Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Call Me Kara

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 53:

“So… Princess Diana. Nice… nice to see you. Glad you figured out a way to… find us.” Kara greeted her, faking a smile. “I’m sure, you probably want to relax from your trip… however the hell you got here. Why don’t you come over to our house? I’m actually going to cook, like a real dinner tonight… I mean Barry is. He is a lot better than me. Donna! Donna was just talking yesterday about how much she wanted to see you, catch up and chat, that sort of thing. I’m betting that armor is cold, not being much of it and pretty cold out.”

“It’s 78 degrees. I feel fine but thank you for your concern.” Diana told her, stepping closer. Kara took a look around quickly, her entire team, her parents, the twenty or so cops, even Joe and Henry had to show up today. Why today?

“Oh… okay. Do you need to stretch or… no, probably not a good idea for you to stretch.”

“Kara, if you need time to prepare take the day. I am in no hurry. I’m sure all your enemies give you time to prepare for an attack. Perhaps you and Princess Donna could go shopping? Maybe get a manicure before we battle?”

Kara’s worry took a back seat to her annoyance. This was her world, not some immortal Amazon’s. Yes, this woman had seen many battles and wars but Kara was no stranger to either herself.

“May I have a moment please?”

Without waiting for an answer, she zipped over to Lexie in Barry’s arms.

“Hold her up so she can see this.” Kara told Barry. “Momma is about to take a demi goddess to school.”

“Kara, maybe this isn’t a good idea right now.” Barry suggested. “We can all take her together. Maybe… probably?”

“I doubt it,” Nyssa added, walking up with Alex and Oliver beside her. “She is strong, brave, incredibly smart and is probably the best melee fighter in any universe. The weapons she has, she could take us all out, use us against each other. We might win with planning but… it wouldn’t be easy.”

“Any idea you three?” the Blonde asked her three mentors in battle tactics.

“You can fly faster than she can.” Alex reminded her.

“So use my speed in the air to take her? How?”

“I was suggesting flying away as fast as you can.” Alex admitted, not filling her sister with hope.

“Lexie pay attention. Mommy is going to show you how its done.”

Kara zipped back over to Donna who was still in a staring contest with her rival. Alex whispered to Lexie.

“Yep, you are about to see how its done. Just don’t worry about Mommy. She is indestructible… I hope.”

“You ready for this?” Superwoman asked her comrade.

“Yes. My mother will not hear that I was defeated by this woman. Diana acts like my mother is her mother and Mom loves it. I don’t like it.”

“Good. Motivation is good. Jealousy is good motivation. Just don’t lose your temper.”

“I have it under control.”

The two women shot into the air and flew back a half mile, to give space between the adversary and the crowd. Diana followed, sword on her back, shield covering it. A look from Donna to Kara indicated the play. Donna flew in a wide arc, floating behind the one called Wonder Woman, according to Cat Grant, which was another irritation for the one called Wonder Girl by Cisco Ramon and all of Central City now.

Kara fired her heat vision towards the Amazon, who blocked as she expected. Keeping the power focused on her gauntlets gave Donna the chance she was looking for. Flying straight for the enemies back she was surprised when Diana broke away, Kara’s heat vision striking Donna in the chest. Kara immediately stopped the blast but it was too late. Checking to see if Donna was okay, knowing there was a smoking hole in her suit, she didn’t catch sight of Diana until it was too late. A fist in the jaw sent her flying through the air, end over end. It took a few seconds before she could right herself and when she did, Diana was on her again, a sidekick striking her head before Kara could duck. Another kick coming towards her gut was caught, Kara tossing the woman over her head by her leg then turning to track her. Diana righted herself, then felt a blast, not of heat but a blue streak landing a shoulder into her gut and titling her down, both crashing into the Earth, exploding the ground beneath them. Kara lifted Diana by the hair and tossed her up, Donna flying over head and catching Wonder Woman in the head with a fist.

Kara jumped from the crater and stood by Donna.

“Nice one.” Kara admitted.

“Nice set up. Think she is done?”

Diana Prince stood up, wiped her mouth and smiled.

“You two are as fun as I thought you would be.”

“Nah, I don’t think she is done.” Kara mumbled, not liking the smile on the armored woman’s face.

Diana Prince raised her arms and slammed her gauntlets together. The blast shocked both women, Kara feeling like she had been caught in a nuclear explosion. Both of their visions were blocked out and both hit the ground hard, sliding half a mile.

“What the hell was that?!” Kara asked, as both stood unsteadily to their feet.

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know? How do you not know? Is that an Earth 3 Amazon thing? Their bracelets turn into concussion bombs?”

“I don’t… look out!”

Donna grabbed Kara and threw them both to the side, a second before Diana’s sword landed where they had been.

“Swords! Lets get the swords!” Kara shouted.

“You want to sword fight with her?! Are you nuts?”

“Kara, fight her in hand to hand.” she heard Nyssa’s voice from a mile away. “She fights like a Greek Warrior, fight like an assassin.”

Kara took a look at the grinning Amazon and beat the ground, finding the bedrock, twisting and throwing a chunk of granite towards her, Diana did not dodge, thinking the toss was off until it hit her wrist holding her sword. The sword dropped and Kara was on her.

Diana was impressed. The two worked together somewhat well, Kara obviously stronger and faster than Donna, but Donna was much improved. She had hoped Donna would follow Kara’s suggestion, looking forward to battling them both with swords but this was much better.

Kara for her part, used the fighting style Nyssa and Oliver had taught her. The hours she spent early in her pregnancy, practicing strikes and blocks on the wooden dummy, the Kali stick fighting, the quicker reflexes she gained without power translated to better technique fully powered. Instead of strength she used speed and a mix of martial arts that all the League had eventually gained, due to their constant training with each other. Superwoman landed shots to the woman’s shin bones with her feet and though the armor hurt, she could tell the power was effecting the warrior on the ground. Following it up with blocks and blows to the head, both women stood their ground, Donna in the back, having a hard time keeping up with the blur of both women, Kara using the same techniques as Oliver Queen while Diana blocked. Kara saw an opening and swung as hard as she could, not a round house but a straight jab, into Diana’s chest. Diana turned her back quickly though. Instead of her chest, Kara’s fist hit the shield formerly belonging to Ares, cracking the bones in her hand. A quick turn by Diana and a lift of her shield and Kara was thrown back into Donna. Both woman stood up slowly, trying to shake the haziness from their vision.

