The sun was just barely touching the early morning sky with the dreaded alarm clock came alive with obnoxious ringing. Oliver groaned loudly with his head in his pillow as he slapped his hand across the bedside table until he found the snooze button. He remained buried in the pillow before turning his head to the side. Nyssa was lying on her side so her back was turned towards Oliver, but he had a feeling she was awake
"Hey Nys" Oliver whispered as he inched closer
"Hmmm" She mumbled in reply, obviously trying to go back to bed
"Do you know what today is?" Oliver asked cheekily with William in mind
"Possibly?"
"It's Wednesday" Oliver whispered with a small smirk "Happy hump day"
"You Americans and your fascination with camels. You should talk to Dakota more often. He rides them on a daily basis and would appreciate this day of the week more than I would"
"I will keep that in mind, but for right now, I've got to go make sure William's up"
Oliver climbed out from underneath the covers on the bed and lazily threw on his favorite hoodie. With the sweater on, he walked out of the bedroom, down the hallway, and into William's doorway. He heard rustling from behind the sliding wooden door, so he gave a knock before pushing it open
"Hey William?" You up buddy?" Oliver called
"Yeah, I just can't find my pair of Wednesday socks" William replied while rustling through his closet drawers
"Did you check your second drawer?"
William glanced down, then pulled open the drawer his dad was talking about. As if my magic, William's favorite pair of socks were lying in the middle of the wads of clothes. He picked them up and started shoving them over his bare feet after thanking his dad.
Oliver walked back into his own bedroom to get ready to leave with William and saw that Nyssa was already up and getting dressed in the more normal looking portion of her league armor.
"I see you got up pretty well" Oliver smiled as he walked up behind her and kissed the top of her head
"You seem to keep forgetting a simple fact" Nyssa said as she relax in his embrace "Every morning is a good morning as long as I'm with you"
"You're a gem, you know that?" Oliver grinned
"Yes, and a very humble one at that" Nyssa laughed before giving her beloved a quick kiss
"Yes, the humblest of them all" Oliver laughed "Hey, have you seen my tie?"
"Your Wednesday tie as you call it?"
"Yeah, that one"
"I believe it is right here" Nyssa said as she handed Oliver a silver tie
"Thanks Nys" Oliver said as he took it and started tying it
Nyssa was dressed and ready before Oliver was, so while he was putting on the black blazer to accompany his very pale blue shirt, Nyssa crept up in between him and the mirror
"Hey Nys, I kind of need to use that" Oliver chuckled
"No, you need something better than a mirror" Nyssa replied while staring at Oliver "You stand in front of it and yet you still manage to get your tie crooked"
"Funny how things work" Oliver smiled while Nyssa fixed his tie, but then reached his hand to the side of her forehead and pulled on part of her hair gently, releasing it from the ribbon it was being held in place by
"You have an eye for crooked ties, but my eye is on your face and usually, you have a strand of hair around that size that can never be held in the ponytail" Oliver said when Nyssa looked up at him
"Hmm, guess you know random specifics on topics such as these as well" Nyssa smiled
"I guess so" Oliver said as he did the same to the other side of Nyssa's head so she had two whisps decorating the side of her face "But I also know that William has a specific pair of socks he wears every Wednesday"
"The off white ones with the red toe and two red strips on the ankles" Nyssa started "I do the laundry too"
"Looks like it's about time to start breakfast" Oliver said after noticing the time "I'll meet you in the kitchen, but first, there's something I need to get from the office"
"Sounds good to me"
Oliver and Nyssa both slipped out of the bedroom. Nyssa met up with William in the kitchen while Oliver walked to the end of the hallway where his office was. When he stepped inside, he gathered the things he would need for the meetings he had that day then walked towards the printer and pulled a piece of paper from it. Oliver quickly read it over and laughed silently to himself before walking out to meet his wife and son
"Happy international day of the camel Dad!" William said when Oliver came into the kitchen
"Happy hump day to you too Buddy" Oliver laughed "Cereal for breakfast I see"
"Yeah, I really wanted cereal for some reason" William replied as he poured himself another bowl of cinnamon coated flakes
Oliver turned his attention towards his wife, who was leaning up against the counted with a cup of tea in her hands. She could almost feel Oliver's gaze so she moved the cup down from her lips
"You are staring beloved" Nyssa said with a smile that Oliver could only describe as cute
"That I am" Oliver replied with the same smile "I've got something for you"
Oliver put his messenger bag on the counter, opened it, and rummaged through some files, looking for the little present. While he was doing that, William had his focus on his bowl of cereal and Nyssa's on her cup. She was still taking a sip when Oliver pulled out a piece of legal paper and went to her right side. He positioned it in between them so they could both read off of it. Nyssa only had to see what was on the paper for four seconds before almost choking on the tea. She quickly swallowed, looked at Oliver, and just laughed
"What do you think?" Oliver asked while laughing
"I have never seen something for accurate" Nyssa laughed "How did you find that?!"
