Chapter 4
"I can help", Kara pouts.
"Darling, both your arms are injured, one of them from cooking. Just go sit down please", Lena says, kissing Kara's cheek as she pushes her out of the kitchen.
"Mom?", Kara turns to Eliza.
"Oh sweetheart not only can you not help, we all know the only reason you want to be in here is to 'taste-test'", Eliza says.
"I…uh… pft no", Kara says trying to play it off as she tries to come back into the kitchen.
"Just please", Lena says, trying to placate Kara, "give us 15 minutes to finish".
"Fine", Kara says, just as there is a knock on the door. "I'll get it", she cheers, running down the hall and sliding on her socks to the door. "Hey guys", she cheers as she moves aside to let Alex, Sam and Ruby inside.
"Hey Aunt Kara", Ruby says, giving her a one armed hug before running into the kitchen, "Grandma Eliza!".
"Hey Kara", Sam greets giving her a quick hug before going to find Lena.
"Hey Kar. How's your arm?", Alex asks.
"Fine", Kara shrugs.
"What happened to that one?", Alex asks, pointing at her bandaged forearm.
Kara ducks her head and turns back to walk into the kitchen, "Nothing. Come on. Mom wants to see you".
"Kara, what did you do to your arm?", Alex demands as she stalks after her.
"Hello sweetheart", Eliza says, stepping up to hug Alex.
"Hey mom", Alex says, returning the embrace but still glaring at Kara. "Do you know what happened?", she asks Eliza.
"Kara had a kitchen incident", Eliza says, diplomatically, "That is why I suggest you all take her out of the room and entertain her".
Alex bites her lip trying not to laugh and nods at Eliza, wrapping an arm around Kara and steering her to the living room.
"I really don't understand", Kara rambles, "I can help. I can be careful".
"Of course you can", Alex says, sitting Kara down on the couch.
Meanwhile in the kitchen, Sam turns to Lena after their partners have been exiled. "So how have you been?", she asks.
"Relieved. Exhausted. Busy", Lena says.
"So all the emotions?", Sam laughs.
"Pretty much", Lena chuckles, setting the filled bowl aside, "Relieved she's home. Busy because I ran out of a finalization meeting. Exhausted because keeping Kara entertained is a 24/7 job and keeping a powerless Kara from hurting herself is impossible, exhibit A her new bandage".
"That's just a small burn right?", Sam asks, "It won't scar and will heal instantly as soon as she gets her powers back".
"Yeah", Lena says, shortly, walking the finished dishes over to the table.
"It's still scary", Sam says, understandably.
"Yeah", Lena says, solemnly, "It is".
With Eliza finishing up the last dishes, Lena calls to the living room, "Come on. Dinner time. You can come back in here Kara".
"Ruby and Alex wash your hands first", Sam calls.
Matching groans come from the couch as Kara slides into the dining room, rubbing her hands together.
"Uh uh. You too", Lena says, "No powers means getting sick and while sick Kara is adorable, I'm not doing it".
Kara pouts but listens and trudges to the bathroom.
"How did you two get those two to listen?", Eliza asks.
"Withhold certain privileges", Sam smirks.
"Threaten that I'm working late", Lena says.
"Fair enough", Eliza says, and the three of them carrying the last of the dishes over.
After dinner, the group plays games and hangs out until Sam, Alex, and Ruby leave. Eliza hugs them each goodbye, making plans to see them again while she's in National City and then retires to her room.
Lena heads to the kitchen to clean things up only to see Eliza had already done it. "When did she do this?", Lena asks turning towards Kara who had followed her.
"She's magic", Kara shrugs, wrapping her arms around Lena hugging her from behind.
"I'm magic", Lena says, "This is next level".
"Lots of practice", Kara suggests.
"From having to keep up with you", Lena teases.
"Hey!", Kara says, "I'll have you know Alex was quite a messy teenager".
