I don't own these characters; DC/the CW does.
8: Will
Mom made the journey to National City at the news of the wedding. She had been giddy when she arrived, laughing and hugging Kara and Lena. Then, Kara and Lena had to go and Alex was alone with Mom. Usually, this would bother her, but they would be able to keep busy and there was no reason for Mom to dig into Alex.
Mom sat in the kitchen with Alex, who was in charge of catering and other things, because she wanted as many things to do as possible, but Kara also wanted as many jobs as possible. She mostly had the food situation worked out. Then, she and Mom would be out to check other things.
"Why are they in such a rush now?" Mom asked, resting her chin in her hand.
Alex put her phone down. "They're eager for a proper wedding now. Aren't you happy Kara finally realized why a real wedding was necessary?"
Mom smiled, sitting up a little straighter. "Well, yes, I'm very happy about that. I'm merely curious why they must do it so fast."
"Well, now they want to do it as soon as possible because it's so important." Alex shrugged. If they had been able to gather everyone important together the night of the proposal to have the wedding, they would have.
Mom rolled her eyes. "This is how they ended up eloping in the first place. Have they learned nothing?"
Alex snickered. "They've learned the importance of marriage."
Mom gave a nod as a gentle hum escaped her. "And where does that leave you?"
Alex pursed her lips. "I'm still Kara's bond mate and Lena's girlfriend. They're already married."
"But, now, they have an understanding of what marriage means. It has weight, meat, substance. Don't act like it doesn't change anything. You see Kara's changed her mind about things. This wedding is the serious marriage they were meant to have. But, as I said, where does that leave you?" Mom arched an eyebrow.
Alex was a little flattered her mother was worried for her, but this concern was misplaced. She was not sure how to explain it to Mom, though. Hell, Lena and Kara did not understand. They were married. They had been married long before they eloped. That was their relationship, like her relationship with Kara had been bond mates long before they realized it.
Alex sighed and sat down across from Mom. "I'm still Kara's bond mate and Lena's girlfriend. I'm not ready for a marriage yet anyway. I'm not sure if I want one. I don't need one with Kara."
Her mother pursed her lips and her eyes screamed her disbelief. "You wanted one with Maggie."
"Yes, I did. It helped me realize what I want for the future, but I don't need a marriage for that to happen."
Mom made a noise. "You say that now."
"And if I say something different later, they'll be there for me." Alex truly believed that. She believed in this relationship. So, she would focus on their proper wedding and their getting married. They deserved that much.
Mom smiled. "I'm glad you have such faith."
"They've been there for me through a lot." The fact that Lena had not dropped her like a hot potato after helping her through the most awful rut spoke volumes and they had not been together yet. The way they always made sure she did not feel like the second in their relationship was also a huge help. No matter how often she might think she was second, they made her understand it was not a race.
"I know." Mom took a deep breath and then a smile grew on her face. Her eyes shined in a way Alex was not used to. "I'm proud of all of you."
Alex inhaled sharply. Those simple words hit her in the gut — hard. It was like being punched, but in a good way. It took the wind out of her for a moment. The force spread through her like a slow leak, coating her insides in a simple joy. It was a different feeling from when her mother expressed pride in her for a scientific discovery, as somehow that always came across as professional kindness.
"Thanks, Mom," she whispered.
"So, Lena didn't want to hire a wedding planner?" Mom asked, nodding toward Alex's notepad and a stack of papers.
"She did, but Kara insisted being Cat Grant's assistant prepared her for this and oddly enough she's right. She had a list of what needed to be done almost ten minutes after giving herself this job," Alex replied with a laugh. Being Cat Grant's assistant might have given Kara more confidence than being Supergirl… at least when dealing with people. It was also easy to take in Cat's influence on Kara's behavior when she dealt with people in a business setting. Kara was damn good at what she did.
Mom nodded and a smile twitched on her face. She had to be amused by the notion of Kara throwing her weight around as Kara rather than Supergirl. "And you're her trusty sidekick in this?"