"Random browsing done by Rene" Oliver answered
And it was as random as they come. Oliver had shown Nyssa a political world map, but instead of there being dark lines to show the country boarders, there were completely different lines that divided the countries into different sections. The whole map was titled by 'How Americans See The World- Stereotype Map'. Each section was titled with stereotype based on the general area but the one that killed Nyssa was the one that labeled Russia; Communists, Crime, and Vodka.
"It's so true!" Nyssa laughed as she continued reading the map "This is amazing!"
"Glad you found as much enjoyment out of it as I did" Oliver smiled
"Is this really how you Americans see the world?" Nyssa asked in disbelief, but with humor in her tone
"Before the island, that's exactly how I saw the world; by stereotypes. Now I can just look back on it and laugh"
"I have to show this to Elena. Can I take this with me?"
"Sure, I can always get another copy later on"
"Great, thank you" Nyssa smiled before looking over at the clock "Shoot, I need to get going. I'm supposed to be helping with the training of new recruits and I'm going to run late!"
"Right, we should get going too" Oliver said as he set down his cup of coffee
The three of them were able to quickly clean up the breakfast mess before getting the last few things they needed before departing for their daily tasks. William was slipping his shoes while Oliver stuffed the last few things he needed into his bag.
"I guess I'll see you at six?" Oliver asked, now facing Nyssa
"Yes you will" Nyssa smiled in reply before kissing her husband, then turning to William "You'll do as you do?"
"Yes, and I'll do it well!" William replied cheerfully
"That's what I like to hear" Nyssa said happily before giving William a kiss on the top of his head "And don't worry about that test you have today. You'll do fantastic!"
"Thanks Mom! See you tonight!"
Oliver and William both grabbed their bags and walked out of the penthouse. Nyssa locked the door behind them and then walked into the middle of the living room. She let a small fire escape her hands. A phoenix form was created from the flames and soon started circling around Nyssa. She watched the ground as a blinding white light overtook her sight.
-(=+=)-
Since the creation of the league, Elena and Andrew had altered their lifestyle so they could work better with the constant changing of time zones. Normally people in Norway woke up with the sun rise, but the Tsaoussis couple was completely different. Since Elena worked closely with Nyssa, she usually woke up at around five in the evening and went to bed at around six or seven in the morning.
It was around four in the evening when Andrew heard the sounds of coughing coming from the bathroom. He opened his eyes and turned on his side. Andrew found that the side of the bed that Elena slept on was empty, so he assumed it was her in the bathroom. All week, Elena had been feeling like crap and assumed it was something she picked up in Odesa a couple days prior.
Andrew heard a sound like someone was throwing up, so he got out of bed and walked into the bathroom. Just before he entered, he heard the toilet flush.
"Lena? Are you alright?" Andrew asked as he stepped into the bathroom after seeing her leaning up against the side of the bath tub, dressed in her league armor like she had been about ready to go
"Just sick" Elena replied tiredly
"This is why you shouldn't go to Odesa when the flu is flying around in the area" Andrew said as he sat down next to her
Elena rested her head on Andrew's shoulder when he wrapped his arm around hers. He noticed the sweat that had beaded up on her forehead, so he leaned over and grabbed a wash cloth from the side of the tub
"Should I let Nyssa know that you won't be able to do the extraction in Cambodia?" Andrew asked while dabbing the wash cloth on her forehead
"It will pass….just give me a few minutes" Elena replied
"Are you sure?"
"I've been going all week with this. A couple more days isn't a problem
"Okay then"
-(=+=)-
Oliver had just dropped William off at school and was now walking towards the elevator of city hall. People greeted him as he came inside like people from different floors and other city officials. He had been waiting for the elevator doors when he heard steps coming from his left
"Hey, I didn't think I'd run into you!" Tarren said as he stood by Oliver's side "How was the trip to Central City?"
"It was….eventful, but that's what made it memorable" Oliver answered "How's the city been while I've been away?"
