So this is the start of irregular updates, just missing scenes and future scenes from Call Me Kara. Whenever the mood strikes or an idea for a scene pops in my head. This one is the Christmas after the battle at the end of the story. If you haven't read the end this one will have spoilers. I just wanted to get a Holiday out with our favorite little girl and her weird family. If you have ideas for scenes you would like I can't guarantee that I will write them but drop me a line. I'm always interested in what you guys want to see. Happy Holidays to all.
As always I do not own CW characters.
Lexie's fifth Christmas.
"So, Mommy has gotten so big and she hasn't been allowed to fly in months, ever since this started. Its ridiculous. The boy isn't even born and he is already cutting down on my flight time. I have to fly with Donna and thats cool but I like flying with Mommy. Donna isn't at my house everyday. Daddy said something about her having a life but I don't understand why she can't have a life flying with me all the time if Mommy is grounded. Secon… Kal I mean, I'm not allowed to call him that, anyway he comes on weekends and tries to teach me what he calls moves in the air, but Mommy has already taught me way past those. She is so much better at flying than he is, at least she used to be before this brother stuff started. I have to pretend he is teaching me new stuff but he is cool though. I can actually hit him as hard as I want! He doesn't break like all those punchin bags Uncla Cisco says won't break. What else is going on? Oh, I know! I broke Aunt Alex's helmet yesterday! Uncle Cisco had it in some machine that was hammering it from the sides and front and back, like a crusher, so he could see if it was indestructible. He was all happy until I lifted it off the machine and squeezed. Guess what? Not indestructible. I didn't mean to make him cry but he said he would go back to the drawing board. He doesn't really draw anything though, just more numbers and then he reads comics, which is kinda stupid since we are like real superheroes. I'm not yet I guess. I still don't have a cape or a suit besides my Halloween costume from last year. It doesn't fit me this year. I went out as Daddy this year but…I'm not wearing a red suit just like his. I gotta be me, you know? Plus I need a cape. Capes are a must. Its family tradition. What else happened?"
Lexie took a look at the sky, gathering her thoughts and enjoying the way the snowflakes felt on her skin. She was bundled up in a thick jacket, and woolen blue beanie and cute tan snow boots but had no need of it. Still Daddy said this would help her "blend in."
Henry Allen stood behind his granddaughter with a wide smile and a tear slowly dropping from his eye. Shortly after the return from the battle with Darkseid, Lexie had heard him tell her Daddy that he was going to talk to Nora. She was curious and ever since, went with him every Wednesday to the graveyard to talk to her Grandmother she had never met. Lexie felt it was important to keep her apprised of her life just in case she got too busy in Heaven and missed something.
"Oh, Diana said she was going to give me a sword for Christmas and not to worry if Daddy says no. She says she is royalty and gets to do what she wants. Aunt Nyssa says Diana is a princess but she is a queen. I asked her what she was a queen of and she said everything. Thats a lot of things to be Queen over.
I started preschool! The other kid's language, they don't seem to understand me sometimes. I mean sometimes I accidentally slip into Kryptonese but even when I'm not and slow down they don't understand. Try to talk about Quantum Physics and they look at me like I'm the one who can't say big words. They can't read so good either. I try to help but my teachers look at me kinda weird. Mommy said I was in school to make friends and not learn and had to…she put it, play dumb. Kinda like I can't give any hints to Harry and Martin. But I'm also not supposed to get in the way of their learnin. They got a ways to go.
Recess is fun! Okay, it isn't that fun. I ran with Daddy last week and Uncle Cisco said I broke a hundred miles an hour. Thats like more than a thousand…no less, yeah less but still pretty fast. Like twice as fast as Mommy drives. So now I'm in recess and have to move so slow and go down the slide so slow and only eat the snack I am given even if it is just a tease. Mommy knows how much food I eat but she says she can only give me what she calls "a normal amount." Normal means slow and hungry I guess. I make up for it when I get home though. I found two bags of Daddy's favorite cookies he thought he hid in his closet. Yeah, they didn't last long. You should have seen his face. I told him he should talk to Mommy about giving me a bigger snack. Oh! I guess Grandpa told you about his new practice? Thats what he calls it, though I think if I had to go to a doctor I would want someone who isn't practicing all the time. They should know what they are doing, right? Grandpa says he does and he seems to know what he is talking about. Right Grandpa? Did you tell her you were going to deliver this boy inside Mommy so she can fly again?"
