Maggie couldn't take any more. She was so pleased for Alex that she was back in contact with her mother, but the sight of Eliza holding Jamie as she chatted to Addie was too much for her. And then she looked over and saw the smile on Alex's face, and knew that they had done the right thing by coming to visit.
Maggie excused herself and headed to the kitchen, to give herself a chance to regroup and settle her nerves. She was pleased for Alex, and for Addie, who had missed her grandmother. Somehow, Addie had been able to forgive instantly. Maggie wished that she had her strength. She took a deep breath, and rested her hands against the counter top as she breathed carefully. She knew that she couldn't let Alex know of her misgivings. But she couldn't get it out of her mind; the misery that Alex had suffered when her mother had refused to speak to her. And a small part of her blamed Eliza for Jamie's traumatic birth. If Alex hadn't been under such stress, maybe her blood pressure wouldn't have rocketed, and she wouldn't have succumbed to pre-eclampsia? Maybe Maggie wouldn't have had to spend those hours worrying that she could be widowed. Because a life without Alex was no life at all. She knew that now, more clearly than ever before.
"I know it's not easy for you," Eliza's soft voice.
Maggie looked up, to see Eliza standing just beside her. She opened her mouth to protest, and Eliza held up a hand to stop her.
"I know how hard it is for you to forgive me. For you to accept Alex's forgiveness of me. I know that. I've let you all down. So badly. And you've had to watch while your family suffers because of me."
"Eliza, it's not that...," Maggie tried to interject.
"You don't need to say anything," Eliza's tone was conciliatory. Loving, even. "What I did was unforgivable. And you had to watch while Alex – and Addie – suffered the consequences of my actions. And my inactions."
"I want this to work," Maggie said quietly, her shoulders slumping.
Eliza moved forward as if to put her hand on Maggie's arm, but she withdrew it at the last moment. She wasn't sure that any comforting gesture would be welcomed. "I know you do," she said.
Maggie looked directly at her. "I'm sorry for all you went through. And Alex is so pleased you got help with your drinking. That must have been so hard. And I will get past this. So will Kara, eventually," for the first time she admitted out loud that Kara, too, was struggling with Eliza's betrayal. In both cases, it was their love for Alex that made it hard for them. "It might just … take a while," she gave a crooked, half-grin. "I'm trying."
Eliza blinked away the tears in her eyes. "I know. And I am beyond grateful. And any time that you don't want to visit, or you want to be out of the house when I visit Alex and the girls, I won't mind. Truly. In a way, I'm pleased it's hard for you. I don't mean that. Not exactly. I don't want anything to be hard for you. But the fact that you are struggling with this just shows me how much you love Alex. And that's what she needs. You have given her so much love. You've opened up her life for her."
"And she's saved my life. In more ways than one," Maggie was sincere. "I'll always love her."
Eliza nodded. "I know."
Maggie took a deep breath and prepared to re-join her family. She hesitated, and then laid a hand briefly on Eliza's arm. "I'll get there," she promised. "It's all going to be okay."
SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG
Ellie came home after a long, tiring day at work, surprised not to find Aoife in the kitchen. Aoife loved preparing meals for Ellie, though Ellie kept reminding her that she didn't expect to be taken care of. But today she wasn't there. Ellie smiled. She knew where her wife would be. Her New York exhibition was taking place in ten days, and there was one canvas she still wasn't happy with it. She would be working on that.
Ellie tapped quietly at Aoife's studio door.
"Ellie?" Aoife called. "Come in!" she sounded happy, and Ellie delighted in the huge smile on Aoife's face as she came through the door.
Aoife approached her. "I wanna hug you, but you're still in uniform." She reached up and stroked Ellie's cheek, before kissing her deeply. "God, you're so hot in that," she gestured at Ellie's uniform.
"I could take it off. If it's too much for you," Ellie teased.
Aoife swallowed, causing Ellie to bark with laughter.
