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Kara bounces Clark nervously on her hip as the elevator makes its climb to Lena’s office. This is probably not the best way to break the news to her best friend that she’s adopted a baby but the past few days have been entirely too busy for her to have time to do much of anything that didn’t involve Clark but she’s desperately missed Lena, wants to see her, so when Lena had invited her over for lunch, of course she’d jumped at the chance.
“You’re going to like Lena, she’s the best,” she’s says softly to Clark, the baby buried close to her side. He’s still the baby she remembers from Krypton, from all those years ago, but there’s a few differences in him too, no doubt a reaction to whatever he’s been through between leaving Krypton and arriving here on Earth. He clings to Kara now, won’t let her go, like he’s afraid she’ll leave him again. And it breaks her heart that she’d left him alone for so long.
The ding of the elevator breaks Kara from her thoughts. Jess gives her a funny look but says nothing as she waves her through into Lena’s office.
“Hey.”
“Hey,” Lena says, eyes fixed on her computer as she finishes typing whatever she’s working on. “I ordered Chinese food, I hope that’s okay. There, done.” She finishes what she’s doing and looks up. “I- that’s a baby.”
Kara laughs. “Yes it is.” She looks down at Clark whose face is buried in her shoulder. “This is why I’ve been so busy the past few days.”
Lena stands and walks around her desk, eyes flicking in confusion between Clark and Kara.
“Lena,” Kara says once she’s stopped in front of her. She’s nervous again and she’s not entirely sure why. “I’d like you to meet my cousin, Kal.”
Kara sees realisation dawn on Lena as her eyes widen. She’s told her all about her cousin, the one who left Krypton with her but never arrived on Earth. Kara had never stopped looking, always hoping he’d turn up somehow. She’d searched the entirety of Earth, more than once, but never found him. She’d wanted to look further, but the universe is a big place and she’d had no idea where to start.
“You found him?”
Kara nods, tears filling her eyes of their own accord. It’s been an emotional few days. “His pod crashed in Kansas, Winn picked it up on his scanners.” She’d known it was him immediately when she’d landed and seen his pod. There’d been a heart-stopping moment when she’d seen him through the glass, so still, she’d thought he was…but then she’d opened it and his cries had pierced the air and then she was worried for a different reason. “After all this time I finally found him.”
“Do you know where he’s been?”
“Winn’s best guess is the Phantom Zone as well, just for longer than me. We don’t know how that’s going to affect him though, whatever happened.”
“Is he…you know…like you?”
“His skin can’t be pierced by a needle, and that’s all the invulnerability testing I’d let anyone do. As for powers, nothing yet but who knows what could happen as he grows. Other than that, he’s one hundred percent healthy, as far as we can tell.”
“Good,” Lena smiles. “Hi, Kal,” she says, voice getting softer as her eyes fall on Clark. He perks up at his name, eyes finding Lena for a moment before he turns back into Kara.
“He’s a bit shy, we’re working on it. And we’re calling him Clark, something more earth-friendly.”
Lena nods. She knows as well as anyone that there are people out there that hate aliens. “Hi, Clark.” Clarks pecks out from his spot on Kara’s shoulder again, a bit longer this time, and Kara counts it as a win. “You’re very lucky to have Kara, she’s going to be the best mother ever.”
Kara’s mouth drops open at her words and Lena misinterprets her reaction, rushing to continue. “I mean, not mother, you’re his…cousin? I just meant that-“
Kara cuts her off. “No, that’s not…” Lena had lots of words but Kara can’t seem to find the right ones to explain. “Everyone else keeps asking me if I’m sure about this, about Clark. They keep telling me it’s a huge decision, one that’ll change my life, like I don’t already know that. Eliza even offered to look after him back in Midvale.” She smiles at Lena. “You’re the first person who hasn’t questioned my decision, who’s just assumed that I’m going to keep him.”
Lena frowns. “Of course you’re going to keep him.”
“Exactly.” She reaches out the take Lena’s hand, gives it a squeeze. “Thank you.”
“Always,” Lena smiles too. “And I mean that. If you need anything at all, anytime, just let me know,” Lena says. “Day or night, whatever you need, I’m here, okay?”
Kara feels her heart swell with love for the woman in front of her. “I know.”
Lena smiles when she sees Kara’s face light up her screen. “Hello.”
“He won’t stop crying and I don’t know what to do.” Kara sounds close to tears and Lena can hear the crying Kara is talking about in the background. “Alex had to go to work and, and, this is my first night home alone with him and I-” Her voice catches on the words. “I have no idea what I’m doing.”
Scratch that, Kara’s not close to crying, she is crying and Lena’s heart is breaking.
Lena doesn’t know how to help though, Kara knows more about babies than her. Sure, when Kara had first turned up at her office with Clark, Lena had gone out and bought a dozen baby books in the hopes of educating herself but nothing compares to hands on experience, which Lena is severely lacking. Plus, Clark is hardly a typical baby.
“Do you want me to come over?”
There’s pure relief in Kara’s voice. “Please.”
Lena doesn’t waste time waiting for her driver and takes her own car to Kara’s, making a short stop on the way when an idea pops into her mind. She can hear Clark crying even before she gets to Kara’s door and she hopes everything is okay.
“I don’t know what to do,” Kara says by way of greeting as she pulls open the door. She’s not crying anymore but Lena can see the drying tear tracks down her cheeks.
“Come here,” Lena says, pulling Kara in for a quick hug. Kara melts into her, the tension leaving her body for a moment before she pulls away, looking scared again.
“This is his first night in his cot. So far he’s been sleeping in my arms but he can’t do that forever, he needs to learn to sleep alone. He settles in my arms but cries again as soon as I put him down. But how long do I leave him crying? What if he’s not ready? What if something is really wrong? I’ve changed him and fed him and I don’t know what else to do.”
Lena doesn’t have the answer to any of that but the best thing she can do is remain calm and not let Kara get anymore worked up than she is.
“Come on,” Lena says, reaching out and taking Kara’s hand. “Let’s go see him.”
“Hey, sweetie,” Kara says softly as they enter her room where the cot is set up. “Are you okay?”
The crying lessens slightly as they step up to his cot but it by no means stops. Lena has to resist the urge to reach out and pick up Clark herself when she catches sight of the tears that are falling from his eyes.
“Here,” Lena says, pulling the present she’d stopped to get on the way out of her purse. If it doesn’t help Clark, at least she’d hoped it would get a smile out of Kara. “I got this for you.” She holds the toy out above him. “Have you seen one of these before? It’s a dog.”
Clark’s cries quieten as he watches the stuffed dog Lena holds above him. His little hands reach out and take the toy and Lena lets him. They both watch in amazement as his crying stops altogether as he hugs the toy to his body.
“Lena…” Kara breathes, clear awe in her voice. “How did you…?”
Lena had no idea that that would work but she’s glad it does. They watch as sleepy eyes blink closed, clearly he was tired, so Lena retakes Kara’s hand and pulls her gently from the room.
“It was a guess,” Lena says, answering Kara’s question once they’re in the living room. “When I was young, I had a bear I used to cuddle at night and it made me feel less alone. I thought if Clark had something like that, he would feel like he wasn’t alone either.”
“Thank you,” Kara says as she smiles for the first time that evening.
“Anytime, remember?” She’d meant it when she’d said it, she’d do anything for Kara, and now, of course, for Clark too.
“If it’s not too much to ask, will you stay? Just until Alex gets here. I don’t know what I’ll do if he wakes again.”
“You’ve got this, okay? You’re doing great. Clark’s lucky to have you.” She gives Kara’s hand a squeeze. “But of course I’ll stay.”
They end up falling asleep on the couch together, Clark waking them just before six with his cries with Alex nowhere to be seen.
Kara hates asking people for help, that’s all she feels like she’s been doing since Clark arrived. She’s taken time off from CatCo but every one of her friends has pitched in to help, juggling Clark so she can still help as Supergirl when she’s needed. She knows that it can’t last forever, knows she’ll have to put Clark in daycare and get back to work soon, but she’s not ready for that yet.
