Later that night, after they all ate dinner, Kara gave Elsa the medicine the vet had provided to help with pain, after which, Charlie refused to leave the dogs side. Kara put Charlie up on the couch with the dog and handed Charlie one of her snuggle blankets before putting on a little kids cartoon for them to watch. Kara soon joined Lena, Alex and Eliza in the kitchen just as Lena was placing a mug down in front of herself.
"Isn't caffeine bad for the baby?" Lena shook her head and smiled, "if I were drinking 3 cups of espresso every morning and pounding red bulls every afternoon then yes, that would be bad for the baby. Some coffee here and there, just like small amount of red wine can actually be good for pregnant women with no ill effects on the baby." Kara snaked her arms around Lena's waist, resting her hands on her stomach that showed no sign of her being pregnant. Kara pulled Lena firmly against her, much like she always had, but this time instead of her hands being at Lena's waist, they were firmly over her stomach.
"I don't want anything to happen to him, or you. You all came way too close today and if Alex hadn't been there…" Kara trailed off and Lena turned around in Kara's arms, gently placing her hands on either side of Kara's face.
"I know. But she was there Kara. Alex was there, Elsa was there and because of that, Charlie, me and this baby are all here. We didn't go anywhere, ok?" Kara frowned, not liking to admit that she might have to make peace with this and move forward, as this was, in fact, the best-case scenario.
"Also, darling, this baby is just past the point where it isn't just a blob of cells, there is no way to know if it's a boy." Kara smiled a little and put her hand back on Lena's stomach.
"Doesn't matter. I know it's a gonna be a boy. The doctor said it could be either because of how we went about it. Trust me." Lena smiled and kissed Kara briefly, "I always trust you, but I swear to god if you use x-ray vision to check later in the pregnancy I am so leaving you."
"Yeah right. The day you leave Kara is the day I go back to dating men, which is to say it is not going to happen." Lena rolled her eyes, "are you suggesting that I have no will power?"
Alex smirked, "nah, kid. I am suggesting you have zero ability to be the bad guy when it comes to my baby sister." Kara knew Alex was joking around and that Lena was buying into it, but she felt something she hadn't ever felt before and again pulled Lena against her and if Lena had to describe the sound she heard Kara make, it would be akin to a growl. Kara looked immediately shocked.
"Alex, I…I'm sorry. I am not sure what that was. I knew you were kidding, but something snapped, and I felt like I had to protect Lena and …" While Alex, and everyone else, was surprised she waved Kara off.
"Kara it's ok. I should've known better after today. With everything with Edge and then finding out about the baby, you have an urge to protect your family. If anyone gets that it is me."
"I always want to protect my family, but that was different. And I know better." Lena was going to interject, but instead she let Alex handle it and just rested her hands over Kara's: allowing Kara to feel that she still had a grip on Lena, and everyone was ok.
"I know you logically know that I would never hurt Lena or your kids, but people change as parents Kara and that is ok. If it bothers you, ask your mom's AI. Maybe it has something to do with home; like maybe it is common on Krypton." Kara nodded and gently kissed Lena's hairline before untangling herself from her wife.
"That's smart. Maybe the AI will know something about if the baby would get my powers or not since they will grow and be born on this planet under this sun." The possibility was there ever since it was possible for both women to use their DNA to create the baby and they had both come to terms that any child born with Kara's DNA could possibly be born with powers, though it weas impossible to know which ones until they were much older. Kara was snapped out of her thoughts when Charlie was giggling and telling Elsa not to lick her. Kara went over and scooped the child up.
"Is your puppy giving kisses? I bet she wants to go outside, so you go see momma while mommy helps Elsa." Kara handed the toddler over to Lena's waiting arms, before easily lifting the dog into her arms and escorting her outside so as not to upset her injury. Lena took the toddler into the kitchen and bounced her gently, not offering her over to her sister or mother-in-law, still wanting close proximity to her daughter.
"Elsa still owie?" The toddler pointed to the door that Kara just walked out of with the dog. Lena smoothed the child's hair and nodded, "yes love, and it'll take some time for her to feel better, but don't worry, Elsa will feel better in a few weeks."
"Bad man hurt Elsa?" Lena didn't know what to say. She and Alex were certain the child had seen virtually nothing and whatever she saw was brief and likely not anything scary. Alex caught Lena's face and shook her head, trying to tell Lena not to jump to the worst conclusion.
Alex gently ran her hand through Charlie's hair, "hey Charlie, why do you think a bad man hurt Elsa?"
"Charlie gentle Elsa." Lena still seemed lost, but Alex seemed to understand.
"You and our family are gentle with Elsa so only someone bad would hurt her?" Charlie nodded and snuggled into Lena. Lena wasn't exactly sure how Alex knew that Charlie had worked things out in her toddler head, but she took it for what it was and went back to soothing the child.
"A bad man did hurt Elsa, but you know what? Elsa protected you and I, and Aunt Alex made sure the bad man went away and didn't hurt anyone else. Your doggy was very brave and so were you."
"Elsa saved Charlie, momma, Charlie's baby." The toddler clapped her hands and smiled, and Lena had to laugh, "I see, so the baby is Charlie's baby now?"
