Author's Notes: Hello, my darling readers. After over a year of posting chapters to this story, we are finally winding down. I would like to present you with chapter 55 and share that chapter 57 will be the last for this adventure. Our girls have inspired me to keep writing, even when I've felt like giving up. Moreso, YOU all have encouraged me to keep pushing myself to be creative and keep producing material. Is this the best story I've ever written? Hell no. Was this one of the most fun? Absolutely! You all make writing such a wonderful experience, and I love every single one of you so much.

To those who celebrate the holiday, Happy Thanksgiving! I appreciate all my readers and love all the supportive comments you've left me over this past year. Thank you so much. Anyone who wants to hit me up for a chat is more than welcome to do so. My handles are below.

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Love you guys. Thank you so much. Here's to three more chapters! (including this one!)

The next day was a journey to their final destination in Australia: the beaches of Newcastle. It was bittersweet, being the last full day of their honeymoon. They'd be on a plane back home by 7:10 AM the following morning. But when they arrived at the beach and stepped up to the railing before reaching the sand, their eyes went wide.

"Wow. It's gorgeous here," Kara said softly.

"Different than Saint-Tropez, but beautiful and unique."

The blonde nodded in agreement.

"Let's take a walk," Lena suggested, taking Kara's hand as she flung her beach towel over her shoulder.

Butterflies assaulting her stomach, the younger woman took her wife's hand and proceeded down the steps leading to the beach.

"I can't believe you're my wife," Kara said, after walking about half a mile down the seemingly endless beach.

Her eyes appeared glazed over when Lena looked over at her as she stared out at the ocean.

"Hun? Are you okay?" the brunette asked, squeezing her wife's hand to get her attention.

Kara turned to look at her, a smile creeping over her lips as she slipped out of her daze.

"Yeah, I'm good. Never been better, actually."

Raising an eyebrow, Lena said, "Alright… If you're sure," and continued to walk, not letting go of the blonde's hand.

They walked on until they reached the boardwalk, where concessions and food were sold.

"Hot chips?" Lena asked with a smile, nudging her wife playfully.

"Huh?"

"Fries, you dweeb. That's what they're called here. Fries are chips."

Rolling her eyes, Kara replied, "Whatever. Let's eat."

Lena laughed, bright and happy, and walked Kara to the concession building at the end of the beach. Sitting in the sand, eating 'hot chips,' was probably one of the most relaxing things Kara had ever done - besides lounging on Lena's yacht in Saint-Tropez. Leaning against Kara's shoulder, Lena smiled at her lover and kissed her cheek. After finishing their snack, which was surprisingly good, the two leaned back on the sand, lying on their towels, and looked up at the sky. Big, fluffy clouds breezed by, capturing their attention.

"Rabbit!" Kara cried, pointing at the sky.

Squinting, Lena asked, "Where?"

"There!" Kara exclaimed, pointing again.

This time, Lena followed her finger and found the particular cloud that Kara was referencing.

"Oh, yeah. It is a bunny, isn't it?" Lena asked with a smile. Then, she herself pointed up at the sky, saying, "Mickey Mouse!"

Kara saw it as soon as Lena said it and grinned.

The two hunted cloud shapes for the next twenty minutes of so before a voice coming from behind them started both.

"I love you so much, bubba," a man's voice said, with slightly louder than average speech.

Lena felt her stomach flip and nearly gagged.

"What?" Kara asked, looking at her partner quizzically.

"Ugh. I fucking hate that pet name."

"What pet name?"

"'Bubba.'"

"Okay… Why? What's wrong with 'bubba?'"

"Jack used to call me that…."

Raising her eyebrows, the blonde replied, "I'm sorry, Lena."

Panicking when she noticed a tear streaking down Lena's cheek, Kara sat up.

"Lee? Are you okay?"

Lena nodded but looked away.

Leaning over her, Kara brushed the tear aside and looked at her lover with concern.

"Talk to me, honey. I'm right here."

"I know," Lena sighed. "I don't want to talk, though."

There was a long pause as Kara watched a few more tears slip from Lena's pretty eyes.

Eventually, she asked, "Lena… You don't miss him, do you?"

Sitting up straight, Lena shouted, "Of course not! Why would you even say that!"

"You're… having a really big reaction…"

"Jesus Christ, Kara. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to overwhelm you with my feelings."