"Yes, I mentioned it, Lexie." he told her, holding in a laugh.
"Mommy and Daddy haven't decided the name yet. I wanted to go with Jedi or Dameron but they laughed about that. I didn't find it funny. I was bein serious. Aunt Alex and Grandpa Joe caught this guy who killed this other guy with an ice pick…I wasn't supposed to hear that so lets keep it to ourselves. Can you believe all my Christmas presents have that lead stuff around them? Nobody trusts me that I won't look! Its funny to see Unca Oliie and Daddy carrying in the gifts though. They were heavy for Uncle Ollie and Daddy wasn't much better. They argued a lot bringing them in. Oh well, if they would have trusted me I would have helped.
I saw a picture of that boy inside Mommy the other day. He doesn't look so good. Kinda small and a big head and stays curled up. I don't understand how he looks so small but Mommy is getting so big.I asked her why and she started crying. Daddy said something about pregnancy hormones. But then Daddy got her smiling and she ate two more pizzas so I guess it was fine. I said I was sorry. I heard them training later that night. They did something to the walls before but my hearing is getting better. I don't want to say anything. Our walls have been messed with enough even if they do keep me up with all that training. I just put Charlie on top of one of my ears and press the other in my pillow and I am good."
Lexie stopped talking when she heard her Grandpa say a bad word quietly and rub his forehead.
"Okay, so I have to go I guess. I'll give you some Grandpa time while I sit in the car, Tonight a whole bunch of people are coming over and tomorrow morning, Christmas! Lots and lots of presents, lots of reorganizing to do, to make way for my new favorite things and outfits to try on! I hope Aunt Nyssa gives me those pretty earrings to go with the pretty necklace for my birthday. Daddy got mad about the necklace. He seemed upset about ten carrots but I have no idea what that was all about. I didn't see any carrots around. Okay, love you!"
Lexie walked quickly, slowly for her, to her grandfather's car while Henry knelt down and placed the red flowers in the vase on one side of the headstone, the other side already full with the white bouquet Barry and Kara had placed earlier that morning.
"I shouldn't be long. The Princess of Central City doesn't wait for much as you can tell. I miss you. I miss you everyday. I… that little girl. I knew she was going to be amazing but…I don't have the words, Nora. God, I wish you were here. I love you."
While Henry and Lexie were updating Nora on every aspect of Lexie's life, Oliver Queen was also in a cemetery, the one in Star City, kneeling at the grave of Laurel Lance.
"I already visited Mom and Tommy. Thought I would say hi. I… felt like being here, in Star City. This place…its filled with memories and not all of them are bad. Some are pretty good right? We did have good times before…everything."
Oliver shook his head, not wanting to get into the past. He had just gotten to the point that his past didn't weigh him down every day, but on Christmas, the memories of his life hit him the hardest. The lavish Christmas parties he grew up with, he loved so much, spending Christmas with Laurel…planning on self destructing his life before the Queen's Gambit ever got a chance.
"I won't say I miss you, you already know that. You probably already know that me and Felicity…yeah. Its for the best, it really is. This is going to be the first Christmas since I have known her that I haven't seen her. I'm not going to call her. I can't. Thea is spending Christmas with her new boyfriend's family. Meeting them for the first time. He sounds like a good guy. He better be."
He took a moment, eyes taking in the words Black Canary engraved on the headstone. "You would not believe what we fought a year ago. It was crazy. A long way from League of Assassins, Damian Darhk stuff. Kara and Barry were… amazing. They almost killed themselves, Ray too, hell we all almost … but we didn't. We survived. I survived again and I'm starting to live. Sometimes I still think I don't deserve to but Kara usually slaps me in the head when that happens. She can read face she claims. You should see her, the most powerful woman in the universe walking carefully over the snow and ice. I had to catch her on the sidewalk in front of the gallery yesterday. She slipped on some ice. I slipped catching her but she landed on me so it was okay."