"Darling nothing can compare to the mess you make in a kitchen", Lena says, turning herself in Kara's embrace to loop her arms around her neck. Kara pouts and Lena kisses it away. "Come on. Bed time", she says pulling Kara down the hall.
"Good morning sweetheart", Eliza says, as she enters the kitchen to see Kara sitting on a stool drinking coffee.
"Morning", Kara says, getting up to fix Eliza a cup.
"You look like you've been up a while", Eliza observes.
Thankfully, Kara is turned away so Eliza can't see her face, "Yeah uh. You know, want to get as much sun as possible". Kara cringes at her lame excuse. The truth is she woke up early when Lena lurched out of bed and barely made it to the toilet. Kara ran after her afraid something was wrong and nearly threw up herself when she saw poor Lena leaned over the toilet.
"Can I get you something? Ginger Ale? Crackers?", Kara asks, from the doorway.
"It's just morning sickness. It will pass", Lena groans.
"You're sick?", Kara asks, "since when?".
"Not that kind of sick", Lena says, leaning her head against the cool tile of the wall, "Come here".
"I don't have powers", Kara says, clearly torn between wanting to comfort Lena and not wanting to be anymore of a burden if she gets sick.
"You won't get sick because you're not pregnant", Lena says, opening her arms for Kara.
"The baby is doing this to you", Kara says, horrified, as she goes to sit beside Lena.
"It's just my body adjusting", Lena says as she curls into Kara.
"Oh", Kara says, one arm going around Lena's shoulders rubbing soothing circles on her back while the other lays on her still flat stomach, "How long will it last?".
"The first, maybe part of the second, trimester. Lois is the only one to ohave a Kryptonian baby so I'll reach out to her for patterns like this once we've told people", Lena says.
"Anything I can do?", Kara asks.
"Just keep holding me", Lena says, her voice small, as she curls further into Kara.
"Of course", Kara says, grateful she doesn't have her powers so she can hold Lena as tightly as she wants.
"Are you going to eat something?", Eliza asks, sipping her coffee and studying her daughter.
"Lena will be out in a minute. I was going to see what she wants", Kara shrugs.
"You're not hungry?", Eliza asks, skeptical.
"No powers, no fast metabolism", Kara says trying to act nonchalant even as a rising blush starts to give her away. Thankfully, Lena enters giving Kara an out as she jumps up running to the coffee maker to make Lena's in her favorite mug.
"Actually darling. I think I'll just have tea", Lena says, quirking an eyebrow at Kara.
Kara is confused at first and cocks her head looking at Lena as the brunette tries to get her to understand without blatantly saying anything. "Ohhh", Kara says, realization finally hitting, before remembering Eliza is watching them, "Right uh no work so now excessive amounts of coffee". Lena reaches for the mug ready to fix her tea but Kara pulls it away, "I'll get it you should sit".
Eliza curiously watches their interaction as she starts to put the pieces together. Unfortunately for the not so secretive pair, their ensuite shares a wall with Eliza's and while she didn't hear the conversation, she did a lot of water at a very early hour.
Lena gives in sitting on the stool previously occupied by Kara and wrinkles her nose, looking paler than normal, as she scoots the Kara's milk and sugar monstrosity of a coffee away. Normally, one could categorize this as her aversion to anything ruining a perfectly good cup of black coffee, but Eliza knows, all the evidence points to one thing… Lena is pregnant.
Eliza keeps her revelation to herself, not knowing how far along she is or if they've told anyone, though she hopes she'd be the first, only maybe after Alex, as she watches Kara fuss over Lena trying to get her to eat something although everything offered seems to make her stomach revolt.
"Really, darling, it's fine. I'm not that hungry anyway", Lena says, sliding the plain toast over to Kara.
"Lee", Kara whines, "You have to eat come on. For…me, please". Kara lets out a mental sigh at the close call but Lena still doesn't give in.
