Chapter 16

Kara opens the envelope and grins, tears immediately falling.

"What is it?", Lena asks, her voice thick and her own tears threatening to fall.


Kara looks up at her, "It's a boy. We're having a little boy".

Lena sniffs hard, "a boy", she says, her voice cracking.

Kara grins, dropping the card on the coffee table and scooting over to pull Lena into her lap, one arm around her back holding her hip, the other caressing the baby bump. "We're gonna have a son", she says, unbelievingly.

"Wow", Lena says, one arm curling around Kara, the other interlocking fingers with Kara over the bump, "I…".

"I don't think I've ever seen you speechless", Kara quips, still mesmerized.

"A boy", Lena repeats, "I just can't believe it".

She finally looks up at Kara's matching tear-streaked face, "I love you".

"I love you too", Kara replies, ducking down to kiss her when their son kicks their hands. "Yeah, yeah we love you too bud", Kara laughs as she continues to kiss Lena. They may both be crying, smiling, and laughing into the kiss but Kara can't imagine a more perfect moment.


"No I'm good", Alex says, into the built in mic in her helmet. "I'm actually leaving now. Slow day", she chuckles, as she kicks the bike into gear. "I will precious cargo and all that", Alex says, as she pulls into traffic, "want us to grab food on our way home?". "Ok sounds good", she responds, "I love you too, see you soon".

It doesn't take long before she's easing her bike into a spot close to the soccer field just in time to see coach call the end of practice. She watches as Ruby listens intently to the coach before leading the team in a cheer. She grins and waves back when Ruby catches sight of her and pull the extra helmet out of the saddlebag on the back.

Ruby gathers her stuff quickly, waving bye to her teammates and rushing over.

"Hey Ma", she greets, trading her bag for the helmet and strapping it on.

"Hey kiddo", Alex says, patting her head before remounting the bike.

"How was practice?", she asks through the linked helmets as she kicks the bike in gear.

"Great! We have another really good chance at the championship again and I'm team captain", Ruby says excitedly.

"Already?", Alex asks, reaching behind her back with one hand for a high five, "Nice job kiddo".

"Yeah", Ruby says, "We've got a tough schedule too. Coach says it'll help us get ready for the tourney. First game is next week".

"You know we'll all be there", Alex says.

"I know", Ruby says, squeezing Alex's waist tighter in a pseudo hug, "What are we doing for dinner?".

"Mom fixed something", Alex relays, "I don't know what it is but she told me not to bother picking up takeout".

They continue talking, Alex asking Ruby about school and Ruby asking about the DEO, even though Alex has nothing to report and really shouldn't share even if she did, until Alex pops the kickstand in the garage. She resecures the helmets while Ruby grabs her bags and they head inside together.

"Hey Mom", Ruby greets Sam with a quick hug before running upstairs.

"Hey", Alex greets her with a kiss as she swipes her finger in the sauce on the stove before licking it clean, "tastes good".

"Mhmm", Sam hums, kissing her again, "Good cause its dinner tonight and left overs until we run out".

"Fair enough", Alex responds, "I'll fix drinks. You want wine?".

"Sure", Sam agrees, kissing her again.

"Really guys? Over the spaghetti?", Ruby laughs as she pulls plates out of the cabinet.

"Oh, yes, of course, no more delays. Soccer superstar here is hungryyyy", Alex teases with a dramatic whine, as she ruffles Ruby's hair.

"Captains have to eat to have enough energy to lead the team", Ruby retorts, causing Sam to freeze.

"Captain?", Sam asks, "like team captain? Big C on your jersey?".

"I don't know about that but yeah we voted today and Julia nominated me and then they all just kind of agreed", Ruby explains, calmly shrugging her shoulders as she gathers forks and napkins.

Sam is near tears as she pulls Ruby in for a hug, nearly getting stabbed by the forks in her hand, "Oh I'm so proud of you. You guys are going to go all the way again this year".

"Mom", Ruby drawls, "You haven't even seen the team".

"No but you're a great leader and most of this team has been together forever", Sam says, "Oh I can't wait".

Ruby sends pleading eyes Alex's way and she quickly steps in, placing her hands on Sam's shoulders, "Mom's just trying to say how proud we are. You're going to do great as long as you get out there and have fun. What's not fun is burnt spaghetti".

"Oh yeah", Sam says, leaving one last kiss on Ruby's head before turning back to the stove.