Donna hurt. She had not taken near the strikes Kara had and felt beaten, the burn of Superwoman’s heat vision very, very painful. Kara hurt as well. She had never had a broken bone when fully powered and felt it now. Her hand was healing but not fast enough. Diana stood in front of the two, no longer smiling, just staring with an unreadable expression. The blonde heard the crowd, now a mile away. She heard her mother tell Alex to stop this, she heard Nyssa and Oliver telling her to get up. Jax burst into flames, the familiar sound filling her ears. Wings flapping meant Carter and Kendra were preparing for war. She even heard the low buzz associated with Barry’s blurring.

Some of the off duty officers were pulling weapons. Donna’s lip was busted and bleeding.

Kara reached to her ear and opened the com.

“Nobody gets involved. This is my fight.” she told the team. “Cisco, light me up.”

Immediately her suit’s solar panels activated. She looked at her hand, the broken fingers, cramping and misshapen. Without even thinking about it, her hand blurred, the bones mending in a second.

“I’ve had enough of this.” Kara hissed. Donna had never seen this look in her eyes. She doubted anyone but Non ever had.

“You told me to never lose my temper.” Wonder Girl reminded her.

“That was good advice… for you.”

Only Diana saw the change in Kara. It wasn’t the obvious rise in power she felt from the woman, soaking up the Sun’s rays, powering her just as Apollo powered himself. That was not what had her worried.

It was the lightning that just flashed in her eyes. Deciding to control the woman before she went berserk, Diana tossed her lasso wrapping it around the blonde. Donna tossed hers at Diana, wrapping the unbreakable lasso around their adversary as well. Wonder Girl was surprised when Kara took her lasso and pulled Diana towards her. Both Wonder Woman and Superwoman wrapped the lassos around each other. Kara not being bothered by the pure energy of the rope trying to burn, tied the two together, face to face and head butted the Amazon, then shot into the air, Diana with her. Thinking the Kryptonian wanted to fight in the air once again, Diana did not resist, not even bothering to try and break the rope, letting Kara lead the way.

Until the air thinned.

Kara, knowing exactly where the edge of the atmosphere was, planned to test the Amazon’s ability to breath in thin air and head butted her once more, dipping her forehead into Diana’s nose, cracking it.

Diana in all her centuries had never flown this high before. She never had a reason. Kara’s hand smashed onto Diana’s wrist, causing her to loosen her grip on the lasso. Twisting out quickly but still holding Donna’s she pulled the Amazon towards her placing her in a choke hold making it further difficult to breathe. Closer to the sun, solar panels active, Kara felt more powerful than ever.

“You are much smarter than your cousin.” Diana gasped. “Quicker, better at hand to hand combat and much, much stronger. You still have a weakness.”

“You think so? Because right now I am trying to decide if I should go to the ground and bury your unconscious body into the core of the Earth or toss you up so you can say hi to an old friend of mine.”

Diana’s head flew back into Kara’s. She grabbed the blonde’s arms and tossed her over and off her. Taking a much needed deep breath and realizing it wasn’t possible because of the thin air, she kicked her armored boot out, catching the floating super heroine.

“You, me, Donna, everyone who flies without wings or power from heat like Firestorm, we generate our own gravitational field. You float in the air and when you hit you use the power of your arm instead of your whole body like you strike on the ground. Learn to make the air under you solid, densify and increase the gravity so you feel as if you are on solid ground. Then you can use the power of your hips in your swing. Like this.”

True to her word, Diana planted her feet into nothing, the air feeling as hard as granite under her. She swung, starting at her feet, exploding her hips inward and the full force of her body was delivered into one strike, catching Kara and sending her higher. Kara felt the air grow thinner, the sky darken and wondered if she would float away and lose all gravity until a lasso caught her foot and brought her back down.

She shook her head, her vision cleared and saw Diana was floating in front of her, smiling.

“Can’t have you floating off. I don’t think your League would like me very much and it would put a damper on our friendship. Do you know how I did that?”

Kara looked down and noted with some alarm that she could see the curvature of the Earth. A voice was screaming in her ear. Caitlin.

“I’m fine Caitlin. Tell Donna to heal herself. Diana and I will be down in a moment.”

“You are 60 miles above Earth right at the Karman Line! You didn’t go this high tossing Savage! Get down here now! Two more miles and you are in space… again!”

“Wow. That is high. Tell Cisco to turn off the reflectors. I am fine. We both are.”

To Kara’s annoyance the reflectors did not turn off.

“I see your friends don’t take orders. They are looking out for you. Thats good.”

“How did you do that? It was like you were standing on solid ground.”

“What do you feel? When you fly, what is it you feel?”

“The wind currents, the temperature of the air…”

“Do you feel gravity?”

“No. I know I generate my own gravitational field but have never felt it.”

“Because your mind controls it subconsciously. If you can grasp onto it, you will fly even faster, using it for more thrust. How long can you hold your breath?”

“Uh… I don’t know?”

“Learn. Learn to consciously control your gravitational field, wrap it around you, feel solid ground beneath you and throw your entire body into your strikes. There should be no floating after you hit someone, never any flying back from the force of your own strikes. Once you figure out how to use your gravitational field for thrust, no matter the situation, and how long you can hold your breath, you can fly in space until you need a breath.”

“Really?”

“In theory. I wouldn’t do it for fun. I have never tried it, but we are not manipulating the Earth’s gravity, we are making our own. There is gravity in space, only very weak. If not for gravity the Earth and planets would not revolve around the sun.”

“I thought you were all about magic?” Kara asked.

“I have lived a long time. I know and have seen magic. I have seen incredible feats of science in the makeup of metahumans. I have seen metahumans who have mastered magic, style themselves gods and goddesses and seek glory for themselves. Both have a place in this universe. I am both magical and metaphysical. The armor and gauntlets I wear, this lasso, this sword and shield, they are magic and magic is strong as I am sure your sorceress has shown you. Physical attributes are strong. A combination of both can be difficult to defeat. Donna’s power has grown. The two of you have worked well against each other. A lack of opponents have not given the two of you the chance to fight as a team as often as you should but you both did well. The bond of sisters in battle is obvious. Again, I have to ask you, when you have the chance, spend a day at Themyscira. That is the only place on this Earth you will find those who can give the two of you a challenge, one where you are forced to work as a team.”

