Ch. 5: A Time for Loved Ones

"Girls," Jon said, "Dr. Danvers, hope this is okay."

Eliza smiled, "Certainly Jon, come on in we were just about to sit down for dinner."

After the dinner was done and a few hours were spent in each other's company, Jon had been the first one to leave, planning to work on Christmas day. He promised to call if he really needed Alex or Kara but he wanted them to take the day off and enjoy their holiday.

About an hour after Jon had left, Kara and Clark stood outside looking up to the sky.

"It stopped snowing," said Kara.

"For now," Clark replied. "It's supposed to pick up later."

"Sounds good to me," Kara smiled as she looked out at the horizon, "When I was a kid I used to think the sky was falling. Alex explained to me what it was. We threw snowballs at each other the next day."

"Sounds like you two had a lot of fun."

"We did up until I broke her arm because I threw one of the balls too hard. I thought she was gonna kill me."

"I know I don't say this enough, Kara, but I am sorry."

"Sorry for what?"

"For leaving you as a kid," Clark answered, "I think about it a lot: doing things differently. Maybe had I been the one to raise you instead…. I don't know I just think about it."

"I do too, Kal. There was a time when I would wonder why you didn't want me, why you didn't take me yourself since we were the same but now I see that what you did was really a gift. If you hadn't brought me here I wouldn't have Eliza or Alex. You'll always be my cousin but it's been great having a sister and that's something I didn't have on Krypton so in a way I should thank you, Clark."

Clark smiled at Kara. There were so many times he had regretted placing Kara with the Danvers, so many times he wanted to go back for her, so many times wondering if she would have been better off with him but Kara's words had given him the validation he'd quietly sought. Kara had been given a normal life despite her powers until she could decide for herself what kind of life she would lead. She had grown up with a family who loved her as their own.

"Speaking of Alex, it's a good look on her."

"What is?"

"Being happy, being in love."

"Love, you think Alex is in love with Maggie?"

"Oh I know she is. She looks at Maggie the way I look at Lois. She even talks to her the way I do with my fiancé."

"Hey now they're not getting married."

"Not yet, it's early for them but I wouldn't put it past them if they're endgame."

Kara laughed, "Did my little cousin, the one who used to drool on me just use the word 'endgame'?"

"Hey I keep up, I'm not that old. If anyone's older it would be you."

"Right, next time I'll let you be the one to get stuck in the Phantom Zone so we could switch places and I'll finally be older the way it was supposed to be."

Clark laughed too, "Seriously though, Kara, I think those two are gonna be in this for a while. They love each other, pure and simple."

Kara thought about Clark's words. Could her sister really be in love this early in the relationship? A month of dating sure, but love this soon? She guessed it was possible since Clark had fallen for Lois not long after first meeting Lois.

Kara smiled at the idea. All she'd ever wanted was for Alex to find love and if it was with Maggie then that was great. Alex had spent so much of her time taking care of others, taking care of her that she rarely made time for herself and now that she finally was she seemed to have finally found someone worthy of loving and being loved by.

Hearing footsteps behind them they turned to see Lois coming outside.

"Ready to go, Smallville?"

"Anytime you are," said Clark.

Lois smiled, "Thanks for tonight, Kara. I'm glad we got to spend the holidays with you."

"I am too," she replied.

"You know to call me if you need me right," Clark asked.

"I know, cuz. Say 'hi' to your parents for me."

"I will. I love you, Kara."

"I love you too, Kal."

Kara watched as Clark picked Lois up in his arms and then flew off. She had to admit she was glad the two came. It was always nice spending time with Clark but even greater when Lois was around. Though Clark had a girlfriend in high school, it was hard to imagine a world without Lois and Clark or anyone but the two of them together.

"Did Clark and Lois leave okay," Alex asked a few minutes later when Kara came inside.

"Yeah he did," Kara replied.

"I'm glad he came."

"Me too and I'm glad you two are working things out. I know things got kind of complicated the last time he was here."

""Well it helps that you're no longer putting me to the way side when he's around. Plus he's my cousin by default too," Alex said with a sly smile.

Kara smiled back, "So where's Eliza?"

"Mom went to bed all ready."

"Supergirl as a sister," said Maggie, "Superman as a cousin and Martian Manhunter as a godfather; this is quite an interesting family you've got here, Danvers."

"Tell me about it," Alex replied.

"I think I'll call it a night too," said Kara, "You staying up?"

"Probably."

"Okay," Kara said coming around where Alex and Maggie were sitting next to each other on the couch.

"Night Alex, love you," she said hugging her older sister.'

"Love you too."

Kara then did something unexpected and hugged Maggie.

"Night, Maggie."

"Goodnight, Kara."

Making her way to the stairs, Kara stopped and turned, "Don't forget," Kara said to the couple, "I have excellent hearing," implying that she hoped she wouldn't hear anything of the sexual nature from them throughout the night and with that she went upstairs where she would be taking her old room while Alex and Maggie took the guest room downstairs.

Alex blushed and hid her face in her hands. Maggie smiled and placed a hand on her knee.

"Goodnight, Kara," Alex managed to say to her sister.

"Night," Kara called down.

It wasn't long after that both Maggie and Alex got comfortable in their pajamas and sat on the couch with the fire going and glasses of red wine. They were seated comfortably with Alex sitting up against the arm rest and Maggie sitting between Alex's legs, their legs stretched out on the couch.

"This is nice," said Maggie.

"It's perfect," Alex replied, "So tell me Sawyer, what would your family be doing right about now?"

"You really want to know?"

"I do."

Maggie sighed, "You know I have a big family, three older brothers, a younger sister and a younger brother."

"You've told me."

"What you don't know is my older brother died seven years ago. That first year Christmas was pretty hard. My mom took it the hardest. After that Christmas just wasn't the same so we stopped celebrating it all together. My siblings and I all focused on our work, my parents go out of town on some trip or another."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Didn't want you to feel sorry for me. My life isn't exactly perfect so when you invited me to spend Christmas with you I thought 'finally some normalcy and an escape from the pain.'"

"I don't know if you've noticed but my life isn't exactly what you'd call normal."

"Spending time with good people, human or alien, is better than not spending Christmas at all. You have no idea how nice this has been."

"I'm glad I could help you for a chance."

Maggie turned slightly, looked at Alex's lips and then into her eyes, burning like the fire in the fireplace while her own reflected the match that was ready to light it.

"You know what also helps," Maggie asked. Alex waited until Maggie reached for her girlfriends, the two of them meeting, "This."

Alex reciprocated forcefully. Maggie turned her body over so that she was straddling on top of her girlfriend, lowering Alex deeper into the couch as their hands made their way about each other and their lips continued further into one another.

"Maybe we should take this to the bedroom," said Alex.

"What about Kara?"

"I… wouldn't be… the first… person… she's caught," Alex said between their heavy kissing.

Maggie smiled and the two got up, retreating quickly into the bedroom, not wanting to lose a moment of what they'd started.