Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Call Me Kara

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 48:

Kara looked at her best friend dumbstruck, trying to comprehend what she had just told her while holding Lexie in her arms. “What do you mean her cells are as powerful as mine?”

“Her cells have been storing solar energy since conception. You knew this and we were expecting it.”

“If she is as powerful as I am already then why aren’t her eyes glowing when she is hungry, or irritated?”

“When you lose your powers, your cells restore themselves, but your powers don’t return immediately. Your injuries heal, but it usually takes a jolt of extreme adrenalin to activate them. We have never experimented on what would happen if you weren’t given this shock. If you lost your powers but healed, like you did after the fight with Savage, who knows how long it would have taken your powers to return? They would have had to eventually. That much power would have to be unlocked somehow. Would they come back gradually or hit you all at once? We have no idea. If you took your bracelet off right now and lay under a sun lamp, your cells your power returns immediately. Harry is pretty sure it has something with the red solar rays not overpowering your cells but deadening the metabolizing effect that allows you to focus the power doesn’t mean your powers will return immediately after an outage though. Hers might be latent on was well. They must be.”

“Caitlin what does this mean for her?” Barry asked, worried about his daughter but remaining calm. He had prepared himself for anything short of a non super powered daughter. He knew this was not possible but anything else was.

“I don’t know Barry. We will have to watch her everyday. Her cells aren’t multiplying so the worry about accelerated aging isn’t a concern at least. I didn’t think it would be but with the amount of energy she is storing I couldn’t be sure. Her cells are smaller obviously but the ratio of radiation is similar to Kara’s. She could gradually grow into her powers, they could hit her all at once or she could be surprised one day and they activate immediately, the same as Kara’s powers do. The best we can do for now is keep her in a stress free environment and hope for the best. Testing her skin everyday should give us an idea if she is becoming more…”

“We are not poking a needled into her everyday!” Kara told her immediately. Caitlin didn’t argue. Yes, her skin hardening may give them all a warning but Caitlin doubted any warning would help. Her biggest fear was the baby having everything hitting her at once. The longest Kara had gone with powers was after the Savage fight. Caitlin knew eventually they would return but not how long it would take. The advanced healing was the first obviously to return, almost as a defense mechanism, that while not making her strong or invulnerable, did take care of the third degree burns on her feet and torso from Savage’s blast’s and Firestorm trying to catch her.

“Of course not Kara. Harry is in his workshop right now developing a smaller bracelet, just in case her powers emerge at once.”

“And she wears it everyday until she has to take it off one day and the powers hit her at once again.” Kara sighed.

“But she will be older, able to handle it better.” Barry tried, seeing Kara becoming more upset by the minute.

“Yeah, I guess. Okay, so when can we go home Caitlin?” the blonde asked.

“Do you want to lay under the solar lamps? It could help with the soreness and if you take the bracelet off your powers may return.”

“I’m good. I need to be able to feed her.”

“She took the formula well last night.” Cait reminded her.

“Yes but I will be feeding her as long as possible. I know about… I know about what I need to eat, my diet changes, I… didn’t think I wanted to but I do, just for a while.”

Caitlin didn’t argue, surprised, but Kara always did surprise her.

“Eliza wants to check you out, give the results to Henry…”

“Just have Henry with her. I don’t think modesty where he is involved is an issue after yesterday. I feel okay. I am still really sore but I can walk, I’m not sick. I just want to take Lexie home.”

“Of course.” Caitlin began to leave until Kara called her.

“Thank you so much. I’m sorry if I seem ungrateful, I’m not. I’m just really worried.”

“I know. All I can tell you is she is healthy, if any problems happen Barry can have her in the red sun room here quickly and we are working on contingency plans for every situation we can think of. Just don’t forget to be happy too. You have a beautiful, healthy daughter. Enjoy each other.”

“Thanks Cait. Love you.”

“Love you too Blondie.”

Barry hugged the woman who was more a sister than a friend. Eliza came in and showed Kara the ins and outs of breastfeeding, then handing the newborn off to Aunt Alex while her and Henry conducted an exam on the new mother. Lexie was scanned and fed with a baby formula from the market, and seemed to hold it well. It was decided to have tests done in case Kara was suddenly unable to breast feed due to any physiology changes that might occur when she finally took off her bracelet. It was 6 PM before the couple, Lexie tightened into her car seat even more securely than Charlie, made their way home. After Barry had three cheeseburgers Jeremiah had delivered and Kara ate a salad which she actually requested and nearly set off another round of examinations on her, the family of four had settled in.

After securing the house, and making sure Kara had everything she needed, he walked to the bedroom and stood leaned against the doorframe, seeing the most beautiful sight. Kara had sat up in bed with Lexie on her chest, feeding. The smile on his wife’s face was angelic, peaceful, in contrast to the joyful but exhausted look he wore 24 hours prior.

“Just when I think you couldn’t get anymore beautiful you bring a partner in and prove me wrong again.”

“Partners are important. Every superhero needs at least one.” she told him, meeting his eyes. “Come sit with us.”

Barry slid under the sheets and sat up, next to Kara, both staring down at their daughter.

“How long do you plan to wear your bracelet?” he asked, trying his best to sound casual.

“As long as I can feed her.” she told her husband quickly.

“If she isn’t eating more than a typical newborn, maybe regular formula or what Caitlin has developed…”

“And if she has an allergic reaction eventually? Sure it worked once but what if her body starts to change? What if… what if… if I can’t breast feed her and we can’t find a formula that works or stops working for her she could starve. I can’t take that chance.”

“I’m not saying we should, but using formula while she is breast feeding isn’t a bad idea. She won’t have an allergic reaction. She would have the first time she fed. I have a feeling that like you, not much is going to harm her.”

“I’ve been unable to handle some foods since I have been on Earth. It may not hurt her now but she could reject it eventually. It’s not worth the risk. You know how I act when I am hungry. You want to take the chance of her being hungry? As long as I can feed her I will.”

“We can try small…”

“Why do you care? You never want me involved in fights anyway. You are getting what you want. I have to worry about her.” she told her husband, a bit irritated. She knew he meant no harm but her emotions were all over the place since Lexie had been born. For the first time in her life, she knew if some supervillian attacked Central City, instead of rushing towards him or her, Kara would take her daughter as far away as possible.

“And we can both protect her better if we are both as strong as possible. I understand though, Kara. I just wonder if you are willing to wear that bracelet for the rest of our lives or avoid the sun.”

“She is going to have to, why shouldn’t I?”

“She won’t be wearing it forever. We don’t even know if she is going to need it. You have plenty of time to think about it. I can protect us. No one has really been after us for a while anyway and… I can’t believe I just said that.” he admitted, shaking his head. “But if someone were, I can take care of it.”

“I know you can, Barry. I’ve never doubted that. I just… for right now, I need to feel like… this is going to sound weird but as miserable as I was towards the end of my pregnancy, I already miss her being inside me. Right now she needs me for survival and I like that feeling. I love it.”

Barry smiled at her, understanding. Kara smiled back knowing he understood. The two had been together so long they could have a conversation without words about simple things.

“So do we teach her Kyptonese or English first?”

“I’m thinking both. Alex and I taught each other at the same time. She will be smarter than both of us. She can handle it.” Kara told him confidently. Lexie tired of feeding rested her head on Kara’s shoulder. The two were both nearly asleep, when Lexie vomited. Kara woke with a start, and panicked seeing the mess on her gown.

“Barry!”

Lexie began crying.

“She’s crying!”

Charlie ran in to investigate the cause of his mother’s distressed voice. Hearing the baby crying he decided to join in with his own howling.

“Burping! Gas! We know this!” Barry realized. Kara nodded her head, remembering and stood up too quickly judging by the pain she felt and began lightly patting the baby’s back. After a minute the crying had not stopped.

“She is still upset. She won’t burp. I can’t pat her any harder. This is bad… this is really, really bad. Charlie, please stop barking, you are not making this better.”