That fight we had… you were there. Not just in spirit but, literally. I get that she was a doppleganger or whatever Barry calls it this week but she was you. Same spirit, same smile, same heart. It hurt to leave her behind. I kind of hoped that she might come back with us, but then felt bad about it. Nobody can ever replace you. Not even her. I told your Dad about her and gave him the option if he ever wanted to meet her. I thought about not saying anything at all, but I think, between you, Sara and me, we have all learned not to keep secrets from your Dad. He said Kara had told her about you from there and he appreciated the offer. He hasn't said anything since. I guess he is still thinking about it."
Memories of a Christmas morning in New York City, spending his trust fund on a suite at a five star hotel, he would have been 20 and Laurel 19. They had snuck off together but of course their families had a fit and sent a helicopter for both of them. It had been a great Christmas Eve though. They had the whole world in front of them.
"I got a date. Can you believe it? Okay, I get asked all the time at the gallery but most of them are…yeah. But …I'm not sure if I actually got the date on my own. Lexie had ran from the back of the gallery and jumped on my back, covering my eyes with her hands. The door opened and I tried to straighten up, fix my tie, yeah I wear a tie sometimes. Between me and Kara one of us has to look professional. Her name is Crystal. She works as a go between for private collectors in Europe and artists in Central, Keystone, and Opal City. We talked about Kara's work, about some of her shows, Kara makes the most beautiful landscapes you will ever see. So Crystal is smiling at me the entire time, and starts telling me about where she is from, how long she has been living in the city and then gives me her number and asks me out to dinner and I heard self saying yes. I'm supposed to meet her next Friday. She told me she liked a man who is good with kids. I have no idea what that was about until I got to the bathroom. Apparently when Lexie jumped on me and covered my eyes her hands were covered in green paint. I had perfect little green handprints over my cheeks and forehead. The blondes thought it was funny, so of course I had to retaliate. They we're both covered in pink. I had Lexie cornered and Kara couldn't outrun a slug right now. Two more months and the little boy is here. If they keep having kids we won't need any new members of the Justice League for the next forty years.
So I guess I am going to go. I hope wherever you are, you are happy. You have to be somewhere, there has to be a Heaven because I can feel you talking to me all the time. I'm kind of becoming proud of who I am turning out to be. I still have a lot of faults, a lot. I probably always will, but I'm learning to accept them, instead of constantly trying to change. I'm just letting it happen. I'm still not in the mood for a holiday though. I figured I would take some time, maybe visit the old lair, spend a couple days cleaning it up. Dig is around, maybe the two of us can get a burger. Holidays huh? No matter how great they are, they are full of memories and memories are something that can make you happy and haunt you at the same time. Bye Laurel. Wherever you and Tommy are, have a Merry Christmas."
Oliver walked three steps before his phone rang. He groaned a bit at the caller ID but if he didn't answer she would send a search party.
"Everything okay?"
"Try again." Kara ordered. Oliver took a deep breath.
"Hi Kara. How are you doing?" Kara hated when he answered with everything okay or whats wrong. She said it was part of her plan to help him relax and let down his guard.
"Fine and no, everything is not okay. Where are you?"
"I told you that I would be out of town."
"And I thought you meant with Thea. But I just talked to Thea who said you told her you would be spending Christmas here. Now where the hell are you? Your GPS isn't on and you have scrambled your phone signal."
"Number 1, I never said I was going to Thea's, just out of town. I wanted to get away, relax a little bit. Number 2, why are you trying to triangulate my phone?"
"I don't know why I am trying because I know exactly where you are. I am cooking dinner tonight and we are having cookies and finger sandwiches, a lot of peanut butter and Lexie expects you to be here in the morning. You are always here when she wakes up on Christmas morning."
Oliver cringed. Kara never had a problem bringing up Lexie to get what she wanted. "You don't know exactly where I am. I just came back to Star City. I thought I would…"
"Brood? Sleep in your empty lair? Visit places where tragedy occurred? Zatanna could have teleported you to the cemetery without the drive and had you back.
"I am not at the…how would you know where I am? You don't know everything about me, Kara."
"Tell it to Barry." Kara ended the call and before Oliver could place the phone back in his pocket the Flash was by his side.
"Kara said you aren't allowed to brood." Barry told his friend.
"Your wife needs to not be so…bossy."
"She said you would say that and to remind you that she is your boss. She is my boss too if it makes you feel better. Zatanna could have sent you here, Oliver. I get that you want to say hi to your family and friends but sleeping in your old lair tonight? Not going to happen."
