It was an accident. An inevitable accident. In others, they might have predicted it. Would have predicted it, because it was just so obvious.
Stick a couple of people into close proximity for long periods of time, add stress, stir twice, bring to a boil. Primal chemistry.
Legend found it humbling in a funny kind of way. Even they, with all their powers, weren't immune to something as mundane as an office romance. He was the only one in the entire organization with prior experience in these matters, and he took it with the easy stride of a man who has been there, done that. When Number Man had the inevitable freak-out of all men in his role, Legend was there with a stiff drink and a few choice words.
Alexandria hadn't seen it nearly so kindly. She'd been mystified by it. For her of all people to make such a misstep. Like watching a god stumble. Terrifying.
Seeing it happen was bad enough, but watching it play out was worse, because she had known first. Before Number Man, before Eidolon, before Contessa herself. One of those times having a photographic memory and an intuitive knowledge of body language backfired. She'd read the interaction between the two and figured it out almost instantly.
And she'd kept quiet about it until Eidolon finally figured it out. She still wasn't sure why. Maybe she'd wanted Contessa to be happy for once. Maybe she was a little jealous. It wasn't a choice she'd ever wanted, beyond the occasional imagining, but still... to be denied something, not by choice but by circumstances out of her control. Too reminiscent of when she was ill.
Eidolon, for all his powers, wasn't a people person. He couldn't read his associates like Alexandria could; didn't have the same easy way with them that Legend had. He'd only figured it out by chance; just so happening to cycle the right power at the wrong moment.
Once things really kicked off, he stood back and stayed out of the way. Something he and Alexandria had in common. They could bench-press freighters and punch supervillains till the cows came home, but this? No thank you. They kept to the sidelines. This was Legend's territory.
Doctor Mother had been simultaneously more scared than she'd ever been, and more delighted. On one hand, this could mean their ruination. All their carefully balanced plates crashing down in one awful cascade. But... she'd also doubted it. If they would fail, it wouldn't be from this. They'd weathered worse. Would weather worse in the future.
The delight had been stronger. To see Contessa off balance was... almost refreshing. A reminder that her child, always so perfect, could be human. Could enjoy something so basic, so fundamental to the human experience.
Number Man had had a drink with Legend, run the numbers a fifth time, and then called Jack.
Yes, of course it was an accident. No, he didn't think she'd 'Thinker-Whammied' him. No, Jack wasn't invited. Yes, Number Man would send pictures. Yes, he was still angry at Manton. No, Manton wasn't invited either. No, he did not need Bonesaw's input on the matter.
Contessa had, for once in her life, not used the Path. Let it be a surprise for once. It took a while for it to really settle in, and the temptation to peek had been almost unbearable. Just to get a clue as to what in the hell she was supposed to do. Because this was the kind of thing the Path was made for.
Finally, she'd had Doormaker open a window to her home world. It'd been nearly three decades since she'd last visited. Nearly an eternity. A lifetime spent on their crusade.
As she walked through the tall grasses where her village had once been, Contessa watched the sunrise paint the grass yellow.
She pressed a hand to her belly, only just now beginning to show.
She would let Doctor Mother pick the name.