"You finished here? I thought maybe we could order take-out tonight," Ellie stepped forward to look at what Aoife was working on. "Aoif, don't you have more important things to do?" she stared at the picture in front of her. It was an oil painting, of Ellie, naked from the waist up, sitting in the middle of the bed, a small smile on her face. The painting wasn't quite finished, but it was exquisite.
Aoife blushed. "I was working on the canvas. And then I started thinking about you. And I got … distracted."
"You must have done hundreds of pictures of me."
"What can I tell you, Sawyer? I love beautiful things. Shirt. Off," Aoife wiped her hand on a rag to remove the remnants of the paint.
Ellie grinned as she threw her tie on the back of a chair and started, slowly, to unbutton her shirt. She loved watching Aoife's face – lust, love, impatience, arousal were all easy to discern.
"You're working tomorrow, right?" Aoife was annoyed when her voice was more gravelly than she had expected. As Ellie's shirt slowly exposed her beautiful torso, she found she was losing focus. She could see the hard nubs of her nipples pressing against the soft, white fabric of her bra.
"Not until 11am," Ellie reached out to loosen Aoife's hair from her ponytail. "So we have plenty of time. Oh God, Aoif," she squeaked when Aoife slid her hand into her bra and flicked over the painfully hard nipple, tweaking the steel bar. She didn't know how Aoife did this to her. Just ten minutes ago, she had been wondering what they were going to have for dinner, and now she couldn't think beyond the beautiful woman in front of her.
"So we have lots of time," Aoife smiled. "Bedroom. And get the rest of that uniform off, before I spill paint on you."
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"My OB/GYN says it's fine. More than fine," Maura tried to be patient with Jane. She knew Jane was only fussing out of love.
"But you'll be six months pregnant," Jane protested.
"And that's fine. I'm fit, my pressure's good, the baby's happy. I really want to be there at Aoife's exhibition. It's the most important one she's done so far; we've got all those new names coming. This is her first step into the big time. I want to be there to see it happen. She's an amazing talent, Jane. And I love working with her."
Jane smiled. She could see that that was true. Ever since Maura had given up work at the department and was focusing solely on Aoife's career, she had been so relaxed and happy. And Jane knew that was contributing to her easy pregnancy. Maura was loving being pregnant, almost as much as Jane was enjoying watching her changing shape.
"Anyway, you'll be with me on the flight," Maura reminded her. There was no way Jane was going to let her travel to New York on her own – and she wanted to see the exhibition too, for both Maura's and Aoife's sakes. This was a whole new career for Maura, and she was loving it.
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At seven months, baby Jamie was only feeding from Alex once in the morning and once in the evening. And it was starting to taper off. Alex knew how much she would miss it, even as the slumbering baby slipped off her nipple, sated and happy. She watched as Maggie lifted the child and burped her expertly, and took her off to bed in her own room. She would miss that sight, too. But there were compensations. Soon, they would be able to read stories with her, rather than to her, and she would start to communicate in real words. She wouldn't swap the chats she had every day with Addie for anything, and soon they would be able to enjoy them with Jamie too.
Alex thought of their first daughter, and found herself facing a maelstrom of emotions. Only yesterday, Addie had shown them all the way in her instant forgiveness of Eliza. She had such a huge heart and, somehow, she could see right through people to their centers, and she knew that Eliza was truly remorseful. "I was mean to you that time, Mama, remember?" Addie had pointed out. "I didn't mean it, and you were real sweet to me."
Addie's heart was pure, and loving. And, while that was wonderful to witness, it also meant that she was more vulnerable than many to the cruelties of life. And she had suffered so much in her eight years. Alex was pulled from her thoughts by movement at the door. Addie stood there, her stuffed bear Henry in her arms, and her face pale. "Hey, Bug," Alex patted the bed next to her. Addie climbed in, without a word, and snuggled into Alex's lap. She was shaking slightly. "Nightmare?" Alex asked quietly, as she rubbed her back softly. She felt Addie nodding, but still she didn't speak.