"Barry…I just want a quiet… time. The holidays…"
Oliver's phone rang again. He looked at the ID and sighed.
"Hi Lexie!" he tried in his most optimistic voice.
"Where are you?"
"I'm…I'm in Star City."
"The party starts in four hours. Mommy needs help cooking. You have to be here in the morning when I wake up. You are going to be here, right?" she asked in her saddest voice. "Unca Ollie, you won't leave…leave…"
"Are you seriously crying on command right now?! Your mother taught you that, didn't she? Lexie it is not nice to do that. You should only cry when you are really upset."
"I get mad when I am upset. If you aren't here soon, I am going to get mad. You don't want to see me mad, Unca Ollie. Every Christmas morning you are there. Every, single Christmas morning. Know what tomorrow morning is?"
"Christmas morning." Oliver admitted with a sigh.
"Now do you want to watch me smile with joy while I open my treasures or do you want to let me down and sleep in your smelly old cave?"
"I'll be there soon, I promise."
"Good, cause I would hate to call Donna at Thescira,..Themysar…that place, to rope you and bring you back."
The call ended and a resigned Oliver looked at his friend, standing in the empty cemetery with his mask off.
"Sorry man, part of being in the family. You are never alone on holidays."
"Yeah…its not that I want to be alone. Its just…"
"You feel guilty that you get to be happy and they don't. Have you ever thought that maybe they are happy? That there is something more to this life and where they are is a lot better than here?"
"Yeah, I know. I've seen enough magic to make me believe. But…what if it is a place I will never get to see Barry? I'm not them. I've…"
"Oliver, give it up man. My wife and daughter don't like bad guys. They love you. I'm pretty fond of you myself. One of these days you are going to believe that you are a hero. You don't just honor the dead by fighting. You honor them by living. Not one of them want you to be alone, so don't disappoint them. Its time to come home."
"Fine. You aren't carrying me. I can get a train…"
Before the word ticket could leave his mouth Oliver found himself standing in Kara's kitchen, facing a smirking Zatanna.
"Two dozen finger sandwiches, Queen. Get your fingers working on something besides bow strings." the sorceress ordered, handing him a loaf of bread and two ham packets. "I could have it all done in seconds but since someone doesn't want magic inside her home, you will all be working while I relax."
Kara did not turn from the oven to look at Oliver. Barry of course zipped by her side, wrapping his arms around her since she was too big to hold from the front and whispered something in her ear. It must have been something good since her eyes were squinting when she smiled.
"At least I didn't run you here." Barry told the Arrow, patting him on the back and going back to the living room.
"Have a nice trip Oliver? We would have gone with you. You seriously thought I would let you be alone on Christmas?" Kara asked, keeping her attention on the dip she was mixing. Oliver prayed it was edible and he wouldn't have to pretend this time.
"I'm here. I thought maybe…"
"We are here. We are your family. Its us or Thea and since Thea is occupied, it is us. Deal with it. Start on the sandwiches and please make them into perfect little triangles. You know I hate if they are crooked. Two thin slices of ham, half cheddar, half American and a thin pickle slice, half mayo, half mustard. There is also salami and pepperoni if you want to go Italian. Since you have been missing all day and wasted most of the day on a train you can work. I'm going to cuddle with my husband."
Kara walked off, leaving a resigned Oliver Queen to his kitchen duties, and moved out to the backyard. The blonde saw a sight that would never fail to warm her heart. As Lexie had gotten stronger, while no way as strong as she was, the little girl was still strong enough to pick Barry up. She now had him by his arm while she floated around the backyard in the snow, Barry holding her hand, looking up at his snow angel. Wrapping her arm around her swollen belly, she sat down in her favorite chair watching the two laughing and swirling around.
"Mommy! Want me to float you? I have another hand." Lexie offered.
"No thank you. I probably need to keep my feet on the ground, since I have a hard enough time walking."
"Once again, he is ruining my fun. You say I have to be nice to him but he isn't helping his case right now."
"Think I can play with you?" Kal El asked, walking out, Lois behind him.
"Kal! Yes! Can we go flying Mommy? Please?"
