Part 5
Star City
Watchtower
Oliver sighed heavily as he sank in his chair in front of his computer at their second location for Watchtower ….that because of today had become their main base of operations The original Watchtower that had started it all had been destroyed along with all of Metropolis. Even STAR Labs had been taken out and with it everyone who worked there, including their very own Emil Hamilton. His friend, his confidant who he had befriended and recruited when he first became Green Arrow. Oliver couldn't count the number of times Emil had saved his ass. He owed a lot to the good doctor. They all did. And the one time Emil actually needed them, they were too late. Oliver hoped that his friend had died quickly, that there had been no pain and that he was finally reunited with his beloved wife. That hope was the only thing that could make this less painful, but even just wasn't enough. They had failed. They had let everyone down and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it.
He had meant Emil shortly after he got back from being stranded on the island. He had just started being Green Arrow and had gotten injured pretty badly. Emil just happened to be the in the right place and right time for Oliver. He snuck up on him while he was getting into his car to head home for the night. There he had Emil take him somewhere where he could stitch him up. It was there Emil learned that Oliver Queen multimillionaire back from the dead was the Green Hooded Man that several people claimed to see in the shadows of the night. It was in that moment that Oliver gave Emil a proposition, one which didn't take long for Emil to accept. Oliver to this day had no idea why Emil agreed to work for him. It hadn't been for the money or the excitement. Maybe he just wanted to make a difference. And for a while there up until his death he had. He would never forget all the good Emil Hamilton had done. He always has and always will be a member of the League.
"I'll miss you buddy," Oliver exclaimed with a faint smile, as his eyes fell onto an old photo. It had been taken the night of Lois and Clark engagement party. Only a day before they lost the first member of their League, Carter Hall. Carter had died while protecting Lois from Deathstroke. ...Well maybe he shouldn't say Carter had died. In truth Carter had been reborn. He was out there somewhere living another life, a life that one day reunite him with the League where Hawkman will live once again.
He sighed heavily having to put the picture down when his eyes fell onto Lois and the happy man who had his arm wrapped around her. Her and Clark were so in love and believed there was nothing that they couldn't face. That is until today...
How many friends was he supposed to lose today? How was it possible that one event could destroy everything you have worked so hard for, that you have believed in for so long? How could he have been so blind? He should have seen it. He should have known. Had their roles been reversed he would have done the same thing. Oliver sighed heavily knowing he had put CLark on this pedestrian, but the truth was when it came to human emotions, when it came to her. He was just like everyone else.
Oliver didn't know what he was going to do. He didn't even know what to tell everyone at the station about what happened. All he said was he would look into it. They almost weren't going to let him go, but eventually they did and he came here. His heart sank when the computer screen began alerting him about an incoming video call from Chloe. He bowed his head down sighing heavily. What was he supposed to tell her? She likely already knew about the bomb taking out Metropolis, but everything else... He didn't know how to begin to tell her, but he knew sooner than later he was going to have to tell her. There was no way he could keep this from her, no matter how much he wished he could. She had a right to know. With a deep breath he clicked the button to accept the video call.
The moment he saw her beautiful face appear on the screen brought a smile to his face. It warmed his heart to see her and know she was alive and safe from the events that had taken place only hours ago. "Hey..." he said.
"Hey," she replied with a faint smile. Chloe knew he was trying to be strong for her. She knew that today would be a day Oliver and the others would never be able to shake off. She just hoped that it wouldn't be like the last time something bad happened and they fell apart. It hadn't been easy getting them back together. "You did all you could Ollie," she told him. "You all did."
There it was again the up most faith she had in him and the others. The belief that they put their all in everything they did. She had always been the glue that held them all together. The one who had been there when ever any of them felt like they were falling apart. She believed in them, in him more than anyone. Oliver tried to remain strong and hold his emotions together, but he couldn't. It was eating away at his soul of what he had to tell her. Tears ran down his face non-stop. He hadn't cried this much since he was a kid when he learned about his parents death. He ran his had over his face to wipe away the tears, but more would come.
"Oliver it's alright. We'll get through this, just like we always have," Chloe replied through her own tears. She hated seeing him like this. This was so unlike the strong man she had married.
"No," Oliver answered her softly. "It's different this time..." He bowed his head down, unable to face her. He didn't want to cause her pain not when he couldn't hold her in his arms, kiss her beautiful lips and tell her how much he loves her. "Chloe there's something I have to tell you..." he cried as he looked up at the screen with a heavy heart.