“I will. I will find a day, one day. But my daughter… she has not…”

“She has not come into her powers. This Speedforce your husband controls, she has the potential in her body, doesn’t she?”

“Yes.”

“When her powers inherent to your DNA emerge, the potential she has to develop your husband’s will activate. At least that is my theory.”

“Yeah, I’m afraid so. I hope she is older, much older. Much, much older.”

“When you have blown out your powers before, Kal tells me it usually takes a shock or surprise for them to fully return?”

“Yeah…”

“Don’t let her be surprised and try to keep her calm. The terrible twos I understand are a particularly stressful time. Also be aware of the pain associated with teething. It could be something severe, or it could be something small, a tooth ache, a stubbed toe, A sudden move.”

“Kara? Baby, can you have the Superhero bonding session closer to the Earth? Even Donna is starting to freak out about you being so high. I heard what she just said but trying to fly in space right now probably isn’t the best idea.” Barry told her.

“I’ll kill your dog if you try it again.” Alex added. “I don’t have a space ship to pull your spoiled butt down this time.”

“Be down in a minute.” Kara turned her com off.

“Use your cape and wipe your nose. You are bleeding.”

“You are too.” Kara pointed out.

“Exactly. I can bleed. Your team will back you no matter what, but the officers below cannot see you lose. They have to see that you are the most powerful woman in the universe. They can never lose confidence. So that is what they will see. I am going to beat the hell out of you on the way down. Once we are near the ground you will be given one opportunity, one opening to grab me and toss me to the ground hard. Take it and the officers and your family will see you victorious. Miss it and it will be quite embarrassing for you.”

“So you are going to let me win?”

“They shouldn’t see you lose.”

“Then why are you going to beat the hell out of me on the way down?”

‘Because I can and you need to understand what it is to feel pummeled by a superior opponent and still keep your wits about you.

“They have to think I won? And you are going to purposely let me win. So what is this? Like a draw?”

Diana actually laughed. “You are adorable.” Diana swung, hitting Kara in the jaw and grabbing her, unwrapping both lassos and clipping them to her belt. Before Kara regained her senses, Diana had her by the throat and began beating her face with punch after punch.

Kara lost her equilibrium. She knew she was taking strikes, her face felt like it would cave in and she felt she was in a free fall. Trying to focus all she could see was Diana’s smiling face, feel a knee to her gut and knew she was seconds from being driven head first into the ground. She struggled to keep her senses and then saw it. Diana took a half second longer to swing, telegraphing her move by pulling her fist back further. Kara grabbed it and turned, flipping right side up and sending the Amazon hurtling to the ground.

While the two female warriors had been having a nice conversation at the edge of the atmosphere, the rest of the League, family and Central City officers wondered what was happening. Donna,in disgust, was pacing, twirling a sword in her hand and waiting for her Amazon ‘sister’ to return to Earth so she could continue the battle. She had tried to fly higher but the thin air slowed her and eventually she had to stop, unable to force herself to go higher. Caitlin Snow had informed all of them that Kara was fine and would be back down in a moment and had also turned off her com, leaving them all to wonder what was going on.

“It will be okay, baby. Mommy never loses. She will be back.” Barry whispered to his daughter, who was wide awake, eyes searching the sky as if she knew her mother was up there somewhere.

“I’m going up. I can use my wings to push up through the stratosphere.” Kendra offered, Carter grabbing his mace, silently agreeing.

“There won’t be enough air for you to push that high, Kendra.” Cisco told her. The worries were somewhat allayed when the gathered crowd saw a comet streaking down, moving so fast it appeared as a blue blur. Because of the speed, no one could tell if Kara was being thrown or driving her opponent to the ground until she stopped a hundred feet above the Earth on a dime and slung her arm down, tossing Diana into the hole her and Donna had made earlier. Donna moved, sword in hand, jumping towards the hole until Kara stopped her.

“It’s over. It’s fine.” the blonde told her. Diana stepped out of the hole, the gathered crowd seeing her bloodied face but still smiling.

“Now that was a blast. Tomorrow ladies?”

The armored woman walked past the League to a truck where two officers had been sitting. Reaching into the cooler in the back, she pulled out a beer.

“I prefer wine but ale does have a certain appeal after a fight. The Vikings got one thing right, even if the beards were an unfortunate fashion choice. The men didn’t look much better from what my mother told me. So you said something about Barry cooking tonight, Kara?”

Everyone looked at the nonchalant armored warrior in awe, leaned back and chugging a beer after being tossed into the ground by Superwoman from the Stratosphere.

“I think I just developed my first girl crush.” Kara admitted to Donna.

Donna was not amused. She had not expected to defeat the demi goddess but hoped for a better showing, to at least be with Kara during the entire battle. With her eyesight she saw the beating Kara took on the way down and she also knew Diana let herself be tossed at the last moment.

Kara had planned to encourage Donna until she heard a familiar cry. Barry walked over with Lexie in his arms.

“You okay?”

“Of course. I won.” Kara lied, wondering how much blood was on her face.

“Yeah, I was worried for a moment but you did great.”

“She let me win.”

“I figured. I think our little girl was worried. She wouldn’t stop watching the sky.”

“She was probably fascinated by the lights. How are you baby? Mommy is fine. Just a little roughhousing with a friend. Diana is cool.”

Taking Lexie in her arms, the girl immediately calmed down. Officers walked over, patting Kara on the back and congratulating her, at least the officers who weren’t staring at Diana. Diana, deciding to perhaps leave and dress more conservatively so the men and a few women would stop drooling, walked over to the happy couple, hoping to perhaps hold the little girl.

“Would you mind?” she asked, opening her arms.

