Chapter 15

The next day…

"Mom, please, I'm not that bad a cook," Clark is complaining to his mother as the two find themselves arguing over the cooking of Thanksgiving dinner. It was early and the two Kents were up before everyone else who were all still sleeping.

"I am certain, honey, that if it was just yourself you could manage fine but this is a special occasion isn't it. It's the first time my granddaughter is here."

"Keep your voice down. Mia doesn't know that," he reminds her.

"Yes. I know. You told me," Martha says, a tad icily. "I still don't understand why you haven't told her yet."

Clark groans. "It's not my sole decision to make, mom. And please, don't harass Andi over it," he begs her. "We'll decide together when the time is right."

"Alright. Fine," Martha concedes, though clearly she's not happy. In fact, she finds the whole thing ridiculous. It's obvious Mia adores her son even without knowing the truth and Clark's adoration in return is equally as obvious. "But let me make it clear, Clark, I am not…happy over Andrea keeping my granddaughter's existence a secret."

"You think I was?" he retorts bluntly, revealing for a brief second that his hurt and anger over that is still there before he calms himself. "All that matters is Mia. I've chosen to overlook Andi's choice because my daughter is what is important."

Martha looks at him oddly.

"What?" he asks at her look.

Nothing. It's just…you've finally grown up," she remarks.

"What do you mean 'finally'?" he asks, insulted.

"I don't mean this as an insult, honey but you've been clinging to the past for too long."

"Oh that. Yeah, I know. I was blaming myself for things I shouldn't have been but I had an epiphany awhile back and realised I needed to lay some of those ghosts to rest and while cherishing the past, stop chaining myself to it."

"Sounds like quite an epiphany."

Clark snorts. "It shouldn't have taken Brainiac and time travel to reach it though."

"Huh?"

"Long story."

"I see," Martha says carefully, her mind wondering what Brainiac of all things has to do with this.

"Like I said, I've let it go with Andi and I'd appreciate it if you didn't harass her over that either."

"I'll be cordial for my granddaughter's sake but that is all I promise, Clark."

Clark makes a pained expression. He really does not want to spend Thanksgiving playing peacemaker between his mom and Andi but is starting to get a horrible feeling deep down in his gut that he may have to.

"Can we talk about you and Lois?" the older woman asks.

"Oh boy," Clark mutters under his breath. Part of him would love to say 'no' but this is the woman who raised him. He doesn't get that option.

"The last time we talked it seemed like you and her were an item."

"Well, we weren't officially an item…technically," he corrects his mother.

"And now you're what?"

"Nothing. We're nothing. I haven't seen nor talked to her in weeks."

"Why? What happened?"

Clark sighs as he sits himself down at the kitchen table. His mom joins him. He really doesn't want to be talking about this and dragging up his hurt feelings all over again but he also knows his mom won't let it go either. "After I found out about Mia, I tried to make whatever time I could to spend with her but inevitably that ate into the time I could spend with Lois. I realised that unless I explained to her why I didn't seemingly have the time for her I would drive her away so I chose to tell her about Mia."

"And?"

Clark lets out a half-strangled bitter laugh. "She didn't take it well."

"In what way?"

"In that she had Tess transfer her back over to Africa…without telling me. Refusing to answer my calls and basically acting like, somehow, she was the wounded party in all of this. Why she felt like that you'd have to ask her if you can find her. I mean Lana I could understand acting like that. I did cheat on her. I accept that but Lois? I mean we could barely stand each other back then."

Martha frowns. "I don't understand. I can't imagine Lois acting in that way."

"Well, she did. I guess neither of us knew her as well as we thought we did."

Ooh. Martha can hear the hurt in her son's voice. Lois' choices have really stung deep in his heart. He must have really cared a lot about her. She can only feel a sadness at the current situation as she did feel that Clark and Lois were really good together. Even that Lois could well be the One…which only makes her presence here pretty awkward.