"Well from what I've heard. I know for sure that everyone down on the security floor has been looking forward to your return. The people who step into your place when you leave aren't consistent with directions for where and when they want my guys to be somewhere" Tarren groaned with annoyance
"Understandable, but I don't think I'm going to be leaving for that long again" Oliver said as he and Tarren both walked into the elevator
"Great! Well all of us look forward to getting to work with you" Tarren started after pressing the button for the 6th floor and Oliver the 14th "I haven't seen Nyssa in awhile. How's her job going?"
"Quite well from what she's told me"
"Good. Well do remind her that she owes me a sparring match. The rookies are afraid to hit back and it makes the matches too quick and easy"
"I will be sure to let her know. She would enjoy getting to kick your ass" Oliver laughed when the elevator dinged with a 6 displayed
"Great, thanks! I'll see you around" Tarren said as he got off the elevator
The doors closed again and Oliver was left alone in the elevator. He watched as the number 6 slowly changed to a fourteen. The elevator dinged again and the doors opened up. When Oliver walked into the hallway, he was greeted by several of his assistants and other council members. On his way to his office, he saw Rene serving himself a cup of coffee from the side
"Morning Hos!" Rene called when he saw Oliver pass by
"Morning Rene. How are you doing?" Oliver asked
"Quite well. It's a nice Wednesday, Zoe was in a good mood since she's got a dance practice after school, and as far as I know, I don't have a crammed schedule" Rene replied "You?"
"William's going to slay a biology test today and all is well with the league so Nyssa's in a great mood" Oliver answered
"Good to hear" Rene replied "I didn't get a chance to tell you before you, Nyssa, and William left the bunker last night, but that maneuver you pulled with the truck and smoke bomb was pretty smart"
"Thanks, but I actually learned it from Dig"
"Huh, guess I'll have to ask him to teach it to me"
"By the way, Lenora and Jacob weren't there last night. Do you know why?"
"Oh, yeah. While you and Nyssa were in Central City, they both got jobs working as waiters at a restaurant down town. You know, the Italian one"
"Ah yes, that place is one of my favorites"
"Apparently there was a large party coming in and they were called to stay later, but they called afterwards and said it was well worth all the tips they got"
"Good to hear it was worth it" Oliver said
"By the way, how are you doing after that whole….sirens thing?"
"Much better now that I'm back in the city. Little to my knowledge, Nyssa had a supply of eternal water hiding in the piano bench so she forced me to use it last night. Not even a scar from the whole thing"
"Piano bench?"
"She thought it would be a good place to put it since the bench looks like it doesn't have a compartment"
"Ah, I see" Rene started "By the way, when are you planning on moving into Lenora and Jacob's old house?"
"We were planning on starting to pack up tomorrow night so we can get moved in this weekend. I'm sure between William, Nyssa, and I, we can get moved in at least halfway"
"Why don't me and Zoe come over and help? We're free and I know Zoe would like to help out if she can hang out with William more"
"And talk about their code names and preferred weapons for when they get out on the field" Oliver said with a small laugh
"Okay, Zoe still has a lot to learn before I even think about letting her beat up a thug" Rene pointed out immediately
"I know, I know. Hopefully they'll both be ready around the same time" Oliver started "By the way, would you make Zoe use a gun out on the field?"
"I would want her to carry at least two when she's out, but for preferred weapon, that's up to her. She's mentioned something about wanting to learn how to use duel scimitar swords…I don't know where she got that idea but it just came up one day"
"That will be interesting to see, but she should get a chance to work with Nyssa and maybe visit Finiks Jurf. Surely someone there could help her find her strong suits in battle"
"I would really appreciate that hos, thanks" Rene started "So are we a yes on Zoe and I helping out this weekend?"
"That would be great if you could come. I need to get some boxes tonight"
"Okay then, we'll be there with refreshments or at least some money for pizza later"
"I'll keep that in mind" Oliver laughed "Thanks Rene"
"No problem, now I should probably get back to work"
Rene took his cup of coffee and walked back to his office. Oliver got himself a cup as well, then went into his own office. He took a moment to stretch out his legs before sitting down in the large chair and starting in on his work load. As Oliver read over some new proposals, he couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of Nyssa at her 'job'. She was probably having some fun sparring with someone while he was stuck in city hall. Maybe if he asked nicely, he could trade with her for a day or two.
-(=+=)-
Elena swung her sword blades towards Nyssa's side, but she leaned to her side before they could strike her. Nyssa used her own sword to block Elena's barrage of attacks that followed and had to fall back a bit in order to regain her step. Nyssa lunged forward towards Elena with her sword side facing her so it would only push her opponent back. Elena predicted Nyssa's move and spun out of the way with her right sword over her head and the left one towards her center. When she stopped the twirl, she was positioned for another attack. She was about to run towards Nyssa, but felt dizzy for a brief moment and hesitated. In that moment, Nyssa was able to run forward and knock her right hand to the mat.