"Thanks", Ruby says, finishing up setting the table while Alex rifles through the drawer for the corkscrew.


Kara and Lena have been fielding calls and texts all night first from Alex asking how the appointment went and then Sam and Ruby join in. A few minutes later, Nia has entered the group, threatening to just dream up the answer, to which Brainy responded that that is not how her powers work, however he does know the gender of their child and Kara quickly removes him from the group before he spoils it for everyone. Eventually, Kara and Lena decide to do a gender reveal at the next game night. They invite Eliza to come up, at least for the weekend, Kara offering to fly her into the city, Lena offering L-Corp's jet or helicopter depending on Eliza's preference. They also send a message to Argo and invite Alura and Zor-El to Earth for the week.

Ruby's first game of the season is that same Saturday so they all plan to go cheer her on and then head to Kara's and Lena's for the night.


Lena is up and at it at 5am the next day when the baby would not stop kicking her ribs and bladder.

Kara gives a whine when Lena slips out of the bed but is quickly soothed with a kiss to her forehead as Lena slides her pillow into Kara's grasp. Lena tries sliding back into bed but just can't get comfortable or fall back asleep so she piles pillows and blankets behind her back, grabs her book off the nightstand, and sits against the headboard and reads. Kara, with no pillow to cuddle into, buries her face into the pile of pillows behind Lena's back, near her hip. Lena holds the book in her opposite hand, the other threading through the ends of Kara's hair.

Hours later as Kara starts to wake, Lena slides her bookmark in place and watches as sleepy blue eyes look up at her.

"Good morning, sleepyhead", Lena teases, scratching at Kara's scalp the way she likes.

"Wha time's it", Kara mumbles, her voice deep and scratchy.

"Almost 9", Lena says, "I was going to start on breakfast once I finished the book but you woke earlier than I was expecting".

"What time did baby boy wake you up", Kara asks, her voice full of concern but a happy smile on her face at the thought of her son.

"5", Lena shrugs, "I think we might just have a future kickbox champ".

Kara chuckles, resting a hand on Lena's stomach, "Aww unah, you have to be nicer to mommy, no more beating up her internal organs".

"Internal organs", Lean laughs.

"Well yeah I don't know what he's kicking at in there and I'm not just gonna say the u word", Kara whispers.

"U word?", Lena asks, laughing harder, "uterus? Darling, I think it'll be ok if our son 'hears' the word uterus in-utero". Kara pouts but Lena quickly kisses it away, "I appreciate the concern both for my internal organs and our son's innocence. Now how about breakfast".

Kara cheers up at the mention of food and follows Lena into the kitchen.


The beginning of the week goes by slowly, not much is going on in the city and the small problems that do pop up are easily handled by the NCPD or NCFD, with the DEO on call if it does escalate. Kara feels good about her decision to step back as the city steps up and is able to protect itself, but she is bored. Sometimes she still goes on rounds, just taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of her beloved city. Sometimes flying laps, others spent sitting on the L of Lena's building, one ear tuned to her, the other tuned to the rest of the city.

Thursday is busy, as it always is at CATCO as they finalize layout and the last few edits to the piece they're putting in print over their online platform. Kara is busy rushing between the art department and the bullpen making sure all the pieces are in place, but it doesn't take her mind off the fact that her parents are teleporting in today from Argo.

They've agreed to come to Earth for a week, for game night, the gender reveal, and even to see Ruby play her first game of the season, and they'll be staying at the penthouse with Lena and Kara. Kara takes her short lunch break to fly over to L-Corp but when Jess says Lena went home, Kara knows she's likely stressing.

"Lee", Kara says, as she slides the balcony door closed, "Jess said you went home early".

"In here", Kara hears coming from the guest bathroom, and she quickly goes to check on her. "These are enough wash cloths right", Lena says, fussing with the very neatly folded cloths, "and bath towel and hand towel, soap, shampoo, conditioner, you all don't need special stuff right? Oh what if they're allergic", she quickly asks, spinning to look at Kara, eyes wide with worry.

"Lee, Lee", Kara says, snapping Lena out of it and bracing her with a hand on each shoulder, "It's perfect and no they don't need anything special. Honey you live with a Kryptonian, other than more food, I use all the same stuff you do. Well, less cleansers but…", Kara shrugs, pulling a chuckle out of Lena.

"It's really not fair", she says, reaching up to cup Kara's face.