“Of course not.” Kara turned towards the Princess, and Lexie met her eyes. At just over three months, Lexie had developed as a normal child. She was discovering the world, able to hold her head up a bit at a time and recognized some of those around her, especially voices. She knew Aunt Alex and Grandma and Grandpa, though not exactly who they were to her. She knew to cry when hungry or sleepy and dirty diapers had been a given since birth. She did recognize, understood and needed two individuals and though she hadn’t said the words mommy and daddy yet, she knew she needed the blonde woman and dark haired man who fed her, for life and warmth and a feeling she hadn’t recognized as love yet, but was. Her eyes clear, somewhere in her developing mind, she recognized the woman who had hit her mother in the sky and cried.

Despite the violence of the event not a word was said or a sound made, besides Diana hissing, not daring to block the beams for fear of hitting the gathered crowd or worse the child herself. Instead she stood there, taking the twin beams in her chest above the armor line, feeling the heat and gritting her teeth, hoping someone would figure out a way to stop this. Regardless she could take the pain and heal later.

Kara and Barry froze, watching the screaming child staring at Wonder Woman, twin beams flashing from her beautiful eyes. No one knew what to do or even had time to think about it. Alex was the first to recover her senses, rushing to the Porsche and grabbing the tiny silver bracelet with a red heart on top. She pressed it against Lexie’s little wrist and the beams stopped immediately.

Silence reigned.

“Owwww.”

Diana’s simple statement broke the trance.

“We have to… Caitlin!” Kara said, voice trembling and cradling Lexie to her chest, praying to whatever god there was that her daughter’s eyes were okay and she wouldn’t burn anyone.

Twenty minutes later a sleeping Alexandra was in the red sun room in Kara’s arms, Caitlin setting up multiple machines, Barry had given his phone to Cisco to field calls from worried co workers and the rest of the League were in the meeting room along with Diana.

Eliza and Alex ran inside, Jeremiah and Henry following.

“How are her eyes?” Jeremiah asked, pulling out a pen light.

“Don’t! I don’t want her to wake.”

“Here eyes could be burned, Kara. Is the rest of her… can she…”

“She feels a pinch. Caitlin had to do it when we got here. She jerked but didn’t wake. Her skin isn’t impenetrable. Her grip, she was grabbing onto me and it felt normal. She isn’t strong.”

Kara had tears flowing down her face, not crying loudly but unable to stop them.

“I shouldn’t have let her be there. I shouldn’t have told Barry to let her watch. Her eyesight isn’t supposed to be that good! She shouldn’t have been able to see us or… damn it!”

“Kara, this isn’t your fault.” Barry whispered, holding her from behind. “She is going to be fine. Nothing ever happened to your eyes after you used your powers.”

“She has to wear the bracelet. She will be handcuffed. She is three months old and has to be handcuffed.”

“We don’t know that. This could have been a one time thing. She was surprised and saw her mother, the one she relies on for life and who is with her all day and night, hurt.”

“She was scared. I should have fought Diana farther away. I didn’t judge it right. I thought we would land a mile away and instead we were closer, too close, obviously close enough for her to see.”

“She will be fine, but I have to open her eye and check her cornea and pupil.” Cait told her. Kara lay Lexie on the soft pillow on the exam table while Caitlin gently pulled the sleeping child’s eyelid open. Jeremiah shined a light and both looked.

“Henry will you take a look? Eyes aren’t exactly my specialty.” Jeremiah asked. Henry stepped up and looked at his squirming granddaughter.

“They aren’t mine either but I can tell from an emergency medicine standpoint her eye looks fine.”

Lexie let out a cry and her eyes searched. She found her Daddy first then her Mommy and stopped.

“Looks like her sight is fine.” Eliza said with relief, as Barry and Kara both picked her up and held her between them.

“Lets turn down the lights and take the bracelet off.” Caitlin suggested.

“What? No! It could happen again.” Kara argued.

“I don’t think it will. She fell asleep almost immediately afterward. Lets see what happens.”

“Everybody out. Kara and I will handle this.” Barry told the gathered family.

“I’m not going anywhere.” Caitlin argued. Alex agreed. Jeremiah pulled Eliza out and Henry followed, the three of them watching from the door and refusing to go farther.

The red sun rays were turned off, the room bathed in normal UVs. Kara gently unclasped the bracelet.

“She is so small, Barry. She isn’t strong enough for this. She can’t even say a word or roll over on her own.”

Alex walked up behind the two and pinched Lexie on her forearm. The child immediately began crying but nothing happened, no twin beams of light, just an annoyed baby.

“It could be because they are holding her. She recognizes her parents scents. Let me take her.” Caitlin offered, gently taking the girl. Lexie started to cry from being handled but to Caitlin’s credit, she didn’t flinch, instead watching for a glowing of the girls eyes. Seeing none, she relaxed.

“One more test. Ask Diana to come in.” Alex suggested. Barry and Kara looked at each other and let out a breath.

“As long as you two stay behind us.”

Eliza walked into the meeting room where Zatanna had used magic to heal Diana faster than she would have on her own.

“Diana… would you mind coming into the room with her?”

“Of course. I would love to hold her.”

“You would?”

“She is a goddess who defended her mother by natural instinct alone. I don’t want to be on her bad side. I have to make friends.”

Diana walked into the room, feeling terrible about the sight of the two young worried parents and wishing she hadn’t come. She never expected this. The pain she felt was no problem. She had felt much more pain before. She was impressed by the heat. While not her mother’s laser beams, the power was impressive for one so small. The girl would be phenomenal.

“Do you mind?” Kara asked hesitantly.

“Of course not. I told you I wanted to hold her.” Diana walked slowly up to the grumpy baby, who looked right at her. The Amazon reached her arms out as non threateningly and slowly as possible. Gently taking the child and cradling her head, she looked her in the eyes and was taken by her beauty. Just like her mother in appearance with her mother and father’s heart. What more could the world ask for in a champion?

“Hi there beautiful. You are pretty. Are you ticklish?” Diana put a finger on the child’s belly button and lightly circled around it. Lexie smiled.

“I seem to be forgiven. I am so…”

“It’s not your fault. Its mine…”

“Kara stop. It is not your fault. I am the one who showed up uninvited and challenged the two of you. I should probably talk to Donna. I am sensing some tension. I would like to ease her worries. She is important to me though I am a stranger to her. I am no scientist but we talked about this, higher than I was comfortable with. The relationship between parents and a child at this age is primal to a baby. She reacted to what she perceived as danger to her mother. It is natural. It took an extreme event to cause this. So long as she doesn’t see you battle any longer and doesn’t perceive a threat to you or her father I don’t believe you will see a repeat of this.”

