A/N: Without giving any spoilers...there is some Kryptonian cultural stuff happening in this chapter, and the source for that is the original Superman comic books, via a tumblr called kryptonculture. They scanned in some pages from the old comic books that show it. (Except for the aspects involving kri-zhao—soulmates—which is my own invention). There's also a new Kryptonese word in this chap, urvish. It means tranquility, peace, calm. I'm using it here idiomatically to mean calm down/relax. And you all remember zrhueiao, I'm sure: it means lovely/my love.

Enjoy!

…...

I'd Carry a Plane for You

Chapter 22: The Jewel of Truth and Honor

…...

"Well?" Alex said brightly, pushing back from her microscope to look up at J'onn as he strode into her lab ahead of Kara. A few feet down, Astra sat at another microscope, next to a DEO soldier with a kryptonite dart gun held at the ready. Astra and Alex had been working quite well together over the last few days; but that fact did nothing to change DEO protocols regarding alien prisoners.

"Supergirl is officially reinstated to active DEO duty," The director smiled at his two young proteges, trying not to let his amusement show too obviously as they squealed happily together like a couple of teenagers.

"So, what's on the agenda boss?" Kara asked eagerly once her hugging and squealing needs had been met. "Do we have any recon on that KKK alien tech yet? I'd really like to bring in whoever supplied those kryptonite weapons. Not loving the idea of every bad guy who has it in for me being able to get their hands on that stuff."

"I've got alpha team already engaged in weapons recon," J'onn assured her, squeezing her shoulder with pride shining in his dark eyes. Less than twelve hours ago, she was bleeding, broken, and had blown out her powers from the amount of electrified kryptonite her body had absorbed when she put herself between the Klan's alien weapon and the NCPD helicopter. By the time they'd gotten her back to the DEO med lab for a massive adrenalin shot that would reboot her system, she was pale as a sheet, feverish and shivering, too dizzy to walk without Alex's arm wrapped firmly around her waist.

Yet bright and early at 0600 this morning, she'd been at his door, ready and waiting for her psych evaluation, which had been planned long before the KKK attack. J'onn had assumed they would reschedule to allow Kara some time to recuperate—if not physically, since her powers and strength had been restored—then at least emotionally. But, Kara remained resolute that the best way for her to work through any feelings she might be having about the experience was to continue fighting the good fight, and doing everything in her power to stop anyone else from getting hurt. He'd known right then, looking into the steely determination in her sky-blue eyes, that she was ready to return to duty. But they still had to do the formal evaluation, which she passed with flying colors. J'onn could not have been more proud if she were his own flesh and blood.

"So what am I supposed to do then? I can't just sit here," Kara complained restlessly, spinning around in one of the command chairs with her head hanging back over the side, like an impatient kid.

"Wouldn't expect you to," Hank assured her. "Alex and your aunt Astra have been working on some theories for disrupting the Myriad signal, and we've come up with a few prototypes. Of course, if they don't work, they could blow a hole in the DEO the size of a small asteroid crater."

"So you want me to go test them out in the desert, where no one can get hurt?"

"Exactly," J'onn nodded, handing her a large black duffle bag full of prototypes and simulation signals. Kara sighed. She knew that Myriad was exponentially more important than some blackmarket kryptonite weaponry...but she really wanted to bust some heads right now. Not go test signal-disruption prototypes in the desert. Putting aside her personal feelings, Kara slung the bag over her shoulder and nodded.

"No problem, chief. I'll keep you informed."

"See that you do," J'onn nodded, and with a quick kiss for Alex, Kara was a flash of blue and red, streaking out of the DEO towards daylight. Once she was gone, Alex looked up at her boss with anxious excitement shining in her dark hazel eyes.

"Do you think she suspected anything?"

"My niece suspects nothing. It is not her nature to question the truthfulness of those close to her," Astra said in her usual blunt and overly-formal Kryptonian way of speaking. Then Astra did something very out of character—she smiled at Alex. "Your surprise will be successful. Soon I shall call you niece as well, Alexah." Astra had taken to calling Alex by this very similar Kryptonian name; unlike most human names, Alex's was close to something that translated into Kryptonese, and so Astra seemed unable to separate the two in her mind. Alex didn't bother correcting her; she thought it was kind of sweet. For a reformed terrorist who would soon be her in-law, that is.

"So you definitely aren't gonna try to kill me again?" Alex asked, half joking with a small smile and one eyebrow raised playfully.

"Only if you break my niece's heart," Astra responded, her expression equally as droll.

