Danvers Family Thanksgiving
Lena was working diligently at her desk, her pen writing furiously as she worked out the kinks in her latest project proposal. She was so focused she didn't hear the distinct whoosh of a certain super hero descending on the balcony behind her.
"Why are you working?" Kara exclaimed as she let herself into the office. Lena startled and turned, a hand reaching to clutch her chest.
"Jesus, Supergirl, you scared me!" she exclaimed as the Kryptonian came to stand in front of her with her arms folded across her chest.
"It's Thanksgiving," Kara said sternly. "You should not be working." Lena could see the playful sparkle in Kara's eyes, but she could also see the resolve. The woman was tenacious to say the least. It was what made her a good reporter and an even better super hero.
"You're working, too!" Lena argued as she gestured to the suit and cape.
"Not anymore, I just finished my last patrol," retorted Kara with a smug grin. "I'm about to go home for Thanksgiving dinner and you're coming with me." Lena's eyes widened in surprise.
"Kara, what are you talking about?" she asked hesitantly. Kara leaned against Lena's desk casually and gave her a pointed look.
"You are having Thanksgiving dinner with me and my family at my apartment," she answered matter-of-factly. Lena's heart fluttered at the thought, but she quickly shook her head.
"I couldn't, Kara," she answered quietly as she turned back to her work. "I need to finish this." Kara reached over and placed a gentle hand on her arm.
"Come on, Lee, it'll be fun! Thanksgiving is one of my favorite Earth holidays, and I would really like to spend it with you. Please?" Lena looked up with a sigh. As she suspected, Kara's bottom lip was stuck out and her blue eyes were round and sparkling. Ninety percent of her brain was screaming at her to refuse, but the other ten percent was completely incapable of denying Kara Danvers anything.
"Fine, but I need to change," she relented as she gestured at her outfit.
"But that's my favorite dress of yours!" Kara objected. "It matches your eyes perfectly." Lena blushed as she looked down at the emerald dress. She would have never admitted it, but she had started wearing it more often after she had caught the Kryptonian checking her out in it.
"Someone is especially stubborn today," she replied, but she couldn't stop herself from smiling as Kara grinned.
"Don't you mean super stubborn?" Kara began to laugh at her own joke to the point that she snorted, but Lena could only shake her head. When she had finally stopped laughing, she turned to Lena and motioned towards the balcony. "Come on, let's go!"
"Kara, no!" Lena answered, quickly. "Absolutely not, I will just take my car like a normal person. I know where your apartment is."
The Luthor slipped on her designer coat and began to dig for her car keys. If she had been watching Kara she would have seen the wicked grin on the girl's face, though she wouldn't have been able to stop what was about to happen. Kara took two steps and swept Lena off her feet to hold her bridal style before pushing off and soaring out the balcony door. Lena immediately wrapped her arms around the hero's neck as she cried out in surprise. She could feel Kara's chest shaking with her laughter as she flew them across National City.
"Kara Zor-El, you are going to pay for this!" Lena snapped despite the rush of joy she was experiencing. If it had been any other Luthor, Kara might have been worried by the statement.
"Look at the lights!" she said as they flew over a particularly illuminated building. Lena's resolve melted and she let herself enjoy the flight, stealing occasional glances at Kara as they went.
The two gently landed on Kara's balcony, and Lena was relieved when the apartment was empty. Kara zipped into her room and was back in a blink of an eye in a new outfit. She was wearing gray skinny jeans and a soft beige sweater, her glasses perched on her nose and her hair intricately braided down her back. Of all of Kara's powers, Lena was the most jealous of her ability to get ready in seconds.
"Everyone should be here any minute," she said as she began to get down wine glasses from the cabinet.
"Who is 'everyone' exactly?" asked Lena, her nerves returning.
"Eliza, J'onn, Alex, Maggie, Winn, and James," Kara called over her shoulder as she busied around the kitchen. Lena was relieved to hear Winn was coming. Something about the goofy IT genius made her feel more comfortable, and they never had trouble finding things to discuss between her work at L-Corp. and his at the DEO. Alex, on the other hand, made Lena incredibly nervous, and on top of that, she would be meeting their mother for the first time.
"E-Eliza?" Lena squeaked, desperately trying to seem like she wasn't terrified.
