One more and we're done, folks. I cannot drag this on any longer.
Raven was surprised that no one else saw it coming. Lena's calm and collected attitude snapped the moment she saw the plane. Sure, she made an effort to appear composed on the ride over (overcompensating from her breakdown with Diana), but Raven felt Lena's anxiety build until it started leaking from her pores. It was almost like watching a car accident in slow motion. Once their group stepped onto the tarmac, Lena's eyes went wide when she saw Diana's plane, her mouth dropped open, and her heart doubled in speed. Raven tugged on Lena's arm just as she started hyperventilating and dragged Lena onto the plane, leaving Diana, Ruby, and Jinx to handle the luggage. Raven pushed Lena down into the nearest seat and sat next to her. She didn't get a chance to ask before Lena clutched the armrests and let out a nervous laugh.
"I'm getting married."
"You're already married."
"No, I'm getting married-married, Raven. Not some private ceremony that no one knows about. Cat Grant is coming. Do you know what that means? It means the Queen of Media is coming to the wedding of the century, and that means it's going to be at least a hundred people in attendance trying to catch a glimpse of something worth publishing. God, this was a mistake. We should've done it privately again and hoped for the best," Lena said.
"I feel like a hundred is a stretch," Raven started, but she stopped when Lena shot her a glare. Raven changed tactics and asked, "Lena, what is this about, truly? Because this doesn't feel like your usual panic."
"I have a usual panic?"
"Every other hour."
Lena grumbled under her breath, but in a louder voice, she asked, "What if Kara changes her mind? What if she realizes this was all a mistake in the first place? We've had a good run, right?"
"Again, you're already married, so this seems redundant." Lena sagged into her seat, and Raven pinched the bridge of her nose. "For the love of Azarath, Kara has been texting me non-stop this morning, asking me if you were getting second thoughts, and I'm going to tell you the same thing I told her. There is no one on this planet, in this universe, and in all the realms, who is better made for each other than you two. Kara is quite possibly the closest thing to a soulmate you could have, and it's vice versa for her as well. Your love story is disgusting, and I've hated witnessing every moment of it because I despise happy endings like a normal person. The fact that I am contemplating adding a second girlfriend to my life is proof enough that the love you've shown Kara over the years has influenced me. It's nauseating. Kara loves you like you're the ocean and she's the moon. You are the truest definition of perfect in her mind, and that idiotic alien would move the galaxy for you if she could. She would bear her soul to the greatest evil in existence if it meant keeping you safe. Kara is built to love you. I swear on my life she is not having second thoughts nor is she regretting anything."
Lena flushed a bright red, and Raven flicked a piece of lint off her thigh.
"Also, you can't afford another emotional breakdown this soon. So get it together," she said.
"Why?" Raven side-eyed her, and Lena pouted. "What is this big secret that no one is telling me!"
"Telling you would defeat the purpose," Raven pointed out, lifting an eyebrow. "And I've already put my hair out of my face. What more do you want from me?"
Lena snorted despite her annoyance and said, "No one told you to wear it like that."
"Oh, please. You would have been disappointed if I wore my cloak."
"Hardly. I want you to always be yourself with me," Lena said. "I love you as you are, Raven."
Raven's face twitched minutely, and she turned away from Lena as Jinx, Ruby, and Diana came on the plane. Raven got up and paused before looking over her shoulder.
"I love you too, Lena," she said softly. "I owe you more than my life."
Lena refrained from smiling at the uncharacteristic show of sentiment, and Raven hurried to sit next to Ruby and Jinx in the back of the plane. Diana took Raven's spot, and she patted Lena's arm.
"Feel better?" she asked.
"Yes, thank you. Raven has such a way with words."
"Good. Get comfortable, and please, try not to mess up your make-up."
"Fine, fine." Lena zipped up the hoodie she was wearing over her dress and frowned. "Hold on, who's flying the plane?"
"My dear one, do you think I own a plane that cannot be flown without a pilot?" Diana laughed.
Lena watched curiously as Diana tapped twice on her bracelet, and the plane door shut. Lena blinked in surprise as the plane began moving down the runway. Diana closed her eyes and relaxed. Biting her lip to keep from asking questions, Lena watched the tarmac from the window until it darkened.
"What –
"Can't have you guessing where we're going, can we?" Diana asked, not opening her eyes.
"Are you serious?"
"I am."
"This is so stupid," Lena grumbled.
"Keep that in mind when we get there."
"Holy smokes, this is a lot of people. And why are there so many empty seats?"
Winn stared at Kara before asking, "You do realize you're the one getting married, right?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Because you're over here and not where you're supposed to be."