"Well then I guess neither of us has anything to worry about," Alex smirked, picking up her cell phone and speed-dialing Winn. "Hey Winn, just checking in for a dress update...no, I told you, Kara can't do a fitting because it's a surprise. Remember the surprise? As long as it matches the measurements you took for her Supergirl suit, it should be fine." Alex paused and listened to Winn, rolling her eyes in obvious impatience. "But I gave you my measurements," she whined, pacing across the lab unconsciously as she argued halfheartedly. "Okay, okay, fine, shut up already. I'll come do a fitting. Now?" She looked to Hank for rescue. He just laughed.

"Your wedding is tomorrow, Grey. Go try on your damn dress. That's an order."

"Sir, yes sir," Alex said sarcastically, but with a smile. "And you're sure you got the magic jewel thing?"

"It is not magic, Alexah. You are soon to inherit the traditions of Krypton as your own, you must not make light..." Astra began lecturing. Alex was beginning to feel as if she were talking to her parents.

"I know, I know. I'm sorry. The Jewel of Truth and Honor," Alex enunciated slowly and clearly, as if she were making an official decree. "Did you get The Jewel of Truth and Honor from the Fortress of Solitude, J'onn?"

"With Superman's help. It's ready and waiting in Midvale at the coordinates you specified. I saw your cousin Meredith; she told me to tell you, don't screw it up." J'onn looked very serious, but with a mirthful glint in his eyes. Alex just laughed, all the tension of her secret wedding preparations released by the little injection of humor from her smartass cousin. Takes one to know one, she reflected with a shake of her head. She knew that was just Meredith's way of giving her approval. And Alex appreciated it. After loving Kara for half her life, having no doubts in her mind about their future...she was feeling surprisingly nervous about the secret Kryptonian wedding she was planning for beloved blue-eyed alien. What if she was overstepping, what if she got it wrong, what if being given a Kryptonian wedding ceremony here on Earth was an insult or a disappointment to Kara?

But these small insecurities vanished almost as soon as they were formed in her mind. They would have a big, festive reception party in National City later on, one they could plan together. But this Kryptonian wedding...this was Alex's gift to Kara, something the blonde girl would never ask for. She wouldn't want to do anything that would need to remain secret, she wouldn't want Alex to give up the chance for a big, public wedding. Kara never wanted Alex to give up anything. But Alex didn't feel like she was giving anything up. Being able to give Kara back a piece of her lost culture, something that bound their connection to each other even more tightly for the rest of their lives, felt like the best gift Alex could get. And all the truly important people, the ones who knew everything there was to know about the lives of Alex Grey and Kara Zor-El Danvers, would be there. That was what mattered most.

"Okay, fine. I'm going to try on my stupid wedding dress. Don't screw anything up while I'm gone." Alex rolled her eyes, still smiling as she strode out of the DEO towards the sunlight above.

…...

That night Alex was twitchy and anxious, a condition which Kara chalked up to the mounting pressure to stop Myriad and the enslavement of the human race to Non's sadistic whims. But even though she was wrong about the reason for her fiancee's stress, her cure was still spot-on—lots and lots of orgasms. The best cure for any kind of stress, really. In the morning, Alex woke Kara up with breakfast in bed, and since it was Sunday and they had no plans as far as Kara knew, the blonde girl decided to repay her fiancee's thoughtfulness with a few more rounds of naked playtime. The morning slipped away in what felt like minutes; and almost before she knew it, Alex's reminder alarm was beeping. She sighed and pulled herself unwillingly upright in the tangle of sheets and sweaty limbs on the bed.

"Why are you getting up?" Kara whined, reaching out a hand beseechingly to lure Alex back down to a horizontal position. "It's still early...we haven't had a lazy Sunday in forever. We haven't even done it on the ceiling yet, you know you love the head rush. Please come back to bed, Lexie?" Kara pouted her most adorable blue-eyed puppydog pout. Alex just smiled, her pale face flushed pink.

"Well Kar, we're actually not having a lazy Sunday today, either...but we are having something you'll like even better. Go get in the shower, okay? We have somewhere to be. Soon."

"Where?" Kara asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"That information is classified, ma'am," Alex said in a very deadpan tone, the sparkle in her eyes the only giveaway of her glee.

"Oh is that so?" Kara huffed, flabbergasted. She sat up in bed and crossed her arms, trying to look annoyed; but that was hard while naked and sweaty after hours of sex.

"Yes. It is." Alex leaned in and kissed her blondie one last time, for strength; then she slipped out of bed and pulled on her robe.

"Lexieeeee," Kara whined.

"Shower. Scoot. I promise it'll be worth it." Alex smiled encouragingly, tying the sash on her robe.

"I doubt it. You're not naked anymore."

"Just go get in the shower."

"Aren't you coming with me?" Kara wheedled.

"Uh, no. I'm going after you. I told you, we have someplace to be. And we're not gonna magically teleport there via shower sex."

