Chapter 14: Turkey Day

"And here we are." Barry announced as the car finished its journey, parking right in front of the mansion's front door. "Is it me or does this place look grander than it did last time?"

"It's just you." Iris informed him cheekily as they exited the car. Eddie, meanwhile, was staring at the ostentatious structure and sprawling greenery with a slightly gob smacked expression on his face.

"And I thought my family was well off." he muttered as he went to help Joe and one of the butlers in unloading the car.

The door chimed open, and more help emptied the mansion to overtake the detectives' self-imposed duties. After them was Moira Queen herself, playing the part of gracious host.

"Barry, Iris, Joe! It's good to see all of you." she welcomed them in, giving each a small hug. When she made it to Eddie, though, she paused. "And you might be?" the Queen matriarch asked politely.

"Moira, this is my boyfriend, Eddie Thawne." Iris interjected, grasping her significant other's hand.

Moira quirked an eyebrow but smiled nonetheless, holding out her hand, which Eddie took, shaking it courteously. "Well, then, pardon my manners. I am Moira Queen."

"I know." Eddie stated automatically, only to immediately backtrack. "I mean, I've heard of you before, seen the occasional picture –"

The female billionaire gave a mirthful chuckle, cutting him off. "I understand. Think nothing of it. Your name though…you wouldn't happen to be related to Hugo Thawne, would you?"

The detective's smile strained slightly. "Yes. He's my father." Iris gave him a slightly worried look – having been Eddie's girlfriend, she knew of the difficulties he had with his blood family. Moira, adept from years of playing hostess as a society wife, read the mood and didn't push the subject any further, instead giving a short nod.

She led the couple away from the door, back to the rest of the party. "Well, your rooms are the same last time. Eddie will be staying with you, Iris?" she looked to her prior conversation partners, who affirmed her assumption. "Very well then. I assume you all remember the way. If not, Raisa can show you again." Moira addressed them all.

Barry held up his hands. "We remember the way, Moira. You needn't bother Raisa – I assume she's busy. From what I heard, we are having quite the party tonight."

Moira smiled fondly at him. "Yes. On top of the four of you, we're also being joined by the Merlyns, and the Lances. I believe you'll like them, Joe, Iris – Quentin Lance is a senior detective for the SCPD, and his eldest daughter Laurel is a lawyer for the City's Necessary Resource Initiative."

Joe gave a low whistle. "Quentin Lance? Yeah, I've heard of him. He's got quite the reputation." Mainly for being one of the few cops in the SCPD that wasn't on some criminal's payroll – him and his partner, Lucas Hilton.

"The Laurel Lance is joining us for dinner tonight?" Barry asked, being far more interested in the latter's name.

Iris gave him a confused look. "I didn't know you followed Starling City's news so closely, Barry." she mentioned to her best friend.

Barry shook his head. "I don't. However, Oliver talked about Laurel all the time on the island, almost as much as he did his family and Tommy. He would often call his common sense his 'inner Laurel'. He was really fond of her." Moira had a pleased smile at that – if what Barry said was true, well, she had always had a soft spot for Laurel. Oliver always seemed to be on his best behavior when he was around her. If their friendship were to become something more…well, she wouldn't complain.

"I am. Much fonder of her than I am you, you little rascal." A voice said behind him, and soon afterwards Barry found himself a victim of a noogie, squealing in amusement. Oliver, the perpetrator, had a wide, playful grin on his face as his rubbed his knuckles on Barry's head.

Eventually, however, the Central City native broke the hold and gave his friend a good-humored shove. "Jerk."

"But you missed me anyway." Oliver teasingly replied as he went in for a hug.

Barry reciprocated. "Against my better judgement." He responded as they separated.

"Now boys, play nice." Kara scolded them both as she and Kal made their way down the stairs.

"Kara, you know that will never happen." Barry told her as they went in for their own embrace.

Kara sighed. "Won't stop me from trying." She was smiling despite that, holding Barry close, far longer than Oliver did. Eddie took notice, as did Iris. Iris was slightly annoyed, though she didn't know why, while Eddie felt hope blossom in his chest.

"Barry!" Kal yelped after the two separated and his fellow castaway snatched him up, deceptively strong as he gave his youngest companion a strong squeeze.

"And I see you haven't grown a bit!" Barry joked.

"Hmph! That's no fair! We just saw each other last week!" Kal jabbed back.

"So?" The speedster vaunted as he released the younger Kryptonian. Kal pouted.

Barry laughed, then remembering his family, turned to them sheepishly. Still in sync after all these years, the three castaways also clammed up, noticing that they were being a little too exclusive in their greetings. Moira had a look of slight disapproval on her face, but she was also clearly amused. Joe wore a similar expression, while Iris was considerably placid, almost annoyed. Eddie was neutral, if a little…delighted.