"Mommy'll be right back," Alex kept her voice quiet. "How'bout we hold you between us. Will that chase the nightmares away, d'you think?" she felt Addie nod again.
"I love you Mama," Addie's voice was tearful.
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"It's the PRESIDENT!" Maggie cheered as she read the email again. "The president wants to come see your work."
Alex looked pained. "But I've only been back at work a week," she protested. "I'll never get the program finished by Friday."
"She won't care. She just wants to see what you are working in. It's a huge honor, babe. You must see that? She's taken a special interest in the DEO, and you, since that time at the airport. This is her last year in office. She wants to make sure that all the programs she cares about are going well. Alex?" Maggie saw as Alex drifted off in to a memory. She grinned. Of course. She had met Alex on the very same day that they had met the president. At the airport. "It was MY crime scene," she tossed out, mock-grumpily, as she started to walk away.
Alex reached out and caught her arm, pulling her to her. She cupped her face with both hands, and kissed her, long and deep. Eventually she pulled back.
"Still not worried about the cameras?" Maggie teased as she pointed up at the camera in the corner of Alex's lab.
Alex shrugged and grinned. "Sue me."
SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG
Maggie could tell something was wrong from Kara's body language. Usually Kara loved game night, but tonight she seemed a little tense – distant. She grabbed her beer and moved to stand by Kara, who was watching as Ellie and Kate played their fifth game of pool. They were winning alternate games, and there was no sign of a break in the stalemate.
"You okay, Little Danvers?" Maggie asked softly.
Kara startled. She hadn't realized that Maggie was there. She forced a smile. "I'm great," she said.
"My spidey-sense tells me otherwise," Maggie teased.
Kara pretended to look shocked. "I can't believe you are invoking a fictional super-hero, Sawyer! And Spiderman, of all people."
"What can I tell you, Little Danvers? I do love a superhero."
Kara raised an eyebrow.
Maggie grinned. "I kinda like Supergirl, too. Most of the time," she nudged Kara's shoulder jokingly.
"That's good enough for me," Kara gave her a warm smile, and tucked her arm in Maggie's.
"So?" Maggie pushed, gently. "You wanna talk about it?"
Kara took a deep breath. "It's Kate," she said, quietly.
"Have you two been fighting?" Maggie was surprised. Kara and Kate always seemed so in sync with each other.
Kara shook her head. "No. Never. I love her so much, Maggie. But something's making her unhappy, and I don't know how to help her."
"Has she said what it is?" Maggie asked.
"No. She says she's fine. And she is, most of the time. And then I'll catch her staring out of the window, and she looks so … lost. I want her to tell me what the problem is, but she insists she's okay. I don't want to push her."
"She might need time. Alex is like that. Well, you know that as well as I do. Sometimes I have to back off a little, and then Alex will talk to me. It's hard, though, I know. Can we do anything to help? D'you want me to talk to her?"
"No," Kara was adamant. "It'll be okay."
"You too are solid, though, right?"
Kara smiled, as she watched over as Kate potted the black ball. "Yes," she was sure of that. Whatever was going on with Kate, she knew how much Kate loved her. And she loved Kate. They would get through this, whatever it was.
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"Ready to go?" Kara smiled as Kate unconsciously linked their hands. She loved the way that Kate was so un-self-conscious about showing affection. Kate always wanted them to be together, and she loved that.
Kate smiled. "Now that victory is mine, I don't have anything left to prove!"
Ellie mock-scowled at her. "Next time, Collins. I will have my revenge."
"Double or nothing?" Kate teased.
"Absolutely," Ellie agreed, and they both laid a dollar on the pool table.
"I'll keep those safe for next Tuesday," Alex folded up the bills and put them in a drawer.
"You two are such high-rollers," Aoife teased.
"You wanna get a cab?" Kara asked Kate.
Kate shook her head. "It's a nice night, and it's not far. I'm just in the mood for a walk, how about you?"
