After making it back to Earth, Midnight Hope had the alien baby in her arms and was searching for Ben, as she looked all over Coast City. She then looked around the location where Fro'Gieon's cave was, but no one was there.
"Oh...Where could he be?" Midnight Hope muttered, looking at the Necrofriggian baby she was holding. "Am I already too late? Did I...miss my chance? Maybe I did scare him off with that stupid performance."
Midnight Hope then heard a familiar voice calling her real name. "Lea!" Midnight Hope looks to see it was Green Lantern.
"GL? Over here!" Midnight Hope called out, detransforming as Lea waved a hand.
"Lea, where have you been?" Green Lantern asked, coming down. "Ben called and told me that-" He then sees the baby Necrofriggian with her. "Is that...?"
"Yeah. One of Fro'Gieon's babies," Lea answered, nodding her head while showing GL the baby in her arms. "He followed me to Odym while I was clearing my head on things. I was hoping to return him to his family...along with talking to Ben about some certain things."
"Okay. Well, while you were gone, Ben told me something descriptive about you. It's almost like he knows who you are." Green Lantern said.
"Hehe...You don't say," Lea chuckled nervously in response, her cheeks blushing. "What did he say about me that was descriptive? I might have a few ideas, but go ahead and tell me already."
"He said...that he saw a blue glowing version of someone he met before dancing with another blue glowing version of himself and then later kissed." Green Lantern explained.
Lea groaned and covered her red face with the alien moth that was still snoring. "Okay! I admit it! I managed to expose my identity in front of Ben without realizing it! I didn't know that was going to happen when I started performing that stupid song! Then I managed to bail where I got tailed by this little guy, chased all of Odym to catch him, and so on! It was super dumb of me to run away from my problem! I'm sorry, GL!"
She did her best not to cry in front of Hal after admitting the truth.
"It's okay, Lea," Green Lantern said, comforting the young blue lantern. "I understand how you feel."
"It's not okay. I take full responsibility for what happened tonight in ruining everything," Lea muttered, now feeling tears form in her eyes. "Ben probably doesn't want nothing to do with me now, after that shameful performance. I never should have suggested to play music during Fro'Gieon's cycle."
"Then why did he ask me to ask you that he wants to talk to you?" Green Lantern said. "Sure you screwed up, but so did I...when Carol found out who I was."
"But she accepts you, with or without the mask," Lea said, still conflicted until registering the first question. "Wait, Ben really does want to talk to me?"
"Yeah, he was shocked you left," Green Lantern added. "And Fro'Gieon said one of his babies were missing and no doubt believed it was with you."
"Then, you have to take me to where they are immediately, GL," Lea said, using her ring to transform as Midnight Hope again. "I still got some unfinished business to take care of."
"Okay then, follow me." Green Lantern said. "Fro'Gieon is also waiting, too."
"Good. Because I got a little mischievous Necrofriggian here that needs to be returned to his family," Midnight Hope stated, still holding the sleeping alien baby in her arms.
"It probably liked you." Green Lantern said.
"'He'. You mean 'he' probably liked me," Midnight Hope corrected, looking at the baby that let out a cold snore. "The way he was following me and getting on my nervous screams boy."
"Okay?" Green Lantern awkwardly said. The two lanterns then left as Midnight Hope followed Green Lantern.
"So, how far are Ben and Fro'Gieon?" Midnight Hope asked.
"Ben said that they're at a rendezvous in Plumbers HQ near the desert," Green Lantern said.
"Basically, close. Judging by all the sand in the area with zero civilization," Midnight Hope said.
"Pretty much. Only it's cloaked," Green Lantern said. "Turns out, those Plumber guys are not just people, but alien beings, too."
"Makes sense. Basically, not too different from the Lantern Corps," Midnight Hope summed up.
"Yeah, looks like we all have a lot in common when you think about it. The corps and the plumbers recruit people and aliens. Along with the fact that we protect the universe from evil alien threats." Green Lantern explained.
"It's not just alien threats we go against," Midnight Hope reminded. "Usually, it's crazy humans with high-tech stuff taking over the world. Or have you already forgotten Dr, Animo?"
"Yes, I remember, and he wanted to use Fro'Gieon for his experiments." Green Lantern said.
"Along with frame him on crimes he didn't," Midnight Hope added, looking at the baby Necrofriggian in her one arm. "Imagine of Animo got his hands on Fro'Gieon's babies. He'd hurt these poor things."
"Or try to mutate them like he did to those pets," Green Lantern said. "That freak's a psycho."
"Or try to extract the Necrofriggians' powers for his own," Midnight Hope replied. "Are we almost at the HQ?"
"Yep, we're here." Green Lantern replied...looking at nothing.
"...Uh, GL? I don't see anything," Midnight Hope said, a little confused.
"Wait for it." Green Lantern said, using his ring to communicate with someone. "Hey, Ben, I'm back. And I have Midnight Hope and one of Fro'Gieon's babies."
Just then, a massive headquarters appeared. It was cloaked.
"Apparently, the plumbers have protocols that keeps them secret from the world and probably the whole universe," GL explained.
"Ohhh. That actually makes a lot of sense," Midnight Hope stated, flying down with her partner. "So, where do we find Ben and Fro'Gieon from here?"
Green Lantern pointed to the top of the section of the base. "They'll be waiting for us in the main deck over there."
"Great. Let's hope my conversation with Ben doesn't go down in flames," Midnight Hope said, flying towards that part of the base.