"You got distracted" Nyssa said as she offered Elena a hand up
"Sorry, just tired" Elena said once she was standing up
"Are you sure you don't want to stop and get some rest? You're supposed to be leaving for Cambodia and you're persistent, but going with a cold or even the flu is a terrible idea"
"I'm fine, but thanks for the concern" Elena said "Let's go again"
Nyssa shrugged her shoulders and took her stance across from Elena. Nyssa made the first move and ran towards Elena, but the light brown haired woman was able to see where Nyssa was trying to go and moved out of the way before the Phoenix's sword would have slashed her leg. Elena started doing a move similar to a heaven and earth routine with escrima sticks, but with her swords. She circled around Nyssa for a couple seconds, Nyssa being sure to block the attacks, but then she saw an opening near Nyssa's shoulder. Elena tried to distract Nyssa with lower attacks and she fell for it, but as soon as Elena tried to lower her blade on Nyssa's shoulder, she was pushed back by the side of Nyssa's sword. Elena stumbled back and immediately felt dizzy while regaining her step. Nyssa was about to attack again, but saw her friend holding her head slightly
"Elena? Are you alright?" Nyssa asked as she lowered her guard and approached her friend "I think you should sit down"
"No, just give me a minute" Elena replied "It will pass"
Elena stood there for a moment with her swords in one hand and after a couple seconds, she was able to stand back up normally. She turned towards her side and saw that Nyssa had a look of concern on her face
"I really don't think you should keep going on like this" Nyssa urged
"I'm fine, really. I've been able to cope with this all week and today is just another day" Elena stated
"Yeah, but a cold should have passed after a week. Have you seen one of the medics?"
"I didn't see a point. I know this is going to pass eventually and I know how to take care of myself"
"Okay, if you insist" Nyssa started "But I have some things I need to take care of around the cliff. I'll see you later on up in the science division for the booster weapons trial?"
"Yeah, I'll be up there" Elena replied
Nyssa put her sword back in the sheath on her back, then walked out of the cave they had been training in for the last couple hours. Besides practicing with some rookies and talking with Zayn about the current booster weapons project, Nyssa was also supposed to be helping with the check of the Eastern Bratva since the league had gained control of that division, so that's what she headed off to do
-(=+=)-
"And who knows how to identify which type of conflict in the central idea in a work of literature?" Mrs. Jackson, the AP English 9 teacher asked the 7th period class "Yes Maddie?"
"View dialogue and determine the character's problem and if it's internal or external" Maddie, a girl in William's class replied
"Excellent. With that in mind, I want you all to do that and the other steps we reviewed while completing your homework tonight" Mrs. Jackson called, but then the dismissal bell rang "And remember you have a test Friday on the last four chapters in 'Of Mice and Men'!"
All the students got up from their seats and started packing up their belongings so they could go home for finally relax. William usually met up with Zoe after school and they would walk down to city hall, which was around four blocks away from the high school. Usually, they would do their homework together while their dads finished up their office work. On occasion, they would go get dinner together, if Nyssa wasn't going to be able to make it, and then go to the bunker.
On his way to the cafeteria, where he met up with Zoe, William saw Tom and Jasper heading out the other doors together. They all exchanged quick waves before continuing their separate ways. Since Tom and Jasper lived relatively close to each other, they usually walked home together. Kaida was a different story though. Since she was a trained assassin, Jinja wasn't worried about her being jumped on the streets since she could easily fight them off. Although it was against school rules, and she could even get arrested for it, Kaida always carried three knives on her even when she was at school. William had learned this within the first month of school and after Kaida reassured him that they were well hidden, William didn't think she would get caught.
William walked into the cafeteria and saw Zoe fumbling through her backpack like she was looking for something. The teenage boy approached and stood over to her side while she kept going through her black and purple bag
"Whatcha looking for?" William asked
"I think I left my assignment in Mr. Quinto's room" Zoe said after confirming her assignment wasn't in her bag "I'll be right back!"
"Okay, don't be long!" William called back as Zoe ran out of the cafeteria and up the stairwell
William didn't have to wait for long before Zoe ran back down the stairs with a textbook and small packet in hand. She put both things in her bag, zipped it up, and threw it on her shoulders.