"Sounds great," Kara agreed.
As they strolled along the street, Kate casually reached for Kara, and put their joined hands into her jacket pocket. She loved the feel of her girlfriend close to her. With her other hand, she pointed to the sky. "Krypton's that direction, huh?"
Kara squeezed her hand gently. "That's right."
"I hate that you lost your world," Kate's voice was soft. "But I love that you are here with me. I know that's selfish of me. I just can't imagine my life without you in it. I don't want to imagine it."
Kara stopped walking. With her other hand, she reached up and touched Kate's cheek. "I'm not going anywhere," she said, quietly. "You're it for me, Sergeant. You make me so happy."
Afterward, neither of them could be sure who initiated the kiss. What they were sure of, though, was that it was one of the best kisses ever. They could both feel so much emotion as they connected. Kate's eyes glittered with emotion when they eventually pulled apart. "Make love to me?" she asked Kara, in a quiet voice.
Kara took her hand and they walked back the rest of the way to their apartment.
Kara had always loved making love with Kate; it was always tender, passionate and loving. But tonight, it was like they had somehow reached a different dimension. Kate's movements were all so soft, her touches unbelievably gentle, her tongue loving her and teasing her lovingly until she came again, and again, until they finally collapsed in each other's arms, panting and spent.
It took Kara a few minutes to realize Kate was crying. She could tell, instinctually, that Kate didn't want to talk. So she took her in her arms and rocked her lovingly, her anxiety mounting when Kate's sobs intensified.
It took over an hour for Kate to calm. Kara turned her in her arms, and wiped away her tears. She was on the verge of tears herself. "I love you, Kate," she said tenderly. "I will always love you."
Kate nodded. "I love you too."
"Do you want to talk?"
Kate looked up at her. "It's dumb."
"Whatever it is, it's making you unhappy. So it's not dumb. It's real, to you. That's all that matters."
Kate reached out and took Kara's left hand. Unconsciously, she stroked her ring finger. "I want what Alex and Maggie have. And I know I can't have it. WE can't have it. I know that Supergirl can't be married. It would be too much of a risk, if anyone found out. Or saw a ring. But there's such a big part of me that wants everyone to know you are mine. And I want the world to know that I'm committed to you. And I know you can't have kids – we've discussed that."
They had talked about kids, and they both agreed that Kara wouldn't be able to stop herself from helping out the citizens of National City for a whole nine months – but she also knew that she couldn't put a child of hers at risk. And she also balked at the idea of having a child that could have powers, because of the pressure it would put on the child.
Kate's eyes filled with tears again. "I went to the doctor. You know I had that fallopian cyst when I was 13? I had a scan. I can't have kids. Naturally."
Kara rocked her gently. "We'll figure something out," she promised, whispering into her hair.
"I'm being selfish. I have you, and I never imagined that would happen. You make me happier than I thought possible," Kate said.
"We'll be okay," Kara told her, her mind whirring.
SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG
Maggie looked at her watch; it was 9.45pm, and Alex had still not arrived home. So she had bathed and read stories to the children. She felt exhausted, and the headache that she had had all day was now reaching nuclear proportions. She smiled when she heard the key turn in the lock.
"I'm so sorry," Alex was already apologizing as she shrugged off her jacket. "I just wanted to get everything ready for the president's visit tomorrow. Hey, you okay?" she saw Maggie's pale face.
"I'm great, now," Maggie stepped into her embrace. She could never work out how everything could suddenly just seem right, just because Alex had stepped into the room. But she felt her strong, warm arms around her, and she felt so much better. "Dinner's keeping warm for you."
"You didn't have to cook, Mags," Alex felt doubly guilty.
Maggie grinned. "I didn't. Mr Chen did, and then he delivered."
Alex smiled. She kissed Maggie, softly to start with, but with increasing ardor. She loved her so much. She drew back after a few minutes. "Girls okay?"