"There really isn't much else I can say, mom. I thought Lois would understand. She didn't. I don't know why. At least, I suppose, I didn't blurt out the whole alien origin story. That would have been…I don't know what. So, yeah, I guess we're done. I didn't chase after her the first time she left and I'm definitely not chasing after her this time. My heart can only take so much."

Martha looks at him sympathetically until a question strikes her. "Does Andrea know?"

"Know what?"

"That you're not human."

"Told her weeks ago."

That's interesting. "You're not usually so forthcoming this quickly."

"Well, we do have a kid together, mom. What was I supposed to do? Not tell Andi our daughter is half-Kryptonian. Mia doesn't have powers yet but she will. At least I'll be here for her this time round."

"Will you be ok?"

"Hmm? Oh, you mean Lois?"

Martha nods.

Clark sighs. "It doesn't hurt as much now as it did at the time. Then again Mia always helps brighten my mood."

"My ears are burning," adult Mia remarks as she enters the kitchen.

"I was referring to your mini-me. You are an annoying brat," Clark teases his grown-up daughter.

Mia grasps at her bosom. "Oh God. My poor heart. My own Papá rejecting me," she feigns hurt theatrically.

Clark rolls his eyes. "See what my last 3 months have been like?" he asks his mother.

Martha can't help but grin widely at the scene. The two were so alike it was bordering on the spooky.

"By the way, mom you never said who you were in town to see," Clark raises.

And here comes the awkward part. "Well…actually…it's Lois' father."

"General Lane?" he queries with a frown.

"He's in Metropolis for Thanksgiving…with Lucy. You remember Lucy?"

"Despite my best efforts, yes, unfortunately," he gripes at the memories of his previous run in with Lucy. "Finally tracked her down I assume," he comments since last he heard the younger Lane had run off to South America or something.

"He is a 4-star General."

"I'm pretty certain that is not the best use of taxpayers' money," the alien hero drawls.

Martha chooses not to comment. "This is the only chance I could get to meet with him before the vote. Up to now he's been a big advocate of the VRA. Getting him to change his mind could go a long way to changing the minds of the waverers in Congress."

"Yeah. I wish I could do more to help," Clark grumbles, feeling frustration at the limitations of what he can do. It's not a feeling he is used to. Being limited.

Martha smiles fondly at him and pats him on the shoulder. "You just keep doing what you're doing honey and show the public that people with abilities are heroes and not threats. Examples to aspire to and not something to fear," she says, clearly proud of him.

"Uh huh…wait a second. Why are General Lane and Lucy in Metropolis?" he asks, confused. "They don't live there. Lois does," he says, looking at his mother intently and then getting from her expression the following notion. "She's back isn't she. She's back in the country and didn't even tell me," he says, the hurt and pain over the break-up flowing back to the surface.

Martha sighs. "I was trying not to make you feel bad," she justifies not saying anything.

"Unbelievable," he mutters. The woman is unbelievable. First, she scarpers off without saying a word and now she's back without saying a word. One would think he's entitled to at least a proper explanation as to why.

"Morning!" one chippy 4-year-old yells as she rushes into the kitchen.

"Indoor voice!" one exasperated mother yells as she follows said chippy 4-year-old.

"Morning," Clark chuckles in an almost instant 180 mood change at the sight of his daughter. "Sleep well?"

"Fine," Andi replies.

"Sit. I'll get you your breakfast," he tells her.

"You really don't have to. I can do it myself," the brunette half-declines. After all she is very use to doing things for herself.

"Nonsense," Martha dismisses that. "You're a guest. Sit."

"Just give in. It makes life easier," Clark advises cheekily making his mother glare at him through narrowing eyes.

"Thank you," Andi says as she relents and sits herself down. "Mia. Come and sit down."

"Noooooo!" the small girl whines as she runs round and round the kitchen.

"Mia," Andi says sternly, trying not to blow her top in front of all these people.

"I'll get her," Clark says.

"Noooo!" Mia protests as she finds herself chased round the kitchen.