"Now that would be a cool power," Kara grinned. Alex burst out laughing. Kara leaned over the edge of the bed and kissed her...Alex was unresisting, melting against the blonde alien girl's always-warm skin. Then without warning, Kara pulled herself out of Alex's arms, leaving the dark-haired girl panting and flushed.

"Hey!" Alex whined.

"Now I'm getting in the shower," Kara smirked, jumping lightly out of bed and turning to give her flustered girl a smartass little wink before streaking out of the bedroom and into the shower.

…...

"...I still don't understand what we're doing in Midvale," Kara said as they touched down in front of her first earthly home. "If Eliza and Jeremiah wanted to talk to me, why didn't they just call me? Why would they call you? And why won't you tell me?"

"It's nothing bad, bluebird. I told you. Urvish, zrhueiao." Alex unbuckled herself from the tandem flying harness, and pulled Kara around to face her for a soft, reassuring kiss.

"I am calm," Kara grumbled, a slightly pouty smile tugging at the corner of her mouth when Alex released her. "I'm just confused."

"Well you won't be for much longer," Alex smiled, looking shy now as she took Kara's hand and tugged it towards the Danvers' front door. "C'mon bluebird." Smiling bemusedly, Kara allowed Alex to lead her into the house.

"Eliza? Jeremiah?" The blonde girl called as she walked through the door; but she could already tell from just a brief flash of her super-hearing that theirs were the only two heartbeats in the house.

"They're waiting for us. Everyone is." Alex beamed shyly, her face flushing pink and her heart rate picking up noticeably, at least to Kara.

"Everyone who? Waiting where?" Kara exclaimed impatiently, throwing up her hands.

"Just come get dressed," Alex grinned, leading Kara by the hand up to her old bedroom. As soon as Kara stepped across the threshold, she stopped dead, her eyes wide with disbelief. There, laid out on the bed, were a pair of matching Kryptonian wedding gowns. The sight of them flashed Kara's mind back to vivid memories of her lost home, family weddings she'd attended with her parents, the gleaming suits and gowns of fire-bright fabrics, iridescent red and orange and rich yellow. The design of the ceremonial gowns was familiar too; only one side had a sleeve, which wrapped around the arm with long tendrils of fire-fabric swirling down all the way to the ground, while the other arm was bare. And because they were kri-zhao, a love match, they had special headpieces as well—thin chains of gold hanging from a huge, gleaming ruby set at the center, which they would wear over their foreheads; the chains would wrap around and clip to their hair in the back, uniting the many slender strands of gold together to cascade down their backs. Kara had never expected to see such clothes as these again. Tears welled up in her eyes before she could stop them.

"Oh, Lexie...what did you do?" Kara whispered, her voice full of awe as she looked up round-eyed at the girl she'd loved half her life. Alex brushed a tear from Kara's cheek with her thumb, and kissed her.

"Get dressed," she murmured again. Kara nodded, still dumbfounded, and they got dressed together without talking much, helping each other with the ornate gowns and the zippers.

"So where to next?" Kara asked when they were both perfectly attired. Both their knees were wobbling like jelly, though neither would rush to admit it.

"You know where," Alex said simply, stroking Kara's cheek and leaning in to kiss her; but Kara jerked back with a little squeak, a gut reaction that bubbled up to the surface after so many years.

"Alex! We're in our wedding clothes!"

"Does that mean we can't kiss?" Alex frowned, raising one eyebrow skeptically.

"It means we can't kiss...until we're married," Kara murmured, her voice calm with certainty now as she leaned in very close to the girl she'd loved from her first earthly breath, running her fingertips lightly over Alex's lips. She smiled. "And you're right...I do know where we're going." Without waiting for an answer, Kara scooped Alex up and shot out the window with her. They'd left their flying harness behind...but they didn't really need it. This was a very short trip.

…...

Kara brought them down to the ground about two dozen feet away from Alex's old studying tree...which looked very different from the last time they saw it. There was an enormous, diamond-like jewel embedded into the ground below the tree, large enough for two people to stand on, like a raised platform. Beside the jewel platform stood Clark—Kal El, Kara reminded herself now, as he stood there decked in the ceremonial white robes of the House of El, the coat of arms pressed into the chest. A path of paper lanterns hung on either side of them, leading them straight from the spot where they were standing, to the spot where the jewel stood. The sun was perfectly centered in the sky above them, high noon; and in a semicircle around their tree stood all the people that Kara and Alex loved best, the ones who truly knew them: Kara's foster parents, Alex's parents, Meredith; Winn, James and Lucy; Ms. Grant and Carter, who stood very proudly in his white suit, looking very much like a ring-bearer with a velvet box laid atop a red satin pillow in his arms. There was J'onn, beaming at them, but also holding a kryptonite dart gun; because beside him was Astra. In kryptonite-lined handcuffs, of course. But even so—for J'onn to allow this, basically granting her the DEO version of "furlough" from her prison sentence in order to attend her niece's wedding...it was beyond anything Kara had ever expected. Her heart felt so full, she thought it would burst. She noticed that her aunt held a ceremonial Kryptonian flute in her hands; and despite her handcuffs, she had no problem holding up the flute and beginning the traditional wedding processional melody. The sound of it brought tears to Kara's eyes, and she let them slide down her face without shame.

