"It's good news, Alex," Maggie lay a hand on Alex's arm.
Alex nodded. Maggie was right. While she would never relax about the safety of her children, they had found that, for once, Lilian's suspicious nature was working in their favor. Only four people at Cadmus knew about the existence of Addie and Jamie — and their connection to Alex and Kara — and one of them was dead, with the other three now in custody. So, for the moment, the immediate threat to the girls was under control.
"So Addie can go back to school," Maggie continued, in a soft voice.
Alex nodded again. She swallowed. "Maybe next week?" It was now Tuesday, but Maggie could tell that Alex needed time to process, to accept. She would never act hastily when it concerned the safety of anyone she loved.
"Sounds good," Maggie agreed. She rested a hand on Alex's cheek. "You okay, babe?"
"Yeah." Alex didn't want to talk. Maggie was okay with that. She knew that opening up was hard for Alex. She had also learned, over the years, that when she was ready to open up, she would go first to Maggie. Every time. And she could live with that.
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Kara knocked quietly on the door to the lab, smiling when she saw Alex sitting there, wearing her glasses as she peered at her screen. Alex always wore her contacts in public, but she had been spending so much time at the DEO that she had taken them out. Anything more than about 14 hours with the contacts made her eyes dry and itchy, and she had been so preoccupied with Kate's recovery, and taking care of her children, that she no longer cared who saw her.
Alex smiled, tiredly, at her sister. "Is she doing okay?" she asked.
Kara flopped into a chair. She smiled back. "Thanks to you and Eliza, she will be," she said. "She kicked me out," she pouted. "Says I need to sleep."
"She's right," Alex agreed, mildly. "Even superheroes need to sleep sometime."
"So do their sisters," Kara replied, pointedly, looking up at the clock. "Is Maggie with the girls?"
"Yeah. We thought we'd take them home tomorrow. One more night here, just in case."
"Better to be safe," Kara agreed. She ran her hand through her hair. She looked exhausted. But she had barely slept in the past four days, Alex realized.
"Let's find you a bed," Alex stood and held out a hand to Kara, who allowed her to help her to her feet.
Kara's face fell. "I'm not sure I can sleep without her," she finally admitted. "And that chair's not so bad."
Alex understood what she was saying. If it were Maggie lying in that bed, even if she were improving daily, as Kate was, she wouldn't be able to leave her side. She nodded. "Kate's right. You can't take another night in that chair." She saw Kara about to protest, and held up a hand. "How about we put a bed next to her's? If you promise to sleep, and not just stare at her all night?"
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Maggie sidled into Alex's lab. "Hey babe," she called quietly, not wanting to startle her wife.
Alex looked up from her screen. "Mags," she breathed out. "The girls?"
"They're with J'onn. Don't worry. How are you doing? Can you take a break?"
Alex pushed her glasses back onto the top of her head, and took a deep breath. "Nothing looks too dramatic. Not the first time, anyway," she nodded to the screen. They had managed to salvage one of the databases on the submarine that held Kate, and Alex was working on decrypting the data, especially in terms of the side-effects that Kate might suffer.
Maggie raised an eyebrow, inviting her to continue.
"Extreme fatigue; probable night terrors; likely sudden, short-lived fevers; maybe some nausea; hallucinations and paranoia. But the antidote should help to reduce the severity. I hope. We just don't know at this stage."
Maggie stood behind her and started to massage her shoulders. Alex groaned in gratitude. "Anything permanent?"
"Unlikely," Alex said, hating that tears pricked at her eyes in relief. Kate was not just a superb assistant, she was an important, and much-loved part of their family.
"So that's good," Maggie said mildly.
Alex nodded. She pushed her glasses back into place, determined to make some more progress.
Maggie knew that Alex needed to do this, so she didn't argue with her. She dropped a kiss on her cheek. "If I can do anything to help, call me."
Alex nodded. She was so grateful to her wife – for her understanding. For her love. For her support. For knowing that she needed to work on.
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"Mama!" Addie came into the lab the next morning, baby Jamie in her arms.
Alex sat up, startled. She realized she had fallen asleep at her desk. Again. She scrubbed her face with her hands. "Hey, Bug," she smiled.