Clark zips ahead of his daughter and she runs right into his arms. "Ha ha, gotcha!" he cheers as he lifts her into the air.

"Ah! No! Put me down Mister Clark!"

"Nope. For their behaviour I'm thinking someone needs a tickle punishment."

"Nooo! Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha! No! Mamá! Help!" Mia pleads as Clark tickles her.

"I don't know," Andrea says, putting on an exaggerated expression of chewing it over.

Martha can only smile brightly at the sight. It has been so long since the happy sounds of children were heard in this house. It's not the only sound she hears. She also can hear the grown-up version of her granddaughter muttering, "I don't remember being that bad."

'No. No-one ever does,' Martha muses to herself.

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with?" Clark is asking his mother. They were outside on the porch. A car was approaching the farmhouse that would take Martha to Metropolis and her meeting with General Lane.

"I'll manage, honey," she assures him.

"You know that's not what I was meaning," he replies. He is well aware she can manage.

"Clark, in all honesty what would you do there?"

He frowns. Good question. Argue against the VRA? There is probably not much he can say his mother won't.

"Besides…and don't take this personally but the obvious tension there would be between yourself and Lois wouldn't help."

Clark shoves his hands into his pockets. "Fine," he concedes. "But if you need me…"

"Yes, yes. You can be there in seconds. I am well aware. No. You stay here and follow my instructions on cooking the dinner to the letter," she tells him sternly.

Clark mutters under his breath. His mother had gone into insane detail over how she wants dinner cooked while she's away. "I can cook, you know," he sulks. "Also, so can Mia. She's pretty good actually. Got me into Mexican food."

"Do you know how many calories are in Mexican food, Clark?"

"Yep. It's great."

She shakes her head at him. "That's only because you can't get fat like us mere mortals."

"Somehow I still think there was a dig at me in there somewhere."

"Now, honey, would I ever do that to you?" she asks, in a far too sweet-sounding tone.

"I don't think I should answer that," he says grumpily as he folds his arms across his chest.

Martha laughs lightly at her ridiculous son as the car pulls up.

The Watchtower…

Oliver enters the HQ, dripping blood on the floor from a wound he received in a fight and struggles to find the first aid kit.

"You know, when you need first aid you expect it to be in the first place you look," he complains…at Tess because it was where he was looking last time he checked. He's betting she moved it. In fact, now he looks around has she been redecorating?

"It's over here," Tess replies as she goes over to the cupboard where it is kept.

Oliver sits himself down on a desk, wincing slightly "Look at this, new chairs, you got a whole new setup going on. You know when I said you could move in, I didn't think you'd actually move in," he snipes at her.

Tess walks over to him. "I needed to replace some equipment and decided I would upgrade while I was at it…and before you complain further that replacement was needed thanks to our resident 'Supergirl'. Take off your shirt," she directs him which earns her a queer look. It's all the redhead can do to not roll her eyes at him. "Like I haven't seen it all before."

Oliver has to concede that was true as he removes his top.

"It looks like you had a rough night," she remarks as she begins to clean the wound on his back.

Oliver grunts slightly in pain. "Yeah. Somewhere between chasing the bad guy and dodging the press, I ran into someone who literally had an axe to grind."

"That sounds like some serious overtime. But if I remember correctly, your cure all was 2 raw eggs and a Belgium beer. Hmm?"

"Yeah let me tell you something Tess, I can do this whole 9 to 5 thing with you alright, but I draw the line at happy hour," the blonde archer says, still being immensely defensive and sceptical when it comes to Tess' presence. "Wait, what about Supergirl?" he asks, his mind only now catching up on what the redhead said.

"She smashed one of the computers in what looked like a teenage hissy fit. Why…well that raises the issue of just who she really is."

"Take it up with Clark," Oliver side-steps the question.

"Fine. I will."

Oliver groans in pain again at the sting of the iodine.

"How did you say you hurt yourself again?" she asks, something in her tone.