The Lanterns then landed at the front of the top section of the building where hey see Ben and Fro'Gieon coming out of the building to see them. The baby necrofriggen woke up from his name and then flew to his parent, after leaving out of Midnight Hope's arm.
"My child!" Fro'Gieon said, as he hugs his baby. "You're back to me."
"Sorry for the small scare, Fro'Gieon. This little guy managed to hide in my hair while I was out in a hurry to the Blue Lantern Corps' home base," Midnight Hope apologized, rubbing her neck sheepishly. "He's a strong and fast flyer for just a new born."
"Most of my children are, apparently," Fro'Gieon said.
"At least, he's safe and back to you," Midnight Hope said, soon growing curious. "Hmmm...Fro'Gieon, have you thought of a name for this little guy?"
"No, not yet," Fro'Gieon said. "I couldn't name them unless I had all of them."
"Is it okay if I can help name this one?" Midnight Hope offered, pointing at the littlest Necrofriggian. "Considering he's spent a lot of time with me?"
"If he really likes you so much that he came with you to another planet, then... be my guess." Fro'Gieon said.
"Great. Now, what to call you?" Midnight Hope said, seeing the Necrofriggian baby fly over to her. "Let's see...There's Boris...Nah, too boring...Flurry? Too girly. Jack? No! Too Father Frosty!"
Ben then smirked at an ideal name. "How about this name... Big Chill?"
"No, that seems too much." Green Lantern said.
"No, wait! Ben might be on to something!" Midnight Hope said, pointing out the young boy before blushing away. "Maybe instead of Big Chill...We can call him Little Chill! Because he's small and has cool powers like his dad."
"Little... Chill..." Fro'Gieon repeated. "I like that name. And when he's grown up, he can be called Big Chill."
"Chill. Chill!" The baby Necrofriggan yelped.
"Awwww! He said his first word! So cute!" Midnight Hope cooed, blown away by the cuteness.
"Then so be it." Fro'Gieon said, taking his son Little Chill. "Little Chill, meet your brother and sisters. Ice'Sore, Alli'Ban, and Stella'Tyke."
While Fro'Gieon is introducing his son to the rest of the family, Midnight Hope looked over at the boy she needed to chat with.
"Hey...Ben? Can we, um...talk? Privately?" MH asked.
"I'll go, take Fro'Gieon to Max, and see if we can get him and his kids to their home planet," Green Lantern said, as he left.
"Thanks, GL," Midnight Hope said, looking at Ben shyly.
As Green Lantern left with Fro'Gieon, there was an awkward silence between Ben and Midnight Hope. "So... Lea, is that really you?" Ben asked.
"Would it make a difference or matter?" Midnight Hope asked, looking down at her feet shamefully. "I know I showed some stuff that was beyond my control."
"Well, to be honest, I kind of figured but I didn't get the whole picture," Ben said. "Still, I was surprised when I saw that you had feelings for me."
"Heh, yeah...Same here," Midnight Hope admitted, rubbing her arm bashfully. "It just sort of happened when you helped GL and me defeat Animo with that epic soccer ball kick. Something about you just brings a different kind of hope for me that I never thought I would find."
"Yeah. And to be fair, I would be saying I'm lying if I didn't have feelings for you, too, when we got to know each other in Bellwood and in Coast City." Ben replied.
"R-Really?" Midnight Hope stuttered, her cheeks turning pink. "You feel the same way?"
"Yeah. At the café, I was even thinking that, since I was gonna stay in Coast City for a little while, I thought I ask you out so I can get to know you more." Ben said, while his face was turning red.
"Oh...So, I didn't mess up things at the caves?" Midnight Hope asked.
"No, you didn't. At most, I was surprised that you were a superhero and you had feelings for me." Ben said. "It was a lot to take in."
"Right...I know it was a lot for me when I learned about you being a Plumber in training," Midnight Hope said, rubbing her neck. "Or learning that you saved the multiverse of other yous from an evil alien responsible. If it means anything...I'm glad to have someone else talk about secret alien missions besides GL."
"Me, too," Ben said. "I won't tell anyone about your secret. I know how the rules of superheroes are like. But if you like, wanna go out sometime if your ready?"
"Yeah! I mean...sure," Midnight Hope said, smiling gently. "Thanks, Ben. And I promise to keep your secret safe, too. Not the first time I had to cover up a big secret. And that's long before becoming a Blue Lantern."
Ben then walked closer to Midnight Hope, her body felt like it was on fire. "Good, we'll try next week. For now, we should get Fro'Gieon and his kids to their home planet." Ben said, as he kissed the Blue Lantern on the cheek.
Midnight Hope froze in surprise. She felt the cheek that was kissed and smiled with a mad blush across her face.
Ben walked inside the building as Midnight Hope was still frozen like she was in a trance.
Yep. I just had my first kiss there. Granted, it was a kiss on the cheek, but I'm not complaining.
With new actions, come new consequences, but sometimes they're for good reasons. While I'm still unsure of things, I'll be looking forward to having what the future has in store for me, Hal, and mostly Ben.
Basically, this is not the end... this is just the beginning.
That's another wrap with this story. Major thanks to Alvaxerox for helping me out with this story.
Remember. Each Blue Lantern story may or may not represent an emotional spectrum of the Lantern Corps. Can you guess what this story represents? I think this is an easy one.
Enjoy, and please no flames. Unless used to roast marshmallows.