Kara turned to her cousin, rose and wrapped him in a hug as best she could. "Merry Christmas baby cousin. I am so glad to have you here."
"I wouldn't miss it, Kara." he told her, kissing the top of her head. "So what do you say? Can me and little Kara take off a couple thousand feet?"
"No! Don't go higher than two hundred. She has never flown in a thinner atmosphere and I do not want her freaking out when the air thins."
"So we can fly, is what I heard?"
Kara rolled her eyes. "Yes, you two behave and stay above the woods, out of sight. Lexie be good. No racing."
"Yes Mommy."
Barry dropped to the ground and zipped over to hug Lois while the Super cousins lifted off, both of them giggling like girls.
"Thanks for coming Lois." the blonde told her gratefully.
"Of course Kara, There is no place else I would rather be. Cat sends her love from Paris. She had to show Carter the Eiffel Tower at Christmas. We have been here since yesterday actually. Clark wanted to do a bit of Christmas shopping."
"Shopping here? Why?"
Lois shrugged her shoulders. "Who knows? You know Clark, he can be weird. He insisted Cisco keep it a secret. We thought the man may be able to keep a secret for one day at least. Shouldn't you be inside? You aren't wearing a jacket and something tells me you aren't charged up considering you have goosebumps on your arms."
"Yeah, but my vision comes and goes. I like to watch them when I can see them. If he follows the rules I should be able to keep track of them."
Barry moved and as if Zatanna teleported it, a thick blanket was wrapped around his wife.
"Thank you dear." she told her husband, kissing him deeply.
"So you think Lexie will like her gift?" he asked apprehensively.
"Of course she will. She loves getting things. She is spoiled rotten and loves it. But this…this is going to blow her mind."
"Yeah…"
"Barry relax. She is going to love it."
"What if she doesn't like the color?"
"Its going to be real. She is going to be excited. Especially knowing that you made it."
"Cisco showed me the whole…process. I needed his help with the tech on the plate and the solar panels of course…"
"Barry, relax. I love it and she will too. You know she is going to want a name now, right?"
"She has twelve years to think about it. You have to stress this Kara, it's for practice only."
"I promise, believe me. You okay? You aren't as relaxed as usual. I would offer to help you relax like last night but there are too many guests already."
Once again, pregnancy had increased Kara's…urges.
"I'm fine. I just…"
"Worry? Let me guess, me delivering another child, Lexie getting along with a new brother since she won't be the only child worshiped by the Justice League, Oliver starting to brood again, Cisco going on a date with Lisa Snart, Lexie's slight social difficulties with not treating her classmates like they are idiots, or teachers for that matter? I worry too but that's life right? Aren't you always the one saying I should relax?"
"Last time your powers came back suddenly and you had held back so long, when they did you had a seizure and…"
"Went back to my body that you love impregnating so much? Yeah, that was horrible." Kara tried to joke.
"I know, we just need to have a better plan this time. I don't want to see you hurt. Seeing you after that… Darkseid, shook me up. Knowing that you could have…"
"But I didn't. I'm here, I'm going to be here and so are you. Relax baby. Please?" Kara asked but Barry knew it was a order. She was right, he wouldn't wallow in the past. The thought of how close both of them came to not seeing this Holiday had been sitting heavily on his mind but it was done.
"I'm good. Did you pick up the ropes for Alex?"
"Yep. I got her silk braided ones this year. It will be easier on the freak's wrists. Lets go get ready while the Super cousins play. Everyone will be here in an hour or so."
Alex and Nyssa arrived, Kara attacking Alex with a bear hug from behind and a soaking wet Lexie, clothes covered with melted snow from her recent race with Kal El, looked at the boxes in Nyssa's hands, especially a very small one.
"Do not look little girl. I refuse to wrap these gifts in silly metal mesh. You are honor bound not to peek."
"But…"
"I said, do not look." Nyssa stressed once again and turned around. Lexie gulped. She argued a bit with most everyone when she was told not to do something at times, even her parents in regards to constantly wanting to paint her room, but two people she never argued with were Uncle Ollie and Aunt Nyssa.