"Come on, hun. I didn't mean it like that. I just… Your reaction kind of gave the impression that—"

"No, Kara. I don't still want him or miss him or even care about him. He's a piece of shit. And I didn't marry you just to sit here missing my ex!"

"I'm sorry, Lena. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked that. I panicked. I'm sorry."

Rubbing her temples, Lena took several deep breaths, remembering the coping skills she'd learned in therapy.

"It's okay. I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that."

Kara hugged her partner gently, kissing the top of her head.

"I love you," the blonde told her wife. "I love you so much. And I'm so glad you're mine."

"Me too," Lena agreed, cracking a small smile. "I'm lucky to have you, Kar. But just to explain… I'm honestly just so fucking angry at myself for staying with him for so long. There were so many warning signs that I ignored. I wish I'd just left him before I found out he was cheating on me."

"Rose colored glasses, my dear," Kara said sympathetically. "We all do it."

Biting her lip, Lena looked over at her lover and asked, "Do you do it with me?"

Sighing, the younger woman put her hand on the brunette's shoulder, answering honestly, "To a degree. When you were messed up… it took a lot to set those boundaries with you. And I overlooked some things. But I'm glad I stayed by your side, because you're healthy now, and you've worked really hard to get there."

Lena nodded, fresh tears dripping down her cheeks.

"Hey," Kara said softly. "What's wrong?"

"I just hate what I did to you."

"Lee. You gotta move past it, just like I did. Everyone makes mistakes, okay? And look at us now! We're married, babe!"

Lena wiped her tears and smiled, saying, "Yeah. We are, aren't we?"

When Kara leaned in to kiss her lips, Lena cupped her hand behind Kara's head to pull her closer.

It took them a while to break apart, but Kara's excitement for getting in the water interrupted their passion.

"Can we go swimming?"

Huffing, Lena answered, "Fine. But I'm not going under. Too cold."

"It is not."

Grinning, Kara jumped to her feet and pulled Lena down the beach to the water. Kara ran right in, letting the waves crash over her. When she realized that Lena was still only ankle deep in the water, she laughed and returned to the shore to pull her partner into the water.

"I'm gonna throw you in if you don't get over here," Kara threatened with a grin.

"You'll do no such thing!" Lena barked. "Don't you dare, Kara Luthor!"

Shivering, Kara felt several electric pulses shock her spine. The sound of her new last name was intensely satisfying and exhilarating to hear. She loved every decibel of it.

"What?" Lena asked, seeing her wife frozen in her tracks.

"Kara Luthor," the blonde sighed happily.

Laughing, Lena pulled her close and kissed her hard.

"Come on, Lee," Kara whined, pulling away reluctantly. "Swim with me."

"I told you n—"

"If you go under…" Kara said softly, leaning in close to Lena's ear. "I'll fuck you in the showers."

Eyes wide, Lena blushed. Up 'til now, she'd been the one hungry with lust. Now, Kara was offering something they'd never done: fucking in public. Only hesitating for half a moment to fully register what she'd heard, she turned away from Kara and ran into the water, diving in.

Kara followed quickly after her, and as soon s she was within arm's reach, Lena grabbed her wrists and tugged her into the water. Before Kara could get her footing, a large, fresh wave collapsed over her head. When she bobbed back up to the surface, she was laughing.

"Shithead," she giggled, kissing Lena's lips.

"Okay, I got in. Can we be done now?"

Rolling her eyes, Kara chuckled, "A little desperate for a nice, clean shower, babe?"

Lena nodded, not worried at all about admitting that heat and hormones were exploding outwards from her core.

"Alright, alright," Kara gave in, tugging her partner out of the water and towards the showers.

Luckily for the two of them, the showers were empty. Still, when Kara shoved Lena against the cold concrete wall of the shower stall, she had to cover her lover's mouth to stop the eruption of sound as the woman came hard around her fingers.

When they were finally finished (and clean), the two made their way back to the hotel to pack. As soon as they were done, having collapsed on the bed, Kara set an alarm, and they fell asleep.

Their flight the next day went smoother than expected, despite it taking what Kara identified as, 'forever.' By the time they reached National City, even Lena was grateful to be back home and on solid ground.

"Let's get some sleep," Kara suggested, upon bursting through their front door into the parlor.

She hadn't slept a wink during the plane ride, so about 21 hours later, she was wiped again. Lena couldn't disagree, and so the two crashed in their own bed and slept for the next 11 hours.