"I'm nervous, and I want to make sure everything's okay."
"Kara, I love you, I do, but please let us handle this part. You go stand up there and be pretty."
"But I –
"There you are!"
Kara jumped when Sam came up behind her, and she grabbed Kara's arm.
"I have been looking all over for you," she huffed.
"You have super hearing."
"I shouldn't have to use it on someone who is supposed to be with me," Sam said pointedly. "Goodbye, Winn."
"Later," he said, walking off.
"No, wait, -
"Lena's plane landed five minutes ago, and Bruce is with them. We need to be in position."
"But –
"No, Kara."
Kara pouted and let Sam drag her around the back of the house to the platform. Kara may or may not have built a raised platform by hand with a podium made from what was left of her pod. Sam tugged her to the marked spot near the podium and looked her in the eyes.
"You move, I melt your face."
"She said aggressively."
"I mean every word."
"All right, all right. I'll stay. Where's -
"Jack is helping Cat to her seat, and Alex is on security."
"Wow, even at my wedding, she can't turn it off."
"It's because it's your wedding that it's on in the first place."
Kara shrugged in agreement. Sam moved to the opposite side and took her position. Sam was Lena's maid of honor, and Diana was chosen to escort Lena down the aisle with Bruce. Alex was Kara's best woman and would probably cut it close once she finished. Ruby, Raven, and Jinx were Lena's bridesmaids, and Kara had Jack as her groomsman. Alex tried getting Eliza to come, but her adoptive mother had her demons to work through. It wasn't just Kara that Eliza had an issue with. It was all of it, losing Jeremiah, having a shitty relationship with Alex, and Kara's existence combined for a pretty lethal cocktail that Eliza hadn't worked through. Nevertheless, the platform would be a little uneven in numbers, but that didn't matter when Lena had so many people standing with her. Kara was too lost in her thoughts to hear someone come up behind her, and she jumped when they cleared their throat. Kara turned, and she gasped.
"Barry!"
"Well, what do you think?" he asked, holding out his arms. He had on a similar suit to Kara's, except his tie was gold, and his shoes were red. "Too much?"
Kara squealed and rushed to hug him, mindful of her strength, and Barry hugged her back as tight as he could.
"Hello to you too," he laughed.
"Oh, my Rao! You're here! I thought you couldn't make it!"
"I would never miss your wedding day, Kara. Never," he said, pulling away. "And I hope you don't mind. I brought a few friends with me."
Barry pointed over his shoulder, and Kara's eyes widened when she saw the Legends, Felicity, Jefferson and his family, and Oliver. Then Kara noticed what Oliver was wearing as he jogged up to the front after helping Felicity get settled. His suit was like Kara and Barry's, but he, unsurprisingly, wore green shoes and a green tie.
"Hey," he greeted. "Sorry, we cut it so close. Bank robbers got a hold of some tech that made things a little tricky."
"But we're here! Right on time too. Where are we supposed to go meet the bridesmaids?" Barry asked, looking around.
"Why do you need to see the bridesmaids?" she asked, scrunching her face.
"Did you think we were wearing these suits for fun? We're your groomsmen, silly," Barry said.
Kara sucked in a sharp breath, and Oliver shook his head.
"Come on, Supergirl," he teased. "You didn't think you'd be up here without us, did you? We're family."
Kara willed herself not to cry, and that's when Sam took over.
"I'm so sorry to interrupt this, but Lena's almost here." Sam pointed to the cliff where they could see Alex waving down at them. "Alex is going to show you where to stand," she said.
"Sweet. How are you planning –
"Lena's coming up from the backside of the property," Sam explained. "We're banking on her not recognizing anything until she gets down here."
"Cool," Barry said, glancing at a silent Kara. He seemed to understand she needed a moment, so he turned to Oliver. "Need a lift?"
Oliver shrugged, and Barry grinned and wrapped an arm around him. They were gone and up on the cliff before Kara could get herself together, and she felt a tear slip free. She turned to Sam, who smiled and patted her on the shoulder.
"This was your big surprise. I was nervous they wouldn't make it in time, but they did."
"How though?"
"Ah, Lena created a portal watch based on the emergency watch you gave her. It made travel a lot easier for them," Sam said.
"She did this?" Kara asked, her voice cracking.
"Of course. They were always coming, whether it was the party or the wedding. I took over after the whole Lex thing and had to convince them not to come to help out, and then your funeral happened. Everything seemed to be going wrong, and then we were able to finalize a date for the wedding. Here we are."
Kara nodded quickly, her tears flowing a lot freer, and Sam took out her handkerchief. She cleaned up Kara's face and poked her in the cheek.