"So are you ready to go?" Zoe asked with a happy smile
"Yeah, let's get going" William replied
The two freshmen walked out of Everwood High School and onto the streets of the city. They had a certain pathway that they would take every day and so instead of trying to switch it up, they took that route. It involved some corner turning, street crossing, and even a park to cross through.
When they were finally outside of city hall, William and Zoe hurried towards the building. Both walked inside and towards the elevator. The secretaries at the main desk recognized the two kids and waved to them as they passed by. William and Zoe returned the waves before walking into the elevator along with another man that worked a couple of floors above them. When the elevator dinged, marking the 14th floor, William and Zoe both walked out and into the hallway
"Afternoon William, Zoe" Natalie, Oliver's assistant, said as the two freshman walked towards the offices
"Hey Natalie!" They both replied in sync
William pushed open the door to his father's office and held it open for Zoe. She gave a smile of thanks before walking inside the office
"Hey buddy. Hey Zoe. How was school?" Oliver asked from his desk
"Average day, like always" William replied
"Yup, Same old same old" Zoe said
"Good to hear. Did you get loaded with homework?" Oliver asked
"Four subjects" William said with a groan
"Really? Three for me and a large chapter test on Friday" Zoe said
"Sounds like you guys got your work cut out for you tonight. I'll let you get to work then, but I have a meeting at four thirty so you guys will be alone for around a half hour" Oliver said
"Okay, thanks for the heads up" William said from the seating area where he and Zoe were getting set up
"Hey William? Do you have the notes from chapters three and four of the novel? I don't have the part on developing conflicts…."
-(=+=)-
"So what are these weapons going to be used for?" Elena asked as she and Nyssa walked into the cave belonging to the science and medical division.
"Zayn wanted to start this project to merge the boosters I used before creating the league along with weapons in the league. Right now, he's working on making a bow but he's got something for a sword. He wanted to get it dispersed to high ranking members of the league after we gave our seals of approval" Nyssa replied
"Sounds interesting. I'd like to try those out at some point"
"Don't worry, I bet you will at some point in the near future"
The two leaders of the league came to the main entrance to the labs where Zayn worked. Nyssa pushed the large doors open and they were immediately met by swarms of scientists and engineers all bustling around, each working on their own projects. Nyssa only had to look around for a few moments before spotting Zayn's dark hair paired with his very modified league armor. Both women weaved in between groups of workers to get to Zayn. As they moved Elena could feel small dizzy spells coming on and off
"I see you've been working hard" Nyssa said once she was behind Zayn who was looking at a longsword with several modifications so it could work with a booster
"That I have, and I believe it will work rather well" Zayn said as he turned around "Thanks for coming up here to see this. It means a lot"
"It's not a problem. We're actually quite serious to see how these work" Nyssa said
"Well before you start jumping to conclusions, let me just a quick run through of how it works so if it does end up going through, you two can practice with them and learn the mechanics" Zayn said
While Zayn ran through the mechanics and other workings of the sword, Elena was starting to get light headed. She tried to brush it off, but it wasn't working very well. It wasn't long before Elena felt her legs starting to get weak from underneath her.
"…So when this is turned to the right, it will lock in place and provide an extra boost to the sword's power" Zayn said
Elena felt herself getting weaker and weaker but she couldn't figure out why. She suddenly felt her legs shake like they were going to give out from underneath her, so instinctively, she reached out for something to steady herself on. Instead of taking hold of a table, Elena grabbed Nyssa's shoulder, but wasn't able to hold on for long before her vision became fuzzy and she fell back. As soon as Nyssa felt someone's hand on her shoulder, she turned around but just in time to see Elena collapse to the ground
"Elena!" Nyssa shouted as she watched her friend fall back
"Oh my god, what just happened?!" Zayn questioned as he got on the ground next to Nyssa, who was trying to wake her friend up
"Hey, Elena! Elena, wake up!" Nyssa called over and over again, but it had no effect "Someone go find Andrew!"
One of the scientists, who had gathered as soon as Elena hit the ground, ran out of the lab to go find the right hand's husband, who was in charge of extraction coordination.
"What happened exactly?!" Zayn questioned
"I don't know! She's had a cold of some sort for the past week apparently, but I didn't think it was strong enough to take her out!" Nyssa exclaimed
"Well thank god we share a cave with the medical division" Zayn said gratefully "We can get her there and find the cause"
Nyssa nodded but with a look of panic on her face. When she had moved out of the way, Zayn picked Elena off the ground and held her in his arms bridal style. The other workers in the lab quickly made a pathway, then Zayn and Nyssa both rushed out of the lab and through some other hallways until they reached the doors to the main med wing. As soon as they entered, Zayn grabbed the attention of one of the medics, who immediately recognized the people that had come in.