Alex shrugged. "She always drags me into her mess. Besides, I have wedding planning experience."
Mom's eyes glistened for a moment, but she blinked away any tears that might have gathered. Her expression remained soft. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."
Alex waved that off. "I appreciate the sentiment, but I'm dealing with it. Kara actually wants me to invite Maggie to the wedding."
A little wrinkle showed up between Mom's eyebrows as she frowned. "Are you comfortable with that?"
Alex nodded. "I've allowed Maggie to settle in my heart and accept the scar that's there. I'm hoping to start talking to her again." This was something she looked forward to now. She missed Maggie and could finally admit that to herself, which was a huge step.
"You're ready for that?"
Alex sat up a little taller. "I am. I hope she is. I haven't reached out yet." She would do it when Mom was with Kara or Lena to handle wedding things. It was something she needed to do alone.
Mom going out with Lena came sooner than expected. Less than fifteen minutes after informing her mother she planned to contact Maggie, she was alone with time to contact Maggie. Phone in hand, Alex sat on the sofa and took a deep breath before she pressed to call Maggie. Hope she picks up.
It would not surprise her if Maggie let the call go to voicemail or outright blocked her. But, also she could not fathom Maggie doing that. Maggie understood her life too much to cut her off.
"Danvers, is everything okay?" Maggie asked in a panic. Of course, she probably thought it was the end of the world for Alex to call her. But, this was also why she knew Maggie would not block her number.
Alex chuckled. "Yes, Sawyer. Everything's fine. I'm sorry to call you out of the blue like this and I understand if you hang up on me…" She gave Maggie time to do just that.
A warm laugh escaped Maggie. "Actually, Danvers, I'm happy you called."
"You are?" Alex refused to believe that. Not after the way she ended things, picking non-existent children over Maggie. Of course, that was not what happened, but she would understand if Maggie saw it that way.
"Yeah, I miss you sometimes, Danvers."
Alex snorted. "Same. Do you have time to talk?"
"I do. What do you want to talk about?"
Alex's insides softened at the open acceptance and a smile worked its way onto her face. She had worried this would go wrong, but trust Maggie was magnanimous about things. "Well, first, Kara's getting married and asked me to invite you."
Maggie burst out laughing. "Little Danvers is getting married. Can I have three guesses?"
"And the first two don't count."
"Glad they figured that out. I'm surprised she'd want me there."
"Why? Once she opened up to you, you know Kara's all in. Besides, she doesn't blame you for what happened with us. I don't blame you either." Maybe it needed to be said.
"I hope you're not blaming yourself, Danvers."
"Well, not anymore," Alex admitted.
"I had a feeling you shouldered the burden."
"For a while. It wasn't a fault really. We were both so caught up on each other that we assumed our wants for the future aligned." That was their biggest folly, but that did not mean they needed to be out of each other's lives. It simply meant they were not meant to be a couple.
Maggie made a noise. "So, have you had those kids yet?"
Alex was not expecting the question. A little bitterness seeped into Maggie's words. This was still a sore spot, which was to be expected. Maggie probably still stung from what had to feel like rejection, a rejection from another family.
"I'm sorry," Maggie said.
"Don't be. I understand. I've had a lot of time to think about it. It wasn't either of our faults. We just wanted different things out of life and that's fine. We're allowed, even if it hurt, even if it meant we couldn't have some of the things we wanted. I hope you get everything you want. You deserve the best."
Maggie was silent, as if she did not expect that. "Same, Danvers." She took a breath. "It still hurts sometimes, in quiet moments, even though I've moved on."
"I know what you mean. I'm pretty sure I'll always love you, even without romance. You have a special place in my heart."
Maggie chuckled and it sounded sweet. "Thanks for saying that. You have a special place in my heart, too." There was a pause. "Which is why it hurt so much for you to pick kids that didn't exist."