“Let me try.” Barry offered. He hesitantly took his daughter in his arms, moving slowly and stiffly.

“If you can’t hold her when she is crying, how are you going to burp her?”

“I can hold her, I’m just being careful.”

“No, not like that… we went over this… there, cradle her, okay, yeah, you are good.” Kara encouraged him. Barry began patting Lexie’s back. Two minutes went by and Lexie was turning red from the crying. Barry handed her back to a quickly panicking Kara and activated his emergency plan. It was only ten o clock so she should still be up. Thankfully she answered immediately.

“What’s wrong?” Eliza answered as a greeting.

“Lexie like… I don’t know, she is rejecting Kara’s… I don’t know its probably gas but she… I don’t know… It’s a mess and she is crying, she won’t stop, we have tried burping her…”

“Open your front door.” the woman instructed. Barry had the door unlocked before the word door couple be complete, surprised to see Eliza running up, Alex behind her.

“You two were coming over this late?”

“Of course not. We’ve been in my car outside, in case Kara needed us tonight.” his mother in law told him.

The two women stormed past Barry into the bedroom. Eliza gently took the baby from Kara’s arms and pressed the child against her of patting the baby she began rubbing circles with her hand on the child’s back. As the seconds ticked by, it seemed to work, the newborn calming, her crying lessening and then Eliza began gently patting her back. Within seconds a belch was heard by all. Silence filled the room, Charlie giving one satisfied bark as he walked back to the couch in the living room, planning on resuming his slumber.

“How did you do that? I… I patted her… I did. She wasn’t squirming when she was feeding or anything, so I didn’t think she needed a break. I was going to do it when I changed sides but then she…”

“Kara, calm down.” Eliza told her, gently.

“Can I have her back now? She is okay? Why can’t I burp her? This is bad. Am I going to have to hire someone to take care of this? Do people even do that for a living? I don’t want a nanny and I certainly don’t want to have to hire one and admit I can’t burp my own daughter and that’s all I need her for. I swear, I can handle the rest. Are there classes I can take?”

“First, change.” Eliza told her. “Lexie didn’t vomit she spit up. It happens a lot. Keep a towel on your shoulder or a lot of clean nightgowns or long tee shirts around.”

“Second, you think you could put your boob up? It’s a little awkward just kind of out like that, even with what we all saw yesterday.” Alex suggested.

“Oh! Yeah, let me… okay.” Kara stammered composing and adjusting herself. She hurried off to change, still walking gently though due to soreness. Both women looked at Barry, who stood still, mouth hanging open.

“You need to calm down, Flash.” Alex told him humorously, slapping the back of his head and seeming to focus the man.

“I… I was calm. How… why… you were in your car?”

“Yes,” Eliza confirmed, “No matter how many books the two of you have read or how many planets you have saved, you both are new parents and new parents, superheroes or not, need help books can’t provide. I decided to hang out in the car tonight and Alex volunteered to keep me company.”

“Why didn’t you just ask to come inside? We have extra bedrooms.”

“Kara…” Eliza started to explain.

“I thought we could handle this Barry.” Kara told him, walking out slowly. “She offered but I wanted us to do… it…”

“Kara relax.” Eliza told, handing her back the baby. “How were you holding her when you were burping her?”

“Like this.” Kara demonstrated.

“Try holding her a little higher on you. Let her chin rest on her shoulder, not tucked in. There are different methods and you will figure out which ones work. There are different positions and techniques and quite a few of them can work but some won’t. Also a bit of rubbing is all that is needed at times or a combination of both. These are things you will figure out, you just have to stay calm. Barry has to help you stay calm.” Eliza finished, looking at her son in law who dropped his head. “I promise as long as she is crying, she is breathing and it won’t hurt her until you determine the best way to sooth her.

“Thanks Mom.” Kara told her genuinely grateful.

“Always Kara. We should be going Alex. I think they have this.”

“You’re going to stay in the car tonight, aren’t you Mom?”

“Of course not… yes, yes I am.” she admitted.

“Please stay here with us. I… we are going to need help.” Kara admitted with a small smile, breathing easier now that Lexie had stopped crying.

“I would be glad to spend a week or longer if needed. You don’t have to ask, baby! My bags are in the car. Barry come help me. I have some research and tests results that need to be analyzed and categorized. I can work from here on what I can and Jeremiah can handle the rest.”

Eliza had left the room before anyone could say anything.

“Did she say a week or longer?” he asked. Alex popped him in the back of the head once more with a smirk.

“Yes she did. Too bad alcohol has no effect on you Dad. Better help her out. She has six bags. I’m spending the night also, just tonight. I can get my own bag.”

Barry walked out, shaking his head, leaving Kara and Lexie alone.

“Sorry?” she told her little girl who was staring at her mother. She blew a small bubble that Kara took to mean she was forgiven. By the time Eliza and Alex had settled in, Superwoman and her daughter were back in bed, asleep. Barry gently moved Lexie out of Kara’s arms and tucked her into the bassinet.

“On her back Barry.” Eliza whispered.

“She is.” he whispered back to his mother in law.

“She is slightly tilted towards her left side. She shouldn’t have the strength to roll over but we can’t assume anything and don’t want to give her a head start. Tuck the blanket… here let me show you.”

While Eliza took over preparing his already sleeping daughter in the exact same position he swore he had her in, Barry glanced at the door where Alex stood, biting her fist to hold back a laugh and then left.

It would be a long week.

Six days later, while Eliza and Kara bathed Lexie, Cisco knocked on the door.

“Daddy! Hows is going man? Eliza still criticizing everything you do?”

“No, she isn’t criticizing. She is making suggestions.” Barry clarified, although admitted to himself that quite a bit of her suggestions sounded like criticisms. He was beginning to understand Alex a bit more. Kara could do no wrong. Barry on the other hand was too stiff when he held Lexie or not firm enough, he wasn’t cleaning her well enough during diaper changes and she could get an infection. Too much water got in her eyes when he bathed her. While he admitted this all may be true, he was amazed at how quickly she pointed them out and if he didn’t know better, seemed to educate him with a sadistic glee.

Kara however, was a natural, according to Eliza. Eliza suggested using formula once a day and Kara agreed. Whatever Eliza suggested, even Kara’s lunch and meals, rest times, anything at all, Kara took it as biblical truth. Despite his perceived shortcomings in the fatherhood department, the week had been amazing. For the first time ever, Barry had serious doubts about whether he wanted to return to work. He had taken six weeks paternity leave but wondered how he would be able to pull himself away from spending every moment with Kara and Lexie. Yes, both parents felt like they were in a daze at times, waking up several times a night and neither having more than four hours of uninterrupted sleep but it was still amazing. They were sharing things together, experiences neither had ever imagined and the idea of this ending when it technically didn’t have to, saddened him. Kara’s gallery was ready and would open in eight weeks, leaving plenty of time to move over paintings from S.T.A.R. and their home. She would have Lexie with her all day while he crawled around homicide scenes that once intrigued him and now he strangely wanted no part in. After being around such life, the idea of going back to a world where death was business as usual didn’t appeal to him. But he had a job to do and would have to figure a way back. His father told him yesterday once again that it would be difficult to leave this restless, exhausting, terrifying but exciting nirvana that parenthood was and return to the real world.

“You talked to Alex today?” Cisco asked.

“She texted me earlier, asking if I was enjoying reliving her teenage years. Why?”

“I guess she didn’t tell you. Cool, I wanted to be the one to surprise Kara.”

“Kara really doesn’t do well with surprises lately.”

“She is going to like this one… maybe. Supercousin and his cougar Lois, Cougar Grant, and the really hot Amazon and the Martian Manhunter in all his greenness will be here in a few minutes. I finally got in touch last night. Brought them over this morning in the pipeline. They are checking into a hotel and then grabbing a couple taxis. Okay, Cat refused a taxi and has ordered the manager of the hotel to find a limousine service. Since her cards don’t work here, I was informed the group would be using mine and the next time I visited her universe she would put me up in a five star hotel and provide a limo. I told her I didn’t plan on visiting anytime soon and was told that was my problem. I’ll send you the bill, bro.”