Addie's face fell. She could see how exhausted Alex was. "You didn't come to bed," she scolded her mother.
"I'm sorry, Bug. I fell asleep."
"You work too much, Mama."
Alex nodded. "Did your Mommy send you in here?" she teased.
Addie shook her head. "Mommy is with Uncle J'onn. Jamie and I want to show you something, don't we Sprout?"
Jamie gave her a gummy grin.
Carefully, Addie placed Jamie on the floor. She then moved away a few feet and sat down, cross-legged on the floor. She held out her arms. "C'mon, Jamie." She gave a huge grin when Jamie smiled and crawled over to her. She scooped her into her arms with a laugh. "Isn't she clever?" Addie turned to Alex, and spotted tears in her eyes.
Alex crouched down next to her daughters. She touched Jamie's cheek. "We thought you were never going to crawl," she teased the baby. "But you just needed your sister to teach you."
Addie beamed with pleasure.
Alex felt a soft hand on her back, and knew instinctively that it was Maggie. She turned to smile at her.
"So what do you think?" Maggie asked.
"I think we're gonna have to have to watch this one real carefully from now on," Alex said. She yawned.
"Addie, Kate says she wants to say good morning to you and Jamie," Maggie spoke to her daughter. "And you," she held out her hand to Alex, "are coming with me. No arguments."
Alex let Maggie tuck her into bed. Maggie sat on the bed, and ran her hand through Alex's hair, knowing how much it relaxed her wife. "I'm staying until you fall to sleep. And I don't want to see you leave this room for at least eight hours," she said. Alex could see by her expression that she really meant it.
"'kay babe," Alex was already drifting off.
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THREE DAYS LATER
Alex looked up from her notes. "Okay," she said to Kara. "You can take her home. BUT," she warned, as she looked at Kate, "you're going to be super-tired, Sergeant. You have to promise me to take it easy. I mean it. Straight to bed when you get home, and I don't want you moving any further than the couch for at least 72 hours."
Kate nodded. She was just excited to be getting out of the DEO. And she knew she needed to sleep. She was hoping that the nightmares would lessen when she was back home. With Kara by her side. Kara had been by her side throughout, only disappearing once to put out a major fire, and she had only left after checking that Alex would remain by Kate's side throughout.
Once Kate was settled on the couch, Kara phoned Alex as promised. "She's tucked in with tea and Orange is the New Black. She says she wants to watch it, but I'll be surprised if she's still awake in ten minutes."
"It's the first time she's really moved since it all happened," Alex reminded her gently. "She's going to be exhausted. Is she still sure she wants to go ahead with the wedding?"
Kara and Kate were getting married in 11 days' time, and Kate had refused outright to postpone the nuptials. She had argued with Kara, and with Alex, that if anything went wrong, Kara could fly her back to the DEO within 15 minutes. "So maybe I'll sleep a lot," she had protested. "That's okay. As long as Kara swears to wake me for the ceremony."
So Alex and Kara had, reluctantly, agreed. Kara was especially anxious about the night terrors. Kate had had two while still at the DEO, and they had both terrified Kara. The fear in her fiancée's face had shocked her. Kate was so brave, so valiant, and Kara had never expected to be woken by her terrified screaming. But Alex reassured them both that it was to be expected. She also showed Kara how to inject a light sedative, if Kate needed it.
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Ellie leaned over and touched Aoife's arm lovingly. "You are amazing, you know that?"
"Oh hush," Aoife said, as she got out of the car. "Make yourself useful, officer, bring the casserole."
Ellie reached into the back seat and lifted the large pot. "I don't know how you found the time. You had that meeting with Maura, and you finished that canvas. Plus you spent three hours with the lawyers on the charitable foundation. All I did was work for seven hours, and I'm exhausted, and you look like you just stepped out of a fashion shoot."
Aoife kissed her tenderly. "Somebody has to cook for these two," she laughed as they walked up the path to Kara and Kate's house. "We both know they can't cook for shit."
Kara opened the door, a wide grin on her face. "Are you forgetting about my hearing again, Mrs Sawyer?" she teased Aoife, as she beckoned them both in, hugging them as they entered. "Ooh, chicken," she took the pot from Ellie.
Aoife grinned, a little chagrined. "It's not normal," she grumbled.