Alex sniffled. "I promise it hurt just as much to know you wouldn't have kids and raise them with me. And, this is why it's no one's fault. We might both feel rejected and it scratched at both of our insecurities, but it boils down to our visions of the future didn't line up and probably never would. As much as it seemed meant to be, it wasn't and maybe that's the worst part. It seemed like a sure thing. Like I said, I still love you and always will. But, even if the relationship wasn't a sure thing, I was hoping our friendship might be. If you wanted."
"I'd like that."
A sigh escaped Alex that took so much tension with it. "Great. So, the wedding?"
"If you don't mind, I don't want the first time I see you to be at a wedding."
Alex yelped and her cheeks burned. "Fair point." That would not be her ideal spot either now that she thought about it.
"When is this wedding?"
"End of the month."
"What? When did they start planning this? Did you wait to tell me?"
Alex let loose a short laugh. "Me waiting to tell you would make a lot of sense, but no, I'm telling you almost right away. Kara proposed a few days ago."
"Wow, they're not playing."
"Yeah, but, technically they're already married."
Maggie laughed. "Of course they are. Do I even wanna know what happened?"
"They eloped on a whim."
"Everything about this is so them. The only way this would be more them is if they accidentally wandered into a chapel at Vegas and said I do, but weren't talking to the chaplain."
Alex put a hand over her face for a moment. "Thankfully no one gave them that idea." That probably would have pissed Mom off even more than the City Hall marriage where they had not even bothered to dress up. They took the damn "wedding" photos on their phones. More than one was a damn selfie. How Mom had not passed out whenever all of that came to light, Alex would never know.
"Well, I appreciate the invite," Maggie said, pulling Alex from her thoughts. "But, that's cutting it close and like I said I don't want the first time we see each other to be at a wedding."
"Yeah, how about we grab a drink or something whenever you have a moment? Well, after I help plan the wedding."
Maggie laughed. "Of course, you're planning the wedding."
"Only helping. Kara has most of it in hand." Alex blew out a breath and ran her hand through her hair as her stomach flipped. "I'm glad you picked up, Maggie."
"I'm glad you were brave enough to call."
They ended the call there and it was a good day. Things were looking up. Time to return to this wedding planning stuff.
-8-8-8-8-
Lena was impressed with what Kara and Alex managed in such a short time. But, she should not be surprised by Cat Grant's former assistant and a former federal agent who was damn near superhuman. The fact they did this without throwing around money was more impressive. They got things done by force of will without using their hero personas. It was sexy.
Both Lena and Kara wanted an outside wedding. At first, Kara argued for a beach wedding. The beach held a special place in Kara's heart, which was partially Alex and her surfing's fault. It was fine, but Lena was not as sold on a beach wedding. She craved something spectacular, something epic, like her relationship with Kara.
Kara settled on a clifftop venue, as Lena wanted something with a breathtaking view. While many lovely beaches might fit that bill, they had nothing on the hilltop lookout Kara found, undoubtedly while zipping around as her alter ego. Was there nothing her love could not do? Find the perfect venue to be married in only a few days and book it for less than a month later? She was a true wonder.
By the cliff's edge, a large hoop with a platform was their altar. It was white with blue and green trim — their colors, Kara insisted. There was a stand for their officiant, once again J'onn Jonz. He was always happy to do it, but he complained about how he had to keep getting formal clothing thanks to them. Of course, he grumbled with a smile.
Two rows of white chairs were set up, parted down the middle by a carpeted path that led to the altar. There were probably more chairs than they needed. They invited a little over two dozen guests. Despite the short notice, everyone they requested to come, promised to be there. Lena could not wait to see them, and enjoy them bearing witness to her and Kara's love.
The path was made to look like a bed of rose petals, but it was by design. Kara did not want to use actual rose petals in case there was a breeze. Also, something did not sit right with any of them having a road of rose petals. But, Lena was almost certain it was magic to get the rug of faux-rose pedals made in the time Kara did, but she refused to reveal her secret for their wedding promenade.