"I can't believe this is happening," the blonde girl whispered, relying completely on Alex to keep her moving forward as her brain had almost definitely lost contact with her feet. When they finally reached the end of the lantern-laden path, they both stepped up to the enormous Jewel of Truth and Honor, embedded into the ground below their old studying tree. Astra stopped playing. Their small but treasured group of guests all took their seats. Superman smiled up at them; they were a couple of feet taller than him now, up on their platform.

"In the name of truth and honor I declare the marriage vows binding upon you," Clark said solemnly, with deep warmth in his eyes. "From this day forward, throughout all time and space, even unto eternity…" Alex lost track of her soon-to-be-cousin's ceremonial words, as she gazed into Kara's bottomless blue eyes, and the rest of the world fell away. She was dimly aware of Carter holding up his velvet box to Clark, who opened it to reveal two matching bracelets of sunstone and bloodstone, swirling around and around each other in an infinite loop. Tiny Kryptonese writing swirled around as well, ancient verses of devotion from the sacred text of Kri-Zhao.

"These are Kara and Alex's marriage bracelets," Clark said, holding up the two slender stone bracelets. "They may not be replicated, nor worn by any other. For Kara, sunstone, for her strength, for the radiance of the sun and the fire of Rao." He put one of the bracelets in Kara's hand. "For Alex, bloodstone; for her courage, tenacity, and the depth of her love for Kara, the last daughter of Krypton." He put the other bracelet in Alex's hand. Ms. Grant and Mrs. Grey both started to cry. Eliza was holding out; but she was squeezing her husband's hand so hard he wished she would just cry.

"Kara Zor-El Danvers," Clark said solemnly, looking at Kara, "is it your wish this day to become one with this woman before you, in the sacred bonds of marriage and kri-zhao, unto your final breath and the kingdom of light beyond?"

"It is my wish," Kara agreed, quietly but clearly, her eyes shining like never before as she took Alex's hand and slid the bracelet onto her wrist. They kept their hands clasped tightly together.

"Alexandra Caroline Grey," Clark turned to address Alex, flashing back to the sharp-eyed little girl he'd met beside the smoking remains of Kara's pod, on this very spot, all those years ago. "Is it your wish this day to become one with this woman before you, in the sacred bonds of marriage and kri-zhao, unto your final breath and the kingdom of light beyond?"

"It is my wish," Alex agreed, her dark eyes glittering with elation as she took Kara's gentle, unbreakable hand, and slipped her marriage bracelet onto it.

"Then you are made one this day–and for all days hence. May the countenance of Rao ever shine on you." For some reason that she would never be able to fully explain, Kara burst into tears and laughter at the same time, grabbing Alex's face in both hands and kissing her deeply. Their friends and family clapped and cheered, but the two young women in gowns of fire were oblivious of everything but each other.

"We're married," Kara grinned stupidly when she came up for air, breathless from the power of that kiss.

"We're married," Alex agreed, her broad smile just as goofy and disbelieving. They both looked like they'd just been hit in the face with something heavy. "You're not mad I surprised you?"

"Mad...Lexie..." Kara shook her head, speechless. "I could not be less mad if my life depended on it," the blonde girl laughed, and they kissed again, still standing on their raised jewel platform. Suddenly, the giant gem began to glow, sending out a wave of brilliant white light in every direction. The guests all ooohed and murmured speculatively. Kara laughed against Alex's lips.

"Wow...it worked...you got the real Jewel of Truth and Honor, didn't you? From the fortress of solitude?"

"Clark did," Alex nodded shyly. "I figured if it wasn't okay, he'd have told me. Is it okay?"

"It's better than okay," Kara beamed, cupping Alex's cheek in one hand, and then sliding it back into her hair. "We made it glow...we really did...we really are kri-zhao, Lex. We really are."

"I know," Alex nodded, beaming shyly.

"But the Jewel knows, too. That's...not something that happens every day. Even on Krypton. I never actually saw it before...I only heard that that's what happens when true kri-zhao have their marriage kiss on the Jewel of Truth and Honor."

"Well...from where I'm standing, that jewel is very truthful and honorable," Alex said in mock-seriousness. Kara laughed, and slipped her hand into her wife's, pulling her down from the broad top of the jewel so they could toast their awaiting friends and family.