"Charlie and Elsa's baby." Lena kiss the child's head and smiled, "well I think this baby will be very lucky and glad to have you and your doggy to love it so much, but maybe let me and mommy help too ok?" Charlie clapped her hands and reached out for Alex who scooped her up.
"Aunt Ayex, momma baby." Lena rolled her eyes, "so she can't keep a secret. Just like Kara." Alex laughed and sat Charlie on the counter to face her.
"Listen monkey, I know you are excited about the baby, but you need to keep it secret. No telling people, ok?" Charlie nodded her head, but Lena knew it was a 50/50 chance that her child would spills the beans. Lena noticed Charlie begin to look tired and held out her hands to the toddler.
"Come on sweetheart, let's go upstairs and get in jammies. Its bedtime." Charlie quickly transferred her weight from Alex to Lena who took the child upstairs right about the time that Kara came back in carrying the dog. Kara laid the dog down on the couch and the dog almost instantly fell asleep, having been given medication for the pain that Kara assumed would knock the dog out. Kara joined her sister and Eliza in the kitchen.
"Lena putting Charlie down?" Alex nodded and pointed to the stairs. "You just missed her. The kiddo was all questions and then very tired, so Lena went to get her ready for bed. I doubt she will be awake long enough for your wife to have to do much to get her to settle."
"Well you second major trauma in your young life will take a lot out of you." Kara huffed as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.
Alex assumed that Kara had listened to part of their discussion: likely choosing to listen to Charlie during time where she was away from the child. "Kara, she didn't see anything. I swear. She was asleep from what Lena said and when I took her out of the panic room she was still half asleep. She only knows something bad happened because the dog is hurt."
Kara's muscles tightened under her shirt and Alex could see the fear and anger of the day was still very present in her sister and she could see it all but pulsing under Kara's skin. Alex shot their mother a glance and Eliza took the hint that Alex wanted to room.
"Well, grandma has had enough excitement for today. I will be awake for a while longer, but I am going to follow Charlie's lead and head to bed. You two keep it down ok?" Alex nodded and Eliza offered her a kiss goodnight before going to Kara and doing the same, but also wrapping her arms around the hero.
"Don't spend all your energy on this Kara. Focus on what you gained today and not what you could have lost. You are having another child and trust me, there is something very special about welcoming your second baby. Take it from someone who didn't expect a second baby, but got one anyway." Kara's deep frown softened into a smile as Eliza kissed the side of her head.
"I was an adult trapped in the body of a teenager by the time I got dropped on your doorstep. Not exactly a baby anyone would hope for."
Eliza took Kara's face and made her look at her.
"Listen. I don't agree with how Clark left you, but you were not dropped on us Kara. You came to the home you belonged in and you may not have been a newborn, but you were, are and will always be my baby so get used to it. Charlie will be 30 years old and will still be your baby. This is how motherhood works. It also sometimes means that you take all the terrible parts of the world and hold it so that it doesn't touch your kids. I wish, more than anything I could hold this for you baby, but I can't. I know how scared you are and how angry you are, but you have to put it down and hold onto the things that matter. Your wife is upstairs, putting your daughter to bed and your baby is literally growing inside her as she does it and damn it Kara if that isn't the most beautiful thing. They are safe, you are safe, and you do not need to hold on this tightly to your anger."
Kara nodded and Eliza offered her one more kiss before heading to bed, leaving the girls in the kitchen. Kara was quiet for a while and just played with her wedding ring silently before speaking.
"I owe you big time Alex."
"Kara don't start with that stuff. They are my family too. I did what I did because it was the right thing to do and because I love them. You do not owe me anything."
"Well, without you my wife would be dead along with our baby and there is no guarantee that our daughter would be alive either." Kara kept her gaze on nothing in particular as she mused, "I wouldn't have survived it Alex. Losing them, all of them." Alex wrapped her arms around her sister's shoulders and just let the significance of the day sit there.
"Kara, you know that nothing will ever happen to our family without me fighting like hell. We are all grown up now Kara and now I have real guns and you have powers. We have each other's back in a new way and no one fucks with my family, least of all my niece and potential nephew. I would've taken Edge out with my bare hands if need be, and I would sleep like a baby after doing so. No one is losing anyone. Ok? Charlie, all your kids, all my kids; they will be the ones to bury us all when we are old and it's time to go. It's not time to go yet." Alex's statement was sharp, but loving and Kara knew it was meant to end the conversation. An effort to help Kara know it was ok to let the anger go for a while and instead take some comfort in the good news of the day.
Alex reached into the cabinets and grabbed some alcohol for herself and some alien liquor for Kara. They gently moved on and were able to make some pleasant small talk as Alex poured drinks. Without thinking, Alex poured three glasses of alcohol, two of which we of human grade alcohol. It wasn't until both and Kara looked at the glass of whiskey that was intended for Lena; a glass she couldn't drink, that the reality hit them both.
"Well since Luthor won't be needing this." Alex poured it into her glass and held her's out to Kara. "Lets toast. To Lena, for a safe and healthy pregnancy and to that little blue-eyed monster who will drive you up a wall their entire lives. Lucky you." Kara's urge to scold her sisters' joke was overwhelmed by the deep sense of joy and pride. She clinked glasses with her sister and smiled, "to family."
