Dick having to also watch his parents die..you feel so helpless if you are watching... though for it to actually happen to you is something else."

"I see she's named him... I don't suppose you have something similar in mind for me?"

"Only if you want one... not forcing it on you."

"He seems to think of you as beautiful if the way he looks at you is any indication... so perhaps Rana."

"I'm thinking Astraea... well in keeping with Diana calling him Jason."

"How did you?"

"My mind is not my only means of learning... my hearing is also quite good."

"Well let's make the reintroductions shall we..."

Several weeks later after the births of Jason, formerly Paladin and Astraea, formerly Ace, physically embrace a final time before simply holding hands while closing their eyes knowing they are about to go as Celesta guides away their spirits yet in the moment they bid a final farewell in thought to Bruce and Diana. Arrangements are made to bury them together in the same coffin so it had to be built for two, since they are not typically done anywhere. The Watchers hold what's been commonly known as an Irish wake in their memory. It is hard not to wear black for the occasion. It takes quite a bit of time to organize yet it is happier than one would expect for an entire crowd of people wearing black. Bruce gives a brief eulogy simply saying that the two shall remain unforgotten. The doctors had more luck in removing the implants from the others and so in time there might be hope for them to lead lives without the programming circumventing their behavior. In the passing of all this, Bruce and Diana had become more intent of having the wedding soon, but leave themselves enough of a reprieve to mourn the passing of the young lovers.

They are laid to rest in a private cemetery under their new names known only to the Watchers, Agent Faraday, and Amanda Waller.

The grave marker is an elaborate monolith with their names on the front, on the left side reads the phrase Amor est vitae essentia, on the right side is Amor caecus est, and lastly Amor vincit omnia.

Three turns of Latin something decidedly Bruce/Batman and as for Diana she had chosen the grove for their wake as well as their burial. It is not meant to be overly formal though with everything more or less looking like they are going to a funeral, it is not easy to look chipper. It is a sunny afternoon, some clouds, a cool breeze, and it is a brief time taken to honor them for their brief lives as well as their sacrifices made to assist the recovery of those taken from their new 'family'. They would not be forgotten, of course this goes without saying, and after a nearby park that been one of Astraea's regular spots when Jason took to tracking her. The mothers in the Watchers bring their kids to play around in this park.

Diana arrives there in a sky blue dress and Bruce now in a sand stone colored suit sneaks up behind her. He slips his arms around her waist and notes she is watching all the kids from here.

"Makes you think about having kids doesn't it?" whispers Bruce.

"Someday, he made feel as safe as you do," murmurs Diana.

He softly kisses her neck. She sighs softly.

"Something about him made me trust," continues Bruce.

"He was our son even if only for a short time," remarks Diana.

She turns her neck so her face is closer to his and he tilts his head so that his face is looking directly at hers. She kisses him and he kisses back.

"You chose rather romantic tones to the Latin phrases on the monolith," notes Diana.

"It seem to fit most of us now though for them it had been more so in some ways," comments Bruce.

"Still it makes me glad to be in love with you..."

"... and all this made me sort of reassess what my motives and purpose is when it comes to Batman."

"What did you discover or decide?"

"Batman still serves a purpose as a symbol though there's still you and others to keep in mind on some level despite how much of my time I give to what the nights demand of me. It is not saying the image of Batman matters that much, but there's always been the prospect that I might die in costume long before we ever met I had seen that possibility. I don't intend for it to happen to me because for once there's too much to live for when I look at you."

She smiles with a bit of grin and sort of tackles him to the ground while kissing him at the same time.

Nearly everyone had seen this, many crack up laughing, the kids don't exactly get it, but who would expect at that age though if they were a little older and known anything about boys and girls not being that close. Dick vividly remembers that phase though it was long gone by the time he spent more time with Barbara or Babs as he continues to more affectionately call her. He keeps a close eye on Cass while noticing his wife with their newborn son James after Barbara's father who since his retirement provides more an counciling advisory role to his former police comrades as well as the members of the expanded Bat-Clan. He joins them today to meet his new grandson after hearing who Barbara names him for, which brings a few tears to his eyes when she asks if he wants to hold little James. It takes him back to when Barbara was little and of course she had been very much a father's daughter when she took interest in his police work though as many had later found out it goes further as he gradually works out that she is moonlighting as Batgirl though now as a mother of two she is going by the advisory role alias of Oracle.

Donna, Kyle, Roy, and Jade manage to get on the swings, which were strengthened to hold adult weight. They just sort of embrace just swinging back and forth as if one could go back to the way it felt like a swing could give you flight though of course in Donna's case she had been able to fly since before her time with the Titans. However she finds riding the swing to be amusing and worth a few giggles as she watches Kyle noticing how much she is having with this.

Connor, Mia, Cass, Felix, and Warren are busy in the sandbox much to Lois' amusement as she notes her own daughter Lara seeming to eye the kids playing in the sand. She was quite the handful at just over two months old yet she would have it no other way after carrying her to term. Lara while not the healthiest child is still one of the most stubborn little girls Lois had ever known especially with her being her first born with Clark and for the moment, one child is enough for now, in time there could be others.

[+++]

"You'd think they would be less open about this, I know they are all affected by these deaths in some way yet to be out in the open like this is vulnerable."

"There are enough of them around plus everyone's carrying teleport beacons so if they had to beam out, they could."

"You sure no one could intercept the beams?"

"The beacons are a combination of Watcher technology and ours."

"You seem quite confident Agent Faraday."

"Wouldn't you be Miss Cain?"

"Call me Cassandra..."

"Only if you call me King..."

"We'll see... just keep tabbing everyone."

"Paranoia isn't healthy at any age."

"Paranoia has kept more people alive than you know."

"Right... well I'll check in again later."

The man likes to charm she could tell that much.

The woman is rough around the edges, he senses that clearly.

[+++]

Many suspect they have not seen the last of Cain or Hush, but only time would tell as usual. However this would not deter them from living in spite of the variables.

A wedding is always a cause for celebration and soon there would be one for the ages.

A/N 1: Ace/Astraea and Paladin/Jason are among the fallen yet they had given their all for a higher purpose.

A/N 2: Enter James Grayson and Lara Kent - children born after the deaths of Astraea and Jason.

A/N 3: Family oriented chapter after all the action of preceding chapters and soon to come the wedding.