"She is an alien," Kate stuck her head around the door and smiled. She saw the pot in Kara's hands. "Please tell me that's not potstickers," she teased.
Kara stuck her tongue out. Kate had been telling everyone that they had been surviving on potstickers, but it wasn't true. Kit and Campbell brought food round regularly, as did Aoife and Ellie. And Eliza had turned up unexpectedly with a lasagne, which she had thrust at a startled Kara, and then backed away, muttering something about having somewhere to be.
"Aoife, we need your advice on colors for the bedroom," Kara said. "Kate has some swatches, I need you to explain to her that choices are insane, and that I would be perfectly justified in asking for a divorce even before we get married if she insists." Kara pushed Aoife toward a laughing Kate.
"We'll make the tea, right?" Ellie suggested. She wanted an excuse to speak with Kara.
Kara reached up to grab the mugs, and put them on the counter. She felt Ellie's soft hand on the small of her back. "So?" Ellie asked quietly. "I think she looks great. How is she really? And how are you?"
Kara took a deep breath, and leaned back against the wall. "She's here. With me. That's all that matters. And she's getting stronger every day."
"Side effects?"
Kara swallowed, not wanting her voice to crack. "I thought the night terrors were the worst. But then she got a really high fever, a couple of days ago. I panicked, called Alex. It was just before 3am. Alex calmed us both down – Kate was so scared, though she tried to hide it. And then, a few hours later, her temperature was back to normal. She was shaky for the next few hours, but she's been okay since."
"I'd panic too. If it were Aoife," Ellie admitted. "And Alex would have been pissed if you hadn't called her."
Kara nodded. "I hate seeing her sick."
Ellie pulled her into a hug. "She'll be all better soon. She's looking great," she looked up as she heard a loud peal of laughter coming from the living room.
Aoife came into the kitchen, clutching the book of swatches, unable to contain her laughter. She held out the marked page to Kara. "Did you really think she was serious?" she asked her.
Kara blinked. "You mean … she said she liked green. I know she likes green."
"Lime green?" Aoife cackled. "She was kidding you Kara. She wanted to see if she could get you to agree. She says she nearly did. Believe me, your fiancée does not want lime green walls in your bedroom."
Kara looked up, to see a laughing Kate standing in the doorway. It filled her heart with joy to see the sparkle of mischief in those deep blue, beautiful eyes. She went over to her, and kissed her tenderly. "It's a good thing you're cute, Sergeant," she swatted her.
Kate took her in her arms, and looked at her, moving a strand of hair behind her ear. She kissed her, more thoroughly. "I had you going," she grinned.
Kara nodded. "I'll get my revenge. You just wait, Collins."
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"I need to write all this down," Kara looked anxious. Alex had just talked her through the large bag of medications she had prepared, covering every possible contingency for their trip to the Dominican Republic.
"No need," Alex handed her a fistful of paper, covered in instructions for every eventuality. "It's all here."
"There's no way we're going to need all of these," Kate lifted a pill bottle. "Dramamine? I'm a pilot. I don't get airsick."
"It's a long flight," Alex reminded. "The latest blood tests showed that you still have some of the drug in your system. It won't hurt to take it with you, KC," she said, softly. "You don't have to take any of it if you don't need it. Please," she glanced at Kara as she spoke.
Kate realized that Alex was just as worried about reassuring Kara as she was about Kate's health. She grinned. "You're the boss," she tried to lighten the atmosphere. "But if your sister drugs me up, and I come back with a tattoo of Minnie Mouse on my ass, I'm suing you, is that clear?"
"Crystal," Alex pulled Kate into a hug. She held her for a long moment, and then pulled back. "You're looking great, Kate. Just promise me you'll rest. As much as you can."
"Oh she'll rest," Kara reassured her. "If she doesn't, I'm flying her straight back, and you can tie her into a bed at the DEO," her smile suddenly faded when she remembered how much time Kate had been restrained during her captivity. "Oh Rao. I didn't mean it, Kate. That was so stupid. I was ..."
"You were joking," Kate said, reaching for her hand. "You are allowed to make jokes Kara. Though if we are talking about restraints, I can think of a much more fun way to ..."
"No!" Alex put her hands over her ears. "I'm leaving now."