“Oh… okay.”

Barry took a look around the house, seeing it a bit disheveled. The bottle that had held the formula Eliza and Kara deemed best, were still in the sink, soaking in hot water, the take out containers including Kara’s chicken salad bowl, which still blew Barry’s mind, were on the counter and a load of spit covered garments were piled in front of the washer. The house hadn’t been dusted either in two days. Kara was usually a freak about this since Lexie had been born but the little girl had kept them on their toes more than usually the past two days and Barry had forgotten.

“Come in and give me a minute.”

Cisco watched a blur sweep through the room, a broom running across the hardwood floor, a towel sweeping over the cabinets and counters, the feint smell of Pine Sol rising in the living room. Ten seconds later Barry was back in front of his friend.

“Sorry it took me so long. Dusting does take a bit more time because if I move too fast the dust just spreads. If Kara had her powers she would see it and be upset about Lexie breathing dust.”

“But there are always trace amounts of…”

“Don’t tell her that. Just don’t. The search for the best air purifier in the world continues.”

“Great, Caitlin is coming over for Lexie’s daily check up. Got any beer?”

Barry looked at Cisco in disbelief that he would even ask that. Why the hell would he need beer?

“Sorry. It wouldn’t kill you to keep a bottle for your buds who stop by.”

“I have water, milk… no jokes…” he warned, knowing his friend well…”and some sort of green protein shake crap that Eliza has convinced Kara is good for her and by extension the baby and orange juice.”

“I’ll pass on the green protein shake crap. Water it is, I suppose. Really man? No soda?”

‘You are more than welcome to go to the store. Wait, I have a list of other things you could get! Buy a beer for yourself too, on me.”

Before Cisco realized what was happening he had Barry’s card in one hand and a list in the other.

“You are being a big help. I haven’t had time to grocery shop. Make sure you get those exact diapers. Ask for help if you aren’t sure because the brand may be the same but there are fifteen different types. You are going to want the package with the pink top and bunnies on the bottom. Also please get the premixed formula, and for God’s sake don’t screw that up. I will never hear the end of it. Thanks. Here, your car probably won’t fit all these groceries so take mine. Just remember to close the garage door afterwards. Best bro ever man.”

Cisco blinked and was in Barry’s Volvo, garage door rising behind him and car running. No sign of Barry.

“Wow… that just happened.”

Barry warned Kara and Eliza of impending company, Kara excited and Eliza less so, but hiding it well, but not well enough as Barry noticed. Kara took their daughter to her nursery, to find the perfect outfit no doubt and straighten up, though the new mother kept the nursery spotless.

“You okay Eliza?” Barry asked, seeing Eliza’s small smile disappear when Kara left the room.

“I’ve been acting like a… I haven’t been very nice to you, Barry. I didn’t mean to be. I just… its a…”

“Hey, calm down. Wow, I’ve been waiting all week to say that to you.” he jokingly told her. “You have been a huge help.”

“Thank you. I should have more patience. I always have patience with Kara but not as much with everyone else. You are doing so well Barry. Lexie is lucky to have such a good father.”

“I appreciate it, Eliza.”

“I’ve just been stressed, things are going good, the baby isn’t having any problems and I am waiting for the other shoe to fall. I can’t show that stress around Kara because if I am not calm she won’t be. So I suppose I take it out in other ways. I did the same thing when she was growing up. I was so scared of Hank Henshaw threatening to take her away I drove Alex away, pushing her to be ready to run with Kara and never being able to tell her why. That bastard could have taken her too. When Jeremiah first started working there, for that year before we thought he died, he would tell me all about the Kryptonite weapons the DEO had. Henshaw didn’t even tried to hide them, showed them off just to let Jeremiah know he could take Kara when he wanted. Now she has the same fears I do about the baby and I have to hide mine.”

“You don’t have to hide. Talk to her. She does has the same fears as I do, we all do and not talking about them isn’t going to make them go away. What else is going on? You don’t seem excited about our visitors. Didn’t you and Cat Grant kind of become friends?”

“Yes, we did, surprisingly good friends. Cat isn’t the problem.”

“You don’t want visitors?” he tried. All week, everyone they knew had visited at least once, Alex and Nyssa, Harry, Joe and Jeremiah daily but none stayed more than a couple hours, wanting to give them time to settle in. Oliver, Thea and Felicity visited on Monday, Kara, using the power of four puppy eyes, six if you counted Charlie, forced Oliver Queen to not only hold Lexie but also feed her a bottle of formula. Thea took over two hundred pictures in five minutes, causing Barry to speculate that Thea may actually be a metahuman.

“No, it isn’t visitors, its those visitors, or more specifically, its Clark.”

Barry was surprised by this. “I thought… you and Clark were close and working together…”

“I can’t stand him.” Eliza bit out. She never would have said such a thing if Kara had her powers. “Kara is my child. He gave her up. He ignored her, it is shameful how little contact he had with her. But when he thought she was dead, he took us to his fortress for our protection. During that time, he killed Lane and then came back to brood. He talked about how Kara had looked, how he was certain she was dead. He was so certain he had me believing it. Only Alex would tell him to shut the hell up. He didn’t begin working on a way to get to Kara like he promised Alex. Hank had to convince him to let us come to the States and we had to start the search. He was no help. Sure, he brought crap from his Fortress that he had no idea how to use and couldn’t tell if it was helpful or not. Cat even worked, searching the world for scientists who might be able to help and recruiting them. Hank tried to help the scientists. He would actually read their minds looking for stray thoughts they may have had fleetingly and dismissed, then research whether they had any merit, himself. He disguised himself as colleagues of astrophysicists all over the country who had ever flirted with the multiverse theory, men we either couldn’t afford or trust and he picked their brains for information. Alex began studying allows of Kara’s pods and tried to determine the feasibility of them handling the extreme vibrations that would be needed. Clark brooded about the death of his people. Unless something happened to the population of Kansas that I didn’t know about, his people were fine.”

“I… didn’t know you felt that way.” Barry stammered, trying to digest this unexpected information.

“When Jeremiah died Kara and Alex both could have used a positive male presence in their life. Do you now where he was? I don’t. I was the one comforting two teenage girls, one of whom I didn’t realize was living with so much guilt… anyway, I put up with him, because he is, or at least was Kara’s last link to Krypton. But since we found her, every time he is around its all about his people, his family, his blood line continuing. He’s an idiot and he doesn’t deserve her. She is so forgiving. If I was her I would have banished him from the house, as was her right to do at anytime, based on his abandonment of her.

Now watch Barry, the minute he arrives he will be doting about Lexie being blood and blood bonds and all that other crap. She is my blood! Kara is mine and every time he is around I have to listen to him spout that crap about a civilization Kara loves that he knows nothing about. Don’t believe me? Has Kara taught you how to ask how have you been in Kryptonese?”

“Yeah.”

“Use it when you see him. It will take him a minute to formulate a response. At least a minute and his response will probably be wrong. J’onn was more of a father figure to her in a year of knowing her, Jeremiah has been more of a father figure even in the year before he disappeared than the man who could have and should have been that for her the last 14 years. But I will smile and listen to his crap and count down the days until he is gone.”

“How is your Kryptonese?” Barry asked curiously.

“A lot better than his. I was never able to pick it up like Alex and Kara never really tried. I think she got a kick out of communicating with Alex in a language only they knew. Both girls loved it but Alex was too cool to admit it. While we were going over the Kryptonian databanks from his fortress Alex taught me quite a bit. Enough that we could get drunk together and talk about what an idiot he was right in front of him.”

Barry choked back a laugh, seeing the seriousness in her eyes.

“Then while he is here, you and Kara should converse in Kryptonese. I’ll throw what I know in the mix. Maybe I will ask Kal to help me with the translations.”

Eliza smiled and shook her head.