“I agree. She just has to have a calm atmosphere. It was a one off occurrence. Keep her away from training, keep a bracelet nearby and I think we are okay Kara.” Caitlin concurred.

“Hope for the best, you mean?”

“You of all people should know about the power of hope. Take her home, feed her and watch her. Do you want me to stay over tonight?”

“No thank you Caitlin. Go home, Winn looked worried. If we need you I will call. It is better not to have anyone who can be… hurt, over for a few nights. I will stay home the next couple of days and watch. Barry can be home in seconds if I need him.”

“May… since she doesn’t seem to hold any further grudges, would you mind if I stayed with you two? For a few days, no training, just hanging out. I would… its been a while since I have been around a baby or ever spent any real time around one. I would love to unless you think its a bad idea. I don’t want to be an imposition. I can go back tonight…”

“Diana, I think Lexie is good with you now. We would love to have you with us… do you need any… clothes?” Barry asked. While he did wish she wore a bit more to fit in at least, he admitted he would love to ask Cisco to make Kara a suit like that, if Kara wouldn’t kill him for asking.

The thought of Jeremiah’s reaction shut that thought down.

“I actually left a bag on top of the Central City PD on my way in. I can meet you three there?”

“Yeah… Alex, can you take Charlie for tonight? I don’t want him to accidentally get… burned.”

“No, Lexie wouldn’t do that Kara. He will be fine. She would probably be more upset if he wasn’t in her room at night.” Barry assured her. Kara smiled but still worried. She had seen laser beams shoot out of her daughters eyes at another person. If it hadn’t been Diana, if it had been someone human, they would have died and the thought nearly made her vomit. She had prepared for this but the reality of it ensured she wouldn’t sleep for nights.

After Barry and Kara tucked their baby in for the next few hours, Barry opened the front to invite Diana in, while Kara stayed in the room, looking at her daughter and stroking her cheek softly.

“I’m so sorry, baby. I wish I was normal. I put this on you but I will make it up to you I promise. No more being around Mommy when she is fighting. I didn’t think you would understand what was happening so soon but I should have known you would be smarter than the average baby.”

Kara took a deep breath and focused on controlling the shaking of her body.

“I love you. I love you so much, more than I ever thought I could love someone. We will get through this. If you and me and Daddy have to move to some deserted tropical island we will. We will give you the quietest places to play and keep any kind of violence away from you. I’m going to make you happy. I know you won’t be around other kids but they can be mean anyway. I’m pretty fun and know a lot of games. We can set chunks of lead all over the island and play hide and seek, or tag… maybe not tag. Bad idea. But we can have fun. I’ll make it up to you. Charlie can play with us and the two of you can box… maybe not box.” A vision of Charlie being hit and flying a mile away killed that idea.

Kara sighed, tired beyond belief, feeling a multitude of emotions, worry being the biggest. Lexie wasn’t invulnerable. What if she caught her bed on fire and burned herself? How could Kara sleep?

“You can’t do it.”

Diana walked into the room, so quietly Kara hadn’t heard her.

“Barry has started cooking but said if you need him or anything looks weird all…”

“I have to do is say his name and he is standing beside me immediately. I know. He has gotten so fast even I can’t keep up. I think he was beginning to relax a bit but this is going to have him so on edge. He will probably want to quit his job again.”

“He won’t. You really can’t do what you were talking about. My mother… she kept me from the world of men for a very, very long time. She didn’t want me hurt. She knew that they couldn’t physically hurt me, she was worried about how cruel the world was. It didn’t matter to me because Themyscira was my whole world. I had everything I could want. I learned to fight, I learned to fly, I learned about war. I saw the so called gods of Olympus and I saw them fall. The world evolved around us but we stayed the same. When I finally came to the world of man… sorry, this world, I know it is yours too, I was amazed at all I had missed. The cars, the ability to speak through machines over long distances, the weapons, the cruelty yes but I also saw heroism. I learned that not all people were bad, some were actually great. Your cousin, you, Bruce Wayne, Arthur Curry, are but a few I have had the privilege of battling by their sides. I realized how much I had been missing. After my first foray to this world, I retreated back to my home, the petty violence of this war, shocking me. We had fought wars but gas, barbwire, fox holes, starvation, even guns, there was no honor there in my mind. But I was wrong. The methods were wrong but good people stood against evil and that is all the world can ask for.

Being hidden away did me no good. I know right now you want to hide with her, stay somewhere she will be safe and no one will be accidentally hurt by her and no one can hurt her but you just can’t. It wouldn’t be fair to her.”

“And when she burns my mother? You think she is going to want to grow up knowing that, even though now she is too young to understand or remember? Or being lied to about it?”

‘It won’t happen. I believe in you and I believe in your husband. You Kara, know what it is like, alone, powerful, lost. She will never be alone and you won’t let her get lost. You can handle this. Perhaps she wears this bracelet every now and then. Perhaps accidents happen but you can handle it. One thing you cannot do is lose faith in yourself. The Fates would not have given you and Barry this gift if the two of you were not worthy.”

“What if I’m not enough?”

“You are. You are more than enough. Five thousand years have made me a good judge of character. You have amazed me since I first saw you, a short trip to the States and I saw a flying girl on TV dressed in normal, everyday clothes, catch a plane. I watched you, I mourned when I thought you dead. My whole nation did. The Amazons knew of you and your heroics. There was a great celebration when your message to the President was shown and the world knew you still was one of the reasons I was so anxious to meet you. You inspired and impressed my mother and that is not easy to do. You can handle this. You both will and you will be amazing.”

Barry sped in, barely seen of course, with a ladder. He quietly began working quickly, unscrewing the light fixture in Lexie’s room. Once the bulb had been removed only the light from her two night lights lit up the room.

“Does he always move like this?”

“Yep.” Kara answered, wondering what her husband was doing now. She figured it out when he returned, a red light bulb in hand and slowly screwed it into the ceiling socket.