"What?" she asked him urgently. "What's wrong..." But as soon as she said it, she knew. She knew. It was written all over his face. "No!" she shook her head as the tears fell harder and harder. "No. No! ….Please no. She can't be gone!"
"I'm so sorry." Oliver hated every moment of this. He wished he could just snap his fingers and take all her pain away, but he didn't have that kind of power. Not even the most powerful being on the planet could fix this tragedy.
"How!" Chloe asked as she brushed away a falling tear. She wanted to know how her cousin had died. She needed to know.
"Chloe I don't think-"
"HOW!" she demanded.
Oliver sighed heavily. He thought it was tragic enough having to live it, but this was ten time worse. With a heavy heart he began telling her how it was all setup from the fake tip in to the Daily Planet, to young Jimmy Olsen's death, to Lois's kidnapping and why. And then the hardest part of all. The part he dreaded the most. The part he wished he could erase from his memory. The part he would never be able to forget.
"Schotts had just finished sewing her up after connecting the trigger to her heart when Clark arrived. Seconds later Clark was exposed to a fear gas, the same fear gas you were all exposed to years ago in Smallville," a single tear ran down his face, because he knew Chloe was smart enough to know where this was headed. "He thought that Doomsday was there and was going to kill Lois and their baby, so Clark attacked him, he beat him to death before taking him up to space where he would never be able to hurt anyone again." It made him sick to his stomach to even think about it and he couldn't even begin to imagine what it had done to Clark. "By the time we got Schotts to talk and knew what was going on. ….We were too late. She told him that she loved him and then she died in his arms."
Chloe didn't need him to finish. She knew the moment Lois's heart stopped beating the bomb Toyman had place in Metropolis went off killing millions, upon millions of lives. It was times like these that she wished she had her meteor power. She had brought Lois back from the dead once before, but she had lost the power long ago. She just wished she was there right now for Clark. She knew he would be beating himself up over what happened. The only thing she could find some peace in that the man responsible for todays tragedy would never be able to hurt anyone ever again and would stay behind bars for good this time. "Please tell me they threw away the key when they locked that bastard up!"
Oliver bit his lip. It was hard enough telling her about how her cousin died, now he had to tell her this. Would this nightmare ever end? With a deep breath he met her eyes once again on the screen. "Chloe there's something you need to know about Clark..."
"Ollie, please I can't take anymore bad news. So if you're going to tell me that Clarks-"
"No, it's not like that. This is about Clark and Schotts. When I was at the station interrogating Toyman, Clark busted down a wall..." He licked his lips and looked away for a moment, because once he said the words he would never be able to take them back. The Clark, Chloe knew and loved would be gone. There would be no going back after this. With a deep breath he face her once again. "He killed him Chloe. ….Clark killed Winslow Schotts."
"No," Chloe shook her head. She couldn't believe it. She didn't want to believe it, but she knew Oliver would never lie to her, not about something like this, because she knew it was possible for Clark to take a life. He had come close to it in the past.
First with the young man, Tim Wescott who had killed Alicia Baker, the first girlfriend of Clarks who knew about his power. In fact it was because of her that she learned about Clark's power. She hadn't been friends with Alicia and didn't really like her, but Alicia knew that she would somehow understand Clark and wouldn't see him any differently. When Clark learned that Tim had killed Alicia, he went into a rage and went after him. Had it not been for Lois, Tim would have died that night.
The second time was when Clark went after the thugs who mugged his mom while she was in the city. He was so broken up about the death of his father and then face with the fear of losing his mother, that he took all that hate and anger and nearly killed them. Thankfully he came to his senses saying that his father voice prevented him from killing Snake.
The third time had been when he believed that Lex and killed Lana. He went after Lex and had it not been for the Phantom showing up when it did, Chloe very well believed that instead of Oliver being the one who had killed the real Lex Luthor that it very easily could have been Clark.
And now after all these years the glass had finally shattered. There was only so much one man could take, even a man such as Clark Kent. The woman he loved more than life itself was dead and thanks to a madman it had been by his own hands. That was enough to drive anyone over the edge.
"Where is he now?"
"I don't know," Oliver answered. "After he... He just left. John was the last one to see him, after Clark freed him from the fire prison he had put him in."
