"I always thought you'd be the big wedding kinda girl," Kate mused, as she held Kara in her arms in their huge bath. That had been one thing they had both agreed on when they decided to buy their house – a big bathroom, with a large tub. She dipped the sponge in the water, and rubbed soapy water over Kara's shoulders, loving it as she felt Kara relaxing in her arms. "Big white dress, flowers, bridesmaids, that sort of thing."
Kara shook her head. She took one of Kate's hand between her own, and held it softly. "I never really imagined getting married at all," she admitted, in a quiet voice. "I mean … what with the alien stuff, and all of that, I just didn't think it would ever happen for me."
Kate squeezed her fingers, and dropped a kiss on her shoulder.
Kara smiled. "Of course, that was before I knew there was somebody like you in the world." She shifted in Kate's grasp. "I hope you know. You mean everything to me. You and Alex. That's all I need. If I have you two, then I know I'll be okay. More than okay. I love you, Kate. I didn't know it would ever be possible to love somebody this much."
Kate turned her gently in her arms, and kissed her tenderly. "Same goes for me. I never thought I'd fall in love. I certainly never thought I'd fall in love with a superhero," she teased. She moved a strand of damp hair behind Kara's ear. "God, when I used to see you on TV, or in the newspapers … I knew you were beautiful. I didn't know just how beautiful," she kissed her again. "Or how hot."
"I just assumed you were a superhero groupie," Kara teased, allowing one hand to wander, and loving the squeak Kate emitted when she cupped a soft breast.
"I am now," Kate's breathing hitched.
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"Your captain?" Alex was confused. "But you're seconded to the DEO for another year."
"Officially," Maggie agreed. "But he wants to meet me. Says he has lots to tell me. He says I'll be happy about it." She saw the look of trepidation on Alex's face. "Hey, babe, don't worry. I'm not going to do anything without talking to you first. I swear."
Alex nodded, trying to keep her face neutral. She knew why she was feeling so emotional. Baby Jamie had finally stopped feeding from her, and while she was pleased to watch their child develop, she knew she would miss it. Before she realized what was happening, Maggie had approached her from behind, and put both arms around her, resting her chin on Alex's shoulder. "I know it's tough for you, babe," she said, softly. "I know you'll miss it."
Alex blinked away her tears. She hated that her emotions were so raw today. "Hey, maybe I'll have another baby one day," she said with a small laugh.
Maggie tightened her hold on her wife. "I don't want you to go through that again." She hated that Alex had been so sick throughout the pregnancy, and she knew it would be a very long time before she would come to terms with how she had felt when Alex had lain in her arms, deathly ill just before the Cesarean. "I don't think I could bear it," she admitted.
Alex placed her hand over Maggie's. "I'm fine now. You do know that?"
Maggie nodded. "And I want you to stay that way. Hey, if we decide to have more kids down the line, it's my turn anyway. We can still use your egg. If we want to. Right now, I'm just enjoying them both."
Alex smiled. "Me too. They're both amazing. I don't think it'll be long before Jamie starts crawling."
"So when are you meeting him?" Alex wondered about Maggie's captain.
"He's coming here, about 2pm. S'that okay?"
"Of course it's okay. I'll take Jamie for a walk, give you some space," Alex offered.
"Can you stay? I want you to be part of this. Whatever it is," Maggie admitted.
"Of course," Alex turned in her arms, smiling as she faced her. "I swear you get more beautiful every time I look at you," she said.
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Kate looked down at her cellphone in surprise. "Hey, Sister Em," she smiled. She hadn't spoken to her favorite nun, Sister Emmanuel, for nearly six months. Sister Em, as she called her, had been one of her main caretakers when she was an unhappy teenager in the orphanage, and had been the main reason that she had turned out to be a productive member of society. She listened carefully for a few minutes, nodding from time to time. She looked over at Kara. "I'll ask her," she told the nun, "and then I'll call you right back."
Kara looked curious. She had met the elderly nun twice, and adored her. Unlike some in the church, Sister Emmanuel had welcomed their relationship with open arms. "Love is love," she had told them. Although she was now 84, the feisty nun was doing all she could to open the church's eyes to same-sex relationships, believing as she did that God celebrated love wherever it was found.
"Is she okay?" Kara was worried that the nun might be ill.
"She's great," Kate said. "I swear that woman is almost as invincible as you are," she grinned. "She got in shit with the bishop again." Kate loved that she was such a rebel.
"What did she do this time?" Kara was smiling.
"She started an LGBT-friendly softball team. In the convent grounds! The Bishop went ape-shit. But she says it's so popular, and she's worried that some of the kids will really miss it. There are two teams, actually – a younger one, for kids up to 9, and then one for kids 10-14. She's been talking to her friends at the senior school. They say it'll be okay to use their softball field on Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons. But she's not allowed to use any of the convent staff. She was wondering if I knew anybody who'd be willing to help out?" Kate looked up hopefully at Kara.