"What happened exactly?!" The medic questioned after Zayn put Elena on one of the cots
"I'm not sure. She just passed out of now where" Zayn started
"She said she's been sick all week by she's been brushing it off like a common cold" Nyssa added in
"Abby!" The medic called to an older teen on the side
The teen quickly stopped what she was doing and ran to the medic's side.
"What do you need me to do Saskia?" Abigail asked the medic, who had the back of her hand up against Elena's forehead
"Get in IV going and find Asher. He's got trauma experience and can offer more help with this" Saskia said
Abigail nodded and quickly hurried off to find the things necessary to help out. Nyssa and Zayn, who were standing off to the side with worried expression on their faces, watched as Abigail returned and got an IV started while the other medic, Asher, tried to get information from Saskia.
"What's going on?! Where's my wife?!" Andrew said frantically as he ran through the doors to the med wing, but his question was immediately answered by the small group of medics standing over one of the beds. "What happened to her?!"
"She just passed out of nowhere. We're trying to find the cause" Saskia said "Can you tell us anything that could help?"
"All I know is that she's been sick for the past week. She's believed that it was just a cold or maybe the flu that's been going around Odesa and that she picked it up on her last trip. She's been throwing up when she wakes up and has mentioned a couple dizzy spells" Andrew said once he was at her side
"Okay, Abby, take a swab sample and get it to the lab to test for a virus. Calliope should be in there if you need help" Saskia instructed "Asher, check for any symptoms of physical trauma. For all we know this could be related to an old battle wound"
As soon as instructions were given, Asher and Abigail split off from the group to find the cause of Elena's predicament. Andrew stayed at his wife's side, holding her hand like he was going to lose her, while Nyssa and Zayn stood off to the side.
Around twenty minutes had passed and Asher had deemed that the cause of her unconsciousness wasn't due to physical trauma and that it had to be some sort of virus. They were all still waiting on results from the lab when Andrew felt Elena's hand move slightly. He quickly directed his attention to her eyes, which were slowly opening.
"Andrew…." She muttered in barely a whisper
"Hey, try to save your strength" He tried while still holding her hand
"What…happened?"
"You passed out but don't worry, Saskia, Abby, and Asher are trying to find the cause" Andrew started "Do you have any idea what it could be?"
Elena shook her head to the side, telling him she didn't know what was going on either. While Andrew sat with her, Nyssa and Zayn still stood off to the side.
"So not that I don't think Elena isn't important, but what's going to happen with that extraction in Cambodia that she was supposed to lead?" Zayn asked
"There's no way I'm letting her try to make that deadline" Nyssa started
"Then who's going to go? All of our other leaders are out around the world and wouldn't be able to get here and complete the task before the deadline"
"I'm going" Nyssa said, shocking Zayn slightly
"Don't you have to get back to Oliver and William?"
"Both of them know Elena and would understand the sudden absence" Nyssa said as she pulled her phone out from her pocket "I'll be right back. Let me know if they find anything"
"Got it"
-(=+=)-
"Shouldn't Mom be back by now?" William asked from the counter of the kitchen
"Yeah, but she's probably just running a bit behind" Oliver said from the stove top "If something's happening, she'd call us and let us know"
"Okay then" William said "You're cooking pasta, right?"
"Yeah, angel hair and meatballs to be specific"
"Awesome! I love this stuff!" William said with a small lick of his lips
"Well it's almost done so you don't have to worry about waiting long" Oliver said
William watched as his dad walked over to the sink where a strainer was set up. He poured the pot of pasta over the strainer and shook out the excess water. When the pasta was ready, Oliver took a few minutes to fix the meatballs.
"Here you go buddy" Oliver said as he slid a bowl of pasta across the counter
"Cool! I'm going to make some toast" William said
"Why make toast when we've got breadsticks?"
"We have breadsticks?!" William asked excitedly
"Yeah. The oven is almost warmed up. If you can wait around five minutes, they'll be ready"
"I can wait! I'll get a pan ready!"
William jumped up from his stool and immediately started fumbling around in a drawer until he pulled out a cooking tray and some aluminum foil. While he was putting the breadsticks on the covered tray, Oliver's phone started vibrating in his pocket.