"I'm going to go check in with Jess", she says, "make sure everything is running smoothly". Lena leaves the toast, cereal, pancakes, and omelette Kara tried to get her to eat, along with a still full cup of tea on the counter in front of a forlorn Kara.
"You want any of this?", Kara offers, looking up at Eliza.
The Danvers sit there, eating solemnly, even as Eliza tries to get Kara to talk. Eventually, after Eliza cleans up the remnants of breakfast, she puts a motherly hand on Kara's shoulder, "I'm going to check in with the lab in Midvale". "She should eat but go apologize and take care of those two", Eliza says, before heading down the hallway.
Kara sits there a moment before Eliza's words hit her and she spins on the stool, nearly falling off just as Eliza's door clicks closed. "Those two?", Kara whispers realizing that somehow her mom knows.
She slides off the stool and takes Eliza's advice, trudging down the hallway to Lena's home office. She taps her knuckle lightly on the door frame, taking in the sight of Lena, head in her hands. "Hey, Lee", Kara says softly, making her way over to the desk.
"I'm not hungry", Lena says, still staring down at the papers in front of her.
"I know", Kara says, squatting down next to the chair, "I'm sorry. I shoudn't have made you eat when you don't feel like it. Just tell me if you do want something and I'll go get it and as soon as my powers come back I will get you whatever you want, from wherever you want".
Lena tilts her head, tearful green eyes meeting Kara's sad blue, "I know and I will, I promise".
"Good", Kara says, as if her work is done, "Do you have to work more or was that just an excuse to leave?".
"I did check in with Jess and everything is fine. I don't have anything pressing", Lena says.
Kara grins, opening her arms, "Eliza is checking in with her lab in Midvale but we could cuddle? Make up on some sleep we missed this morning when the little one here woke you up so early and violently".
Lena gives a small laugh as Kara fake scolds at her stomach, "That sounds good".
Kara smiles, raising up slightly to kiss Lena, "Bed or the couch?".
"Couch", Lena says, and takes Kara's hand, standing up and following her to living room where she turns on a documentary and pulls out Lena's favorite blanket, throwing herself down on the couch, long ways, before patting her stomach. Lena obliges, laying on top of her, tucking her head under Kara's chin as she pulls the blanket over them. Lena loses all sense of time almost immediately as sleep pulls her under in the safety of Kara's arms.
Alex groans as Sam's alarm goes off.
"Sorry, sorry", Sam says, reaching frantically for the device to silence it. "Go back to sleep", she says, kissing Alex's head before sliding out of bed.
"I gotta go in", Alex groans, stretching out her back as she rolls over to watch as Sam disappears into the closet.
"Didn't J'onn tell you to take a few days off", Sam says.
"I took a few days off", Alex says.
"You took one day off", Sam says, looking around the corner to give Alex a look.
"Yeah well", Alex shrugs as she slides out of bed, "All we're doing is tracking them anyway. I won't be going anywhere. I may brief agents on what to expect if we have to fight but nothing bad, I promise".
"Fine", Sam gives in, shrugging on her shirt and throwing her jacket over the chair in the corner, "You should come by for lunch though. I'm predicting a long boring day of paperwork and explaining to Chinese investors that Lena running out was not an insult".
"I'll be there", Alex says, coming in front of Sam and finishing the buttons before straightening the collar. "You know…I think I like taking these off you much more", she jokes, using her grip on Sam's shirt to pull her in for a deep kiss.
"Don't start anything right now", Sam says. "Save it for lunch", she smirks, winking at Alex before heading downstairs to grab coffee before she goes.
Lena's stomach wakes her and she shifts waking Kara in the process.
"You ok?", Kara asks, rubbing Lena's back.
"Mhm", Lena hums, "just hungry". Rather than get up, she just nuzzles deeper into Kara who holds her close until her stomach growls rather loudly.
"Come on", Kara says, nudging her, "I'll fix you whatever you want".
Both women jump when Eliza sets a hand on them, "I'll fix it. You stay out of the kitchen".