"Clark attacked John?"
"John tried to stop him from coming to the station," Oliver answered with a faint smile knowing that John did the best he could. "John's okay. Just a bit shaken up."
"Maybe I should try calling him."
"Everyone of us already have. He's not answering," Oliver replied. "Not even to Kara and Conner."
"What about his mother?"
"We can't find her. Conner thinks she might have come into Metropolis for a surprise visit..."
"But that would mean..."
"I know," he answered sadly, as if things weren't already bad. "And I don't mean to make things worse, but it's not looking good for Lucy, little Sammy and Ron. I'm so sorry Chloe."
Chloe had almost forgotten about her cousin Lucy and her family. Lucy had moved to Metropolis five years ago where she had met Ron, while dropping in to see Lois and Clark at the at Daily Planet. Ron and her had hit it off right away and were married less than two years after dating. Little Sammy cam along a little more than two years ago. She hadn't seen them since Thanksgiving when they all got together at the farm in Smallville. In fact that had been the last time she had seen both Lois and Clark, aside from video calls. It seemed hard to believe that was months ago. ….And now her family that should had gotten bigger had gotten smaller. She could still hear Lucy's voice joking around wanting to know when Lois and Clark were going to be popping out a kid.
"I could use a little help hear Oliver," Clark announced as the young toddler and his five year old cousin used him as a jungle gym.
Oliver sat on the couch next to Chloe with his arm wrapped around her, next to them was Lucy and Ron who were getting a kick out of Clark with the kids. "Oh, I think you're doing a fine job all on your own. Besides it was a long flight in."
"Oh yeah, especially on your private jet," remark Clark who was about to sit back up, but only to be pulled back down by Robbie.
"I got you Uncle Clark!" exclaimed Robbie.
Clark played along, but then a mischievous smile appeared on his face and he scooped up Robbie in his arms and began spinning him around, while they both laughed.
"Mine turn! Mine turn!" exclaimed little Sam as he pulled at Clarks ankle.
"Okay, little man," Clark annouched as he set Robbie done on the ground who then ran into his fathers lap. Clark lifted up Lois little nephew in his arms who just looked at him like he was some great hero. "Okay ready for around the world."
"I want airplane!"
"One airplane coming coming up," exclaimed Clark as he granted the boys wish just as General Sam Lane arrived in the living room.
"Granpa!" shouted little Sam happy to see his Grandfather. Clark smiled and set the little boy down who ran into his Grandpas arms.
"How's my little solider doing?" asked Sam with a smile who proudly held his grandson in his arms.
"Good. Uncle Clark did airplane. It was fun," the little boy told him.
"Airplane, huh? I have a feeling he's really good at that," smiled Sam as he sat down and joined the rest of the family, while Martha and Lois were finishing in the kitchen. "How have you been Clark."
"I've been keeping busy," Clark answered. He was about to add when Robbie came jumping off one of the chairs onto his back, but not before both his parents scolded him. Thankfully Clark grabbed a hold of him.
"Can you do airplane with me now?"
"Uncle Clark needs to take a little break," answered Clark as he lifted the boy over his shoulders and sat down in an espy chair.
"Tired already honey?" exclaimed Lois as she came up behind Clark and kissed him on the cheek. "I thought I was the only one who could tucker you out."
"Keep it PG guys," announced Oliver with a grin "Otherwise go to the barn and get it over with."
"Oliver!" scolded Chloe as she elbowed her husbands in the gut.
"...Well speaking of 'tuckering out' when are you two going to add a member to our growing family?" grinned Lucy who still couldn't believe that she had gotten married and had a baby before her big sister who it seemed like had been with Clark since the stone age. "Dad needs to have more than one grand kid to brag about. Right Dad?"
"I'm sure your sister and Clark will when they're ready," he answered with a smile. "And until then, I'll just spoil this one rotten..."
"Dinners ready!" shouted Martha from the kitchen. "Just need help bring it all out on the table...
The memory of that day slowly faded and Chloe was left with the realization that that would be the last time they were all together. There would be no more family gatherings. That was it. "Chloe..." she heard Oliver say her name.
She brushed away her falling tears. She had to be strong now. She couldn't fall apart not now. "Oliver you need to promise me something..."
"You know I'd promise you anything," he told her with loving eyes.
"I need you to come back home with Clark. He needs to come back with you. He needs to be with his family."