They went with flowers on wires as a border around the cliff. Nothing too large or overpowering the view of mountaintops in the distance. Just enough to act as decoration. It was simple, but sweet — blue and green flowers entwined with each other. Kara had done an amazing job in less than two weeks.
Lena was there early, wanting to take in the scene before everyone arrived and they had their moment of truth. She was eager, giddy for it. Her nerves popped, like fireworks went off under her skin, in the best way. She was ready to burst out of her skin, impatient to declare her love for Kara before their family and friends, yet again. But, this was different.
Before, their bond mate ceremony had been something to behold, but it was not out in the open like this. The bonding ceremony had been like a magical dream. It had not seemed real, especially the moment it was over and she felt Kara strongly for the first time. A spark deep within her, warming her body. Her entire being had glowed under Kara's gaze, like the sun lit her up from the inside.
Nia came to her side. "Hey, Kara sent me. She didn't want to chance jinxing the wedding by seeing you."
Lena rolled her eyes. "Of course she would believe that."
"Yeah, but she's also worried you're going to stand out here too long and not get dressed for the wedding."
Lena smiled. "I'd never." She would not mind standing out here a little longer, though, taking everything in and appreciating the effort that went into this. "This is a beautiful place, isn't it?"
Nia nodded. "Very. It'll be more beautiful when you and Kara stand up there and make your vows to each other." Her gaze went out to the cliff. Her eyes shimmered, like she understood how perfect this place was and she was delighted for them.
"You're right." The very thought made Lena's insides melt, pooling into nothing beyond her love. "Do you think this is silly to get married when we're already married?" She had not bothered to request anyone's opinion on this, caught in the whirlwind of emotion that came with the idea of marrying Kara in front of everyone they cared about. She did not much care if it was silly. Obviously, they were still doing it, but she was curious if they were being ridiculous.
Nia scoffed. "Hell, no. A wedding and a marriage certificate are two different things. This is going to be beautiful, like your bonding ceremony. You both will be beautiful, like you were during your bonding ceremony. This was a splendid idea."
Lena was happy to hear that. She imagined people calling her a spoiled brat for doing this, for talking Kara into this, but no, their family was not like that. This was a celebration. They all deserved this.
"I should go get dressed," Lena said.
Nia grinned. "Damn right, you should. So, let's get going."
Lena nodded and they took off to make that happen. There was a trailer for Lena to prepare in and Nia stuck close to her to help out. Her wedding dress waited for her.
"You know, I thought you'd be married in a suit," Nia said, eyes on the dress, which was on a mannequin.
Lena nodded. "I considered it. Kara wanted a dress and I assumed I'd match her in a suit, so the wedding would have a classic feel to it."
"But, when given the chance in your casual, everyday life you wear dresses and Kara wanted to see you, not the brilliant executive?"
Lena smiled. "You know us too well."
"You're going to be lovely in that dress. Is it everything you wanted in a wedding dress?"
Lena's heart thumped as she turned to her dress. "Yes, it's everything I want. I spent a fortune on it to make sure it was done, but I'd spend so much more if I needed to."
"You don't need to. You only need to jump into that dress, make your way down those flower petals, and stand before Kara, so we can all cheer your love."
"You're so good for my ego."
Nia only grinned, bouncing, as if she was about to come out of her shoes. It was flattering for Nia to be so overjoyed and excited for her. Nia flung her arms around Lena, squeezing her hard.
"This is going to be awesome!" Nia's voice cracked from her excitement.
"Okay, let me put on the dress," Lena replied.
"It would be weird for me to stay, wouldn't it?"
Lena chuckled. "I went to an all-girl boarding school for my entire life, so no." She meant that.
Nia's mouth was ready to split apart with her smile and she vibrated like she was ready to rocket to the moon. She definitely wanted to stay and be the first to see Lena in her dress. But, then her shoulders slumped.
"I promised to help Alex after I got you to your dress," Nia replied.
Lena smiled. "Yes, please, do that." Alex was acting as a commander in front of troops with the people setting up, so someone probably needed to rein her in. "Come back as soon as you can if you want to see me in the dress before the ceremony."