“I won’t embarrass him. Kara wouldn’t want that. I will do what I always do. Sit back and take it while he pretends Kara is his family. The others are great. Cat Grant really cares about Kara. She loves her, always wants the best for her. Lois does care about her a lot. She even approved of Clark killing her father in revenge. J’onn loves her deeply. He fought and could have died by her side. But Clark… ugh. The Amazon also worries me.”

“Really?” Barry asked innocently.

“Don’t Barry. I know she worries you too. J’onn tells me she is a good person so I will believe it but I can’t help it. I hope she truly wants to help Kara for no other reason than just helping her. I’m afraid she wants to train and gain Kara’s loyalty so if she needs help in whatever kind of battles these Amazons have, Kara will fight by her side. I have no reason to suspect this, but…”

“You love her and always have to worry about the worst. I’m the same way. I don’t think we have to worry though. Even if they become good friends Kara won’t leave our daughter or her dog to go fight a war that isn’t her business.”

“You had better start saying our dog or I won’t be able to save you from her wrath.” Eliza told him, relaxing a bit. Many good things could be said about Barry Allen and one of them was he was very easy to talk to, just as Jeremiah told her his father was.

“Eliza, I can understand why you feel the way you do about Kal El. From what I have heard he wasn’t the most supportive while Kara was growing up but we both know he loves her. He also did one thing right that we both owe him for.”

“What is that?”

“He trusted me enough in a split second to let me bring Kara here so Caitlin could save her life. I wouldn’t have been able to do it if he tried to stop me or even if he didn’t help me. He did kill the men before they could shoot her again. He did snap the bands off of Alex’s legs so she could get here. He isn’t a bad guy, right?”

Eliza looked down and smiled. “You do see the best in everybody, don’t you Barry? I suppose you have a point. I know I don’t say it enough, but I love you.”

Barry’e head snapped up and before he could stop himself he responded. “I don’t think you have ever said that, actually.”

Eliza stated at him for a moment, sadness creeping over her face.

“Then that is my fault. I should have told you and I will from now on. I wish I had known your mother. I can imagine as a mother of two daughters that if you were my son, I would be as proud of you as I am of Alex and Kara. No one will ever replace her but I want you to know if you ever need to talk or need for anything, I am here. We are family now and for a mother in law I could be worse. I haven’t said anything about how you always put Lexie’s diaper on crooked and I have to straighten it so it doesn’t give her a rash, or the three times you forgot to put powder on her yesterday.”

“Gee thanks. Here I was, thinking I had the diaper thing down too.” he told her, pulling her into a tight hug. “I love you too, Eliza.”

The two held each other until a knock on the door interrupted the moment and Charlie’s howls alerted the house to visitors. Eliza pulled back and smiled.

“Time to play the good hostess. It will be fun. Watch Clark’s face when I talk about stories of Kara growing up and how much we bonded. His right eyebrow twitches a bit but that strong jaw doesn’t flinch.”

The two walked into the living room as Kara was emerging, having changed herself into a light blue sun dress, Lexie dressed to match. She was awake and not fussy and both parents hoped being handled as she was soon to be wouldn’t put her in a bad mood.

Opening the door, Cat Grant was of course the first to enter, taking in Kara as she did each time the two met again, memories good and bad crashing in to both their heads. The good were easy to remember but the bad were not bad in the traditional sense. Yes they both had moments where they annoyed each other, particularly the Adam and Siobhan disaster, but the bad memories Kara had involving Cat were of her mentor being in danger from Leslie, seeing her handcuffed in the park, surrounded by Leslie and Siobhan. She had seen Cat drunk, depressed over her unloving, cold mother, she had nearly seen her defeated by the email scandal, seen her unsure of herself when things didn’t go well at her first meeting with Adam. All of these hurt her, because in Kara’s mind, Cat Grant could not be defeated. These were the only bad memories she had in regards to the woman many considered a demon but not her.

Cat’s memories were good as well but every time she saw Kara she relived the moment James Olsen told her she had been shot, was probably dead and would definitely never be seen again. Cat had never felt so alone and desperate in her life. Not having Kara by her side was like having a chunk of her body tore out, leaving a hole that couldn’t be filled. Cat made Kara tougher and Kara made Cat softer, more open with others outside of her youngest son. They were each other’s hero.

“Kara.” Cat gasped. “She looks like you. Absolutely beautiful. I was so afraid she may look like your husband… oh, hello Barry.”

“Cat.” Good to see you,” Barry greeted her, smiling, knowing she was kidding.

He thought she was kidding.

Kara backed up, allowing the guests to enter, Kal, Lois, and J’onn following.

Barry was about to close the door when Caitlin stopped him, Diana Prince dressed normally for a change, not in armor or even high priced fine evening wear, simply jeans and… Barry almost rolled his eyes. She had a Flash tee shirt on. She was also carrying the big bag Barry usually had to move from Caitlin’s car. He asked Caitlin to leave it here but she insisted on taking it back to the lab each night. All the information on Kara and Lexie was kept on a separate drive, offline, not tied into any system that could be hacked nor tied into the internet at all. The medical information including measurement of solar radiation in both their cells, blood test results and anything else down to measurements of the baby’s weight and height were kept on a secure, portable zip drive with a small destruct trigger inside it, capable of releasing a magnetic pulse that would erase all information. Caitlin took the zip drive when she left, along with Firestorm who watched her from the sky, in the event she was hijacked by someone wanting the information. Once she arrived at S.T.A.R. the zip drive information was entered into a serve kept in the pipeline inside one of the metahuman soon as the information was downloaded the zip drive was burned by Firestorm and the information secure. This would allow the scientists to use a work station in the cell to monitor Lexie’s daily status but be as secure as possible. A small EMP device was also buried in the server and in the event that a secure six number password was not entered on booting up, the EMP would detonate and completely erase the entire system and all the information it contained. Harry and Cisco had designed the system for complete security, protecting both Kara and the baby’s information as securely as possible. By agreement of all, only Alex and Caitlin had the numerical password to access the server. Others would be allowed to enter the cell while one of them stood by. Harry compared Lexie’s DNA to Barry’s and checked for any mutations that could be attributed to the Speed Force or Kryptonian DNA. Dr. Stein monitored the solar radiation readings from both the child and Kara, although she had been bombarded with red dwarf rays directly through the skin, negating the potency of her yellow star radiation. While her cells could never be depowered because of red sunlight, the red rays did negate the ability of her cells to metabolize the energy into raw power. This was the reason why she could take the bracelet off and her powers returned immediately because the yellow sun radiation never left her cells.

“Good to see you again Diana.” Barry greeted her.

“Barry, the world of men has enough liars. Don’t be one of them.” she told him with a wink. He had to grin a bit. She certainly wasn’t vague when she spoke.

“So this is her.” Kal El whispered, his eyes going directly to the newest member of his family. The man did not have much, had lost a lot of them to this Earth, missed them very badly and had recently been dreaming about the day he and Lois could perhaps stay here permanently, watch Lexie grow up and be as close to Kara as he always should have been, and perhaps even splitting time with Kara protecting the world so each of them could have a peaceful life.

“Hi to you too cousin.” Kara told him, with a bright smile. Kal gently hugged her, not wanting to press the baby between them.

“She is gorgeous Kara, not that I ever doubted she would be.” Lois admitted.

“Is her skin still reddening when she is rubbed?” Caitlin asked, cutting to the chase. Her work on King Shark’s DNA, her work with Cisco on developing better monitoring systems for the suits, helping Zatanna find physical links to her magic, had all taken a backseat to Lexie and Kara. This was the only project she worked on. It involved two and now three of the most important people in her life. Although they hadn’t talked about it, judging by how Kara was with Lexie, Caitlin doubted this would be the only child she had and wanted to be absolutely prepared for the next one.

“Yes, she developed a small rash this morning but powder took care of it. It was gone after an hour and two minutes.” Kara answered quickly. “I used a stop watch.”