"Yeah, she's so excited to meet you! I've told her all about you!" answered Kara as she beamed. The blonde's beautiful smile and kind words calmed Lena a bit. She had zero experience with family holidays, but the list of things she wouldn't do for Kara was incredibly short (if it existed at all) so she was determined to make this work.
A few minutes later, there was a half-knock on the door before it was thrown open by Alex, her arms full of grocery bags. She was wearing a black sweater with a brown leather jacket and tight black pants, DEO issued boots on her feet. She was even more intimidating than Lena remembered her. Maggie came in behind her in a navy button down and dark jeans, her black hair curled and trailing down her shoulders. She, too, had her arms full as she closed the door behind them with her foot.
"Traffic was an absolute shit show," Alex grumbled as she placed the bags on the kitchen counter, tilting her head to let Kara place a kiss on her cheek.
"I told you we should have used the siren," said Maggie as she began to unpack the groceries. She paused for a moment and looked up to see Lena awkwardly lingering in the living room. "Hey, Little Luthor," she greeted in surprise. "I didn't know you were coming." Lena awkwardly waved as Alex quickly looked up.
"Neither did I," she said as she shot Kara a pointed look. The blonde returned it with a look of her own, and Lena remembered how she and Lex used to have entire conversations without speaking. The thought saddened her a bit, but she didn't have time to dwell on it as the door was opening once again.
"I will never get used to city traffic!" said an older woman with dirty blonde hair. Lena gulped as she noted the dark eyes that were identical to Alex's. It had to be Eliza. She set down the few bags she had brought before moving to greet her daughters.
Lena watched as she wrapped Kara in a hug before turning and capturing Alex, despite the older daughter's efforts to escape. Once Alex had squirmed away, Eliza turned to Maggie who gladly accepted a hug. Lena's heart began to race as Kara reached out and took her by the hand, tugging her into the kitchen.
"Eliza, this is Lena!" she introduced as Lena shifted awkwardly. The Danvers matriarch looked her over with a wide smile before opening her arms to her. Thanks to Kara, Lena had grown more accustomed to hugs, but it still felt strange to be embraced. She had to admit, though, Eliza's hug was nice and there was a warmth growing in her chest.
"Oh, Lena!" said Eliza as she released her to look at her again. "You're even more beautiful in person! I'm so glad to finally meet you, Kara has told me so much about you. I have to tell you, I am so impressed with everything you've done with L-Corp., and I'm so glad my Kara has you for a friend." Lena blushed and ducked her head, but she couldn't stop herself from beaming at the praise.
"I'm the lucky one," she answered as she turned to look at Kara.
The sound of the door opening caused them all to turn as Winn and James came inside, their arms full of various assortments of alcohol. They set out several cases of a beer, a bottle of whiskey, and two bottles of wine as Alex and Maggie swooped in like vultures. James kissed Eliza on the cheek and shook J'onn's hand before politely nodding to Lena. It was taking him a bit longer to warm up to the Luthor, but he was trying. He could tell how much she meant to Kara, and that was enough for him.
"What's up, Luthor!" greeted Winn as he held up his hand for a high five. It was something he had recently taught Lena how to do, and he now insisted they do it upon every meeting. She appreciated his efforts to include her, though, and was happy to oblige in the gesture.
Lena watched as the kitchen began to fill with what appeared to be absolute chaos. Alex and Maggie were making drinks at the island while Eliza prepared food which Kara cooked with her heat vision. Winn and James set the table with plates and utensils while J'onn set out the chairs. Just as she was considering sneaking out, Maggie came over and put a glass of wine in her hands.
"This your first Danvers holiday?" she asked as she took a sip of her Jack and Coke. Lena nodded as she gratefully gulped her wine.
"Mine too," said Maggie with an uncertainty in her voice Lena had never heard before. Knowing the detective was just as overwhelmed as she was helped ease her nerves, as did the wine she was drinking faster than was probably appropriate. She and Maggie drank in the corner until it was announced dinner was ready and they all moved to the table. J'onn sat at the head of the table with Eliza on the other end, Alex, Maggie, and James on one side and Kara, Lena, and Winn on the other. Lena watched as they all turned to Kara who was wiggling in her seat with excitement.
"So, it's a Danvers family tradition that we all go around the table and say one thing we're thankful for," she explained though all but two of them knew the drill. "I'll go first. I'm thankful for family. I didn't think I would ever feel whole again after leaving Krypton, but I was wrong. I have never felt more full than I do right now with all of you." Lena swallowed hard as Kara spoke and she was grateful when Eliza volunteered to go next.