Nia nodded and rushed out of the trailer. Nia wasted no time coming back with Lena barely in her wedding dress. The way Nia gasped made Lena's heart thump in her chest. She had never felt more like a princess than from the way Nia stared at her.
"You look perfect," Nia said.
Lena's eyes misted over. "Thank you for saying so."
"Not hard to say the truth. Kara's probably gonna forget how to speak when she sees you and, for once, Alex won't be able to save her because she'll be just as speechless," Nia remarked.
Lena chuckled. "I wouldn't mind that reaction." It would be quite dramatic, but she would enjoy it.
A particularly loud shout from Alex well outside the trailer had Nia rush out once more. Lucy, Eliza, and M'gann popped in frequently, making sure she did not need anything or helping her with some matters, like directing her makeup artist to the trailer. It was almost overwhelming to witness so many people devoted to ensuring this wedding ran smoothly.
For all the movement in and out of the trailer, Lena was shocked Alex never found her way in. She was probably with Kara, but it was still a gut punch. Could her alpha not spare a moment to check on her?
"Don't worry about Alex," M'gann said as Lena's makeup was applied.
Lena frowned. "Don't do that." She did not want her thoughts read.
"Your face says it all. Relax. Alex is out barking orders. Apparently, the company doing the reception had opinions." M'gann made a face.
Lena did her best not to move, needing her makeup to be perfect. "Like what?" They had nerve! Kara and Alex poured their hearts into this wedding.
"Like ones they'll never have again once Alex and J'onn are done."
Lena flinched to keep from wincing. "Daddy/daughter double-team, huh?"
"I'm sure the reception area will be perfect," M'gann snickered, face pinched as she kept from outright laughing. "It doesn't help that the Legends showed up not too long ago. You know how Sara loves egging Alex on."
Lena took a breath and asked a question she had been trying to avoid. "And how's Kara?"
She did not want to think about Kara, missing her for the entire day and eager to be with her. She wanted that to come across when she finally stood before Kara at the altar. She needed Kara to see the yearning in her eyes and experience it radiating off her as well as feel it in her soul.
M'gann smiled. "Panicking. She thinks anything that can go wrong will go wrong. Of course, Alex and J'onn are putting out any and all fires."
"Of course, they are." Lena relaxed. "And she's still panicking?"
"I think she's just nervous, which is cute. Barry's with her to distract her and keeps pointing out she needs to calm down since you're already married. Not like you're going to leave her at the altar."
Lena rolled her eyes. "Not leaving her at all."
"Exactly. Barry kept telling her if she didn't cool it, he'll stand up and object."
Lena laughed. "He would!" In fact, he might still do it for the laughs. Somehow, someone had to check that little bugger.
"We all promised Alex would shoot him if he did. And he conceded if anyone could find a way to do it, it'd probably be her, especially for something like this. Now is not the time for joking."
Lena smiled. "Thank you. I wasn't… I haven't… This is so much." Her eyes stung as tears threatened to spill, but with a slight inhale, she kept them back. She was about to marry Kara, properly marry Kara, in front of their family. Their family desired this as much as Lena and Kara did.
This was so much. It was more than she deserved. She had so many people who had her back now. She had so much support. She was ready to both burst and overflow.
M'gann leaned close to her cheek and kissed the air by Lena's cheek to avoid messing up her makeup. "I know. But, you have us all now and we're here for you like you are for us. We're happy to be here for you. And we're all happy to be here. So much better than hearing you got married because Alex is screaming it through the phone and then needing to check her sanity."
"Oh, god." Lena did not want to remember that. It was one of the few times she was scared Alex and Kara would both have breakdowns for different reasons: Alex because Kara eloped and Kara because Alex seemed ready to physically fight her.
"Don't think about it. Alex calmed down after a while and you know she was fine with it, happy you two were happy. You are loved and protected," M'gann assured her.