It didn't matter. Lexie suspected there were pretty things in that box, that her Daddy would mistake for carrots. Piercing her ears had been hard enough, an exercise in controlling her vibrations in response to pain in the red sun room involving Mommy, Aunt Caitlin and a very big needle. She had to constantly keep earrings in or the piercing would go away. Lexie had hopes that if she could control her vibrations instead of reacting to pain one day the little girl could have a cool tattoo like Mommy. Daddy wasn't happy with her plan. Mommy said she had to wait until she was 25 like Mommy did. That seemed like centuries away.
The guests slowly gathered and in two hours, most of the Justice League who weren't with their own families had arrived, including all the Grandpas and Grandma. Two giant trays of sandwiches were brought in by Oliver, all cut with exact precision into perfect triangles, hundreds of sugar cookies, chips, Kara's dip, punch, and beer, Christmas music and Eggnog, and a mood of general happiness.
"Please get off my lap." Alex grunted.
"Nope." Kara replied.
"I'm not kidding, I can't feel my legs."
"I can, they are perfectly fine. There isn't anywhere else to sit. You are in my favorite chair."
"This isn't your favorite chair! Go lay across the couch on top of Mom and Dad."
"You are my favorite chair. Relax, I'm pregnant and you have to make me happy. Now rub the top of my head."
Alex sighed and gave up, while her big little sister leaned back on her. She started massaging her scalp as directed.
"So I've been thinking about names." Alex said casually while her alien sister moaned. "What would you think about…"
"We already picked out a name." Kara told her, the grumbled when Alex's hand stopped moving.
"What do you mean? Wait… is it Alexander?"
Kara turned and looked Alex in the eyes.
"Don't be greedy, one mini you is enough to handle." she told her older sister who rolled her eyes. A girl could hope.
Barry asked for everyone's attention and Kara roughly rolled off of Alex, leaving a relieved brunette rubbing her thighs to get the blood flowing once again.
"Thanks for all of you being here tonight. We all have a lot to celebrate this year and while many of us have separate places to be tomorrow, I am glad you are with us now. Kara and I have decided on a name for our newest child and wanted to share it all with you."
The gathering quieted, the speculation was to end in moments. Barry looked around at his family and friends and his daughter who had her arms crossed, not the center of attention at the moment.
"So you know we are big on keeping family names and since Kara isn't opposed to a few more children…"
"A few more?!"
Barry did his best to ignore his daughter's angry glare. "We have discussed this with the grandfathers and while Joe and Dad have dibs on the next name and Jeremiah refused to allow his Grandson to be called Jerry, we had to look outward from the easy choices. We want our son to be just like our daughter, named after a hero…"
"Poe?" Lexie offered hopefully. "Fynn? Not Kylo, he is creepy. Luke? No, he is old. Han? No, he is in Heaven. Chewie?"
"There is a guy who has been with us in every battle this League has faced. Just about all of us have been but this guy has a really special place in my heart. We have all faced down some pretty big villains in our time together but there is one man who needs to be recognized and doesn't really get the recognition he deserves. The guy who looks out for all of us, made bringing families into our universe seamlessly, pays people to be superheroes, makes S.T.A.R. and our secondary locations secure… one of the biggest heroes I have ever known." Barry finished.
"And a guy," Kara continued, "whose only superpowers are his brain and his heart. He used his brain to help Winn take down a giant spaceship and his heart to save my life by standing up to a Galactic Warlord. So our little boy will be named Raymond Jeremiah Allen."
The room all looked at Ray in the back who had frozen, drink to his lips.
"Me?" he finally squeaked.
"Yeah, you. I even helped them pick it out, Ray. In case I never said I'm sorry for nearly beating you to death, I will…one day." Oliver added.
For the first time any in the room had seen, Ray Palmer's eyes glittered with tears and he took a seat. Kara walked towards him, bending over slowly and kissed him on the cheek. "I love you, Ray."
The room applauded, Ray receiving many pats on the back and a hug from the grandfathers and Eliza. Everyone knew the story of what happened on that ship, even though Ray never said a word, other than Kara saving him from the crash. Kara had told everyone though. Everyone knew that Ray Palmer, billionaire, the guy who had the world at his feet and could literally do anything he wanted, anywhere at anytime, had stood up against a super powered mad man who had nearly killed Superwoman and did not flinch or back down. Ray Palmer was ready to go to certain death before he left Kara. Neither parent could think of anyway to honor him more than to name their son after him.