"The girls are great. Jamie's been laughing all day. They said she's been keeping them all entertained at daycare. And Addie was sad to miss you, but she fell to sleep fast. She had a good day. Apparently her science project went down a storm. She can't wait to tell you all about it."
Alex touched Maggie's face lovingly. "And just how bad is that headache?" she reached up to check for a fever, and Maggie batted her hand away. Alex frowned; Maggie's skin seemed just a touch too warm.
"It'll go soon," Maggie knew she might as well admit to it.
"Sit me while I eat, then we'll share a tub," Alex suggested.
Maggie lay back in Alex's arms in the tub, loving the feel of her wife's hands as she massaged her neck and shoulders gently. Her headache started to recede a little. Just as she started to drift off, she felt Alex's strong hands helping her out of the water. Before she knew it, she was dry, and in a soft singlet and boxers, and Alex was drawing up the covers under her chin. "Be right back," Alex kept her voice low.
Alex stopped to check on baby Jamie who, as ever, had kicked off her covers. Smiling, she pulled them back over the slumbering child. Every day, she looked more like Maggie – and she had her sharp sense of humor too, and loved making them all laugh.
She looked in on Addie. Addie was also sleeping soundly, her arm flung loosely around her bear Henry, who had brought her so much comfort since Kara had bought him for her on that first day. He was now getting a bit bedraggled, but Addie loved him fiercely – just as she loved all her family. Alex had known, when Kara came in to their family, that blood ties were not needed to ensure real love, and she had daily proof of that with Addie. She couldn't love the little girl more.
Alex slid in next to Maggie, smiling as Maggie snuggled in to her. So often, Maggie spooned her. Despite their height difference, Maggie was always the big spoon. But sometimes she curled up to Alex's front, and tonight was one of those times. "You taken some Advil?" she asked quietly.
Maggie nodded. "It'll go soon."
Alex tightened her grip around her. "You let me know if you need anything."
Maggie nodded.
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Alex awoke at 4am, and soon realized what had woken her. Maggie was shaking slightly in her arms. Alex touched her face and realized she was burning up. Maggie grunted grumpily. "Shh," Alex whispered.
Maggie rolled on to her back, putting her arm over her eyes. "Feel like shit," she croaked.
"I know, babe. I know. It's just a bug. I'll take care of you." Alex's heart sank. A nasty bug had spread through the DEO, but she had hoped that she and Maggie would be able to avoid it. If this was what Maggie had, she was going to be feeling lousy for days.
Alex slid out of bed, returning a few minutes later with her medical kit. Efficiently, she swabbed Maggie's arm and injected her with a strong analgesic and antibiotic, before she had time to get anxious about it. Maggie hated injections, something which made Alex smile. Maggie was the toughest woman she knew, but she got freaked out by needles, flying and, of all things, fish.
"Thanks, Danvers," Maggie said weakly, and turned on to her side again, searching for the warmth of Alex's body.
"Not quite yet babe," Alex helped her to sit up, despite her protests. She persuaded her to take a few gulps of water, and changed her out of her sweaty singlet into a warm t-shirt. She wiped her face, and helped her to lie down. As soon as she got back into the bed, Maggie snuggled into her arms.
Maggie slept soundly for over two hours, but when she awoke at 6.20am, her fever had worsened slightly, and she seemed distressed. Alex managed to get some water down her, and gave her a light sedative. This time, she pushed a pillow gently between Maggie's arms, to give her something to hug, while she got up to deal with the children and to get them ready for the day.
It was after 10am when Maggie sat up. Her head pounded, and she felt cold. So cold. She had never felt cold like it. She felt Alex's soft hand on her back, and another on her brow. "Feeling like crap, right?" Alex's voice was soothing.
"Yeah," Maggie grunted roughly. Then she remembered. "What're you doin' here? The President's coming this afternoon. They need you at the DEO."
"Kate can handle it," Alex spoke soothingly. "Don't worry about it. Time for some more drugs, babe."
This time, Maggie flinched when Alex injected her. Alex scolded herself internally. She should have done the injection when Maggie wasn't looking.