"Who's that?" William asked
"It's Mom" Oliver said after looking at the caller ID "I'll be right back"
Oliver stepped out of the kitchen and into the living room so he had a bit of privacy. When he was a decent distance away, he clicked the 'accept call' button and put the phone up to his ear
"Hey, where are you?" Oliver asked when he picked up "William and I are finishing up making dinner"
"Shoot" Nyssa started "Look Beloved, I am truly sorry about this, but I can't make it home tonight. Something came up"
"What's going on? Is everything alright?"
"I'm fine, but it's Elena"
"Is she alright?"
"Not exactly. She's been sick for the last week but she's still pushed herself to complete the tasks of the league. Andrew said she had been getting worse and then today was just the last leg. She passed out while we were testing some new weapons with Zayn"
"Do they know what type of virus it is?"
"Not yet, but results should be in soon" Nyssa started "Elena was supposed to lead an extraction to Cambodia, but since she's in no condition to fight or travel, I need to take her place since we don't have any other extraction leaders at the cliff right now"
"Okay, when do you think you'll be back?"
"Thursday night, maybe Friday night if something jumps the rails" Nyssa replied "Like I said earlier, I'm really sorry about all of this. It just came up so quickly and I don't know how else to handle it on such short notice"
"Don't worry, I completely understand. Elena needs help and after all she's done for us, this is the least you can do for her"
"So you're not angry by the absence I will be taking?"
"Not at all"
"Thank goodness" Nyssa started "The plane will be leaving soon so I need to get going"
"Okay, I'll tell William" Oliver started "Love you Nys. Be safe out there"
"Don't worry beloved. I wouldn't leave you" Nyssa said with almost a visible smile "Love you too. See you Friday?"
"Yeah, see you then"
Oliver hung up the phone and stuffed the small device back into his pocket. He turned back around and went back into the kitchen, where William was waiting by the oven, watching the breadsticks toast.
"Is Mom coming home soon?" William asked
"No, unfortunately. You remember Elena, right?"
"Yeah, one of the bridesmaids at the wedding. Mom's right hand in the league"
"Right. Well Elena has been helping Nyssa and I out ever since the league was created. She never asked for anything in return after fulfilling huge favors to us" Oliver started "Apparently Elena is really sick and had to travel to Cambodia for a league extraction. Since it's so last minute, Mom's going to take her place and lead the mission instead"
"So when is she expecting to be back?"
"Around Thursday to Friday night at the latest" Oliver replied
"So two to three days" William said in a disappointed tone
"Don't worry, she'll be back soon" Oliver urged "And don't worry. When she's able to, she'll call us and give us updates"
"Okay, good!"
-(=+=)-
Nyssa hung up the phone after talking to Oliver and then walked back into the med wing. She went over to Zayn first and let him know what was going on
"I just let Oliver know of the change. Since you have quite a lot of leadership experience, will you assist Andrew in watching over the league while I'm away?" Nyssa asked
"I'd be honored" Zayn replied
"Thank you. I'll let Andrew know and then be on my way before I run late"
Nyssa walked to the empty side of the bedside and she could see that Elena looked incredibly exhausted, and with good reasons. When she was standing across from him, Andrew picked his head up and looked at her while Elena tilted her head to the side
"I just let Oliver know what was happening. Since he can handle everything back in the city, I'll take Elena's place on the Cambodia mission" Nyssa said
"Great, thank you so much" Andrew said in thanks
"And just to let you know, Zayn will be assisting you, but mostly leading, the league while I'm away. Don't worry about running the league. Just stay here with Elena"
"It's alright….I'm fine" Elena said as she tried to sit up, but Andrew stopped her
"No Elena, you're not" Nyssa said in a stern but caring tone "Please just focus on recovering while I'm gone"
"I'll make sure she does just that" Andrew said "Thanks again Nyssa"
"No problem. I'll see you in a few days"
Nyssa turned away and started walking towards the main entrance and exit of the wing. As soon as she was out of the area, she headed down a couple floors and outside to the main area of the fjord. She crossed a couple wooden bridges before arriving at the entrance of the main hall. Nyssa made her way up to her bedroom and when she got up there, she gathered the few things she would need on the mission. Before leaving her room, Nyssa grabbed a vial of eternal water and stuffed it in her boot. With everything she needed in hand, Nyssa walked out of the main hall and up towards the air strip.
When Nyssa got up to the air strip, she saw a group of nine assassins, all ready to leave. She knew that these assassins belonged to one of Elena's main teams so she got ready to give some explanations
"Alright, are you nine heading for Cambodia?" Nyssa asked
"Yes, we're waiting Elena. She's supposed to be leading this mission" One man started "Have you seen her?"