“Going to turn her room into a red sun room. The lights will work. They aren’t as bright as the ones in S.T.A.R. so it shouldn’t keep her from sleeping.” Barry explained then closed the door. He walked up to Kara and rubbed her forearm, pleased to see it turning red.

“Looks like it works. She won’t have to wear a bracelet at night and we won’t worry about her having bad dreams and setting the house on fire. Pretty genius right?” he asked humorously, but Kara saw the worry in his eyes.

“I think its a great idea. Have you started cooking yet?”

“Yeah, come to the living room. She will be fine. We will hear if she wakes up. Please Kara?”

Kara who had planned on sleeping on the floor in Lexie’s room agreed and followed Barry and a jumping Charlie out, Diana behind her.

“I’m really glad you are here.” she told the Amazon. “I invited Donna over as well. I think she feels a bit inadequate in her mother’s affections when you are around. I thought you two could spend some time together. Also, I don’t know how long you can stay but Nyssa and my sister are getting married this weekend. I hope…”

“I would love to. Thank you for the honor.”

“Of course… Diana, how did you get here?”

“I told you science was strong but magic is strong as well. I had to use the services of a demi goddess but she owed me a favor. I will visit as often as I can. We need to figure out how the both of you can learn to master the gravitational fields you emit and you have some other things to figure out that I would imagine Caitlin can help with.”

“Like what?”

“Like when you broke your hand on my shield, it vibrated and was healed in less than a second. Your cousin is nowhere near that fast and doesn’t vibrate. Before you took me into near space you also had sparks dance across your eyes. I mean that literally, just as your husband does before he runs. Your daughter altered your DNA just as you altered hers. I doubt you will ever be as fast as your husband or daughter but Kara, you are much, much faster.”

“Oh… cool. Lets eat. I am starving. Fighting an immortal Amazon Princess to a draw leaves me famished.”

“Like I said, you are adorable. Lead the way.”

The next day Alex had taken the day off and paced in front of Nyssa who was on the couch, a little amused but too afraid to show it for fear of angering her fiancee further.

“You wanted one Bridesmaid…”

“Witness.”

“Tell that to Kara. You wanted one witness and I said fine. I have Kara, you have no one! I have been on you to pick someone since we started… since Kara started planning this wedding. Now we are less than a week away, and you have picked no one. Find someone and ask already!”

“You won’t like who I choose.”

Alex froze. “Explain?”

“The person must be someone I have gone to battle with, someone who has fought by my side, someone…”

“If you say…”

“No. I realize that would be pushing it. I had someone else in mind, someone I have gone through much with and despite his idiotic actions and general lack of a brain at times, I know that if I had an enemy the enemy would be his as well.”

“His? Are you kidding me?”

“No.”

“Oh this ought to be good. Just make sure you record it when you ask him.”

“I’m not asking him. I’m telling him.”

While Nyssa informed Alex of the final piece of the wedding puzzle, Kara had kissed Barry goodbye and made a large breakfast of microwave sausage biscuits for her and her guest. Feeding Lexie, she was relieved that her daughter seemed to be in a good mood and didn’t feel like she would need to be protected from herself today.

Her and Diana talked about the hunt for the Order, Cadmus and the confusing trail of money left behind. Their conversation was cut off by a knock on the door. Kara handed Lexie over to a delighted Diana who got to feed a baby for the first time. She opened the door to find Oliver.

“Hey. I… were we going to practice archery today or are you here to just hang out? Because that would be cool. We still have three more episodes of Scandal to finish Season 2. Diana is here and is telling me about Cadmus…”

“I need the keys to the gallery.”

“Excuse me?”

“I need the keys to the gallery. I assume you won’t be working for a few days so I am going to open up.”

“Why… why would you do that?”

“Because its a business and it needs to be open and… Felicity says I need a job. Apparently training all day is not a job. She probably has a point, it has been a while. I owned a club as cover for the lair but Tommy actually ran it, I really didn’t do anything and… I really can’t remember if I ever had a real job. I don’t think I have. Working for A.R.G.U.S. under threat of my family’s death didn’t count. I suppose being an enforcer and then Captain in the Bratva could count but I can’t exactly put it on a resume. I was only CEO of my father’s company because I needed a cover job and honestly don’t think I made one board meeting. I did go to a stock holders meeting… I think. There was a lot going on at the time, Slade Wilson… anyway I need a job. So I figured I would work for you. I can handle customers, gives you more time to paint and play with Lexie and your furry friend. So give me the keys and I will go open up.”

“Uh, Ollie I don’t think I make enough money to have an employee. Honestly if we didn’t own the building outright I don’t think I could pay a mortgage on it. No, I know I couldn’t. I’ve sold less than ten paintings and I gave one of those away.”

“I’ll work for 5%. Whatever I sell I get 5% of. I don’t need dental or medical, I already have my retirement set, considering I will probably be dead long before retirement age. It works for both of us. Felicity gets off my back about finding a job, you get cheap labor.”

“Uh huh. Why don’t you come in and we can talk about this.”

“Talk?”

“You want to work for me, you have to have an interview. Kind of like when you had to get beaten to be allowed into the Bratva only without the beating.”

“You are really going to make me interview for this?”

“Yeah, its kinda how this job stuff works. Have a seat on the couch Mr. Queen and we can discuss this proposal.” Kara told him seriously, dying inside. This was too good. She admitted when Oliver was playing normal human he could be very charming and could sell to a certain female demographic very well.

“Fine Kara, what do you want to know?”

“What do you know about art?”

“What?”

“Art. I’m an artist, I sell art, you want to sell my art, I need to know what you know. Do you know anything about the art world?”

“Sure, I know a lot. My family had one of the best private collections of art in the world. That’s what Thea said anyway.”

“Uh huh. And what artists and pieces were in this collection?”

“Uh… There was one of a boat, I really didn’t like to look at it when I returned from the island. A… duck! I seem to remember a duck. There was also some guy who looked… mad? I can fly to Lian Yu. Slade probably knows them all since Thea won’t tell me and Slade hid cameras on the frames to spy on my family.”

Kara barely held in a laugh, keeping a business like demeanor.

“And artists?”

“I know a lot about artists. There was the guy who wrote that code, right?”

“Davinci. Great movie.”

“Yeah, I watched it a year or so ago. I could have gotten that information out of the old guy in ten minutes and wouldn’t have had to travel the world to get it. Plus the albino?”

“Creepy wasn’t he?”

“Big time. I would love to put an arrow in him. Of course considering he had a thing for whipping himself he probably would have liked it.”

“Who else?”

“Monat?”

“Monet?”

“If you say so. Uh Sistine?”

“Sistine? You mean the Sistine Chapel?”

“I didn’t know he owned the thing but okay, we can go with that. I also took art history at Princeton… or maybe Brown… I’m not sure which college it was.”

“You majored in art history?” Kara asked doubtfully.

“God no. I took it because I figured how hard could it be? Pretty damn hard as it turned out so I dropped it three weeks in. But I did have the text book. I never sold it back…”

“Oliver, do you know anything about art?”

“Nothing besides the guy who wrote the code and had the albino chasing him.” Oliver admitted.

“Well I know next to nothing about running a business so I guess you are hired. Let me get the keys and then I need to make sure Diana hasn’t put Lexie in a strapless, armored onesie.”

“I heard that.” Diana told the woman from the kitchen. “She just threw up on me.”

“Yeah, let me check on the immortal Princess and I will be right back with the keys.”

While Oliver waited, wondering how the hell he would actually talk to someone who knew about art, Nyssa walked in without knocking.

“Hi. Kara is getting the keys to the gallery so I can open up.”

“Why would you open up her gallery?”

“I’m working for her now.”

“I’m sure that won’t be a disaster. I actually came to talk to you. Felicity told me you would be here.”

“League business?”

‘No, more of a personal nature. I have to have a witness stand with me at our wedding. I realize this is short notice but I need you to be my witness.”

Oliver sat looking at the woman, mouth open.

“You… you want me to be your… brides maid?”

“Witness! I do not… Kara is a bridesmaid, maid of honor, whatever title she has bestowed upon herself this week. I need a warrior who has fought by my side. Someone admittedly close to my skill level.”

“Close?”

“Yes, close. We have a history, a mutual respect…”

“Would this be the history where you shot my quiver off my back after we fired about forty arrows at each other?”

“You should have been faster.”

“Or the history where Sara begged me not to kill you?”

“I don’t fight well when I am emotional.”

“What about the history where I kidnapped you and brought you back to your father by force?”

“You were lucky and I was emotionally distraught at the time. Father daughter relationships are often full of difficulties.”

“What about the time I was planning to fight your father and you told me you envied me because I would see Sara sooner than you?”

“I admit it wasn’t the best pep talk I could have given but I was cheering for you inside.”

“And when you hit me because I wouldn’t kill Malcolm Merlyn?”

“He did kill Sara technically, so I was right and you admitted you probably deserved that.”

“What about the time you tried to blackmail me into fighting Merlyn or else you wouldn’t give me what I needed to save Thea?”

“Stop being a baby. I gave it to you, didn’t I? What about the time you kept me in a cage in that smelly basement you called a headquarters?”

“You tried to kill me, me, not your father, but me during a marriage ceremony I didn’t want either.”

“I knew you would stop me. I was just making a statement.”

“A statement? By cutting my throat?”

“It may have been a bit over the top.” Nyssa admitted. “But the situation called for a bit of drama. We have had some fun moments that did not involve the two of us trying to kill each other.”

‘True. You did kill everyone on board the plane while your father was beating me… again. You did kill Isabella, something I now admit was the right move. You did kill most of Murmur’s men.”

“I will admit I did that as a favor for Laurel but I will take your thanks if you wish to give it.”

“You did fight the Mira…”

“That was for Sara. I really didn’t think you or your short sidekick would survive that whole mess.”

“Okay… you did save my ass in Antarctica. And you could have killed me a few times that I like to think you held back because I had kind of grown on you.”

“Life is certainly more entertaining watching you bumble through it than if you were dead.” Nyssa admitted.

Oliver shook his head. “I would be proud to be your maid of honor. What color is the dress? Something tells me it isn’t green.”

“Your ceremonial wear will be at the wedding. Just be on time.”

“I wouldn’t miss it. By the way I like you too.”

“Of course. Who doesn’t?”

The next few days leading to the wedding were uneventful for everyone accept Kara, who traveled with Diana and Lexie constantly, checking with caterers, checking the location, checking the flower arrangements, contacting this Tatsu who would be officiating or initiating or something along those lines. It wouldn’t be quite the traditional wedding but the woman did agree at Oliver’s request to leave her self imposed exile to perform the ceremony and while her and Nyssa did not know each other well they did try to kill each other once with swords which impressed Nyssa to the point she considered the woman a friend. Nyssa was… different.

Plus Tatsu had traveled to a nearby city and taken an online ministers test so the whole thing would be legal. She hoped.

Barry had texted her, asking if she could bring Lexie by the station. Kara had not seen any of the officers since Lexie had her mishap and was a bit worried about their reaction. Leaving Charlie with Diana, hating to leave her dog but wanting both hands free in case anything went wrong, she placed the heart shaped bracelet over her daughters tiny wrist. Lexie immediately tried to pull it off, irritated at having something on her arms which were starting to move quite a bit.

“I know baby, but we can’t have any accidents. We are going to be around a lot of people and you could get irritated, plus it is a police station, so there might be drunk people causing trouble. Just trust me. I don’t like it any better than you, but it is one of those things you are going to have to live with because of me.”

The two walked in, Barry greeting them at the door and reaching for a bottle in the diaper bag.

“I already fed her Barry. I’m sorry but I didn’t want to her to be grumpy.” she explained. “Do… the other officers know she is coming today?”

“I’ve had worried co workers wanting to see her all week. A lot of them were worried something was wrong when you haven’t shown up this week. I told them you were busy with the wedding but I think they weren’t buying it.”

“So they aren’t… scared?”

“Why don’t you come inside and find out for yourself?”

Knowing the bracelet was secure on her little girl’s arm the two walked in to a silent station. No prisoners were being processed and Kara had never heard the place so quiet. She cursed Barry in her head for letting them come here.

Captain Singh walked up to the couple.

“We understand she needs a quiet place and we can keep it as quiet as possible. We won’t attack you or her Daddy. But she is going to be helping us out quite a bit in eighteen years and we want her to feel comfortable here. Don’t keep her away Kara. We aren’t scared.”

“And if she catches the building on fire?”

“We have fire extinguishers.”

“And if she burns one of you?”

“We are cops, we can take it. And we have fire extinguishers.”

“Now give me my granddaughter since I have been banned from the house all week.” Joe ordered, walking up and taking the girl from her mother, sitting at his desk. Lexie swung her arm up.

“You don’t like that, do you? You are too young to be wearing jewelry.” he told his granddaughter. He unclasped the bracelet. Kara moved, until Barry whispered in her ear.

“It will be fine Kara. She is calm. As long as no Amazons are attacking you she is good.”

True to Barry’s word the officers began a slow procession of officers walked towards the little girl who smiled and tried her best to wave. Kara began to slowly relax, seeing the officers, people she considered friends, not frightened of her daughter. She couldn’t fully relax but Barry was confident so she would be too. Diana had played with her all week and Lexie seemed fine. Perhaps it would be okay.

“Could you take off early? I want to get things ready for the party tonight, make sure all the last minute details are set.”

“Yeah, or Eliza could watch her. I know Jeremiah has wanted to spend more than a couple minutes with her or see her in red light.”

Kara silently agreed, figuring if she wasn’t going to handcuff her daughter she had to let her live life. She hated to leave tonight but she had a party to host for her sister and Nyssa and like everything else this weekend, it would be perfect, if it killed her and everyone around her.

“You didn’t get any blonde strippers for this party did you?” Barry whispered.

“Of course… not. Why? Do you think they would be… that would be a bad idea of course.”

“Yeah, probably so.” Barry agreed.

“Keep an eye on her. I need to go to or lab and make a call.”

Earth 3 Watchtower

“I found them.”

Bruce Wayne’s simple statement sent a shudder of excitement through out the gathered League.

“Where?” Kal El asked immediately, ready to fly.

“The lead on Dabney Donovan played out. The trail of money led to a connection with two other individuals, Reginald Augustine and Thomas Thompkins. Donovan has not been seen in months but facial recognition placed Thompkins in Metropolis. I talked to some people on the street near his last known location and they had seen him entering an abandoned Aquaduct. I did a bit of exploration on my own…”

“Why were you one your own?” Victor asked.

“Because by talking to people I meant I scared the hell out of them until they talked. I didn’t want to waste an opportunity to at least find out of it was credible. It was. I didn’t enter far but I didn’t have to. I found the first security camera before it caught me but could see enough. I scanned the aqueduct floor with a portable radar and found a huge series of caverns below. I was not able to get a perfect outline so I backed off. Kal, if you could fly overhead, there is a possibility you can get a layout of the place. Unless the entire structure has been covered in lead which I doubt, we can form a plan of attack and take over the base. The Order could have dozens of labs and strongholds all over the country. If we hit hard and fast we can get their databanks before they erase everything.”

“No.” Hank decided. “Diana hasn’t come back from Themyscira yet and Cisco Ramon is opening a breach in your cave tomorrow for Alex’s wedding. The base has been there for a long time. It will be there when we return Sunday.”

“And how many experiments will be conducted on innocents while we take the weekend off?” the Batman asked.

“I am sorry but we have searched for over a year. If Kal El can fly over tonight and provide us with an actual map of these caverns we can plan an attack. I believe we remember what happened the last time we tried to take a Cadmus base head on. We were lucky to get out of there without losing anyone. I am not missing this wedding and we are not going in with less than a complete team. If Diana returns I am sure she will wish to go and Kal is coming to the wedding as well. Let Kal see what he can find, study any maps of cave systems nearby that may give us a backdoor entrance and do not go in alone, Bruce.”

Bruce looked at the red eyes of the Manhunter. He would not miss this wedding and did have a point about planning. Bruce was usually the cautious one but he wanted this organization very badly and had spent a great deal of time investigating them. He also believed he had linked several missing persons cases with suspected nearby Cadmus activities across the nation. Despite the raid on the government facility and the destruction of the secondary location, the private part of Cadmus appeared to be moving forward unimpeded.

“Fine, we go in as a whole unit. I will try to get in touch with Diana though she hasn’t been answering all week. I will gather the rest. Arthur should be here as well. He has been spoiling for a fight.”

“Don’t go alone and don’t send your team down alone Bruce. Promise me. Plan and we attack at dawn on Monday.” Kal told him, leaving no room for discussion.

“I have no desire to have any of my team killed. I will wait. Get me schematics and I will have a plan by your return. I don’t want Barbara hacking their system. She is the best but if they even catch scent of an intruder of any type, even cyber, they could erase everything and run. Donovan isn’t exactly a public figure. He could disappear overseas for years. Thompkins is connected with arms dealers all over Europe, and next to nothing is known about Augustine. That could be an alias or one of several aliases. Did Cisco mention any trouble we would be needed for? At least for the wedding?”

“No, when I talked to him he said things were peaceful. They raided a metahuman fight club in a volcano not long ago but apparently the volcano caved in due to some rock chick, his words. Honestly I don’t understand what he is talking about most of the time but everything is good.” Hank reported.

“Then safe journey and give my best. I believe Lucy wanted to attend. She has needed time off. She is more of a workaholic than Barbara. Is Roy going? I haven’t spoken to him since I left Gotham.”

“No, that Earth isn’t the best place for him, especially considering the number of police officers who would be attending the wedding. Cat Grant will be accompanying us with Lois of course. Her son is staying behind due to school.” J’onn told the man.

Bruce nodded, expecting as much. A part of him was very tempted to attack Cadmus, with Roy, Helena, Diana, Dinah, Arthur and Victor. He wouldn’t though. If Kal El could work as a team he would as well.

“Not a word about what we have discovered,” Bruce warned them. “If they find out, their entire League will want to come, Jeremiah Danvers included. They do not need this. Kara is a new mother, Alex is getting married and this is our problem now. They have their own. Everybody agree?”

A round of nods indicated agreement and the meeting broke up, the wedding guests leaving to prepare for their cross dimensional journey.

Bruce wished he could go along as well. The novelty of another Earth never got old, but he had more important work. Two days to prepare and hopefully the main players behind Cadmus in bars by Monday afternoon.