"As Oliver said, you didn't think you'd be up here without your family, did you? We're all here for you, for Lena, and we're going to do this right from now on. We're behind you two every step of the way. Now, get it together. Your wife is almost here," she said. "I can hear her complaining already."
Kara laughed and shook out her arms. Sam grinned and went back to her side of the platform. J'onn made his way to the podium. He smiled at Kara before turning toward the ocean and getting on his knees.
"Sorry, sorry," Jack said, rushing up to the platform. "Cat Grant is a talker."
Kara snorted, and then she frowned at him. But she got distracted when she saw Alex sprinting down the path toward her. Her sister dodged through the crowd and slid to a stop just off the platform. She adjusted her suit and stepped up, not even out of breath. She slipped behind Kara between Jack. Alex glanced at him, confused, and she pointed to the cliff.
"Aren't you supposed to be –
"Oh, fuck, I forgot."
Jack ran off to where Barry and Oliver waited, and Kara giggled. Alex nudged her and waited until she had Kara's full attention before she held out her fist.
"Are you ready, puppy?" she whispered.
"I'm ready," Kara whispered back, fist-bumping Alex. "Thank you for being here."
"Of course. I missed the first one for stupid reasons, and I wasn't missing this one."
"I love you."
"Save it for your wife." Alex kissed Kara's cheek and added, "I love you too."
"Why am I blindfolded?" Lena whined, taking careful steps out of the car.
"Because it's a surprise. You do know what that is, yes?" Bruce drawled.
"First, this is my wedding. Shouldn't I know everything? Second of all, this is a safety hazard!"
"Oh, for the love of- Lena, you are surrounded by a half-Kryptonian, an Amazonian demigoddess, a literal mistress of bad luck, a half-demon, and a man who has spent the better half of his life jumping off buildings. There is nothing that can happen to you," Bruce argued.
"She's just grumpy because she doesn't like being excluded," Raven drawled from somewhere to her right.
"It's okay, Aunt Lena. We promise the surprise is worth it," Ruby added.
"Suck up," Jinx scoffed.
"Bite me."
"Ask me later."
"Do you two need to be separated?" Diana scolded. "Behave."
"She started it!" Ruby exclaimed.
"And I'm ending it."
Ruby sighed, and Lena felt herself relax at the familiarity. She tightened her grip on Bruce's arm and tried not to react when they came to a stop. Lena could smell the ocean, hear it, and she couldn't figure out what the big deal was. They were obviously near the ocean, maybe near their private cottage, so why the blindfold?
"I can hear your brain working," Bruce whispered. "Stop. Enjoy the moment. I promise you're safe."
Lena leaned into Bruce's side and said, "Only because you asked so nicely."
Bruce chuckled under his breath and kissed the top of her head.
One by one, Ruby, Jinx, and Raven broke off to meet up with their assigned partners. Jack bowed to Raven, who rolled her eyes and did a curtsy, before taking her arm and leading her down the path. Oliver cleared his throat and held out his arm to Jinx, and Barry took up the rear with Ruby. Soft music played, courtesy of Winn, and the setting sun made the crowd seem ethereal as they rose in unison. The wedding march started, and Diana came up to Lena's right side. The trio walked carefully down the wide path, Lena's heels clicking against the stairs, and when they reached the bottom, Bruce and Diana stopped.
"Take off your shoes," Diana whispered.
Lena frowned but kicked off her heels, and her feet sank into the sand. Their walk continued, though at an easier pace without Lena's heels making the walk challenging. Lena could hear the murmurs in the crowd, and her nerves were starting to build. But then they stopped for a second time.
"Who gives this woman away?" J'onn asked, his voice booming over the sound of the waves.
Lena jumped at the sound of his voice, and Bruce squeezed her arm.
"Bruce Thomas Wayne, her father."
"And Princess Diana of Themyscira," there was a pause, "her mother."
Lena's breath caught in her throat, and Diana squeezed her arm as if she knew what Lena was thinking. That was discussed in passing, not a decision either of them made, but for the sake of the ceremony, it was perfect.
"Very well. Please, release Lena, and let her step forward of her own free will," J'onn said.
Lena's heart started racing when she felt Bruce and Diana move in unison, and the blindfold was removed from her eyes. Lena blinked at the sudden onslaught of light, and the first thing she saw was Kara. In the back of her mind, she knew J'onn was saying something, but Lena didn't hear him. All she saw was the smile Kara was giving her. Diana poked her side, and Lena grimaced when she realized J'onn was talking to her.
"I am so sorry, what did you say?"