"Cold," Maggie couldn't help complaining. Usually, she was very stoical when she was sick, but this was just miserable.
"I know, babe," Alex drew the comforter over her shaking shoulders. "It'll stop soon."
"You should go to work," Maggie felt so drained that it was a strain to talk.
"I'm not leaving you," Alex was firm. "I'm just going to make a few calls. I'll be right back."
Maggie grunted and turned over.
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Kate looked up when J'onn entered the lab. "Any news on Maggie?" she asked.
"She's having a rough time," J'onn admitted. "I think we're going to have to cope without Alex."
Kate's heart sank. She hated the idea of dealing with the President without Alex's expertise to back her up. She smiled at him. "Sure, no problem." She wanted to do all she could to make things easier on Maggie and Alex.
As J'onn left, Kara sidled into the lab, a small smile on her face. "Hey, Sergeant," she said. She kissed her softly on the lips. "You got any plans for this evening?"
"I thought I might spend it with my girlfriend," Kate teased. "But if you've got a better idea?"
"Wrap up warm," Kara commanded. "I'll pick you up at home at 6.30pm."
"Won't you be at home with me by then?" Kate asked.
"Not tonight," Kara smiled. "I'm going out with my girlfriend tonight."
"Somewhere cold?"
"Not cold. Just not inside. Jeans. Sweater. Jacket. That sort of thing," Kara said. "You think you could manage that?"
"As you have just described 95% of what's in my closet, I think it's possible."
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Alex rushed to the door when she heard the doorbell. Who could be calling at this time of day? She hoped the noise hadn't wakened Maggie who had, finally, fallen into a fitful sleep.
"Mom?" she was startled to see Eliza at the door. "What are you doing here?"
Eliza raised her doctor's bag. "I hear you have a patient. And she tells me you should be at the DEO."
"SHE tells you?" Alex was confused.
"Maggie," Eliza clarified. "She called me, a half hour ago. She knows you won't leave her when she's sick, so she asked me to come to take care of her, while you deal with the President."
"Maggie asked you?"
"Maggie asked me," Eliza confirmed. "She sounded awful, Alex. How is she doing?"
"She's feeling lousy," Alex felt her emotions welling up. Her beloved wife was sick, which she hated – she'd rather be sick herself – but yet she had put Alex first by asking her mother-in-law to come to take care of her. And Alex knew that Maggie was still struggling with her relationship with Eliza. She hadn't said anything to Alex, but Alex knew. And Maggie was at her most vulnerable right now, and that was when she most hated letting anybody in. But she was prepared to let Eliza tend to her, so Alex could get to the DEO.
"I really don't want to leave her," Alex protested, as she ushered her mother into the house.
"She knows that. And she told me to tell you she'd divorce you if you missed your meeting this afternoon," Eliza said with a small smile.
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Alex managed to resist the temptation to drive like a lunatic on her way back home from the DEO. Maura had promised to collect Addie from school, and she had just dropped baby Jamie at Angela's, where she would stay until the following day, when Kate or Kara would collect her to take her to daycare. Maura or Jane would drop Addie home later that day. Ideally, Alex would have liked Addie to stay with them for the night, but she knew how anxious Addie got when there was something wrong with either of her mothers, and she realized it would be better for her to be at home, where she would see that Maggie was sick, but not dangerously so.
She sprinted up the stairs, only slowing as she approached their bedroom, not wanting to wake Maggie if, by some miracle, she was sleeping. She opened the door carefully, and was touched at the sight of her mother lying on top of the covers, a swaddled Maggie nestled into her side. Eliza was stroking Maggie's hair, and whispering gently to her.
Eliza looked up and saw Alex. She smiled. "How was the President?"
"It went fine. It went great. How is she?"
"Miserable," Eliza admitted. "Missing you," she eased off the bed, smiling as Alex took her place.