As Barry, Kara and Eliza continued to greet everyone, Caitlin moved to a back bedroom and began setting up her portable table with X rays, ultraviolet spectrometers and a blood collection kit. Kara had agreed with Eliza’s urging to let Caitlin take blood samples for the first month, twice a week to determine how strong or weak her immune system was.

“Kara, I thought you would be back to your ridiculously perfect shape that Diana seems to take for granted. Did you lose your powers before birth?” Cat asked her former protege.

“I began losing them a lot more after we saw you all at Christmas. About two weeks before her birth they went away completely. I’ve been wearing my bracelet since her birth so I don’t know if my powers will return or not.”

“Why haven’t you taken off the bracelet? You should strive to have your powers returned as soon as possible.” Diana told her, before she could stop herself.

“I’m nursing my child. If my powers returned I am not sure what that would to my body. I would suspect I would become indestructible, and my body would return to my pre pregnancy form. That would make it difficult for me to nurse her.”

“Of course.I was just concerned. Living on an island full of women, I was the first child to be raised on Themyscira. I wasn’t born in the traditional sense so breast feeding isn’t a concept our people are familiar with. I am sure you have enemies though.”

“We will always have enemies. Barry circled the equator in two and a half minutes. We have a family filled with brilliant, strong, deadly and loyal members. I can take a few months off.”

“Thats a good decision, Kara. Breast feeding is very positive for a child for as long as possible.” Cat agreed, glaring at Diana who shrugged her shoulders. She could not judge, never being in this position herself and respected Kara’s desire to trust others with her child’s safety.

“I’m sorry, did you say… Barry, you circled the globe in two and a half minutes?” J’onn asked, in his Hank Henshaw guise.

“Yes sir. It was a trial run. I’ve learned new techniques to increase my speed, strength and vibrational frequency many times what I have accomplished before. I can go faster but Kara worries so I haven’t tried, yet. My next goal is around the world in a second.”

Kal El laughed. No one else did.

“Barry, moving that fast is impossible.” Superman told him.

“You would have said the same thing about doing it in two and a half minutes. I did that, and I knew when I was doing it, I could go faster. At least I felt I could and am confident I can call it at will. If anyone tries to harm my family he or she will be taken out quickly.”

“Why is it every time you hear about someone doing something you can’t, you say it is impossible Kal?” Jeremiah asked, having let himself in as he often did. “Whether you believe it to be impossible or not I saw it. You are sitting in the living room of the most powerful man in this universe. The impossible is nothing for him. Changing timelines, changing reality, breaking every so called law of physics. Crossing the oceans, phasing through villages and even mountains if he wanted to, is possible for is nothing he can’t do.”

The pride in his voice for his son in law was obvious, as he walked over to J’onn and hugged the Martian then bent over near Kara who handed Lexie to him with a smile, after he kissed his daughter on the cheek. “Joe heard we had company and he and Henry are going to be grilling. I saw Cisco at the grocery store and told him to buy steaks with the rest of the grocery list you sent him after. You want to use charcoal or propane, son?”

“I guess with so many guests we should use propane.” Barry told him, feeling a lot of pride at his father in law’s assessment.

“Good call. So how are things on the place I used to call Earth and now fondly refer to as hell?”

Lois and Cat informed the gathering of what was going on, the search for the Order which was going well since Bruce Wayne and Barbara Gordon, who was walking strongly now, had found a money trail and were following it aggressively, Barbara through the web and Bruce in a more aggressive fashion involving the beating of several underworld accountants. Kara finally convinced Kal El to sit and hold her daughter while Lois took multiple pictures and the rest of the night went well. Diana found Barry and Kara standing away from the group with Eliza and Caitlin, discussing the positive results of Lexie’s scans today.

“Your daughter is lovely, Kara. A goddess on Earth as I suspected. I apologize for questioning your decision earlier. It wasn’t my place. I was just surprised and should have been more tactful.”

“Its fine Diana. Believe me, Barry and I have had the same discussions, but as long as there are no overt threats I plan to enjoy this time.”

“And no further contact with this group your League met in Keystone City?” she asked, remembering J’onn’s report when he returned from Christmas.

“Not since Oliver’s run in with the team while we were on our honeymoon. We decided it was an A.R.G.U.S. matter and unless the group became a direct threat to innocents or they could not pull Caitlin Fairchild out, we would stay out of it.” Barry explained.

“A wise decision. Working with any government is a slippery slope. The only ones you can truly count on are your brothers and sisters in arms. So tell me, I have heard the stories but I am dying to know if they are true. How painful was labor?”

“Worse than a stubbed toe. A lot, lot worse. But it was worth it when she was placed in my arms. I would do it again and again if it meant getting her. Speaking of the Justice League Princess, I should feed her.”

“Can I?” Kal asked, hearing the conversation from across the room.

“I’m going to breast feed her. You can certainly take your shirt off and try but something tells me it won’t work.” Kara told him grinning, enjoying the reddening of his face. While she was no longer the naive girl he had known on the old Earth, he still remained the Kansas farm boy who could be buttoned up and easily embarrassed by the thought of anything remotely involving a woman’s body. Kara could have imagined his reaction had he been in the delivery room. She hoped he never lost that.

Kal El got over his embarrassment quickly and winked at his cousin. “I think I will sit that one out.”

“You can change her diaper in an hour or so.” Kara suggested, enjoying this. She very rarely got to pick on her little cousin.

“Uh…”

“Come on. You are the last son of Krypton. You can change a diaper, right Superman?”

Clark rose to the challenge. “Consider it done, Elder of the House.”

While dinner was nearly ready, Alex and Nyssa arrived. Greeting everyone fondly, Alex pulled Nyssa by the hand towards Diana.

“Diana! How great to see you again. You remember my Nyssa?”

“I certainly do.” Diana told her taking the offered hand. “A pleasure to see you both again. You have a beautiful namesake Alex.”

“She is. How is Donna coming along with her trials? We haven’t seen her yet.” Alex asked, brushing off the praise. She admired the woman, as did Nyssa, but as everyone else who knew Kara, all were wary of anyone showing an interest in her powers. Diana was not surprised by this.

“I have not had a chance to fly to Themyscira and probably won’t this trip. We have a situation back home, possible signs of something important being prepared so will only be able to spare a couple days. I am not sure what it is, only that it is bad. Our tribe has a sister, gifted in foresight and she has seen nothing but darkness and destruction in the near future and beyond. It falls to me to find out the possible cause and stop it. She sees possible outcomes so the future can be changed. I will know I am successful when her vision changes to one of peace.”

“Fascinating.” Nyssa commented. “So what are these trials Donna has to complete? What is involved?”

‘Twelve tasks, involving difficult enemies, the children of the Gods of Olympus, as the meta’s style themselves. Should she defeat each in battle she will be granted the final gift of the Amazons. The Goddess Hera will grant her immortality through her magic. Like all Amazons she will not be invincible but like all Amazons she is very hard to kill.”

“So like the twelve labors of Hercules?” Alex guessed, causing Diana to laugh.

“Don’t be fooled by men’s lies. Hercules was not successful at all his labors. He was not granted immortality due to this.”

“And which one did he fail?” Nyssa asked, fascinated.

“He did well until he was ordered to take my Mother’s girdle. She sent what was left of his body by sea back to Olympus and his father Zeus. Hera was not happy that Heracles was sent on that particular mission. Her husband was in the dog house for over a century. My mother did keep the lion mane he wore. If you ever have the opportunity to visit, I would be glad to show it to you in our trophy room.”

‘I would look forward to it.” Nyssa admitted.

“I have no doubt in Donna’s ability at completing the tasks. Despite being young she is strong and her heart is great. She is her mother’s child, just as Alexandra is Kara’s. I have gathered the child is exhibiting nothing abnormal. My requests to the fates have been granted. She has so much power but at her age, the ability to handle it would be simply too much.”

“We have been lucky. If your Fates have anything to do with it, then we are grateful.” Alex told the Amazon, not quite believing in fate but grateful they had been lucky so far.