Sam, Jack, and Raven rolled their eyes, and Kara's smile grew wider. There was a collection of laughter in the background, and Lena blushed.
"Are you ready?" J'onn repeated, his eyes twinkling.
"Oh, yes. Very much so."
"Then get on the platform," Bruce muttered good-naturedly. "Before you embarrass me even more."
Lena scoffed at him, and Kara held out her hand. Lena didn't hesitate to take it, and Kara helped her onto the platform. Her back turned briefly to make sure her dress didn't get caught on anything, and she heard Kara gasp. Lena forgot about the tattoo, and she glanced at Kara, nervous.
"Is that…"
Kara trailed off, and Lena nodded. Kara turned her around again, gently, and Lena allowed her to lightly trace her finger over her skin. Getting the Fire Falls tattooed on her back was quite possibly the most impulsive thing she'd ever done, but the way Kara reacted told her it was the best decision she'd made. It was one of Kara's most treasured memories back on Krypton, visiting the Fire Falls with her parents, and she admitted to Lena it was the one thing she missed the most. Why Lena thought a tattoo was a good idea, she had no clue, but so far, it was working in her favor.
While Kara was distracted, and Alex was peeking over Kara's shoulder, Lena took a moment to notice her surroundings. She was shocked at the number of people in attendance. She waved at Jess and the employees from L-Corp sitting near the front. She was shocked to see several of Kara's superhero friends in the back. Bruce and Diana sat in the front, and Lena hated the empty seat next to Bruce. She knew who it was for, Kara's last hope that Eliza would show, and Lena shook off her annoyance. Everyone there was their family, and they seemed unsurprised at the delay in the ceremony. Almost like they expected it. Lena's heart grew warm from the love around them, and then she saw Cat, an amused smirk on her face, pointing at something in the distance. Carter was bouncing with excitement, and Lena followed the woman's finger until she saw it. Her smile faltered, and Lena stared at the house with a dawning sense of recognition
"Oh, my God," she whispered.
Lena spun around to face Kara so fast that Sam had to keep her from falling backward.
"Kara!" she exclaimed.
"Yes?"
Kara gave her a knowing smile, and Lena had a million things to ask. What came out was a bunch of incomprehensible nonsense, but Kara understood it all. She always did. She nodded and grabbed both of Lena's hands.
"Yes, that's your dream house."
Lena's heart swelled in her chest, and she asked, "You rented the house for me?"
Sam barked out a laugh before covering her mouth, and Kara smirked.
"Nope. I bought it."
Lena blinked hard, and she said, "You bought it."
"I did," Kara answered, laughing. "That's your house now. Well, ours, but mostly yours."
"What are you – what?"
"Lena, you've been talking about this house for as long as I've known you. Even Sam and Jack know about it. Ever since you saw it, you've wanted it. And when the opportunity presented itself, I took it. I've had it for about a year, and it had to be renovated a little, but the bare bones of it remain the same. But this property, from here to the house, and then to the airstrip down the road? It's all yours, baby."
Lena's heart continued to grow until it became overwhelming, and she whined under her breath. Kara chuckled and squeezed her hands.
"Are you feeling big emotions?" she whispered, slightly teasing.
Lena nodded.
"Okay. Do you want to get married now?"
Lena nodded again.
"I'm so going to be ugly sobbing by the end of the night," she said, already halfway there.
"Yeah, I know," Kara joked. "So am I."
Several people laughed in the audience, and Lena released a sharp exhale.
"Okay, let's – wow, I can't believe you bought me my dream house."
"Damn right, I did."
Lena took a deep breath, released it, and she nodded at J'onn. J'onn laughed and put his hands on the podium.
"First, I would like to thank you all for being here today. Now, the first ceremony will be in English, and it will be more traditional. There will be a second ceremony, but it will be for the immediate family only. During that time, you are free to go to the house for cocktail hour."
Once J'onn was sure everyone understood, he moved on.
"We are gathered here today to witness the union between Lena Kieran Walsh-Wayne and Kara Danvers-Zor-El. And though I have only recently seen their love in person, I can honestly say that we are blessed to be here for their step toward forever. This has been a joy to be a part of," he said. "Does anyone object to this union?"
Sam turned from the platform, eyes flashing red in warning as she looked at everyone, and Kara hissed at her to stop. Nervous laughter filtered through the crowd, and Sam motioned for J'onn to continue.
"Right then," he said. "I was afraid I would have to sign some paperwork today."
More nervous laughter came, and Kara groaned in embarrassment.