That’s not the point right now though, the point is she really needs a shower and Alex is at work again covering for her so she’s calling Lena to ask for help once again.
And of course Lena says yes, because that’s the sort of wonderful woman she is.
“Hey,” Kara smiles when she opens the door. She’d seen Lena just yesterday, she came over for dinner with Maggie and Alex, but she’d missed her friend more than she probably should for someone she claims is just a friend.
But that’s also not what’s important right now, what’s important is the shower she’s going to get to have, one where she can take her time instead of using her superspeed like she has been for the past week. It works from a cleanliness point of view but it’s definitely not as satisfying as a normal shower.
“Hey,” Lena says, stepping into the apartment.
“Thanks for coming. I really would love a shower but I can’t leave Clark alone.”
“It’s no problem. Why don’t you go have a shower now and I’ll order us dinner?”
Kara grins. “You’re my favourite.” She steps forward, her body working on its own as she wraps her arms around Lena. Rao, it feels good to hug her.
They linger in the hug for a moment, Kara enjoying the warm press of Lena’s body until Lena laughs.
“Okay, go have a shower, you smell.”
Kara gasps, hand to her chest. “Lena!”
Lena laughs again. “I’m kidding.”
“You’ll be fine with Clark?”
“Yes, now go.”
Kara grins. “I’ll be as quick as I can.”
“No, you’ll take your time, we’ll be here when you’re done.”
With one last smile Kara heads off to the bathroom, leaving Lena to play with Clark where he’s lying on his mat with his toys.
Kara had intended to be quick but the hot water had been so nice that she ends up taking her time, feeling relaxed under the warm spray.
She’s not sure exactly how long she’d been gone but she finds Clark in much the same position as she’d left him, Lena now sitting by his side. She’s about to make herself known when she hears Lena talk.
“What was that?”
“Da!” Clark says.
“Da?”
“Da!” Kara sees him pointing to the toy that Lena bought him, “Da” being the name he calls the dog now, he goes everywhere with it.
“Oh, dog,” Lena says, picking up the toy and passing to him. “Did you know I had a toy when I was younger too? A bear. I called him Snuggles. Does your dog have a name?”
“Da!”
“Of course. Good name, a solid name for a dog, I like it.” Lena sounds so serious and Kara has to press her lips together to stop herself from laughing at the cute picture they make.
“Hey,” Kara says, causing Lena to startle, a lovely blush spreading across her cheeks. It’s clear she knows she’s been heard.
“Hey.”
“Did you have fun?” Kara asks, walking over and picking up Clark, wanting to put him to bed before dinner.
He makes vague noises which Kara assumes is a yes.
“We read a story and played with some blocks, he’s a smart kid,” Lena says, causing Kara to beam, suddenly feeling like a proud parent.
“Of course he is.”
“Do you think he’s ready?” They’ve had this conversation multiple times already but Kara can’t help but ask again. It’s something that’s been on her mind for the past week, ever since she’d made the decision to go back to work. But that means putting Clark in daycare and she’s not sure how he’s going to cope without her for so long.
“He’ll be fine,” Lena says. “He did well when you brought him for a visit and they’ll call if anything goes wrong. Plus, it’ll be good for him to sociaise with other kids.”
Kara is really glad she’d asked Lena to come with her, if she hadn’t she’s sure she would’ve left by now, Clark still with her. “You’re right, I know you’re right. It doesn’t make this easier though.”
“I know,” Lena says, squeezing their joined hands.
“First time parents? I know it’s hard to leave them for the first time but we’ll take good care of him and you’re just a phone call away if anything happens.”
Kara decides not to correct the woman in front of them. “If anything happens, you’ll call us right away?”
“Of course.” The woman turns to Clark. “Hi, Clark. You ready to come have some fun?”
Clark buries his face in Kara’s shoulder and she feels Lena’s hand tighten its hold. Maybe she’s not the only one finding this difficult.