“Such power will not stay bridled for long. I have no doubt you are all ready though. Barry Allen, his achievements are becoming outstanding. He will be a god among men.”

“He still scrunches his nose and tries to look away while changing a diaper, turns a bit green even. He also slurps his coffee and doesn’t use coasters very often leaving rings on my very nice coffee table. His lab at the station is a mess. He has a ways to go before godhood is granted but yeah, he has potential.” Alex admitted.

The next night, in the backyard under the moonlight as Kara insisted, the entire Justice League and family gathered. A ceremony had to be performed and since all her family, even extended was here, Kara thought tonight would be the best time. The visitors were going back to Earth 3 tomorrow and it was not known when the next time she would have them all in one place at one time. Cat planned to be back in six weeks, Carter in tow this time, for the official opening of Kara’s gallery. The rest had work to do. Eliza expressed her sincere disappointment to Kal El that he couldn’t be there, and Barry was impressed with her ability to lie so convincingly. The woman truly looked distraught.

Kara, dressed in a simple blue but long and elegant dress she had asked Thea to pick up for the occasion since she still hadn’t left the house, stood in the middle of the backyard,

“Kara?”

“Yes Kal?” she asked, noticing he had been anxious all night and wondering when he would approach her.

“From what I have learned in the databanks the Protector roles were always reserved for members of the house. I was wondering…”

“Why I didn’t ask you?” Kara guessed.

The Man of Steel shrugged his shoulders and looked at the ground. “I know my parents were yours.”

“Kal, I love you, you know I do. That will never change. You are my little cousin and always will be. But Oliver and Nyssa are my brother and sister. They are my family and great warriors at that, two of the greatest who have ever fought on this Earth, I would guess in history. It is an honor reserved for family. One thing I have learned and I hope you are learning with your own League, is that our parents and people were very wrong. Blood has nothing to do with family. Nothing at all. Family is love, and that is all that matters.”

“I understand, Kara. I even agree with you. I can see how close you are with your family. So will the ceremony be in Kryptonese?”

“No. I thought I wanted it to be but all the family deserves a chance to understand the oath being sworn by Oliver and Nyssa.”

Kal El laughed. “And here I thought you were the one who held the strictest formalities of our culture. It’s good to see yo loosening up.”

“I haven’t loosened up, I have grown. Krypton is dead. This is my planet, my family, and I decide the customs as I see fit. My first home will never be forgotten, but I won’t be tethered to it any longer. Neither will you.” Kara hugged her little cousin and he walked to the back to stand with the rest. Oliver in his Green Arrow garb hood up, mask off, as Kara requested and Nyssa, wearing her dark red leather armor, black thin pants, a thick but flexible robe, she often wore in battles in the past, her black hood covering her head as well, stepped towards the woman. Jeremiah placed a bassinet in front of the couple and Barry gently lay his daughter inside, then stood by Kara. Both Nyssa and Oliver had bows and quivers on their backs and broad swords in their hand.

“Oliver Jonas Queen, Nyssa Zor El, have you come here of your own free will?” Kara began.

“We have.” both responded. Nyssa and Oliver pulled back their hoods, knelt on one knee and placed the swords on the ground in front of the bassinet, crossing each other.

“You have been called upon to be the Protectors of Alexandra Nora Allen, until such a time as she may defend herself. To defend her unto death from any who wish to harm her. When she is of age, you will be responsible for her education in the art of war, the art of peace and the honor a great warrior must posses. This is a sacred position, offered to only the greatest souls and purest hearts. Your souls will be bound to hers for all time and space, to protect, to love, to defend and fight beside her. Do each of you accept this great responsibility?”

“We do.”

“Do you vow to bind her yourselves to her soul, to treat her heart as your own heart, her life above yours always?”

“We do.”

“It is so sworn. Let all here be witness. The souls of Oliver Jonas Queen and Nyssa Zor El are forever tied to our child in a bond that cannot be severed. Rise Protectors and pay homage to your charge.”

Nyssa and Oliver stood up, Nyssa first then Oliver bending over and kissing Lexie on her forehead.

“Thank you both.” Kara whispered, holding back tears while Barry didn’t bother trying, as applause rose from the gathered. While all walked inside, Nyssa, Alex, Felicity and Oliver stayed back for a moment.

“That went much better than the last ceremony the two of us were involved in, Oliver.” Nyssa commented.

“I know. I kept waiting for the moment where you tried to slice my throat. I suppose it is up to me now to try and be a person who meets those expectations.” he told the three, wiping a tear from his eye.

“You already are.” Alex told him. He smiled gratefully and arm wrapped around Felicity the two moved inside.

“After all this time, all the battles we have fought against one another and at each other’s side, I still cannot decide if I want to kill him or hug him.” Nyssa mused.

“I have a feeling most people who know Oliver Queen feel the same way. Since you aren’t much of a hugger and neither is he, chance aren’t good for him, but then again you are sort of in this together now. Lets go inside, I am starving.”

Nyssa held her back.

“I’ve never known love or a real family, until I met you Alex. What I just swore was the only oath I have gladly accepted in my life.”

“I know.”

“There is one other oath I would like to make and I wish you to make it as well. I am not sure how you feel about marriage, I have never thought about it before I met you, at least willingly. I love you, you love me, and it has been enough. I didn’t need a ceremony to know we were forever. But recently my thoughts have changed. The importance of tying two souls together in a public manner has changed my perception on marriage. I would like you to marry me, Alex.”

Alex stood frozen, caught completely off guard. Nyssa reached into her robe and brought out a ring. The ring had no setting, instead resembling a man’s wedding band only this was encrusted in diamonds around the whole circumference.

“I thought you might like this. It is gold but Cisco ensured me that you could wear it under your glove and no shock from the electrical emitters in your fist will affect you. The gold is softer than a typical ring. You should be able the strike as much as you like with no damage to your finger or the ring. I took the liberty of buying myself one as well. I would like us to wear these matching rings as a married couple. Everything I have will be yours. If you need time….”

“Yes! Yes, yes, yes, God yes.” Alex answered quickly. She took the ring quickly and was not surprised to see it was a perfect fit. “I love you so much. I was going to ask you! Did Kara… no she wouldn’t. If it doesn’t involve an article in Parents magazine she doesn’t… did you know?”

“Know that you were going to ask me to marry you? No. You really… you are certain?”

“Yes, I have never been more certain of anything in my life.”

Nyssa kissed her gently, until Alex locked her leg behind Nyssa’s taking them both to the ground and kissed her quite a bit harder. Gentle wasn’t either of their styles.

The next four weeks had gone smoothly, Barry and Kara managing with little intervention from any of the grandparents, though they had so many daily visitors the house felt like it had a revolving door occasionally. Winn and Caitlin had finally convinced Kara that since Lexie’s cells were fully powered it wouldn’t hurt her or make any powers evolve simply because of exposure to sunlight every now and then. At six weeks old, the first time Kara took Lexie outside the baby smiled voluntarily for the first time in her young life. Barry zipped out and saw it as well, holding Kara and both laughing at their daughter who was expressing genuine happiness on her own for the first time. They knew a child could smile to express pleasure or warmth between six to eight weeks old. So of course Lexie took the first days later, Barry reluctantly returned to work. He had seen many of his coworkers during the time off, many officers stopping by to see the newly crowned princess of Central City, but still received many congratulations from co workers that simply reminded him that he wasn’t with his wife and child. A call to his accountant that was unnecessary reminded him that he didn’t have to be here. Alex and Joe visited him twice apiece in the morning, trying to cheer him up and Barry acted gamely, trying to fool them both. Alex and Nyssa had been over often working with Kara to plan details of a very complicated ceremony in a very complicated location, and had noticed Barry’s increasing sadness as his time off came to an end.

Kara missed him greatly at home. She had Charlie to play with while Lexie napped during the day but hadn’t realized how much she took for granted Barry always being around. Deciding to paint outside under the covered porch in the backyard, she set up her canvas and Lexie’s play pen and laid her sleeping daughter inside it. With her back turned, Charlie’s bark first alerted her to something being wrong.