"Yes, but I'm here to inform you that she will not be leading this mission, as she has fallen ill. I'll be taking her place but all will return to normal within the next week or so" Nyssa replied
"Sounds good to me, but I hope she's okay" One assassins said
I will send her your best wishes. Until then, let's fly out so we aren't late in meeting the specific deadline"
-(=+=)-
It was a Friday evening in Star City when the plane Nyssa and the nine assassins landed back in Finiks Jurf. It had been a rather boring trip; seventy five percent of the time they were away, they were all confined on a plane. Once they got into Cambodia, Nyssa had enough information to contribute so they could complete the task in under eleven hours. It wasn't something too big, only gathering intel on a rising trade in Russia and a small check on one of the city's league bases. Since everything went as planned, Nyssa was able to finish the task quickly and efficiently
"Excellent work out there" Nyssa complimented when they were all standing outside and in front of the place
"Thank you for having out backs when it got strange back there" A man spoke up
"It's a leader's job to protect the followers. You have nothing to thank me for" Nyssa said "You're all free for the rest of the day so please use it wisely"
"Thank you my liege" A man said as he followed his teammates off the run way
The pilot of the plane and some other assassins started tending to the plane as soon as Nyssa started walking towards the stairs as well. Instead of going to train or get some sleep, Nyssa made her way to the med wing where she was hoping to find Elena still.
When she got into the medical wing, a medic directed her over to one of the more private rooms in the wing. Nyssa followed the directions and found room with the last name 'Tsaoussis' written on the outside. Nyssa pushed open the door after giving a small knock and to her surprise, she saw Elena sitting upright and smiling happily at Andrew
"Glad to see you're alright Elena" Nyssa smiled as she closed the door behind her
"I am also glad that I am not….dead" Elena said with a small laugh at the end "How did the extraction go?"
"Like normal. A couple cuts and small bruises but nothing some eternal water couldn't fix" Nyssa started before turning towards Andrew "Were they able to find the type of virus"
"Well, funny story about that" Andrew said as he smiled intently at his wife "Do you wish to tell her?"
"I don't know" Elena smirked
"Tell me what?!" Nyssa asked impatiently but with a laugh
"Nyssa…." Elena started
"Yes Elena…?"
"I'm pregnant"
"Y-You're….what?!" Nyssa gasped
"I'm pregnant" Elena repeated
"Oh my gosh! Elena! That's amazing!" Nyssa said with an excited smile "How far along?"
"Nine weeks"
"How did you not know about this sooner?"
"I guess with everything going on and the signs being mistaken as symptoms of viruses since I was traveling" Elena replied "But that's not even the best part"
"Well what could be better than you being pregnant?!"
"I'm not having one child…but two!"
"You're nine weeks pregnant with twins!?" Nyssa said excitedly "Elena, you have no idea how happy I am for you!"
"Thanks Nys"
"She's going to have to call up Dakota and share the news that you're going to be the mother of the first babies born into the league" Andrew said
"Dakota would get pretty excited for this, but it's up to you if you want him to know" Nyssa said
"He's a nice and trustworthy man. I can tell him eventually" Elena said
"Do you mind if I tell Oliver. He will be curious to know how you're doing" Nyssa stated
"I do not mind at all" Elena smiled "Speaking of Oliver, you should probably get back home so you can be with your family. I bet they'd like to see you again"
"I suppose you're right" Nyssa started, then turned towards Andrew "When is she supposed to leave?"
"Tomorrow morning but following a strict set of instructions" Andrew answered
"Okay then. Because of this whole thing, I want you to stay here in Finiks Jurf, which means no more missions, extractions, or league traveling during the pregnancy" Nyssa said
"Damn it Nyssa, how am I supposed to entertain myself then?" Elena asked with a small laugh
"Don't worry, I'm sure Andrew can help you find something" Nyssa said "Anyway, I'll let you two have some time together. Call me if you need anything, but I'll be back tomorrow"
"Right, see you then Nys!" Elena called as Nyssa walked out of the room
As she walked out of the med bay and towards the entrance hall, Nyssa had a happiness to her whole body and she couldn't help but think about the idea of two kids bouncing around in the fjords. This was definitely going to have to go down in the league's history as an essential part in the development. A first child born into a family is a big deal, but a child first born into the league was going to be treated like the coronation of a queen and Nyssa could hardly wait!
Author's Note: Okay, just a little side note. Elena's name is pronounced (Eee-LEN-ah) not (Eee-LEAN-ah). There are several different ways to pronounce it but that is the name I mean.