Kara knew exactly where Kate was going with this. "Oh yes?" she was going to make Kate work for it.
"I mean … I know we couldn't always guarantee … but she was so amazing when I was a kid. She stopped me doing all sorts of dumb stuff. Hey, she taught me to knit," she gestured to the sweater that Kara was wearing. "And I just … I mean, you should pay it back in some way, and I thought, maybe … and you like kids. And Addie loves softball. She might want to join. And Robert. If it hadn't been for her, I don't know what would … and I just love that she's doing this. Standing up to the Bishop, bigoted asshole. And the LGBT kids 'round here, they ..."
Kara stepped forward and kissed Kate firmly on the lips, smiling as they both instinctually deepened the kiss. "Of course I want to do it with you," she said, when they eventually broke apart. "I'd love it. I love softball. I love Sister Em. And I love you. I'll bet we could get the others involved. Kit said she was a whizz at softball when she was at school, and if we can get her, then I'm sure Campbell will help out too. And Jane and Maura. And Alex will definitely want to. This could be great, Kate. Call her back."
"Why did you let me ramble on so long?" Kate wanted to know. She could tell Kara's enthusiasm was real.
"You're cute when you ramble," Kara grinned. "I didn't want to interrupt."
Kate swatted her, and reached for her cell. "She'll do it," she said as soon as the nun answered. "Won't he go crazy if you do that?" she laughed. "God, I love you so much. We'll be in touch over the details."
She turned to Kara. "Sister Em wants to come to all the practices, and the matches. She was a great coach when I was 11. Says that what the Bishop doesn't know won't hurt him."
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"Mama, Robert says his Mom is having her baby today. Her Grandma came to pick him up from school, 'cos her Ma is in the hospital with her Mom. Isn't that exciting?"
"That's great, Addie," Alex agreed, as she fought with the shoelaces on Addie's sneakers. "I swear I don't know how you get these in such a knot. I give up," she took out her pocket knife and cut the lace, causing Addie to break out in peals of laughter. "It's okay, Bug," Alex grinned. She opened the drawer in the kitchen, revealing multiple packets of laces. "I bought in bulk this time. Life is too short to mess around with knots. So, next time you see Robert, he'll be a big brother all over again."
Addie looked up, as Maggie entered the kitchen, with Jamie in her arms. Jamie grinned widely and held out her arms, demanding to be taken by Addie. Jamie adored her big sister, and she was always delighted when she came home from school.
Addie took the baby expertly, and hugged her close, not minding in the least when Jamie smeared some banana down her front. "Hey Sprout," she kissed her on the cheek. "Did'ja miss me?"
"Addie," Jamie replied. It was the only word that Jamie had mastered so far. She grinned. "Addie," and buried her face in Addie's front. She yawned.
"You tired, baby?" Addie took her over to the couch, and settled her in her lap. She reached for the book on the couch. "You wanna look at the pictures of the animals? See," she opened the book. "This is Harry the Horse. And here," she turned the page, "is Susie the Sheep."
Maggie reached for Alex's hand, as they both watched their daughters.
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"So Maggie's going back to the NCPD, but they're going to promote her to Sergeant and she's going to head up a team liaising with the DEO, and that team's going to be based at the DEO?" Kara wanted to make sure she had understood correctly.
"I'm going to take the Sergeant's exam," Maggie corrected. "And if I pass, I'll head the team."
"So it'll be just like now, only you'll have some staff working for you?"
"We'll only be a small team, five of us in all. But yes, much of it will be the same."
"And she'll still be with us at the DEO every day," Alex clarified. "That's what I care about most."
"I'll be making more money too," Maggie smiled. "If I pass the exam."
Alex snorted. "I don't think there's anyone that knows more about policing than you do."
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"Decaff?" Kit was furious. She had been enjoying her morning coffee for months, and hadn't realized that Campbell had swapped it for decaff. "I hate decaff!"
"You only hate it when you realize it's decaff," Campbell said, mildly. "Kit, you drink far too much caffeine. You've gotta admit, you're getting fewer headaches, especially since Ellie's been making you drink more tea on shift."
Kit could see that anxious look on Campbell's face, and her heart melted. Her lover was just trying to take care of her. And Campbell was right. When she thought about it, she had been feeling better, and was having far fewer headaches. So her lover and her work partner were in cahoots. Part of her resented it, but a bigger part of her was unbelievably touched.
"I hate it when you're feeling bad," Campbell's voice was quiet.
"I'm so sorry, babe," Kit realized she had been behaving badly. Again. "I don't know how you put up with me. And you're right. That coffee is great, I was enjoying it until I realized. I'm just being contrary."
"So you'll stick to decaff?"