"Joe, Iris, you remember Oliver, Kara and Kal." he gestured to his friends awkwardly. Each of them gave small waves.

"Yes, we remember them Barry." Joe chuckled. "It's good to see all of you." He went forward, shaking Oliver and Kara's hands, and ruffling Kal's hair, making the middle schooler smile. Iris followed his lead, though her handshake with Kara was slightly tighter, and rather than ruffling Kal's hair, she gave him a big hug.

Eddie cleared his throat. Barry turned to him, and smiled awkwardly to him. "Eddie, these are my fellow former castaways: Oliver Queen, Kara Danvers, and her baby cousin Clark Kent, though he prefers to be called Kal. Guys, this is Detective Eddie Thawne, Iris' boyfriend." he gestured to the other man.

"Pleasure." Eddie stated happily as he exchanged greetings with the trio. He greeted Kara last, smilingly happily at her. "Barry didn't mention he had a girl here."

Silence.

Then Oliver and Kal, self-consciousness long gone, both burst into hysterical laughter. Kara, however, let go of Eddie's hand with an "Ew, gross." while Barry stumbled back into one of the tables in foyer, grabbing the edge and looking like he was about to retch. Eddie, Iris and Joe watched the entire scene, perplexed, while Moira hid her growing smile behind her hand.

"I'm sorry?" Eddie asked, slightly offended.

Kara waved him off. "Not your fault. It's just the thought of dating Barry…" she made a disgusted noise, visibly shivering. The two laughing males, who felt their mirth began to subside, were set off once more.

Barry, having finally gotten control of his equilibrium again, walked up to the group again, pounding his chest slightly. "Yeah, thanks for that visual Eddie."

The detective felt his hopes plummet. "So, you two aren't…"

"No. The thought of dating Barry – or Oliver for that matter – makes me want to lobotomize myself with a rusty spoon." Kara settled the matter instantly. Oliver sobered up at that, and he too shuddered. Kal tried to get his laughter under control, though there were still tears in his eyes.

"Yeah. These two are like my siblings. Never happening – ever." Barry added in for good measure.

Eddie's expression clouded slightly. Iris, however, felt relieved, as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

After settling in their rooms, the Wests and co. went back down to the foyer, where the Queens were meeting the Merlyns. Barry quickly introduced Eddie to Robert, Thea, Malcolm, and Tommy, and soon afterwards everyone was resuming small talk, waiting for the last of the guests to arrive.

The door chimed. Robert went to open it, smiling as he saw who it was. "Quentin."

"Robert!" The Starling City detective gave his friend a one-armed hug. "Thank you for the invitation. It's nice for us to meet up under better circumstances."

"Indeed." His smile widened when he saw Quentin's company. "Dinah! Laurel! And…is that who I think it is?"

"Indeed, it is." a smooth voice replied. Oliver's ears perked up at the voice, and he turned his head, teeth in a crescent.

Robert removed himself from the doorway, and there she was.

"Sara!" he barreled over, grabbing the woman he thought of as a second sister and pressing her chest-to-chest.

"Ollie!" Sara laughed, returning the embrace. They separated momentarily, and looked each other over, and then laughed again.

"It's good to see you, Sare-Bear." The Queen said, holding his childhood friend's hands.

Sara smiled. "It's good to see you too Ollie. I'm sorry I didn't show up earlier – I was jumping for joy when Laurel sent the news, and I was planning to visit, but then there was this issue with the well in the town I was in…" she trailed off.

Oliver shook his head, looking at her understandingly. "I get it, Sara. I wasn't expecting you to put your life on hold for me. Especially with what you do." he smirked. "Humanitarian…what is with you Lances and public service?"

Laurel stepped up, putting a hand on Sara's shoulder and giving Oliver a kiss on a cheek. From his vantage point, Tommy frowned. "What can I say? It runs in the family." she interjected. "Now, Ollie, I believe some introductions are in order?"

"Oh, right!" He dragged the Lance sisters over to his cohorts, beckoning Thea and Tommy as well.

After introductions were over, dinner was served. Raisa and the rest of the cooks had prepared a three-course meal for the mass of humanity that now occupied the Queens' dining room, slaving over a stove all day. Her hard work was worth it, however, as the food was soundly devoured as soon as it was set on the table. Barry, Kara, and Kal were the main offenders, piling nourishment on their plate constantly.