"Just your typical axe wielding maniac. Scratched the surface."

"Something is happening beneath the surface, your skin is reacting to the iodine," she informs him as an image appears. One she is familiar with of skull and crossbones. "It's a subdermal tattoo. Oliver I've seen this before, this is the signal for The Suicide Squad."

"Suicide Squad huh? It's a hell of a name."

"They're a hell of a team," she replies as she walks over to a computer. Oliver follows her. "Here. Look," she says as she brings up the info on screen. "When I was working for Amanda Waller at Checkmate, there were certain dirty jobs that a government agent just couldn't do. Not even us, and Waller would send in a squad. They were led by Rick Flagg, but they all died when Checkmate was attacked."

Oliver leans in, a serious intensity coming to his features. "Wait a second, wait a second, I know this guy," he says, tapping on the image of a man in a yellow shit under his armoured vest. "This guy tied me to a chair, he beat me to a pulp, and then he wanted to kiss and make up," he recalls the incident a few months back. It is what led to Chloe's disappearance as she offered herself in his place. "I know he got under my skin, but come on."

"Wait Flagg survived?" Tess queries, genuinely surprised that he managed to survive the demise of Checkmate.

"He's recruiting a whole new squad. I politely declined," Ollie drawls sarcastically.

"If he tagged you, he's tracking you," she points out.

Ut oh. "Something tells me I'm not the only one," he says with dawning realisation.

Meanwhile, Martha is just entering Metropolis when her phone rings. "Hello," she answers it.

"Senator Kent…or do you prefer Red Queen?"

Martha tenses instantly at that name. Also, that voice. Impossible. "Flagg?"

"How flattering you remember me."

"You're sounding well for a dead man," she reflects, her voice tight.

"Amanda Waller recruited me for many reasons. My ability to survive being chief amongst them."

"What do you want?" the older woman cuts to it.

"I know about your meeting with General Lane."

"And?"

"Just wanted to wish you luck."

"I find that doubtful."

"I have no more desire to the see the VRA passed than you do, Senator. Giving those corrupt, weaselly politicians that sort power, you might as well say farewell to these United States."

"I could point out I'm one of those politicians."

"No. You're not. You're actually someone with principles. That's why I admire you so. That's also why I'm willing to offer you my services."

"What services?" she asks with extreme caution in her voice.

"In removing the opponents to what we both want."

"I am well aware of what you mean by 'removing' Flagg. Forget it."

"I don't recall the Red Queen being this squeamish."

Martha internally winces at being reminded of that. "I'm not her any longer. Checkmate is dead and I most certainly don't need any of your 'help', Flagg," she tells him in no uncertain terms.

"You say that now but I think before all of this is said and done you'll come round to my way of thinking."

"Doubtful," she rejects that with her voice like ice.

"We'll see. In the meantime consider this an open-ended offer. Again, good luck with your meeting. I'll be in touch."

The phone call ends with Martha staring at her cell for far longer than she needs to, a deep frown on her face. That brought up some memories she could have done without. Red Queen. Jesus! She had done it by convincing herself that it was necessary. To protect Clark. The fact it may have put a wedge between her and her son could be why they've not talked about it. Not since Checkmate was destroyed because raising it might reopen a wound that doesn't need to be poked.

Now, it seems, she has at least part of that past coming back to haunt her. She can only hope her choices this time round don't further damage her relationship with her son.

Unknown Location…

"Well?" Flagg asks the person he is standing over.

"The upload was a success. Senator Kent's phone will continually transmit its location."

Flagg nods, satisfied. He is a man who will do whatever he has to to accomplish his mission. The phone call was just a means to upload a purpose made virus into Senator Kent's phone that essentially turns it into a tracking device.

He was being truthful. He does admire her but sacrifices must be made for the greater good.

Author's Note: It occurred to me that having Martha in the story, along with Flagg, allows us to revisit her days as the Red Queen and Checkmate and we'll get to why mother and son just seem to be acting as if that didn't happen. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews.