Chapter Text
The TV is quiet in front of her, just a gentle hum, the screen flickering in the dark room as Lena sits tucked up and warm under a blanket on the couch. But despite the boring movie on the screen, despite the fact that she’s comfortable, her brain is working too fast for sleep to claim her, which is why she’s out here in the living room, instead of tossing and turning in bed and potentially waking Kara.
“Mommy?”
The soft voice across the room startles her and Lena looks towards the hallway to see Ella standing there, one hand rubbing tired eyes, the other clutching her favourite teddy bear.
“Is everything okay, sweetie?” Lena asks as she makes her way over to her daughter, crouching in front of the five year old. “Did I wake you?”
Ella shakes her head, bottom lip quivering as she does. “I had a bad dream.”
“Come here,” Lena says, already wrapping her arms around Ella, pulling the small girl into a tight embrace. “Do you want to tell me what happened?” Lena asks quietly, hand rubbing up and down Ella’s back as her daughter relaxes into her hug.
Ella shakes her head as she pulls away, hair falling across her face that Lena tucks back behind her ear. “It was scary.”
“Do you want to watch some TV with me until you fall back asleep?”
Green eyes widen. “I can watch TV? But it’s bedtime.”
It’s well past bedtime in fact, the clock on the wall telling her it’s just after 2am.
“Just this once, okay?” Lena says, smiling at the girl’s excitement.
Ella nods her head quickly, and Lena thinks this might have not been the best idea, because the young girl is suddenly much more awake than before, but the bad dream also seems to be forgotten as Lena switches to a cartoon instead so it’s not all bad.
Lena’s worries are unnecessary however, because not five minutes later, Lena finds herself with a five year old asleep in her lap. Lena cards her fingers through slightly tangled hair, watches the rise and fall of her little chest and wonders once again, just how lucky she is to have this wonderful little girl in her life, and to have a wonderful wife that she gets to share her life with.
Lena doesn’t even realise as her eyes start to grow heavy, her mind finally slowing down as she relaxes into the comfort of her daughter curled up in her lap, her quiet breathing filling the room when Lena switches off the TV.
She tells herself that she’ll get up in a minute, carry Ella back to bed and then join Kara in their own bed, but then her eyes are slipping closed of their own accord and Lena falls asleep herself.
The next time Lena wakes, she blinks tired eyes open to find she’s no longer on the couch, but back in her own bed, Kara asleep on the pillow next to her. It’s still dark out, so not morning yet, but she has no recollection of making her way back to her own bed.
Turns out, Kara’s not as asleep as Lena thought when blue eyes flicker open across the small space between them.
“Where’s Ella?” Lena asks, realising there’s no little girl tucked between them as Kara’s leg brushes her, a hand squeezing her hip as Kara shuffles closer.
“In bed,” Kara replies quietly, eyes searching Lena’s. “Is everything okay? I woke up and you were gone, I found the two of you asleep on the couch.”
Lena nods, images flashing through her mind of Kara carrying their daughter to bed, tucking her back in, of Kara then carrying her back to bed too. “I couldn’t sleep, so I was watching a movie. Ella had a nightmare so she joined me.”
“Is she okay?”
Lena nods.
Kara reaches out, tucks some loose hair behind Lena’s ear. She doesn’t retract her hand, lets in settle warm and heavy against Lena’s cheek. “You should’ve woken me if you couldn’t sleep.”
Lena turns her head, presses a kiss to Kara’s palm. “You’ve been so busy lately, I wanted to let you sleep while you had the chance.”
“You need sleep too.” Kara tilts her head forward, presses a kiss to Lena’s forehead. She lingers, Lena’s eyes fluttering closed at the pressure, at the love she can feel even in a simple touch. “Do you think you can sleep now? Are you tired?”
Lena hums, already feeling the pull of sleep, Kara’s warmth, her gentle touches, helping her to relax once more. “Yeah.”
Kara’s hand slips from Lena’s cheek, tangles in her shirt instead to pull her closer, Lena’s face settling pressed into Kara’s neck, body warm as Kara slots her leg through Lena’s, hugs her close.
“Sleep,” Kara says quietly, lips pressed to the top of Lena’s head this time. “Wake me if you need to.”
Lena hums again but doesn’t talk this time, too close to sleep as she melts into Kara’s embrace.
It’s not Kara that wakes Lena next, or even the sun that’s now peaking through the curtains to tell her it is actually morning this time. No, this time, she’s woken by a small body landing on top of her, trying to wriggle into the non-existent space between her and Kara.
“Ella,” she hears Kara groan, the little girl giggling as she finally gets her way and ends up between her parents, not before Lena gets a kick to her thigh from the squirming girl though.
“It’s Saturday, can we have pancakes for breakfast?”
Kara’s head pops up, meets Lena’s eyes over the top of Ella’s head. “Yes, can we have pancakes?”
Lena huffs out a laugh, their daughter so much like Kara it’s funny sometimes. Two sets of eyes watch her, waiting for an answer, and even though one set is green, and the other is blue, they have the same hopeful look in their eyes.
They always have a treat for breakfast on Saturdays, and each week they take turns choosing what they want. It’s Lena’s turn to choose, and it’s a little unfair they’re looking at her like this, because there’s no way she can say no.
“Do you two even like pancakes?” Lena asks, trying to keep a straight face. “I didn’t think either of you did.”
“We do, I promise!” says an earnest little voice, Lena losing the battle to keep a smile off her face at just how adorable their daughter is. Her wife is pretty adorable too, an affectionate smile on her face as she continues to watch Lena.
“Pancakes it is, then,” Lena says, earning an excited squeal from Ella. Lena uses the little girl’s distracted state to lean over her head and press a quick kiss to Kara’s lips. Kara’s smile only grows more adoring when she pulls away.
Lena’s so in love, both with the little girl who’s already out of bed, trying to now tug her parents with her, and with the woman across the bed, who’s using a little of her strength to make herself completely immovable despite Ella’s best efforts.
Lena laughs, letting herself be pulled from the bed and when she takes Kara’s hand, Kara easily lets herself be pulled up too, squeezing Lena’s hand in her own as Kara uses her other arm to scoop their giggling daughter under her arm.
“Good morning,” Kara grins, pressing a kiss to Lena’s cheek this time before tugging her towards the kitchen, where they’re no doubt going to make a huge mess as they make breakfast.
Lena’s never been happier.