"Of course," Kit pulled her into her arms. She kissed her thoroughly. "You just promise me you won't mess with the single malt, deal?"
"Deal," Campbell grinned. She looked at her watch. "We said we'd meet Kate and Kara for softball practice in two hours. Any ideas what we could do to fill the time?" she started to unbutton Kit's shirt.
"I'm sure we can find something to occupy our time," Kit grinned.
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"Kate? Is this one of your projects?" Alex asked, as she stared at her screen. She hadn't been on the research database for over a week, but there was a new folder that was unfamiliar to her. And Alex knew every file, every folder on that database. She had set it up herself.
Kate looked over her shoulder. "Nope. I was on there on Thursday, and it wasn't there then."
Alex clicked. "It's encrypted," now she was confused. Any projects that required encryption automatically passed through her, as a matter of protocol, and because she was the DEO's senior scientist.
Kate smiled. "I doubt there's any encryption program that could keep Agent Danvers out for long."
Alex grinned back. "Give me half an hour," she knew she wouldn't need that long.
Twenty minutes later, Alex stormed into J'onn's office, white with fury. She threw a fistful of printouts onto his desk. "What the hell J'onn?"
J'onn took one look at the files, and his heart sank. He was hoping that Alex wouldn't notice, but he hadn't wanted to go so far as to hide it from her completely. That would be crossing a line. This was just a project that the DEO had to carry out. "We didn't think you needed to be involved," he said, cautiously.
"Not involved? How can I not be involved? I'm your second in command, for chrissakes. And he was my FATHER!" Alex was beside herself with anger. "You autopsied him, and didn't think to mention it to me?" she rifled through the papers, and threw three colour photographs across the table.
"Nobody needs to see their father like that," J'onn said quietly.
"So you were protecting me? You think I'm weak?" Alex was trying not to yell.
J'onn stood up and approached her. "I know you aren't weak. You're the best agent I've ever worked with. By far. But you are right. He was your father. But it's important, Alex. If we can work out how Cadmus turned him, if they used some sort of chemical, we might be able to develop an antidote. So I've had Hamilton working on this. And, yes, I did ask her not to mention it to you. What good would it have done?"
"What good? I'm your best scientist. I could help!" Alex was feeling helpless and excluded.
"You really think you are up to examining slices of his brain? Dissecting his organs?" J'onn hated to be blunt.
Alex paled. She shook herself. Her watch beeped. "I have to go. It's my turn to collect Addie from school."
"We can talk more tomorrow if you want," J'onn tried to phrase his words carefully.
Alex calmly collected the papers from his desk, and walked out of his office. She walked to the bathroom, let herself into a stall, and emptied her stomach into the toilet bowl. She was unsurprised to see her sister standing in the corridor when she exited; sometimes, Kara's super-hearing felt intrusive. Kara tried to reach out, but Alex shook off her hand. She looked at Kara, and felt guilty when she saw the look on her face. "M'sorry. Not now, Kara," she said, as she stalked off.
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"Mommy, is Mama okay?" Addie asked quietly. Alex had been very quiet all evening, and had barely touched her dinner.
"Mama had a bad day at work," Maggie told her. "She's okay. She'll be okay. She just has to think about a few things."
Alex returned to the living room. "Jamie's asleep. I think I might follow her," she said. "You okay if Mommy puts you to bed, Bug?"
Addie nodded, and gave Alex a big hug. "I love you Mama."
When Alex walked out of the bathroom after her nighttime ablutions, she noticed that Addie had put her bear Henry on Alex's side of the bed. Even now, after over four years with them, whenever somebody was sick or sad, Addie would lend them Henry, to make them feel better.
Alex climbed into bed, and pulled the bear into her arms. She gave in to the relief of tears.
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"Rosalind Jane Isles," Jane was bursting with pride as she spoke to Maggie on the phone. "I know, I know, I didn't want Jane for her name. But after 39 hours of labor, I wasn't going to argue with Maura. She's fine, just exhausted. And Rosie's beautiful. Yes, Maura's a Shakespeare freak, just like Alex. Rosalind's from As You Like It, that's Maura's favorite play. She's so beautiful, Maggie. She looks just like Maura."
"I'm so pleased. Alex will be delighted," Maggie told her.
"Is she working late again?"
"No. She went to bed early. Bad day."
"She okay?"
"Not really. She will be. She has more shit about her father to deal with. But she'll be so happy when she hears about baby Rosalind. Addie's just fallen asleep, shall I tell her tomorrow, or will Robert want to do it?" She listened. "Okay, I won't say anything. She'll be so pleased. She loves babies. Send Maura our love. And if there's anything we can do, let us know."
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"It's a fantastic idea, Aoife," Ellie didn't think she could possibly love her wife any more than she did right at this moment.
"You don't mind?" Aoife looked anxious.