"Thanks mom", Kara says, content to hold Lena a little longer while their heartrates slow back down.
"Thanks Eliza", Lena says into Kara's neck where she buried her face. "Did you know she was here?", she asks after hearing the cabinets open and close.
"No", Kara says, "she's sneaky".
"I feel bad", Lena says, the Luthor ingrained hostess training bring some guilt at having left her guest alone.
"She doesn't mind, and you needed some more sleep", Kara says.
"You did too", Lena counters, "You're still healing".
"We slept in the sun", Kara shrugs, "I'm good".
"What do you girls want for dinner?", Eliza calls from the kitchen.
Lena checks her watch and sees that it's already 2pm and turns to Kara. Both women get off the couch trudging into the kitchen.
"I'm sure I can find something", Lena says, "or we can order".
"Or Eliza can make lasagna", Kara offers, "or meatloaf". Lena and Eliza both shake their heads at Kara as she thinks, "Oh! Chicken pot pie".
"I'll figure something out, Lena don't you worry about it", Eliza says.
—
"Ms. Arias. You have a visitor", the assistant voice breaks through Sam's concentration on the spreadsheets.
"Thank you, Michael. Let them in", she says stacking the papers neatly to the side. Alex pokes her head around the corner, grin on her face and Sam's shoulders relax, "Oh you have no idea how good it is to see you", the CFO says as she rises from her chair.
Alex grins as she kisses her, pulling the takeout bag from behind her, "and I come bearing Thai".
"God I love you", Sam says, cupping Alex's face to pull her in for another quick kiss before grabbing the paper bag and heading to the sitting area.
"How's your day been?", Alex asks, as she helps unpack the bag.
"Boring. Lots of numbers", Sam shrugs, nearly moaning at her first bite, "You?".
"Same", Alex says, "Boring. Lots of blank space".
"Still just tracking them", Sam asks.
"Pretty much", Alex says, "Although Brainy has seemed concerned that they're going the wrong way".
"Well then that's good right", Sam says, "They aren't attacking Argo".
"Hopefully", Alex says, "but we're still watching to make sure".
"Just don't stress yourself out too much", Sam says, concerned.
"I won't. I promise", Alex says.
"Yeah well excuse me if I need a little more. Your promises don't hold much water", Sam jokes, nudging Alex.
"Uh! What do you mean?", Alex says offended.
"You promised to empty the dishwasher last night", Sam teases, "they smelled awful this morning".
"Well excuse me if I was a little busy taking care of something in the bedroom", Alex says, eyebrow raised, daring Sam, "What you rather me do?".
"Fair. That's fair", Sam yields.
"That's what I thought", Alex says, kissing Sam on the cheek as they move into much lighter conversation, still riddled with teasing and innuendos.
After some games, talking, and Lena doing everything in her power to keep Kara out of the kitchen while Eliza works, dinner is served and Kara's pout disappears as she fills her plate.
"This one is worse than a newborn. Eating constantly, needing cuddles, pouting when she doesn't get her way", Eliza teases and both women freeze mid chew of their first bite.
"What?", Lena chokes out, looking from Eliza to Kara, who has gone completely red.
Kara freezes, blushing, realizing maybe she should have told Lena that Eliza figured it out but she was so comfy on the couch and Lena needed sleep.
"I…I am not", Kara says, trying to fight the accusation and hopefully move past the deeper meaning.
"Oh relax you two. I won't tell anyone. I promise", Eliza says, turning and putting a hand over Lena's, "Congratulations".
Lena just stares at Eliza's hand, comfortingly over her own when Kara snaps her out of it.
"Isn't that right?", Kara says.
"What?", Lena says, racking her brain trying to catch up.
"You figured it all out so we could have one of our own", Kara says, and Lena is grateful that she led her into the science of it all as she discusses the process and potential it has to help couples.
Kara holds Lena's hand under the table the rest of dinner, content to eat while listening to Lena explain her genius ability to give them a child.