"I'm always thankful for my girls," she began. "But I'm also thankful for their friends. It's a great comfort to me that they have such a wonderful group of people looking out for them, and I want you all to know we're glad to have you as a part of our family." Eliza glanced at Lena and Maggie as she finished, and Lena's stomach lurched. She noted that Maggie looked equally pale.
"My turn, I guess," said Alex. She turned to Maggie and the Detective visibly softened a bit as she looked into Alex's eyes. "I am thankful for my girlfriend, and for the fact that we're getting to spend our first Thanksgiving together." Maggie rolled her eyes, but she grinned as Alex placed a soft kiss to the back of her hand.
"Well, I'm thankful that my girlfriend, as mushy as she may be, is always supportive of me, and I'm thankful that she has such a wonderful, loving family," said Maggie, her cheeks a bright pink as she spoke.
"That's two things, that's cheating," said Winn and Maggie responded by throwing a baby carrot at his head. They all laughed and James cleared his throat before speaking.
"I am thankful for new adventures as well as a continuing of the old," he said with a knowing smile. J'onn paused for a moment before he spoke.
"Like Kara, I never thought I would experience family again, but I, too, was wrong. I am thankful for the many surprises Earth has brought me, including this family." Winn patted the large man on the shoulder but quickly removed his hand when J'onn shot him a warning look.
"I am thankful for lots of things, but this year mine is going to be my job at the DEO because even though I fear for my life multiple times a day, I finally feel like I'm doing something that matters," Winn said with a lopsided, but sincere grin. They all laughed at that and then turned to Lena. Kara could hear the spike in her heartbeat and she discretely reached over and squeezed her hand. Lena squeezed back and took a breath before speaking.
"I am thankful for second chances," she said softly. She was worried it wouldn't be enough, but Kara was beaming with pride and Eliza patted her on the shoulder in approval.
"Ok, let's eat!"
Later that evening, Lena had retreated out onto the balcony. She turned from where she had been looking at the skyline to see Winn coming to stand beside her, an extra drink in his hand for her. She accepted it and thanked him before turning back to look out across the city.
"I just needed a bit of fresh air," she said.
"You don't have to explain to me," he replied with a shrug. "I was completely overwhelmed when I was first inducted into the Danvers clan." She looked at him in surprise as he grinned at the memory. "At least no one's fighting during your first time. My first Thanksgiving, all the Danvers women were at war with each other. Honestly, I'm lucky I made it out alive."
"I can't imagine," Lena shuddered at the thought. Kara had mentioned Eliza and Alex's rocky past, and she was eternally grateful everyone was being civil. Winn took a sip of his drink before leaning on his elbows on the railing, his expression growing serious.
"I got bounced around a lot when I was in foster care," he explained. "No one really wants the kid whose dad is a serial killer, you know? No one wants to adopt the kid whose father killed a bunch of people because what if the apple doesn't fall far from the tree? So, I never stayed in one place for very long, and even if I was with a nice family during the holidays it wasn't the same. I never knew what it was like to belong somewhere until I sat down to dinner with the Danvers family. I never thought I would have a real family, but I was wrong.
"Kara, Alex, Eliza, James, J'onn, they're my family. Because it's not blood that makes a family, it's patience. It's kindness and love and seeing people for who they really are, not where they come from. I know it's a lot to take in, but I just want you to know that there's plenty of room in this family for one more. If the Danvers clan knows how to do anything right, it's how to be a family."
Lena tried to fight the tears but one managed to slide down her cheek as Winn placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. He gave a gentle squeeze before stepping back inside to leave her to her thoughts. He had been gone for only a moment when Lena heard the balcony door open once again. She quickly wiped her eyes and turned to see Kara joining her.
"Hey, is everything ok?" she asked, her blue eyes shining in the moonlight.
"Of course, just getting some fresh air," Lena replied quickly, an irrepressible smile stretching across her face.
"Well, come on, we're about to play charades, and I want you on my team!" Kara took her by the hand and pulled her back inside where she was enveloped by warmth and laughter. As she took her place on the couch next to Kara with Maggie and Alex on the loveseat, James and Winn lounging in the floor, and J'onn and Eliza just coming in from the kitchen, she felt an unfamiliar warmth in her chest. While she had been hesitant to open her heart up at first, she realized in that moment there was no where else in the world she would rather be.
She was finally home.