Kara turned and saw a woman in a completely red bodysuit, only her bare arms uncovered, descending into her backyard.

Superwoman panicked, thoughts of Caitlin Fairchild’s team’s similar garbs filling her mind. Standing in front of Lexie sleeping in her playpen, Kara’s power flared, the yellow sunlight in her cells overpowering the dampening effects of the solar bracelet. The red solar cells fried immediately and the bracelet cracked into pieces in a second. Twin beams of pure power shot from her eyes, pushing over 5000 degrees in heat, shot towards the girl who threw up her gauntlet covered arms and absorbed the blast, sending her through the fence and into a large tree trunk fifty yards into the woods beyond the back yard.

Kara turned to check on Lexie and saw she had woken. Grabbing her phone incredibly fast, she called Barry who answered before the first ring.

“Hey…”

“I need you at home now! Back yard!”

Barry moved, com in ear, barely having enough time to tell Curtis who was on JL duty to alert the League to gather in his backyard for a possible meta attack.

When he arrived seconds after the call was received he checked the area. Lexie had woken and was crying, Charlie was howling at the edge of the yard where a large hole replaced what used to be a section of wooden fence. Kara was knelt in font of Lexie’s playpen, eyes on the hole, waiting for whoever was on the other side to attack. She was breathing hard. He also noticed her eyes were still glowing and her bracelet was in pieces as if it had exploded. Kara seemed fine for the moment but scared, angering the Flash. Barry had not bothered to suit up, not wanting to waste even a quarter second it would have taken him. He moved faster than Kara could even track, seeing the world standing still as usual while it moved quickly for everyone else. He saw a dazed young brunette in a red full bodied leotard beginning to rise shakily to her feet. He grabbed her by the neck, vibrating at unreal speeds, causing him to blur, and pressed her against the tree trunk.

‘Who are you?” his vibrated voice asked. The brunette shook her head trying to clear it.

“I didn’t think this would be another trial. Princess Diana just told me how to get here.”

“Diana? Who are you?!”

“I’m Donna! Donna Troy. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to surprise her. This was all I had that could survive the flight and I didn’t want your neighbors to see me. I didn’t know your phone number or have a phone. Diana showed me what one looked like but we did not have them in…”

“Yeah, got it.” Barry told her, letting go of her neck. Before he could slow down his thoughts enough to have a conversation, Kara let out a scream. Barry moved back towards her, over her as she was on the ground, shaking, caught in a seizure.

Donna moved to investigate until an arrow flew towards her. She blocked it with one bracelet and blocked a bullet with another. Looking for her attackers another arrow hit her, wrapping a strange wire around her torso. Flexing, she loosened the tight binding and ripped it off with her hands. Before she could track her enemies four individuals dropped in front of her, a man and woman with wings holding a sword and mace. Both individuals eyes were red and she could swear their fingers were talons. Another man on fire and an armored man with his arm raised towards her. A flash of light and a woman wearing a black strapless dress and stiletto boots appeared. She had lights of all colors flowing around her but her eyes were completely black.

Barry zipped back, panicked.

“Don’t attack her, she isn’t an enemy. Kara is hurt, I have to get her to S.T.A.R.”

“Take her!” Oliver barked. Speedy was running through the yard and into the woods, arrow already ready and wondering why the woman in red wasn’t dead yet.

“Lexie! I can’t run her…”

“We have her Barry, take Kara.” Nyssa told him.

“But…”

“You asked us to be protectors, now trust us. Go!” Oliver ordered, exploding arrow this time, aimed at the unknown woman.

Barry gathered a shaking Kara, who was now moaning in pain still on the ground, and ran for Caitlin. Oliver, Nyssa and Alex ran back to the yard and stood in front of the backdoor, after Alex lifted the crying infant out of the playpen and ran her inside, gun in her holster but ready to fire if anyone came in. She wished she had time to suit up. Alex had a bad feeling that her fists wouldn’t have much affect on the woman if she survived Kara’s attack and an extra jolt to her strikes would be helpful.

“Calm down baby. Is okay. Momma is going to be okay.” she whispered in her ear, Lexie eventually calming down, taking in her aunt’s familiar scent.

FIrestorm took in the woman before him, Martin urging Jax to restraint, based no Barry’s word.

“You so much as look at someone wrong, what she just did to you is going to feel like a cozy night by the campfire compared to the heat I will make you feel.” he warned her.

“I promise you, I come in peace.” Jax looked at Ray, Carter and Kendra. Ray nodded and neither of the Hawks seemed to disagree so he doused his flame, refusing to separate yet.

“I guess you better come with us so we can check on our leader. Follow us in the air. Its quicker that way and I am guessing you can fly like Wonder Woman?”

“Wonder what? Uh, yes I can fly.”

“Let’s go.” Kendra ordered, shooting into the sky, the others following.

At the lab, Caitlin had the table and solar lamps ready, not understanding what had happened, but Curtis informing her Barry was on his way with Kara and Barry had called the League together at his house for a meta attack. A swoosh of wind and Kara was on the table, still shaking, gritting her teeth.

“What happened?” Caitlin asked, forcing herself to calm down.

“She thought she was being attacked by a metahuman. Long story. Anyway she obviously used her heat vision to hit the woman hard and then called me. I showed up and found the woman she hit where she had been knocked through our fence into a tree trunk in the woods. I attacked her and when I realized she wasn’t a threat Kara began screaming. I found her on the ground shaking.”

‘She took her bracelet off? Harry asked, running in, Jeremiah and Eliza behind him.

“I don’t think so Harry. From what it looked like on the ground, it exploded.”

“Exploded? How could it explode?” Harry asked, thinking immediately of design it hit him. “The red sun light sent straight through her skin keeps the yellow sunlight from metabolizing. Kara must have felt threatened enough that her cells reacted anyway, overpowering and sending the rays back into the device. It must have been quick enough that the power caused the battery to overheat and crack the casing.”

“So her arm is burnt? Does she have internal burns?” Jeremiah asked, close to panicking himself as Barry tried to hold Kara down. Barry hadn’t even noticed that he had begun vibrating to hold Kara down.

“No, she is fine. Lexie was there, right?” Harry asked. Barry nodded.

“Don’t try to hold her still Barry. There isn’t anything we can do. It will pass. Just make sure she doesn’t slide off the table. You are the only one who can keep her steady.” Caitlin told him sadly.

“Yeah I got that, her powers are back, but why is this happening?!”

Kara finally stopped shaking as the question left his lips. She sagged on the table, exhausted, eyes closed. Caitlin moved the lamps to the side, knowing they wouldn’t be needed.

“What is going on?” The Flash asked, briefly scared Kara had died when she stopped shaking.

“Look at her Barry.” Eliza told him. Barry did look at her, really looked at her and noticed the changes. The larger, comfortable jeans she had been wearing were very baggy on her now, threatening to fall off her waist. Her t shirt did not fit her as snugly as before, now seeming to sag. Barry gently lifted her shirt and saw the stretch marks she had jokingly referred to as her battle scars were gone, and her abdomen was defined once again. Her arms were firmer, not bulkier but the deceptive and sleek muscle tone she always had before her pregnancy was back. Not part of her could be considered “soft” any longer. Any weight she had not lost from the birth yet was now gone.

“She had never voluntarily held back using her powers that long before. Even when she was hiding who she was, she used X ray vision and heat vision no matter how small. Her strength was always there. Being fully charged, holding back for so long and feeling her daughter was threatened it… hit her at once.” Eliza explained to her son in law.

“So… so she is okay? The seizure was her body returning to what it was.”

“Yep.” Harry agreed, looking at the sleeping Kryptonian sadly.

“This is good. She just needs a nap. Everything will be fine.”

“She is going to be so upset.” Eliza whispered. “She won’t be able to nurse anymore.”

Barry hadn’t realized that implication in his relief that Kara was okay.