In between bites, others had started conversing as well. Dinah and Moira were in deep discussion about a cultural exchange that the Queens were planning for a charity gala in the spring. Quentin and Joe had hit it off immediately, and were swapping stories about cases they had taken on over the years, with Robert and Malcolm listening and offering their own input. Iris, Sara, and Laurel bonded over being the daughters of cops and lamenting the many overprotective measures their fathers had employed while growing up. Thea was telling her brother about a field trip she had gone on when she was a child, while they weren't watching the gluttonous trio in disgusted awe and, in Oliver's case, resignation.

That left two members of the party out of the festivities: Tommy Merlyn and Eddie Thawne.

Tommy could've easily included himself in any of the conversations. Unfortunately, he was sulking over the fact that Laurel wasn't paying him any attention. They had greeted each other, less awkwardly than the last time they had seen each other, but she hadn't paid him any attention afterwards, too taken with her sister and the host of new people that Oliver introduced her to.

Eddie was a bit more understandable. He was the only here who could be called a veritable outsider. Besides Iris, Joe, and to a lesser extent, Barry, he was meeting all these people for the very first time, and they all seemed more interested in each other than they were in him. Not helping his mood was the disastrous encounter with Kara from earlier.

So, rather inevitably, the two found each other.

"You don't look like you're having fun." Eddie looked up, picking out the voice from the din of cluttering utensils and moving mouths, and from across him was Tommy, watching the detective pick at his food with a somber air.

"Neither do you." Eddie retorted calmly.

Tommy shrugged and looked aside, scowling when he saw Oliver pop up next to Laurel's part of the table, making a grab for the bowl of mashed potatoes. She smacked his hand, causing him to retreat immediately and gaze at her, wounded.

"Ollie!" she chided him.

"I haven't had any yet!"

The lawyer looked at him incredulously. "Don't you have your own bowl?"

The billionaire simply jabbed his thumb to the other end of the table, where a clearly empty bowl of mashed potatoes was laying. Off to the side, Kal licked the remaining bits of the bland substance off his lips, smacking them loudly.

Laurel shook her head and exhaled. "Fine." she stated exasperatedly. "Get your plate, though – this is still our bowl."

"You're an angel, Laurel." Oliver praised her, unaware of the rose blooming on her cheeks. Sara, however, gave a knowing smirk, patting her older sister's thigh.

Tommy's scowl deepened, a dour look on his face. Eddie glanced at him sympathetically.

"I now see why." he commented.

Tommy shrugged, only for both their attentions to be drawn back to the girls, where Barry had followed Oliver to grab his own portion of mashed potatoes, which Iris was now astutely defending.

"No."

"Iris…"

"No, Barry. I've seen your appetite – you'll keep coming back and coming back until there's nothing left."

"I won't." Barry responded unconvincingly, shifty-eyed.

Oliver deadpanned. "Barry, this is your fifth serving of potatoes." he pointed out.

"Okay, so maybe I've increased my starch intake a bit."

Iris snorted. "More like your everything intake." She gestured to the end of the table, where every plate of food had been cleared out and licked clean.

"Hey! That was not just me – Kara and Kal ate a lot too." Barry tried to defend himself.

Iris sighed, then stood and grabbed the ladle herself, piling the beige sustenance onto his plate. "Only this, alright? You've have to leave room for dessert." she ordered him.

"Oh, something tells me he'll have plenty enough room for that." Oliver answered shrewdly. Barry's eating habits were clearly no strangers to him.

Iris gave him a commiserating glance, then frowned slightly when she saw something on Barry's face. Almost absentmindedly, she wiped off the bit of gravy on the corner of his mouth. "And clean your face regularly. We're guests in someone's house, Bar."

"Yes, mom." Barry remarked dully, and then gave a slight giggle when she slapped him – hard – on the arm.

Now Eddie was the one glowering. Tommy looked at him with complete understanding on his face.

"You too, huh?"

Eddie clicked his tongue against his teeth. "Worse – she's my girlfriend, remember?" Tommy winced.

Yeah, that was worse.

"…it's the dancing queen!" Moira and Dinah finished the song with a gusto, to the applause of everyone around them. The song went into decrescendo as the two set down the mics onto the coffee table.

"Who's next?" Dinah asked, projecting her voice to the large party of people.

Kal, a mischievous look on his face, piped in his recommendation. "Barry and Kara!" he called back, then tittered as both his surrogate siblings went for him.

"Kal, you brat!" Kara squeaked as Barry growled and started chasing the only child in the room around the other partygoers, much to their amusement.

Oliver, however, ever the enabler, smirked and slyly shouted, "I second the motion!"

"Oliver!" Both victims squawked.