Lena sniffled, but held her emotions at bay. She could cry all she wanted when she stood before Kara and said "I do." Their family would cheer and cry with her. It would be glorious.
It was actually glorious well before the end. The beginning where she stood with Kara as they walked down the "aisle" together, bathed in sunlight, and witnessed by smiling family was more than enough. They were both decked out in white with a flower crown for Lena and a tiara for Kara, along with blue trim around her dress. They held hands as they went and did not let go as they stood before J'onn, dressed in a white and black tux.
It was almost weird to look out into the crowd and see Superman, of course, he was Clark at the moment, grinning at her, his eyes twinkling behind his glasses. It was easy to see the family resemblance when he and Kara smiled. Lois tugged on Clark's suit jacket to make him to sit down. James sat with them and laughed as Lois wagged her finger at Clark.
The second Clark was down, though, the Legends were up. All of them hooted, hollered, and whistled, like they were all somehow collectively raised in a barn. A glare from Ava sat them all down, including Sara. The Legends were going to be on timeout before the wedding was done. Barry looked ready to start up next, but Ava shot him a look that kept him glued to his seat. Alex gave Ava a smile and Ava nodded in return.
Winn was in the crowd, which was appreciated. It was hell getting an invite to him, but Sara was kind enough to deliver it and also kind enough to bring him. They had not gotten a chance to speak with him yet, but the reception would be the perfect time to mingle.
Aside from the rowdy group of superheroes, Cat Grant was in attendance. Sam and Ruby showed up. Brainy was with Nia, who was already whispering to him, undoubtedly explaining the point of this yet again. Brainy could not grasp why they were having a wedding when they were already married. Lucy and Vasquez were there, of course.
Alex stood to the left of J'onn, also dressed in a white and black tux. It was their idea to match and so damn cute. She was the keeper of the rings. Lena had to resist blowing a kiss to her. Alex winked at both of them and mouthed "you're beautiful" as they turned to face each other.
J'onn went through the ceremony speech that was very similar to the sermon in a Kryptonian bonding ceremony. It fit, even if this was an earthly marriage. It was their marriage, though, and everything they did had to honor Kara's home somehow. And then they got to the part where they would exchange vows. They had both written their own. Again, it was their wedding. This had to be personal.
Kara went first, clearing her throat. "Lena, I'll never figure out what I did to deserve you, but I'd do it in every lifetime if it led to you. You complete me. I'll be there for you always and forever. I'll support you through all your struggles. I'll stand by your side through every victory and challenge. I'll cheer you on and support you with all the affection I can muster whenever you need it. I'll love you through it all. I will…" She paused to sniffle. She tilted her head, keeping tears at bay. "I will be the partner you deserve, the family you deserve, and the light inside of you to keep you warm."
Lena smiled and nodded. Kara was all that and so much more. For some reason, the words did not make her tear up, even though she felt them deep down in areas she would not have known existed until Kara. The warmth Kara spoke of burned bright, making her light. She took a deep breath.
"Kara, I never would've suspected I had a soul until meeting you. You warmed me in the cold, the cold that was my life. You turned into the sun. Even before we got together, you made me feel like I could do anything, even save the world if necessary. You lift me up in ways I wouldn't have thought possible and I'd love to spend our life together trying to do the same for you. I want nothing more than to be the partner you deserve, the family you deserve, and the light inside of you to keep away the dark."
With another sniff, Kara nodded, confirming Lena did those things. Lena glanced at Alex, wanting her to know she wanted to be the partner Alex deserved as well. Alex smirked at her.
J'onn smiled. "Now, the exchange of rings."
Alex stepped forward to hand them each their rings. Kara went first, easing Lena's ring onto her finger. A pleasant jolt went through Lena and she wasted no time putting Kara's ring on her finger. They kissed before J'onn could mention it, but it gave him time to pronounce them married. Their family cheered, throwing up blue and green paper flowers, which floated off in the wind. Thankfully, they were biodegradable.
