The Joys of a Mother's Love.
By James Carmody.
Disclaimer: I formally forego any financial claim to this story, as I own not the copyright to "Supergirl" in any capacity, nor any of the "Superman" type stories- I haven't any idea who does, but I will not accept any money for this whatsoever!
Summary: Mostly Alex Danvers' reflections, crosses, and struggles with raising Ruby Arias Danvers, her stepdaughter, post Sam Arias' untimely passing away, and her family connections, excuse me, I should say *their* family connections, in semi-journal form.
Rating: Pretty much "G" or "PG", this's amazingly clean, only obstacle is the sexual orientation of the stepmother that she cannot act upon- so temptations: they'll happen from time to time- also, nothing icky.
Genre(s): Family, Friendship, Action/Adventure, Drama; all that good stuff!
Alex Danvers' Point of View.
Chapter #1. "A Stepmother's Love-Letter to her Stepdaughter."
I, Alex Danvers, had quite an adventure with how I acquired a stepdaughter… most of my friends and family were well aware of my increasing fondness of studying Adoption websites.
I'd broken up with my lover, Maggie Sawyer, over my choice to get a child… I know that may frighten you out of reading any more, but Ruby, I beg you, do not refrain from continuing, for I have so much to tell you- and I love you so much!
Love is about sacrifice, nothing less, and nothing more really… I so deeply desired what your faith that you introduced me to; and for which I'm going to be eternally grateful to you for bringing me into, what's called in that, I believe, "the parental cross". Having a child is an immense joy, but also intensely annoying at times, especially when your offspring asks too many questions when you're trying to work something out, or if your child is sick and new to this life, and all you want and really need is a good night's sleep, but even those crosses pale in comparison to the sheer joy of watching your child learn something new; or discover a whole new situation to explore.
Oh, and on the topic of exploration: I'm intensely sorry I couldn't watch you in discovering the joy of playing in the bathtub when you were a very little girl, or saying your first word, or any of those delights- those experiences, while relatable to me, were for your birthmother to encounter, and for me to read about or hear about.
I am deeply troubled that she had to pass away, but in her final hours in this life Samantha Arias, your mother and one of my closest friends, held my hand and made me promise on all of my person to take you in if anything at all detrimental should happen to her- she had said in those final moments of her life that she was grateful to me for taking you into my life and heart when she'd gone full-blown sorceress… in fact, what we should've done is to get her exorcized, but that didn't occur to us in time.
Your biological mom was mixed up in some really dark stuff, and had to be cured, and it was hard on us all; but you proved one of the strongest of all of us, for at as a mere teenager, you were able to shoulder an intense burden- and proved to be one of the strongest of all of those I know, my own adopted stepsister Kara (Supergirl) included- and here's the amazing part, after she'd tried to murder you, you forgave her.
A little something about me and a similar cross: when my own dad, Jeramiah Danvers, went "gangster" and tried to murder all of Kara's species, his own adopted daughter included, I couldn't forgive him for crossing that line for years, and I still don't know if I can; that's a major transgression: trying to murder your own kid., and I admire you to the stars for your own strength and courage!
We've had many different adventures, from homeschooling you at the DEO- where I observed you bugging Winn's computer (which gave us all, him included, quite a laugh!), to training in mind games with J'onn (another adventure, once I explained what was going on he cracked up; I think you reminded him of his own children he'd lost, and that cheered him up; congratulations on that!), you pranked the entire DEO on multiple occasions, though never endangering anybody's life, for which I'm grateful to you.
I don't know if you're aware of this, but taking on the job of "mother" hasn't been the easiest thing for me; you see, I'm one of those women who deal with "same-sex attraction" … not an easy thing to deal with from time to time, and sometimes it does flare up. I guess my "heart's temptations" are very similar to those men deal with, for me, it's mostly what might be called "romantic love", but I had to shut it up, completely, to keep my promise to Sam Arias- and I found I preferred being a Mom to having a "wife"- not that I wouldn't want both, but that's just not compatible. As the pastor of your church pointed out, the biological differences between men and women are there for a reason, and anybody at all who fools around with that invites disaster upon themselves and their household.
It hasn't always been easy being your stepmom, sometimes you're a real pain-in-the-butt; especially when you won't do your chores and/or insist on watching television instead of doing your schoolwork/getting ready for bed- and sometimes, like injuries, make it hard (we can't do that much about that, now can we *wink*, but I'll be there for you!), and sometimes it's me that is the problem, not you… at times it's my own heart that mixes me up- like that show you liked to watch, "Once Upon A Time" was it"? They had this concept in that called "a poisoned heart"- that seems, at least according to the faith you introduced me to (grateful again for that), to be what I'm going through… but one poisoned by what my original ancestors did to mess us all up- they are the ones who were tricked into poisoning my heart. However, and I hope and pray you learn this point: blaming will do no good- only thing that will: taking charge and amending one's behavior to change one's own destiny or future.
In you lies the ability to amend your future, for good or ill.
I love you so much, Ruby, both as a friend, and almost as a sister, and definitely as a daughter would be loved.
I don't think I ever told you how much I enjoyed meeting Kara's biological mom; that was fun, as it was with meeting "Michael"/Mon-El- and he'd grown up into a real man. Men who commit adultery are disgraces to their sex, men who will aid a friend, even their ex, show their wives their true worth- a man's true worth is not in how much money he makes, but by far more in his family values and his conduct to neighbors- and, from what Kara told me, he was much more attractive after he aided her in getting back home to assist us against those alien sorceresses in the same gang your mom had become mixed up in than when she first met him. Honesty: when I first met the guy, and from what Kara had said, he was screwing his assistant (YUCK!), *I* wanted to give "Michael" a knuckle-sandwich for that one!
Growing up with a Kryptonian stepsister who I didn't initially get along with I sure learned how to fight; but there was also genuine quality sisterly time between us- Kara and me; sometimes we got eachother into trouble, though… I remember once, post bedtime, we'd snuck out onto the roof of our home in Midvale and were laying out by the second-story window to our room stargazing- there was fun, but there was also naughtiness; we were by far not perfect sisters. And sometimes, just sometimes, when we were feeling particularly… concupiscent, we'd stand guard for oneanother while we were acting up!
I cringe at some of the activities I did with my sister and some of my friends now as I look back upon them, but at the same time, I wish you the absolute best, my daughter, and my guide to the truth, as you consider on the night of your High School Graduation, where you'll go next; you've grown into a beautiful and strong young woman, and I hope to stay in your life for as long as it lasts.
Whatever may happen, Ruby, please do keep me in your prayers, I'll always love you, my daughter, and we've opened each the other's eyes to so much beauty and truth. In fact, it's that love that forbids me and prohibited me from getting another girlfriend- because I'd not bring you into that, especially once I learned more of your upbringing and beliefs… I care too much about you for that to happen.
No matter what: do not forfeit your faith's standards; it is that set of moral and ethical laws that I have trusted, more and more as society's trajectory continued its downward ethical spiral that ensured my protection from abuse- far more than any military training or physical strength or anything else could do, and I hope you hold to it.
I love you, Ruby, my beautiful daughter, and I always will. I have so much more to tell you, but that'll have to wait.
Hoping we'll write to eachother as our lives grow miles apart may our souls never grow apart- and thanks to you, I have learned something more of our "birth faiths".
Sincerely;
Alex Danvers, your stepmom.