The eldest 'sibling' shrugged. "Hey, I'm not the one who spent Kal's formative years singing baby songs every night." What he failed to mention was that they were Kryptonian baby songs, though in this case, he figured it hardly mattered.

"Really?" Iris wiggled her eyebrows at her best friend. "I didn't know you could be so maternal, Barry." The cop sniggered as she watched her best friend rub the back of his head nervously.

Moira quirked an eyebrow. "Kara?" she stated in an expectant and amused tone.

"C'mon guys, sing!" Thea laughed. Soon afterwards, everyone began chanting "Sing!" in unison.

Barry and Kara looked at each other and sighed, trudging forward and grabbing the mics. The former took the remote and started sifting through the many songs.

"Ooh! High School Musical!" Laurel pointed at one song, titled "You Are the Music in Me".

Sara looked at her disbelievingly. "You've seen High School Musical?"

Laurel flushed. "It was a phase, alright!"

"At twenty?" The lawyer flushed harder.

Oliver turned to Tommy, perplexed. "What's High School Musical?"

Tommy grimaced.

Barry and Kara glanced at each other once more and shrugged, selecting the song, and reading its brief bio. "It says this song is from High School Musical 2." Kara commented for the benefit of the crowd.

"There were two?" Sara demanded.

"Three, actually. The released the last one in theaters back in 2008." Laurel corrected her, reddening again at her little sister's pointed look.

Barry pressed start, then quickly set down the remote as the opening chords began to play.

"Na na na na / na na na na, yeah / You are the music in me." Kara started off, trying to get a feel for the rhythm. "You know the words "once upon a time" / make you listen? There's a reason / When you dream there's a chance you'll find / a little laughter / Or happy ever after…"

After the last verse, Barry joined in, his voice playing off Kara's perfectly. "Your harmony to the melody / It's echoing inside my head / A single voice (single voice) …"

"Above the noise…" Kara sang, quieting the room.

"And like a common thread…" They both hummed together.

"Hmm, you're pulling me." Barry finished off the stanza, and the tune began in earnest.

"When I hear my favorite song / I know that we belong," Kara belted out, as Laurel began to clap to the beat. Her actions were contagious, and soon everyone was doing it, with a swing for flair.

"Oh, you are the music in me / Yeah, it's living in all of us," Barry continued, turning to Kara as they began to sway together, the lyrics in the corner of their eyes.

"And it's brought us here because…"

"Because you are the music in me!"

The song continued with fervor, and soon everyone was joining in, caroling along. Oliver, in a moment spontaneity, stood and grabbed Laurel by the hand, and soon they were dancing and laughing too, punctuating each swing they made together with a clap of the hands. Tommy briefly stopped at the sight of this, but with a jab from the unaware Thea's elbow, rejoined the rest of the group, though with noticeably less enthusiasm.

Towards the end of the song, Barry, caught up in the mood, followed Oliver's lead and grabbed Iris by the hand, dragging her upwards so they can dance. Iris, also blinded by the atmosphere, joined him with little resistance and little regard to Eddie, who visibly started frowning, but quickly schooled his expression so no one would notice.

"When I hear my favorite song / I know that we belong," Barry's voice resonated throughout the entire room, occasionally punctuated by Kara's own singing. "Oh, you are the music in me / Yeah, it's living in all of us / And it's brought us here because…"

"Because you are the music in me!" Everyone sang this time, finishing off the song together with the final chorus of "Na na na na…"

When everything was said and done, vigorous cheering broke out as Barry and Kara both took a bow.

"Well, at least you two have a future in show business if your current plans don't work out." Quentin clapped the shoulders of the two super-powered individuals. After Barry and Kara's performance, it was universally decided that no one could follow them and after that the gathering began to wind down. Now, it was time for the Lances and the Merlyns to leave, and everyone was about to bid their goodbyes.

"Agreed, Quentin. You two are quite talented." Malcolm complimented the duo, while Tommy was signaling their driver to prep the car.

"Aw, stop it. You're making us blush." Barry quipped as he and Kara all but glowed under the praise.

Oliver, standing beside them, chuckled. "Humility is not your strong suit, Bar." Barry slapped him on the arm and pouted, causing the rest of their little group to laugh.

As the laughter subsided, Kara looked around, and cleared her throat. "Well, now that the party is over, I have one last announcement to make." The moment she got everyone's attention, she inhaled slightly. "I've finally found my own place!"

Cheers broke out, and Moira went up to the woman who had fast become like a second daughter to her, gathering her up in the arms. "That's wonderful, Kara. When will you be moving in?"

"At the start of Balliol Prep's Christmas Break." Kara answered. Her face softened, and she looked at both Robert and Moira now. "Thank you for your hospitality, Moira, Robert."