“It’s okay,” Kara says softly. “We’ll be back to pick you up later, I promise.” He’s only going to be here for the morning, wanting to start him out for just a little while, but it doesn’t make this any easier.
Lena steps closer, presses a kiss to Clark’s head, and for some reason that makes her feel better.
She still has to force herself to hand Clark over to the teacher as the woman holds out her hands and she watches as Clark looks at her, confused.
“He likes this,” Kara says, handing over his dog and trying desperately not to cry. “It should calm him down if he gets upset. But please, call us if anything happens.”
Kara spends the whole morning texting Lena, wondering if Clark’s okay. It takes massive amounts of self control not to fly by and check on him. It turns out that Lena is just as worried about leaving him alone as she is and by lunchtime, they’re both itching to see him again.
He’s fine, the teachers assure them when they go to pick him up and Kara finally relaxes as Clark settles in her arms. Lena steps in close, hand resting on Clark’s back and yet again she feels how much Lena has grown to love the little boy in her arms, just like she has.
Lena lets herself into Kara’s apartment, a place she’s been spending more and more time in. Really, the only thing she uses her apartment for anymore is sleep and she spends half her nights at Kara’s anyway.
“Hey,” Lena says, stepping into the kitchen where Kara is finishing up making dinner for Clark, who’s already sitting in his highchair.
He’s grown so much, Lena can’t believe how big he’s getting.
“Hey, Lena,” Kara smiles, stopping what she’s doing to wrap an arm around Lena, pulling her into her side for a hug.
Kara turns back to the food so Lena turns her attention to the boy in the highchair.
“Hey, buddy,” Lena says, leaning over to press a kiss to Clark’s head. “Is Kara’s cooking getting any better?”
“Don’t be mean.”
“Lee!”
Both women turn to Clark, grin on his face while he plays with the spoon in his hand.
“Oh my God.”
“What did you just say?” Kara asks, abandoning the food to move closer to Clark. “Did you just say Lena?”
“Lee!” he says again, waving his spoon in Lena’s direction.
“Kara,” Lena breathes, tears springing to her eyes of their own accord at the same time as worry settles in her chest. He’s never said their name’s before, how’s Kara going to feel about him saying hers first?
But all that worry vanishes as she catches the beaming smile on Kara’s face. “He said your name!”
“You’re so clever. Can you say Kara too?” Lena asks, reaching out to tickle the boy’s stomach.
“Ra!” Clark says, waving at Kara this time and they both turn wide-eyed to each other, neither expecting him to say more. “Ra!”
Now Kara’s eyes are watering too as she picks up Clark, spinning around, causing him to giggle.
“Hey, look what I found at the baby store, you’re going to love it.”
Alex stops halfway through the door, bag in hand, when she catches sight of the two of them in the kitchen, Clark between them.
“What’s going on?”
“He said our names!”
“My God, you two are saps,” Alex says. “But I knew that already. Look what I bought, it’s great.”
Names temporarily forgotten, they all laugh when Alex pulls out baby pyjama’s from the bag, the House of El emblem on the front. Apparently they make Supergirl merchandise for everything.
“You’re aunt Alex thinks she’s pretty funny, buying you that, doesn’t she?”
“Ax!”
“Oh my God, that’s me! Did you just say Alex?”
Now Alex is crying too, God all three of them are a mess. What has this baby done to them?
Maggie shows up an hour later after she’s finished her shift and she teases them mercilessly when they tell her what happened.
“Can you say Maggie?” Clark gives her a serious look but says nothing so Maggie just shrugs. “Don’t worry, you’ll get there, kid.”
A month later when Clark does say Maggie’s name, she cries too and loses all right to tease them.
“He’s in bed and he should be out like a light.” Kara announces as she exits her room. They had a busy day, they took Clark to the park and he spent most of the time waddling around on his little legs on the grass. Despite the fact that Clark is indestructible, it’s still less terrifying to watch him fall over on grass than it is in their apartment where the floors are a hard surface.