"Before we begin the vows, I would like to say a few things to Kara and Lena." J'onn stepped from around the podium and grabbed their intertwined hands. "I am well aware of the journey you both took to get here, and I know that you know this is not going to be easy. You two have been together long enough to know that there will be arguments, you will get frustrated, and you will have days where you feel exhausted. Love has never and will never be easy. It requires work. It requires trust and faith that it will work out in the end. I speak for everyone here when I saw that you two are made for one another, and we all want you to go the distance. Believe in the love you have for each other, and let it guide you through every storm that might come your way. Now, who's going first with their vows?" he asked.
"I am," Kara said.
J'onn nodded, and Kara tugged Lena a little closer.
"Hi."
"Hello, darling."
Kara laughed nervously and said, "You know, I thought this would be easy. I've spent the last five years waxing poetic about you and how incredible you are, and now, I'm drawing a blank. There's so much I want to say, so much I can say, yet it all seems trivial in comparison to the way that I feel. The love I have for you, Lena, knows no boundaries. It knows no limits. It is eternal and far beyond the reaches of the universe. And I," Kara paused, "I would rather spend a lifetime in the Phantom Zone than ever spend a second without you in my life. I know that I have made a million and one errors in our relationship. I have lied to you, hurt you, and I made you think that I was ashamed of you. I've placed my pride and my ego above you, and I have broken more than a few promises. And while I always questioned why you said yes that night, I have never questioned my love for you. I have never been afraid to love you. That is the one thing I have been sure of since the moment I met you. But you – you took a risk on me. I was a lonely and angry alien looking for a home, and you gave it to me. You opened your heart, and you let me in. I could go on for hours, but I would rather go on for years. Lena, you have made me a better person, a better hero, and I vow to you, in front of our friends and family, to be your best friend, your partner, your wife, and your safe place for the rest of my life. I vow to listen to you, trust you, and respect you.
"I vow to stay by your side, and I vow that I will always come home. You are not only my lover but my family, and we have created a beautiful life together. Nothing, and I mean, nothing will take you away from me. And I look forward to falling in love with you over and over and over again for the rest of our lives. This is our start, our new beginning, and a new way forward, and I have never been more grateful to know you. I love you, Lena. So, I willingly and freely give you my heart. And in front of our loved ones, I take you, Lena Kieran Walsh-Wayne, as my wife. I will love and honor you for the rest of my days. I thank Rao for you every day, and I always will."
The waves were the only thing Lena could hear, and she stared at Kara in disbelief and love and affection and hope. J'onn coughed, and Lena jumped.
"Fucking – sorry, sorry. I just – how am I supposed to follow that?" she sighed. Lena rubbed her eyebrow, praying she didn't turn into a stumbling mess, and she cleared her throat. "Kara, when I was younger, I assumed I would be alone forever. I don't need to go into detail about who raised me and how I was raised, and we both know little Lena Luthor was doomed from the start. My life went from bad to good, then bad again, and then to worse. I lost everything, and I was at the bottom of rock bottom. I had no reason to hope my life would get better, and then I met you. You changed my life for the better without even trying. I was screwed the moment I met you. I didn't care about our family history. I didn't care that you and I weren't meant to be together. I wanted you, wanted to be yours, and fuck, I was determined to have you. And our relationship hasn't been perfect. There were a lot of growing pains and arguments that could've been avoided, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. Not then, and not now.
"Kara, you've held my heart for years. I've often found myself crying late at night, wondering how I ever ended up with someone so sweet and beautiful. The way you love me is so intoxicating. You do it effortlessly, and it's addicting. Your love soothes my pain, mends the cracks in my heart, and makes me better. Even when we were fighting for our lives. Even when I was scared shitless and questioning all that I thought I knew, my love for you has remained constant. I would trade the world for you without question. And to this day, loving you, Kara is the only thing I can do. It's like blinking away the sunlight only to find myself staring at the entire universe, no pun intended. It's like breathing after being underwater for so long. You are the love of all of my universes.
"I don't care about the cape or the suit. I don't care about the things you can do that I can't. I don't care about any of that because at the end of the day, you, Kara Zor-El, are my hero. You are my savior, and everything that I am is because of you, your support, and your love. Darling, I vow to you, in front of our friends and family, to be your best friend, your partner, your wife, and your haven for the rest of my life. I vow to listen to you, trust you, and respect you. I vow to care for you, comfort you, and celebrate you always. I vow to stay by your side through thick and thin. I look forward to the adventure we will have together. You're right. This is our start, our new beginning, and a new way forward. I willingly and freely give you my heart. And in front of our loved ones, I take you, Kara Danvers Zor-El, as my wife. I will love, trust, and honor you for the rest of my days. And I thank God, Rao, and everyone else up there that I met you."