-8-8-8-8-
The reception was only feet away from where Kara just married Lena and Kara could not take her eyes off that area. She married Lena. Okay, yes, they were legally married a while ago, but this was something so much more. It was beyond her. She never would have been able to fathom what this was, as wide as the entire universe, ever-expanding, and would live on well after everyone else was gone.
"Hey!" Sara Lance clapped Kara on the shoulder and sat down next to her at the circular table in the tented reception area. Strings of lights hung overhead, almost like stars in the sky. "Look at you, managing to marry up."
Kara chuckled. "You said that to Lena, too."
"Yeah, somehow you both managed the impossible and married up twice." Sara's brow furrowed, as she tried to work out that logic. "So, what's next?"
"Immediately? Honeymoon. Distant future?" Kara shrugged. "Whatever comes our way."
"Like Alex?" Sara nodded toward the dancefloor where Lena and Alex danced quite close.
"What do you mean?" Most people at the wedding knew about Kara being bond mates with both Lena and Alex. They had all been invited to the ceremonies, but it was always too short notice and they had things going on. She was glad the two weeks she gave everyone was finally enough time to get them to this moment.
"How does your marriage work if you also have a second wife?" Sara asked, serious for a rare moment with Kara.
Kara's brow furrowed, confused for a long moment. Then, it dawned on her that Sara was missing some information. "Oh, well, Alex is also Lena's girlfriend."
Sara gasped and her eyes went back to the dancefloor briefly. "Nice! Ava would kill the shit out of me if I tried that."
"Kill the shit out of you?" That was a colorful phrase that only Sara could deliver.
Sara chuckled. "You know I mean." Turning her head, she found her wife, chatting quite lively with Brainy. Kara did not bother to check in on the conversation. She did not want to know.
"Yeah, but that's because you two are meant to be together. I somehow was meant to be with two people. And, they love each other, too," Kara replied.
"Good job. I'm gonna go tease Alex about it now," Sara said with a laugh.
"Be careful. She's armed."
Sara snorted. "That makes it that much more fun! Hell, I might have to get Mick in on this one."
Kara waved that off. Alex enjoyed her time with Sara, much like she enjoyed her time with Lucy. They were weird, but it worked for them, so it was fine.
Kara did not have time to watch Sara and Alex interact. Winn ran up behind her, hugging her tight. She laughed and turned to properly embrace him. He ended up sitting in her lap and they laughed like this was the funniest thing to ever happen.
"Oh, thank Rao! I'm so glad you made it!" Kara squealed.
"I thought Sara was going to fold me in half when I told her I shouldn't come," Winn replied.
"I'm glad she said that! She was kind enough to pick you up for us," Kara said as Winn got off her lap and slid into the chair Sara occupied not even a moment ago.
"She was a life-saver for that. I gotta a lot of crap for this, but I'm so glad to be here. This is so amazing!" Winn's face lit up and then he deflated, his face dropping with his shoulders. "I've missed you guys so much."
Kara sobered, inhaling deeply. "I've missed you, too. You were my first friend, my best friend, and you missed both of my bonding ceremonies. I wanted to share that happiness with you by my side."
Winn grabbed her hand and held it with all his might. "I am happy for you. You deserve all of the happiness in the world and not because of the Supergirl stuff. I mean, obviously, you do a lot of good, so you should have that come back to you, but just for being you. You were my first friend at CatCo. You always took good care of me."
"We took care of each other." Kara shook her head.
"Sometimes, I wondered what made Cat hire two obviously awkward nerds like us."
"She loves to say she can spot talent." Kara gave him a once-over. "I think she's right."
He gave her a small smile. "I guess that's why she chased James, as he tells it. He tried so hard to get away, but like me, misses the hell out of this place."
Kara nodded. "You could always come back like he did. Families can be close together."
"I know." His eyes swept through the crowded reception and fell on James, who was locked in a conversation with Mick of all people. This was another conversation Kara would do her best to not hear.