Alex walked in holding Lexie, Nyssa, Oliver, Felicity and Speedy following.

“How is she?” Alex asked.

“She is okay. She…” Jeremiah started.

“Felt her daughter was threatened and the power in her cells overrode the bracelet, tearing it apart. Her cells hit her with the effects of holding back for so long and now she is… back to her old self.” Alex guessed, already having suspected.

A bark alerted them all to the other visitors, Ray holding a barking Charlie who was panicking himself, judging by the way he was wiggling to get out of the armored arms holding him to get to his mother. Jax and Martin entered, ahead of Carter and Kendra who had a sheepish Donna Troy in between them.

“Is she…” Carter stopped his question when Kara sat up slowly, then took in her form. Letting out a breath she zipped off, back in two seconds wearing her suit, sans cape and mask.

“Perfect fit. How about that?” she muttered, sadness evident in her voice. Then she met Donna’s remorseful eyes.

“I am so sorry. You are Kara Zorel or Allen? Princess Diana told me how to reach you, what lines to follow in the Earth. This was the only garment I had that could survive the flight. My other… garments were robes, that would not blend in with this world. I thought if I entered your backyard the few neighbors you have would not notice my strange dress. I had no idea I would scare you like that. I should have found one of those phones, but I didn’t have your number. If you weren’t home I was going to wait in the back. You were hurt…”

‘Stop,” Kara told her, then walked over to take Lexie, very gently from Alex’s arms. She would have to be even more careful until she be was used to her new strength. Walking up to Donna Troy she offered her hand, which the girl gratefully took. “I am Kara Allen. I am sorry for the misunderstanding. I’m glad I didn’t disintegrate you. I would have felt horrible. Everything is fine. Welcome to Central City. Why don’t you fly back to our home and Barry can run there and let you in. I’m going to see if I have clothes here that fit and get a lift home. Alex…”

“Her car seat is in the backseat of Mercedes. It was that or on the back of Oliver’s motorcycle. I’m even pretty certain I buckled it in right. Despite having a PhD I find those things very difficult to secure.”

“Thank you Alex. I will catch a ride so I can stay by Lexie and see you at our home Donna. I have some clothes you can use until we buy you your own and a bedroom for you to stay in. You are of course welcome. We look to be the same size so it shouldn’t be a problem.”

“She can stay with me in Ray’s penthouse.” Zatana offered, walking in with a very pissed off Sara Lance behind her. Sara calmed seeing Kara okay but still kept an eye on this Amazon. “I have clothes she can wear and if they don’t fit I can make them. I would love a chance to learn more about your home Donna. We can all be properly introduced tomorrow. Kara needs her rest tonight and having a baby in the house makes sleep difficult.”

“You are a powerful sorceress.” Donna told her, having recognized the magic flowing around the woman behind Kara and Barry’s home.

“A powerful sorceress with a very large collection of fabulous shoes and stylish clothing options.”

“For a Vegas Show girl” Harry muttered.

“Shut up Wells. Shall we Donna?”

Donna nodded but turned doubtfully back to Kara and Barry. “I really am…”

“Hey, enough of that. I am sorry too. We weren’t exactly sure when you would arrive and had given no thought to how. It is my fault. I am glad you are here, Donna. I have heard great things about you and am glad to have you with us. We all are.”

“I’m not sure if I am needed. Your League is very powerful.” Donna admitted, impressed with the response and teamwork the group had shown when they thought one of their own had been attacked.

“And we will be stronger with you. Anyone with heart and skill, super powered or not who wants to fight for justice and the protection of all the inhabitants of this planet are needed. Thank you for the offer, Zatanna. I should get Lexie home. She has had enough excitement for one day. Thank you all for coming. Lets meet here tomorrow at say, 7? We can begin to discuss training schedules and get to know Donna better. Zatanna if you would stop by the station tomorrow Barry can give you our card and you can get whatever Donna needs?”

“Of course Kara. I am going to teleport us to the residence. Your outfit may make some waves among prudes like Harry, Donna.”

With a quiet chant, Zatanna and Donna were gone.

“So we beat the hell out of her right?” Kendra asked.

“No. She has come a long way to help us. What happened today was an accident. Thank you all so much for coming. She is a good person.”

“How can you be sure?” Thea asked. “Because I don’t know her.”

“Did she attack any of you or did she simply defend herself?” Superwoman asked. Silence was her answer.

“She is just a young woman who isn’t familiar with this world and had no idea she would be surprising me or that I would react that way. I would bet they don’t have backyards or fences or even what we would consider traditional homes. On Krypton my entire family, over three hundred extended relatives, lived in one large building. We children entered others apartments at will playing with each other when we weren’t in lessons. Many civilizations are more open, the bedrooms being the only private area, especially in close clans where everyone knows everybody. She will need all our help to feel at home. Trust me, learning to live in a new world is disconcerting and not easy. So tomorrow we all become friends, right?”

The entire League nodded their heads. Kara hugged each of them then got into the back of Nyssa’s Mercedes with Charlie, Lexie and Barry. For once Charlie had to forgo his safety seat but sat happily on Kara’s lap. Once they arrived, Kara handed Barry the baby and prepared a bottle of formula. Walking back to the couch she took Lexie. Lexie looked towards Kara’s chest, questioningly, as if she somehow knew formula time was tomorrow and dinner was provided from her mother right now.

“Sorry baby. This is the best I can do now. I’ll make it up to you, I promise.” Kara motioned for Barry to take her, so he did so, continuing the feeding and she rushed into the bedroom, sitting on the bed and began to cry. For weeks she had known what it was like to be a regular, everyday new mom. She felt more human than she had in her whole life and loved the feeling that her daughter still relied on her for something as simple as feeding. She knew it had to come to an end eventually but had not expected it so soon. The terror of seeing an unknown meta landing in her yard where her baby lay, the rush of power, the panic, the pain of her body forcefully being changed by the sunlight in her cells no longer being held back, waking up and knowing immediately what had happened. The pain was gone, all physical evidence of her having given birth was gone and while pregnant Kara may have been happy about this, new mother Kara was distraught.

Barry walked in with Lexie in his arms to find Kara sat against the headboard, head on her arms covering bent knees. She sniffed and smiled when the two walked in.

“Any gas?”

“Got rid of it all. I figured she would be sleepy but I forgot what time it is.”

“Time? She usually sleeps from around 8 to 4 AM.”

“Yeah, but she needs her mother to sing her to sleep, like she always does.”

Barry handed their daughter to Kara gently and sat by her.

“Today, what you did, was the most motherly thing you could have done. She needs you for more than milk Kara. I know you are upset but she is still your daughter and she will always need you.”

“I know.”

“Do you?”

Kara took a deep breath and nodded. “Yeah. It was just a shock. I’m just glad Lexie is okay, I’m glad I didn’t inadvertently start a war with immortal Amazons because I mistakenly turned their princess to ash. That would not have been good for future relations.”

“Yeah, probably not. But I bet they wouldn’t have sent anymore princesses flying into our backyard.” Barry guessed.

Kara bumped his shoulder and laughed, the Flash glad to see her not so depressed. Lexie cooed once so Kara began her nightly duty of singing her daughter to sleep.

“Oh Rao, what is that smell?”

Barry sniffed the air. “Smells like it is time for a diaper change. I fed her, you clean her.” he told her happily.

“Barry… where is my bracelet? Has Harry made one yet? Oh Rao, has it always smelt that bad?”

“I guess the reliable super senses are back. Harry said it will take a few days to make another one. I guess since the smell is a bit stronger now I can take care of this one.”

“No! No, I have this. I need to get used to… wow, if you could only smell what I smell. I really need another bracelet.”

Kara took Lexie into the bathroom and lay her on the changing station. Opening the diaper the smell hit her even harder.

“I really should have let Daddy take this one, Lexie.”

Lexie looked at her mother and smiled. Kara was certain if she was able to, her daughter would have laughed. She had her father’s sense of humor.