Robert waved her off. "Think nothing of it, Kara. Just know that you and Kal are welcome here any time. You're practically family now anyway."

"And know that all of you are welcome in my home at any time. I'm giving both Oliver and Barry spare keys, so they can drop in whenever they want – which they will, I can assure you." Kara deadpanned, pointedly looking at both men, who began to whistle innocently.

"And I will be helping you move in. I know for a fact that Ollie has a poor sense of decoration." Thea added her two cents.

"I'll be dropping in as well, for the same reason." Laurel volunteered. "And so, will Tommy."

The Merlyn turned away from the door and blinked. "Why me?" he asked dumbly.

"Because we need more than two guys to help arrange the furniture."

"You're joining in too?" Iris turned to her best friend, Eddie standing sullenly behind her.

Barry shrugged. "But of course. Whenever I'm Starling, chances are I'll be crashing at her place almost as much as I will be at Oliver's. The design has to be palatable to me as well." And Barry would be in Starling far, far more often than one would assume.

Later that night, after the Lances and the Merlyns had departed, everyone had decided it was time for bed. One by one, the lights went out, until only Kara was awake, rifling through her things.

Then, her ear twitched.

Whoosh!

Fire licked around the road, the truck broken and impacted. The Girl in Blue appeared instantly, observing the wreckage silently.

"It's about time you got here, Kryptonian."

She turned. A man was there. She would've almost mistaken him for human, if it not for the large ridge on his head and the glowing axe.

He called me Kryptonian.

He charged, and swung. The Girl in Blue paid it in no mind, clasping his arm and redirecting the axe downward, while at the same time kicking upwards, the bottom of her boot meeting his chin. Then, in one smooth motion, she disarmed him, removing the axe from his hand and slamming the sharp edge right into his chest, the pointed tip of the blade piercing his heart.

He died instantly.

The Girl in Blue stared at the body for a moment, and then disappeared. The corpse and the axe vanished with her.

"Report."

"General." The Commander saluted to his superior, crossing his fist against his chest. "Vartox is missing."

Astra turned, dubious. "What? I sent him to face the daughter of Alura," and oh, how it burned to be unable to call Kara by her name, "Did he run?"

"No, General." The Commander shook his head. "When we made it to their coordinates, there had been signs of battle, including some blood, but no one was present. Neither the daughter of Alura, nor Vartox."

Astra frowned visibly, and her gut twisted. Something was wrong with this scenario. She had sent Vartox for specific reasons – while strong, a determined and smart Kryptonian would be able to easily defeat him. Kara fit that criteria, Astra knew it in her bones, but since she was not a killer, being raised with the ideals of the House of El, the fight would be considerably harder for her. Vartox would put up enough of a struggle to help Astra gauge the relative strength of her niece. And as a Valeronian, he would kill himself upon defeat, rather than be imprisoned by the enemy, preventing Kara from learning anything. It was a win-win scenario.

Except she miscalculated somewhere down the line, because it seemed Kara had taken care of Vartox with ease and departed with his body before they had gotten the chance to observe her strength. Either she was stronger than they had first assumed (which Astra doubted logically, though there was a small tug in her chest) or someone else had intervened and aided Kara in the battle. Astra ruminated over this, and the feeling in her abdomen grew stronger. She didn't know what it was, but something told Astra that she wouldn't like it when she finally found out.

"Very well. Dismissed."

The Commander blinked, clearly expecting a reprimand. He was tempted to implore his superior for more, but thought better of it and departed from her presence.

Astra turned as he walked away, using her enhanced senses to assure her of her solitude, before looking at the computer.

She pressed a button, and the machine came to life, projecting the local news, which now showed the Girl in Blue saving a crashing plane. Astra watched the feed, ignorant of the chatting news anchor, entirely focused on the sapphire figure.

What did you do, Kara?

WOO! Finally finished this chapter. Much longer than usual, plus my break made me a little lethargic.

As for the song, I was drawing a blank, so I decided more mid-2000s teenage culture was the way to go and went for High School Musical. I saw all three, but to be honest I only really liked the first two. I'm probably not going to watch the fourth.

I spent my Christmas with my mom, and we watched The Last Jedi together. I spent most of the movie expecting Rey and Kylo Ren to eventually kiss, and was oddly disappointed that they didn't. Other than them and Luke Skywalker, however, it was sort of boring. It wasn't a bad movie by any means, the plot was just…lackluster, I guess.

And as for the plot – yes, we're finally getting into the action everybody! This chapter is when the arc starts in earnest, and it will build to the three climatic confrontations: Kara/Astra, Barry/Eobard (Harrison), and Oliver/Malcolm.