"Chloe, I don't know..."
"Please Oliver, promise me. I don't care how long it takes, but you can't leave him behind."
"All right," he answered with a heavy sigh. "I wont come home until I have Clark riding shot gun with me on the jet."
Chloe smiled. She knew what she was asking, but if she couldn't be there for Clark she would make sure there was someone there for him. "I'll get Robbie, he's playing a game with Mia."
Seconds later, a little boy with short blonde hair appeared on the screen and behind him stood Mia. The young girl Oliver had saved from a life working on the streets. When him, Robbie and Chloe moved to Singapore he had taken Mia with him. Where he continued her training and she had become quite the crime fighter.
"Hi daddy," exclaimed the young boy, who had no idea his world was about to change. "When you coming home? I want to show you how good I've gotten with my target practice." For his sixth birthday his parents had gotten him his own little crossbow, a harmless one of course and set up a board on his bedroom wall where he could practice shooting it. "...Are you going to be home tomorrow?"
Just hearing his voice warmed his heart and made it hurt a little less. He was never sure if he was ever going to have kids, especially after returning from the Island and becoming Green Arrow. He always had little flings with woman never looking to settle down with anyone. And then he met Chloe and that changed everything. They had gotten married during one drunken spell filled night and two years later this little guy came into their world. They had named him after his father and then hid middle name had come from Chloe first husband Jimmy who had died saving her life. Oliver didn't even have to speak about when Chloe asked him. There was no question and he was proud to agree to it. Henry James Olsen was a hero to him and he owed everything he has to him, because without him there wouldn't be this little wide eyed face looking back at him.
"No, buddy. It probably wont be tomorrow," Oliver answered with a faint smile.
"Then when?"
"I don't know bud," Oliver hated not being able to give his son a straight answer, but he wanted to protect him for as long as he could from all the evils in the world. "You're Uncle Clark isn't feeling too good and Mommy wants me to stay with him until he's better."
"Is he really sick?" The boy asked very concerned for his favorite uncle. He didn't want anything bad to happen to him.
Oliver eyes met with Mia's who gave him a faint smile knowing that this was difficult for Oliver. Chloe likely gave her the clip note version of what had happened. "Yeah," Oliver answered as his eyes began to water. "He's not doing so good right now."
"Are you okay daddy?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," he answered as he brushed away his tears not wanting his son to see him cry. "Daddy is just tired."
"Then you should take a nap," the boy exclaimed.
"I think a nap sounds like a fine idea."
"Daddy, do you think Uncle Clark would like it if I made him a card to get better soon?"
"I think he would love that," answered Oliver with a smile.
"I'm going to go make it right now and then Mommy can mail it," the boy exciting hoped off his chair. "I love you Daddy!"
"I love you too, little man..."
Once Robbie was out of sight Mia took a seat down getting the hint that Oliver needed to talk to her. "What's going on Oliver? Chloe told me that..." she looked over her shoulder making sure that Robbie wasn't in ear shot to hear them. "Is it true?"
"Yeah," he answered softly. "I saw it with my own eyes. I've never seen him like that before." Oliver ran his hand over his face. He was concerned more concerned than he ever has been. "...Look Mia I don't know what's going to happen and I would never ask this of you unless I had no choice..."
"Oliver what is it?"
"Can you protect my family, ….in case something happens?"
"What's going to happen?" she asked concerned. "You're scaring me Ollie."
"I know and I'm sorry for that. I would just feel a lot better to know that they'll be safe," he told her. "The twins are all ready their way.. I told them your in charge."
"You're sending Zan and Jayna?" she exclaimed referring to the energetic twins who nine years ago started as super-powered fans of the Blur and eventually with a lot of training and discipline graduated to members of the League. The two had come a long way from the young seventeen years old they once had been, but still every once in a while found themselves in trouble.
"Right now they're my only option," he answered understanding where she was coming from. "And they're unique abilities just may come handy."
"Ollie what are you going to do about Clark?" Mia was the second member of their team who had no powers and knew just how powerful Clark was. And if he ever got out of control there was only one way to stop him. Not that she was thinking that is what should be done, but the last thing the world needs is a Superman whose gone off the reservation.
Oliver didn't answer right away, as if a part of him were afraid of the answer. He took a deep breath. "I'm going to try to save my friend..."
TO BE CONTENUED