CHAPTER SIX

By the time Kara had bid her family - Kal-El, Alex, Eliza, James, Winn, and Hank - goodbye, watching and waving as they stepped through the portal back to Earth-38 from the roof above her and Oliver's loft, she heard nothing but silence from the loft below.

Well, not entirely silence, she corrected herself. Oliver's heartbeat thrummed slow and steady beneath the noise of Star City, but he was alone in the loft, and she hadn't heard more than an, "Are you sure, Speedy?" when he found out that his sister was dating John Constantine.

Kara double-checked that there were no spectators on the streets below before floating down to the loft's balcony and slipping inside. Oliver's habit of securing even balcony doors had rubbed off, and the lock slid into place with a satisfying click before she turned. She frowned when she saw the room was empty.

"Oliver?" she called.

"Bedroom."

That he hadn't bothered to raise his voice, trusting her super-senses to hear him, was one of the many things she loved about him. And now, that love was acknowledged before the world twice over. It was, Kara reflected, if not the happiest day of her life, certainly one of the days that made her glad to be who she was.

When she got to the bedroom, she found him still in his formal wear, but he'd ditched the jacket and cummerbund and shoved his hands in the pockets of his trousers. He scowled at the bed, though he smiled when she came close and slid her arm around him.

"Has the bed failed the city?" Kara asked, her tone light, and was rewarded when he chuckled and snuggled his arm around her.

"No, the bed's fine," he said. "It's the lamps I'm worried about."

Kara blinked, surprised to notice two new red-shaded lamps flanking the headboard, but kept her teasing tone. "They do look sinister. What are they up to?"

"They're a wedding present. From Winn and Cisco."

"From Winn and -?" Kara broke off as the implications hit her. "Red-sun lamps. Like the green room at the DEO."

"Yes," Oliver agreed. "And while I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to using them, they do raise issues we haven't had to deal with before."

Kara's mind was stuck on, I don't have to hold back anymore. She forced herself to push that excitement aside. "Such as?"

"Such as, are Earthlings and Kryptonians genetically compatible? Is there a possibility that you can get pregnant? If so, do you want to?"

Kara's breath caught. Yes, those were issues, and important ones, that hadn't come up before, and Oliver was right to address them now. "It's not just what I want. We're in this together."

"Stronger together," he murmured, quoting her family's motto. He turned to take her ringed hand in his right hand, the one where the bracelet she'd given him rested. "And we are stronger together. I'm a better person because of you, and I don't tell you that enough."

"Maybe you don't tell me, but you show me. Every day." Kara floated up the few inches she needed to kiss him properly.

He returned the kiss, but only briefly. "No more of that. Not until we talk about this."

Kara floated to the floor with an exasperated huff that was more teasing than annoyed. "I don't know whether we're genetically compatible - there's never been a test case, for obvious reasons."

"Your cousin?" Oliver asked.

"He has a girlfriend, but I don't know details. And even if they did, well -"

"The mechanics are different," Oliver finished. "Her eggs aren't invulnerable, like yours."

"You've been thinking about this."

"Winn mentioned it in passing when I came to your world the second time. Sometimes stakeouts are quiet, and I have time to think. I know you haven't," he added, "and it's not entirely fair to just spring this on you, but Winn and Cisco made the switch during the party, and here we are."

"I don't mind you springing this on me," Kara said slowly. "I mind you appearing to pressure me for a decision right now."

She felt Oliver's surprise in the twitch of his muscles against her body and smiled, just a little. "You're right that we need to talk this through, but we don't have to talk about it now - and frankly, there are far more fun things to do on our wedding night than talk."

"But -" Oliver began, and Kara pressed a finger to his lips.

"We can talk about it later. If you still have condoms, we can turn on the lamps. If you don't, we won't."

Oliver stared at her for a moment, and Kara let herself relax when a grin spread across his face. "Just another reason I love you - sometimes I get too caught up in the big picture, and you bring me down to earth."

Kara had to grin. "Except when we're making love on the ceiling. Or in the clouds."

"Except then," he agreed, and dropped his mouth to hers for a lazy kiss. When it finally broke, he said, "No condoms. Haven't needed them for a while."

"Then no lamps tonight." Kara stretched up for a deeper kiss.

- S -

Although Oliver still believed having two ceremonies had been the best way to honor Kara's Kryptonian heritage, every time he slipped his bracelet off to rest it in the alcove with his vigilante suit, he felt a twinge of regret, almost as though he were somehow leaving Kara behind, as well.

That thought was beyond silly - Kara was waiting for him at the loft tonight, for once not needed for a disaster or other situation that only super powers could contain - and Oliver chided himself for it even as he pulled on his other suit, the suit he'd worn as Mayor Queen before becoming the Green Arrow to resolve a hostage situation downtown.

"Night, boss," Rene said as he headed for the elevator and exit.

"Good night," Oliver responded automatically, nodding at Curtis as he joined Rene. Oliver lingered just for a moment, straightening the lair, readying it for the next time it would be used. Except for Felicity's computer station - he'd learned long ago not to touch her domain unless absolutely necessary. At least she'd deemed throwing away empty or abandoned takeout containers, even paper coffee cups, acceptable, and Oliver did so before turning off the lights and heading for the elevator in turn.

The trip to the loft was quiet, thankfully. Oliver had had enough of fighting for one day - not to mention that the day had ended well, and Oliver wanted to savor that feeling as long as he could.

The loft was dark and quiet when he let himself in and secured the door behind him.

"Kara? You here?" he asked the empty space. If she were here, she'd hear him, and -

"Bedroom." Her voice floated down from the second story, and Oliver crossed to the stairs, already loosening his necktie.

By the time he reached the doorway to the bedroom, his eyes had adjusted to the darkness - only it wasn't entirely dark. His wife lay naked on the sheets, bathed in a soft reddish light.

"You turned on the lamps," Oliver breathed, though it wasn't like him to state the obvious. He shook himself, mentally, and added, "You didn't tell me to get condoms."

"I don't want them," she replied. "Unless you do, of course, but I thought -"

"No, you're right." Oliver forced his feet to move, to propel him toward Kara. "I would love to have children. With you."

"I don't know that'll happen," Kara said quickly. "Caitlin and Eliza have been talking about it, running simulations and models, and even they're not sure whether we're genetically compatible or not."

Oliver swallowed. "Field experimentation has always been more productive than simulations and models."

Kara grinned. "Then maybe you should get started on it."

"Yes, ma'am."