"Of course I don't mind. Aoif, I love that you are getting the recognition for your art. It's amazing. YOU are amazing. And the stuff that you do … some of it makes me want to cry. That picture you did last week of the tree in the park – just how you do it, I'll never know. But you're right. We don't need all that money." Ellie's recent exhibition had netted her over $800,000, and the prices were only going to rise in the future as her popularity grew. "Giving half to charity, it's incredible."
"We'll set it up properly," Aoife said. "Maura knows some people who can manage that for us. And we can choose which projects we are going to support."
"Sometimes I wish we weren't married," Ellie said softly, and laughed when she saw the look of shock on Aoife's face. "Only because I want to marry you all over again. Every day."
"I hope you don't ever … I mean … I know the NCPD salaries aren't great, but what you do, it has so much more value than what I do," Aoife knew she wasn't expressing herself right.
Ellie laughed, and pulled Aoife into her lap. "Aoif, I knew right from the beginning, I was never going to be able to compete with you, financially. And I don't care. I know that you don't care, that you don't value people in that way. Hey," she put a finger under Aoife's chin, and drew her in for a soft, loving kiss. "I kinda like being a kept woman. I might retire. Spend all day in my pajamas."
Aoife grinned, as she slid a hand under Ellie's t-shirt, and pushed it roughly into her bra. "We all know you don't wear pajamas," she tweaked the painfully hard nipple. God, it was so easy to get Ellie all riled up. She bent down and whispered in her ear, "there is something in the drawer upstairs that I'd quite like you to wear now, though. If you're in the mood for it."
Ellie pushed her to her feet, and then lifted her, bridal-style, as she headed for the stairs. She most certainly was in the mood for it. More than once.
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"Three weeks from now," Kate said, in response to Alex's question. "But Kara says she's happy to delay it, if you need her. So am I. It really doesn't matter when we..."
Alex took both of Kate's hands in her own. "You are not delaying your wedding," she said, firmly. "I'm okay. I was just a little … shaken up. But J'onn's right. It makes sense. And it's now clear that he was drugged, over a long period, to make him more susceptible to their brainwashing. So if we can develop an antidote, that could potentially save one or more of us in the future. It's worth it. But nothing is worth postponing your wedding. We're all so excited for you."
"And you're sure you don't mind not being there?"
"We will be there. Via Skype," Alex smiled. She knew that the only thing that mattered for Kate and Kara was that they committed themselves to each other. And Kara's relationship with Eliza was still fractured, so organizing a big wedding before the difficulties were resolved would only cause Kara stress. So the idea of a beach wedding in the Dominican Republic was perfect. "Kate, I'm serious. You'll have a wonderful day. And I'll be honest; there aren't many people that I would trust with my sister's heart. But you are one of them. I know you'll love her, and take care of her. Most people think she's invincible. And she is … nearly … in some ways. But in other ways, she's incredibly fragile. I trust you to take care of her heart."
Kate blinked away a tear, and submitted when Alex drew her into a hug.
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"Danvers, it's 11pm," Maggie approached Alex in the study at home.
Alex blinked, and looked up. She could have sworn that it was only half an hour since she had put Addie to bed. She removed her glasses, and ran her hand through her hair. Maggie pretended not to notice that her hand was shaking slightly.
Alex exhaled, exhaustedly. "I'm sorry," her voice was penitent.
"I don't need you to be sorry," Maggie was gentle. "I DO need you to get some rest," she placed her hands on Alex's shoulders, and started to knead carefully. "It's like rebar in here," she said, sadly. She hated that Alex was so wound up.
Alex nodded, embarrassed. She wished she could just let it go. But, in a strange way, this was something she could do for her father. She could prove that it wasn't all his fault. That the changes wrought in him were due to drugs and brainwashing. She felt Maggie's fingers on her, and she just wanted to cry. She winced when Maggie hit a particularly sore spot.
"Do you think you can sleep?" Maggie asked.
Alex looked up at her. She didn't want to lie to her. She shrugged. "I'll try."
Maggie led her to the bedroom, and undressed her slowly, dropping kisses on her as skin became exposed. When she was fully naked, Maggie cupped her chin, and kissed her very tenderly on the mouth. "You are exquisite," she said, softly. She then reached into a drawer and withdrew Alex's softest boxer shorts and t-shirt. "Massage first," she guided Alex on to her front, and reached for the unscented oil, knowing that the scented oil could make Alex queasy when she wasn't feeling good. For over an hour, Maggie's talented hands worked to release the tight muscles. She then helped Alex to dress in the boxers and tee, made her drink a large glass of water, and then slid into bed next to hear, pulling her into her arms. Maggie smiled when Alex fell to sleep, buried in her front, her hand clutching Maggie's t-shirt. They would get through this, as they got through every trial. They just needed to be together.