"They wouldn't care if the place was a pig sty, which it isn't, they're just glad to visit", Kara says, calmly. "No special treatment and they aren't allergic to anything other than Kryptonite so unless you've whipped up some more of it, I think we're ok", Kara finishes with a laugh.

Lena slaps her on the arm, "Don't even joke about that. Lex will come back from the grave or the future again".

Kara pulls her into a hug, kissing her forehead, "I promise, it's perfect".

Once she feels that Lena won't go on another cleaning frenzy, she heads back to CATCO to get everything to print and then will meet Lena at the DEO to greet her parents, (she does a little flip in mid-air at that thought).


Kara, Lena, and Alex meet her parents in the portal room, then the Zor-El's all fly back to the penthouse, Kara carrying Lena but allowing her parents to feel the rush of flying.

"I know you've both been able to do it before but, well, it's been a while", Kara shrugs, "and it's so much fun!".

"Lead the way inah", Alura answers and Zor-El nods in agreement.

"Ready?", she asks Lena.

"Up, up and away", she answers, so Kara scoops her up and the four of them take to the sky.

Kara takes them on the scenic route around National City. They fly over the university, the park, the waterfront and Kara points out the statue Lena had put up, "that's actually where Alex met Sam, you'll meet her tomorrow". They fly past L-Corp and the Foundation and Kara points out the green area out front, "and that's where Lena like to hold the press conference that used to end in bomb threats or gun fights", and Lena slaps her shoulder. The fly past CATCO and Kara points out the balcony into the fishbowl office as well as the little window that shows a glimpse of her preferred office, "whenever it gets too loud, at least that office is further removed and my glasses help block it out". Alura and Zor-El nod, understanding the cacophony of noises their ears instantly picked up after passing through the portal. Finally, they land on their balcony and after being carefully set down by Kara, Lena scans her palm and opens the door allowing them into their home.

"And this is home", Kara announces, arms spread wide as they file in.

"It really is lovely", Alura says.

"How many books do you have?", Zor-El asks excitedly, his eyes already noticing the wall lined with shelves.

"And that's not even all of them", Kara says, "The science ones are mostly in Lena's home lab and some business and science ones in the office".

Lena blushes, "The guest room is down that hallway, first door on your right and the bathroom is directly across the hall. Our room is at the end of the hall if you need anything at all. The pantry should be well stocked, as long as this one hasn't eaten it all", she explains, giving Kara a nudge, causing the hero to blush.

"I am sure we'll be just fine", Alura says, reassuringly, Zor-El still checking out the books, "we certainly don't need any special treatment".

"It's no trouble", Lena replies, "I just bought 9 things of Oreos instead of 3".

"We have Oreos", Kara perks up, but Lena reaches a hand out before she can take off, "after dinner darling".

"I promise I'll still eat dinner", Kara promises, a pout forming, "I'll only eat one pack now, swear".

Lena tries the eyebrow but shakes her head, "Fine but ask them if they want some as well".

Kara fist pumps, kissing Lena's cheek before disappearing for a split second and returning with her mouth stuffed like a chipmunk, the opened tray held out to Alura.

"Want one", Kara mumbles out.

"We're still working on not talking with our mouth full", Lena says, somewhat sternly.

Kara gulps, swallowing and tries again.

Alura politely takes a cookie, while Kara grins, waiting for her verdict, before turning to Lena, "You're going to make a great mother. You already have this one somewhat in check", she teases before taking a bite.

"What do you think?", Kara asks quickly, holding the tray out to Lena now, who also takes just one.

"It is good", Alura decides.

"Oreos are the best", Kara declares.

"I thought chocolate chip was your favorite cookie", Lena asks.

"Oh yeah", Kara says, dreamily, "warm, gooey right from the oven, or a quick zap of heat vision", she taps her temple, "hey we gotta make some of those".

"As long as you allow me to be the one to use the oven", Lena says.

"Deal", Kara says, walking the cookies over to her dad who takes one as well before finishing off the package herself.

"Now that you've had your dessert, what do you want to do for dinner?", Lean asks, winding her arm around Kara's waist.

"That counted as dessert?", Kara asked, worriedly.

"We'll call it afternoon dessert", Lena reassures her, "we've still got pie for later and no we can't just eat that for dinner". Kara pouts having been called out before quickly getting over it and throwing out suggestions for dinner, excited to introduce her parents to some of Earth's fantastic food.