“Great, Alex texted and they’ll be here soon for movie night.”
No matter how much she loves Clark and how much her life has changed for the better since he’s arrived, she loves nights like this too, nights where she can just relax with her family and unwind without a crying baby in her lap.
“Thank you for today,” Kara says as she takes the seat next to Lena on the couch.
“You don’t need to thank me, you know how much I love spending time with the two of you.”
“Yes but I’m going to say thank you anyway. You’ve done so much for both Clark and I, I couldn’t have done this without you.”
“Of course you could’ve. Besides, you have Alex and Maggie and everyone, you’d have been fine without me.”
“Fine,” Kara says, reaching out and threading her fingers through Lena’s. “Maybe I could’ve done it without you but I wouldn’t want to. There’s no one else I’d rather have done this with than with you.”
She knows that’s the truth, there’s no one but Lena she could ever see herself raising a child with, and that’s what they’re doing, as much as they haven’t talked about it, they’re raising a kid together.
Lena spends most nights here now. They spend the mornings getting ready together, getting Clark ready, and then in the evenings they have dinner together and Lena helps with playtime, bath time, story time, bed time, all of it. And Kara knows they’re the reason that Lena leaves work at a reasonable time every night.
“Kara…”
“I mean it. You must know how important you are to me, how important you are to Clark.”
“I know. I just…” she trails off. “There’s something I’ve been wanting to do for a while, since before Clark even became a part of our lives. And then he became so important and I pushed it away because there wasn’t time for anything but him but maybe we should make time.”
Lena’s eyes fall to her lips and she knows what’s coming, she feels it too. There’s always been something between them, she’s just always been too afraid to act, first because of fear of rejection and losing her best friend, then of making things complicated with Clark.
But right now she can’t stop herself as she leans forward, all that fear melting as she watches Lena lean closer too.
Lips press ever so softly against her, just a tentative brush, but Kara all but melts into the contact, a sigh escaping her lips at just how right it feels to be kissing Lena.
This feels like home, like family, and with Clark in the other room that’s exactly what this is.
“I knew it!” “Oh gross, I didn’t need to see that.”
They break apart with a start, eyes flying to the door to find Maggie and Alex standing there, Maggie grinning and Alex with her eyes screwed shut.
“Have you finished?” Alex blinks her eyes open. “You knew we were coming, couldn’t you have waited until later?”
Kara ignores them for the time being, turning back to Lena. Of course their first kiss had to be interrupted.
Before Kara has a chance to ask, to make sure she’s okay, that the kiss was okay, Lena laughs, pressing her face into Kara’s shoulder. Kara laughs too then, relief flooding through her as Lena places a kiss to her shoulder before Lena turns back to Alex and Maggie.
“Could you two not have shown up a little later?”
Maggie laughs while Alex looks even more grossed out and Kara can’t help but think about what could’ve happened if they hadn’t shown up when they did. Her cheeks go red at the thought.
Lena turns back to Kara and despite her teasing, she can see the uncertainty in her eyes. Ignoring Alex and Maggie for the time being, Kara turns to press a kiss to Lena’s lips, this one much surer than the last. “We’ll talk about this later, okay?” She says in a whisper.
Lena reaches out and tucks a lose strand of hair behind Kara’s ear. “Later.”
When Alex and Maggie are long gone, Kara finds herself tucked up in bed with Lena pressed warm and soft against her side. They’ve been here before, Kara’s apartment only has one bed so they’ve shared a bed (and cuddled) many times in the past.
But it’s different this time, Kara can feel in it the way Lena’s hand rubs pattern’s on her side, in the way she settles so fully against Kara, no hesitance in the contact.
“I love you, you know that, right?” Kara whispers, saying the words she’s held in for too long.
Somehow Lena presses even closer. “I love you too.”
The next morning when Clark wakes and Lena lifts him into bed with them, Kara has to fight back the tears at the little family they’ve created together, with the little boy she’d thought she’d lost and the woman who she didn’t know she’d needed until she’d found.