Maggie looked up blearily, and realized that her wife was now on the bed with her. "Danvers," she buried her face in Alex's chest.
"Hey, babe. Missed you. You been good for Mom?"
"She's been wonderful," Eliza said.
"Did she get sick?" Alex kept her voice low; even as she spoke, she could sense Maggie's breathing evening out.
"Couple of times. Not for nearly an hour," Eliza looked at her watch.
Alex nodded. She pressed a kiss to the top of Maggie's head.
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"Gran'ma 'liza," Addie wanted to know. "Does that mean you and Mommy are friends again?"
Eliza looked up from the book they had been reading together. "We were always friends, Addie," she said. "I've always loved your Mommy. She was a little upset with me, when I behaved badly, especially when I was mean to your Mama. But she's been trying real hard to forgive me."
"And you took care of her today? When Mama had to go see the President?"
"I did, Addie. She's been real sweet to me all day. Your Mommy is a wonderful person. You must never forget that."
"I love Mommy. Is she going to be sick for long?"
"Maybe a few days. The bug she's got is nasty. So I'm going to stay, just until she feels better. So when we go get Jamie tomorrow, we can bring her home and all be together."
"So Mama can take care of Mommy?"
"That's right, baby girl. It's all going to be fine, very soon."
Addie lay her head on Eliza's shoulder. "I'm glad you're here, Gran'ma 'liza," she yawned.
Eliza helped her to lie down. She kissed her on the forehead. "I'm glad too, Addie. More than you could ever know."
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Kate smiled when Kara drew up in J'onn's car. She loved that car. She spotted a picnic basket on the back seat. "Picnic? Really? It'll be dark in an hour," she said, as she climbed into the passenger seat.
Kara leaned over, and kissed her firmly. "I'm counting on it."
Ninety minutes later, Kate looked over at Kara. This had been such a good idea. Kara had hired a small yacht from the marina, knowing how much Kate loved to sail. And now they were anchored in a quiet area half a mile offshore. Kara shook out two blankets, and laid one on the deck. She guided Kate down to lie next to her, and pulled the other blanket over them both. They looked up at the stars. "That's Krypton," Kate said, in awe. How had Kara known exactly where to anchor?
Kara nodded. "Yes. Krypton. Where I thought I had left my heart." She turned to face Kate. "I was wrong. I wouldn't go back there now if I could. Even if my parents were alive. I have everything I need here. Everything," she reached into her pocket.
"I know nobody thinks of Supergirl as a married woman. And nobody ever needs to know. When I change into my suit, I can put my wedding ring on my chain," gently, she fingered the gold chain that Kate had given her for her last birthday. "So nobody will ever see it. More importantly, they won't try to find my spouse and put her in danger. But there's no reason why Kara Danvers can't marry. I want to marry you, Kate Collins," she saw tears gathering in Kate's eyes, and wiped them away with her thumb. "Kate, you are beautiful. And sexy. SO sexy," she laughed. "But you are also the kindest, sweetest, gentlest, most loving person I have ever known. And I would be honored if you would be my wife. We can work on the kids' thing later. Or not. I just need you to say yes. Please say you'll marry me," she held out a small velvet box, with a plain, white gold ring inside.
Kate took her in her arms and kissed her. "Of course I'll marry you, Kara Danvers. I never even imagined it would be possible. I can't think of a single thing I want more than to be your wife." She kissed her again. "Oh God, Kara," she was struggling to hold it together. "I love you so much."
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Alex wiped Maggie's chin, as she gratefully passed the bucket to Eliza. Maggie was having a terrible night.
Eliza held up the syringe questioningly to Alex. Alex nodded. Maggie needed to sleep.
Eliza swiftly injected the strong sedative, and Alex held the shaking Maggie close. Soon, she was asleep. "Go back to bed, Mom," Alex whispered, when Eliza returned with the freshly rinsed bucket. Eliza set the baby monitor from Jamie's room on the night stand.
"I'm taking this with me," she held up the other handset. "Call me if you need me."
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