The next morning, Oliver woke up on the couch, his fine tuned instincts alerting him immediately when Lexie entered the room. His job was guard duty, making sure his tiny charge did not tear into packages before the family arrived and her parents were up.
"Don't even think about it." he warned. Lexie's puppy dog eyes had no sway on him anymore.
"Wake your parents up and I'll get breakfast started."
Lexie moved at super speed, jumping on top of her Daddy who shot up, heart racing and ribs sore. Kara opened her eyes and grinned at her daughter.
"Did Santa come see you last night?" she asked.
"Yeah, I guess. I still don't see the ratio of mass, times speed, taking in the distance traveled and time alotted…"
"Worm holes and the Speedforce. We talked about this. Santa is a Speedster." Kara told her…again.
"Yeah but the size of a sled…"
"Remember the space ship Mommy and Uncle Ray crashed? There are really big sleds out there. Santa has a cloaking mechanism so he does't alert militaries to his presence."
"Right…the cloaking mechanism. Okay, call everybody, so we can open presents. Its already 7 AM. Where is everybody at?"
At Lexie's question, the doorbell rang and she was gone. Opening up the door, she found Alex, holding several more boxes in addition to the ones her and Nyssa had brought the night before. .
"Yes!"
Alex was thankful nothing was breakable when Lexie jumped into her arms, causing her to drop the gifts.
"You are going to love what I made you! I took a piece of Quartz and carved our names out with my heat vision and Momma put a picture of the two of us on the beach inside it and we used our freeze breath to clean it and, and, and…its going to be a great surprise!"
Lexie hopped down, picked up the boxes and moved them to the tree where Charlie patiently waited, sniffing a package he had no doubt contained the raw hide wing flavored strips his mother made for him.
Alex carried more boxes while Nyssa walked in, told Oliver to bring her a cup of coffee and relaxed. Never having grown up with this custom or having a family to enjoy it with when she did learn, Nyssa had quickly realized that Christmas was much more fun watching a child open gifts.
Eventually Eliza, Jeremiah,Joe, Henry and Team Flash arrived, followed by Jessie, Iris and Wally. Lois and Kal followed thirty minutes later. Kal had the privilege of telling Barry that Diana would be down in a week with Lexie's new sword and suggested the Flash just be happy she isn't giving his daughter armor. A patient Lexie was running out of patience. She ignored breakfast for once while the adults toyed with her emotions by eating slowly.
"Can we please get focused? Please?"
"Fine little one." Kara gave in. "Pass out the gifts to the others first. Then you can open our gifts and see what Santa Claus brought you."
"Should we check them for residual radiation since he used wormholes? We should probably use a …"
"I think the lead lining is enough to dissipate the radiation." Barry assured her.
"Or to keep it in. Lead really doesn't dissipate radiation…"
"Lexie?"
"Yes Unca Ollie?"
"Open the gifts."
And so it began, the holiday tradition of gift giving, some thoughtful, the socks Kara gave Iris less so, some very meaningful such as the four rubber bullets Oliver gave Joe with a note that the cop killed too many people and should try these out.
"Diamond earrings Nyssa? Really?" an annoyed but resigned Barry asked.
"They match the necklace she wants to wear and you insist on keeping in a safe. I would suggest you allow her to wear both together often, not in a safe. It would be rude if she did not wear my gifts, right Barry?"
"Fine. When she loses a $20,000 necklace…"
"I'll buy her another. The world isn't running out of diamonds." Nyssa reasoned.
"Here are my gifts for you two." Lexie told Nyssa and Oliver, running small boxes to them. They opened them up at the same time and found large arrow heads carved out of rock.
"Mommy watched me carve them. You can't really shoot them but she said it was okay because they are symbolic. I carved words on them. Its Kryptonese for my Knight since thats what you both are. Every princess needs knights, right?"
Oliver pulled the little girl in for a hug. "I'm always going to be your knight, kid. Me and Nyssa both. I love it."
"As do I, Niece. Thank you." Nyssa told her with a heavy voice, her eyes taking in the care that had been put into the carving and the absolute control the girl had to possess to make it so perfect.
"Okay, so thats all the gifts. Now we can play with them!"
"Not quite little girl. We have a couple more gifts for you." Barry told her. Kara handed over small box. Lexie opened it and saw her mother's necklace.