"Thanks for everything, boss," Kate put a hand on Alex's arms, and the sincerity of her words was apparent.
Alex pulled her back into a hug. "Let her take care of you," she whispered to Kate. "She needs it as much as you do."
Kate nodded. "We'll see you on Skype at the ceremony," she smiled.
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Eliza Danvers breathed out a huge sigh as she sat back in her chair. It had been a good day. It had been such a good day that she just wanted a drink to celebrate. She gave a mirthless laugh. She knew she was kidding herself. If she had had a bad day, she would have been keen to drink to blot it out. She picked up her mug of hot tea, and took a rueful sip. And she smiled. She would be okay.
Eliza opened her email, and composed a quite note to Alex and Kara.
"Hi A&K. Just a quick note; I got the job at the university! So I'll be getting an apartment in the city, and will live there for part of the year. Much love to you all. xxx"
She turned her attention to clearing out the rest of her unread emails. Ten minutes later, she heard a 'ping', and was surprised to see a message from Kara.
"GREAT NEWS! Congratulations. We're both so happy for you. We're leaving for the Dominican Republic in the morning, now that Kate is much better, and we still plan to marry on Saturday. Alex is going to stream the ceremony from her iPad to the tv – it's at 3pm local time, so 12pm for you. I'm sorry we didn't invite anyone to come, but if you want to join everyone else at Alex and Maggie's to join us in the virtual world, that would make me so happy. KD xxx"
Eliza blinked back tears. She knew she still had a long way to go to repair her fractured relationship – not just with Kara, but with the whole family – but this was a major step.
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Ellie smiled as she drew up at the orphanage. "There she is," she saw the elderly Sister Emmanuel chatting animatedly to the gardener as she slowed the car. She was becoming close to the nun, who insisted on coming to all the softball practice sessions. Kate had only made it to the first two sessions before her abduction, so she and Kara had been absent since then. But Ellie and Aoife had been able to attend all the sessions, with help from Kit and Campbell, and even occasionally Maggie and Jane. She got out of the car, and wrapped the nun in a warm hug.
"How'd'you get this one past the bishop?" Ellie asked her, as she settled her into the seat next to Aoife, who leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.
Sister Emmanuel grinned. "The bishop doesn't need to know everything," she said. "I may have led him to believe that I am busy on community work this afternoon. Well, I am," she said firmly. "I'm gonna bless that wedding if it's the last thing that I do. Even if it is through one of your computer things."
"You'd better promise us that it's NOT the last thing that you do," Aoife teased. "Or Kate will not be happy with us when she gets back."
The nun grinned. "We have too much work to do with the softball teams. Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. The Big Fella can do without me for a while longer."
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Jane didn't want to leave Maura and Rosalind behind. But the baby was happy nursing, and Maura was tired; she had been up several times in the night, and she just needed some peace and quiet. And Rosalind always slept for a few hours in the afternoon. "I can take her with me?" she nodded to the baby.
"Leave her. We'll have a bonding session, won't we Rosie?" Maura stroked the soft wisps of blonde hair on the baby's head. "Tell them I'm sorry, and that I'll be thinking of them?"
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"A bounce house!" Addie was so excited. "Look, Sprout, Mama's got us a bounce house!"
"For after the wedding," Alex cautioned. "And when we let Jamie come on, you'll have to be super-careful."
Addie nodded. "I promise, Mama. Are Robert and Michael coming to see the wedding?"
"No, just Jane. Her mom's going to drop the boys off afterward, so they can join you and have some fun."
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When Kate awoke that morning, she was feeling good. It was their third day in their luxurious beach hut in the Dominican Republic. 'Hut' didn't really cover it, as it was more of a deluxe cottage, but it was quiet, and peaceful, and completely private. It was costing them a fortune, but was worth every cent.
Kate hated to admit it, but the flight really took it out of her. The hut was only 20 minutes from the airport, but she could barely put one foot in front of the other by the time they arrived. She leaned into Kara's side, grateful for her strength. Once they were inside and the door was shut, she had allowed Kara to scoop her up and carry her to the bedroom. She was out by the time her head hit the pillow.