James glanced over, noticing Kara and Winn. He tapped Mick on the shoulder and then rushed over to join them. He wrapped his arms around both of them and pulled them close.
"Gang's back together!" James grinned.
"Hey, the Superfriends are back together," Kara corrected.
Winn lit up at the name. "I knew that would stick."
"Oh, we've been doing our best to replace that nonsense. I'll make sure to come up with something when I start going out to patrol again," James said.
Kara looked at him. "So, Guardian's just going to try to pull up in my city?"
"You don't own National City," James said as he sat on the other side of Kara.
"Don't make me send Sentinel after you. You have to see how street punks run from the sight of her," Kara reported.
James laughed. "I can only imagine."
"Sentinel?" Winn asked, showing how out of the loop he was.
Kara and James were unable to explain to Winn. Sara ran back over and grabbed Winn, pulling him to the dancefloor for some reason. Ava came out of nowhere and yanked James up, taking him to dance. Kara was hardly on her own for ten seconds. Cat sat down next to her.
"Why was this so hard?" Cat sounded fed up, but in the "I'm fed up with you being silly" tone, which was a tone she held for Kara and Lena.
"Huh?" Kara asked, not understanding what Cat wanted from her at the moment.
Cat spread her hands, almost clearing the table. "Why was it so hard to marry Lena? Didn't think she deserved it?"
Kara winced. "We both didn't think it was important. We were wrong." Incredibly wrong. Walking down the aisle with Lena's hand in hers was the proof she needed that marriage and bond mates were two different things. They were both necessities.
"Clearly. She deserves happiness."
"I agree with you there. I'm doing my best," Kara replied.
Cat watched Lena, who was now dancing with Vasquez. "Rumor has it, you have help."
Kara laughed. "You really just have to dig in everything, huh?" Of course, Cat would know the truth if she bothered to show up to either of Kara's bonding ceremonies. Of course, she might have thought the second one was just a renewal of her first one with Lena.
Cat sighed. "Just trying to keep up with you two. I often fear both of you will let your lives spiral out of control if someone doesn't check-in."
Kara let her eyes wander the reception, taking in the many people who checked in quite often. But, Cat liked to think she was a bigger part of Kara's life than she was and Kara allowed her the illusion. She was not even sure Lena knew Cat cared about her at all. But, Cat did her best and she was good for Kara. Kara was thankful for her.
"Do you think you have it in you to have a wife and a girlfriend?" Cat asked.
Kara grinned. "I've kinda had both since meeting Lena, so I think I'll manage."
Cat let a smirk settle on her face for less than a second. "Fair. So, how long are you going to be on your honeymoon? You don't have many personal days."
Kara frowned. "My personal days roll over."
"Yes, and you often use them ducking out of windows."
Kara laughed. "No way. You'd rather me not duck out of windows?"
"You have to learn how to balance life better. But, no, seriously, how long will you be gone? While I think you picked a competent replacement, I'm not looking to deal with him for more than a couple of weeks. I have to work on getting James settled." Her gaze fell to James, who was on the dancefloor with Lucy of all people. They were having fun.
Kara laughed even more. "Fair enough. Two weeks tops. Lena probably won't be able to stay away from work that long."
"She's got decent instincts," Cat said.
Kara had to get up or she would laugh herself sick. Cat really was too much. But, she would not have Cat any other way.
"I'm going to keep Lena company," Kara said and got up before Cat said anything.
She went up to Lena, who fell into her arms. They smiled at each other and could not help but share a kiss. They had already shared several dances, but each one seemed special and this was the same. They pressed close with Kara being careful. They swayed until Alex stood before them.
"You want to cut in?" Kara asked, not ready to let Lena go just yet.
Alex had a soft smile on her face. "No, wanted to point out you're floating. Just want to remind you there are workers around." She motioned around the room.
Kara and Lena both looked down and, yup, they were about an inch off the ground. Kara let them down and they all laughed together. This was heavenly. Kara was blessed.
-8-8-8-8-
Next time: the honeymoon