"This is yours." she told her mother.
"It's yours now."
"Aunt Alex said if you ever tried to give me any of your jewelry I'm supposed to call her and tackle you. You aren't crashing anymore spaceships are you?"
"No." Kara laughed. "I just want you to have it."
'But what if I lose it?" the little girl worried.
"Then we will find it. It's yours now, daughter."
"Thank you." Lexie said quietly, knowing how important this was to her mother. She knew she would never lose it. Never.
"Uh, since we brought up Krypton artifacts this may be a time to tell you about our gift to your family." Kal spoke up. "Its going to be a few months before you can get there…"
"What gift? Where?" the blonde asked.
"Since there are more Kryptonians on this Earth than on mine now I didn't think it was fair that I had all the artifacts. Barry has been helping me the past couple months, carve out a spot in Antarctica you may know well. I didn't have a million ton compressed dwarf star key but I was able to make a three hundred thousand pound key out of a meteorite I discovered here. The key is under the mat and I think you know how to get there."
"You mean…"
"Yep. I split my toys. You have your own Fortress now, not that you didn't before but I thought you would need a place to keep all the big relics and your own Kelex."
"Kal… thank you so much." Kara told him, tears slowly staining her cheeks.
"You are the head of the house. Its only right that you have as much as I do. I also put the Jewel of Truth and Honor inside that you and Barry were married on. You can take the kids there and show them a bit of what once was."
"Cool, we have a flying robot now? Awesome! I love Christmas!" Lexie cheered.
"As hard as it is to compete with a flying robot, I have one more gift for you, daughter. Uncle Cisco and Uncle Ray helped me make it." Barry told her.
Barry handed her the box, wrapped in Superwoman wrapping paper. Lexie noted her Dad and Uncle Cisco looked nervous. She slowly opened it up and looked inside.
"Halloween already happened. Whose uniform is this anyway? It isn't the same as Mommy's."
"No this isn't for Halloween. You are not going to be ready to go on a mission for a long time. But you need a uniform to practice in. We can adjust it as you grow older but… I thought you might want to try it out?"
Lexie's wide eyes took in the suit, the white body suit, red cape and mask and the boots that ended just below her knees that were just like Mommy's. She felt the cape and while not the same, it was a lot like Mommy's. The fabric, she used her X ray vision and saw the nanobots inside, waiting to be activated along with the same biometric scanners her Mommy and Daddy had.
"This is real." she whispered.
"Yes it is and its yours. Only for practice, okay?" Kara reminded her.
Lexie nodded her head, eyes never leaving her new suit. "Can I put it on?" she asked quietly.
"I got a better idea." the Flash told her. An hour later the family were all at the Police bomb disposal range or Justice League training center as it had become known as.
Lexie adjusted her cape, the weight and feel perfect. Her chest piece was activated, her boots fit perfectly and her mask was in place. Her mother placed something in her ear. Lexie never had one before but she knew what it was.
"Hello? Overwatch?" she asked, hesitantly, never having a com in her ear before.
"Coming in loud and clear. Systems are active." Winn told her. "Would you like the solar panels turned on?"
"Yes please?"
Immediately Lexie felt the difference, her body infused with warmth even on this cold snowy day. The little girl also saw she was sparkling, just like Mommy.
"This is so awesome." Lexie whispered.
"Okay Impulse. Let's see what you got. I'm thinking a quick one mile run and back should give us a baseline on speed. You can work with flying when your Mommy is ready. Your Dad will be running next to you, sharing speed. Let him know if it gets out of control and your cousin can pull you out." Cisco told her, straightening her chest plate and adjusting her mask.
"Impulse?"
Cisco shrugged his shoulders. "Harry complains that sometimes you are too impulsive. I like that about you. It fits. So yeah, considering I handle the names and Supergirl is off the table its either Impulse or Kid Flash. Which one do you want?"
"I like Impulse." Lexie admitted, balling her glove covered fists.
"Then line up Impulse and lets see if you can give the Flash a challenge."
Lexie lined up next to her Dad. Barry looked at his daughter and winked, sending just a bit of speed her way. Lexie felt it instantly.
"This is going to be so cool." she whispered before the lightning flashed in her eyes and she ran.