Kate hated feeling so tired and so weak, but she followed Kara's – and Alex's – advice, and rested as much as she could. Apart from one brief, horrifying nightmare, she had slept around 18 hours a day for those first three days. But now, as she awoke, she realized that today was her wedding day. It was the day when she was going to commit herself 100% to the woman who she loved more than she had ever dreamed she could. Kara was … perfect. There was nothing about her she would change. She wished sometimes that Kara would stop putting herself in danger, but she knew that she would not be the person she was if she did that.
Kate propped herself up on her elbows, realizing she was alone. And then the door creaked open, and Kara entered, wearing a flimsy robe and, by the look of it, not much else underneath. She carried a tray, stocked with fruit, toast, pastries and, judging by the delicious aroma, coffee. Kara set the tray on the nightstand and leaned over to kiss Kate.
After breakfast, Kate slid from the bed, heading for the shower. She felt rather than saw that Kara was right next to her as she entered the bathroom. They hadn't made love since they had arrived, with Kara determined that Kate would rest as much as possible. But this morning, the glint in her eye was unmistakeable. "Got something in mind, Miss Danvers?" Kate teased, as she turned and took Kara in her arms. She kissed her, tasting coffee.
Kara nodded, and squeaked inelegantly as Kate's hand drifted under her robe. "I was just thinking that … oh. Oh Kate. That's just … oh."
"Don't let me distract you," Kate pulled the robe gently to the side, her heartbeat pulsing rapidly at the sight in front of her.
Kara grinned. Kate was always so hot for her.
"I was thinking … this may be my last chance to make love to a single woman."
Kate smiled. "It would be a shame to waste that opportunity," she slid Kara's robe to the floor, and smiled as Kara loosened the tie on her own pajama pants and pushed the thin cotton to the ground, leaving her standing there in just a sleeveless tee. She felt Kara's hands as they pushed the tee over her head.
Kara glanced at her watch. "Ceremony's in six hours. I was thinking we could … enjoy ourselves for an hour. Ninety minutes maybe. And then we could nap," she saw Kate's face cloud slightly, and gave her a stern look, giggling when Kate immediately capitulated, and nodded. "And then, quick late lunch and a stroll to the beach to get married."
"Perfect," Kate agreed.
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"There they are!" Kit used her nacho to point to the corner of the tv. "They're coming."
The whole extended family – Alex, Maggie, Addie, Jamie, Eliza, Ellie, Aoife, Kit, Campbell, Jane, J'onn, Winn and James – sat in the games room in the basement of Alex and Maggie's house, and saw as the two brides came into shot.
Kara wore a simple, spaghetti strap white cotton dress. Kate wore loose cotton pants, a white tee and a loose white shirt over the top. They both looked unbelievably happy.
Kate and Kara held hands as they recited their vows to each other. Alex tried her hardest to keep her composure as she watched, but tears streamed unbidden down her face. She smiled, ruefully, when Maggie passed her a tissue, and she was amused to see that most of the others were similarly afflicted.
Addie was seated, cross-legged, on the floor, with Jamie in her customary position on her lap. Addie's hugged her close when they exchanged rings. "Sergeant Kate's a real part of our family now," she said, and couldn't hide her smile. She had loved Kate since the first moment they had met.
"I'll take the kids outside, the boys are due any moment," Maggie looked at her watch, after the ceremony was over and Kara and Kate had waved goodbye to everyone.
Sister Emmanuel looked up and grinned. "Rumor has it that there may be a bounce house in the yard," her eyes twinkled with mischief.
Addie stood and carried Jamie to the couch where Eliza was sitting. She had said little all day, but the tears in her eyes had shown how moved she had been by the ceremony. Addie lowered Jamie onto her lap. "Give Grand'ma Eliza a hug," she instructed her sister. "She gives real good hugs."
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Campbell sprinted from the kitchen and yelled down to the games room. "Kit! Everyone! You gotta see this. Come upstairs. I'll just bet you've never seen anything like this before." Soon, they were all standing at the window, enthralled by the sight of Addie and the elderly nun bouncing away, huge grins on their faces.
Kit grinned widely. She searched for her phone in her pocket. "I gotta record this. It's not every day you see an 84-year-old nun on a bounce house."
Alex smiled. "That woman is no ordinary nun. If I'm half as active when I'm her age, I'll be real happy."