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Chapter Text

Chapter 1

"It will be fun!"

The doors to the DEO burst open and Alex walked in with a happy child in her arms, the resident NCPD police Detective, Maggie Sawyer, following suit with a not-so-happy black haired girl attached to her hip. Both girls looked different ages and the agents had an idea of who they were. "J'onn. This is what happened!" Alex called to the Director with a hiss as they all walked to the med bay. "I arrived with Maggie at L-Corp to just ruins before I made my way to Luthor's office and found them asleep on the floor! I had to send Luthor's poor assistant to get some clothes for Kara because I wasn't leaving that building with her dressed like Supergirl!"

The Martian was at a loss for words at once as he watched Lena whimper as soon as Maggie tried to put her on a med bed or how Kara was jumping up and down on her bed. 

Lena clutched Maggie's hand tightly. "It's okay little Luthor, you're safe now. It's okay," she soothed, rubbing her back. If Maggie had to guess, she would put Lena's age at around 4-6. She could tell that the girl was malnourished and that she had injured her arm somehow given by how it hung limp. "Guys, I know it's a shock and trust me when I say I will be freaking out later, but we don't have time. We need to figure out how old they are and- and if they're okay and if they remember," Maggie had to stop before she carried on into an anxious ramble that would make her spiral prematurely.

Alex nodded and walked over to Kara, the alien was hanging upside down on the medical bed. "Hey, Kar. What you doing?"

"Up'down," she replied nonchalantly, closing her eyes and swinging her head briefly. "Do," she said, pointing at Alex. "A'yix do!" she had to give it to her, not only now did she look cute as a lamb but her lisp made her sound it too. Unable to resist those blue eyes, the agent climbed on the bed beside her and laid down so her head went over the side. Of course, at this current moment in time, Alex was taller than Kara and so didn't fit as comfortably on the bed. 

"Kar, do you know how old you are?" Alex asked hopefully.

The girl made a thinking face with a sound to go with it before she clumsily held up five fingers and announced, "Ree! Me ree!" Alex smiled at her, so she was three. Alex got up and straddled the bed before lifting Kara up. "Woah- unny," she mumbled, holding her head. 

Alex chuckled a little, "Yeah, your head feels funny? It's called head rush, sweetie. But it's okay," she soothed, rubbing her arms. Kara nodded and then laid down normally. "Are you tired, sweetie?"

Kara shook her head. "Ick," she answered, holding her tummy. Alex gave her a gentle look and kissed her forehead. 

"Does Luthor feel sick?" she asked Maggie, turning around to see that her girlfriend was currently rocking the CEO gently, Lena had her right arm flopped down while her left arm tucked into her body and her face smushed into Maggie's shoulder. "Aww, look at you Sawyer. You know all the tricks," that was something Eliza used to do to her baby cousin when she would get all worked up. The usual ways of rocking a baby never worked so she decided to do that. It gives a sort of weightless feeling as your arm hangs loose and your legs but you feel tight and secure to someone.

Maggie smiled at the young girl in her arms, "I used to do it to my little brother," she explained gently. "Lena was getting worked up and kept asking where Lex was," Maggie pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead when she stirred. "Shh, go to sleep Lena," she murmured. Alex watched the scene with a goofy grin; this was the woman who just yesterday was sprouting all that (bullshit) about not having kids. She was a natural!

"You have a brother?" but Alex decided to focus on this so she wouldn't scare the Latina woman. 

Maggie got a washed up expression on her face and focused solely on Lena. "Yep. His name is Marco, he should be around 19 right now," Alex saw the pain on her face. "But it's all fine. He was as brainwashed as my parents were. Never visited me or tried to get in touch so who cares?"

"You do," Alex said softly. 

Maggie didn't reply for a moment or two before uttering, "Well I shouldn't; it doesn't matter. End of," Alex dropped it and looked back at Kara. She was fast asleep. "Oh, Lena is seven by the way," Alex stared at the sleeping girl in shock. "My reaction too," this girl looked around 5. Alex walked over and motioned for Maggie to place her on the bed, once her girlfriend did so (it was longer than it should have been because Lena kept whining and reaching for her in her sleep) Alex got a stethoscope (making sure to warm it up first) and gently placed it on her skin. 

Alex listened intently to her heartbeat before gently pulling up the slightly too big button shirt she was wearing and wincing at how thin she was. Alex could see that there was some bruising as well and this concerned her. What had happened? Maggie felt like tearing up as she looked at the girl. "It would appear whatever made them like this reverted them to how they were at that age," Alex then went over and checked Kara. "Yeah, Kara doesn't have that scar on near her eyebrow. She got that scar when she was ten," Alex explained. Alex then looked a look at her left arm; her suspicion being that something was wrong with it. 

"Broken?" Maggie asked, tilting her head to see. Alex shook her head silently, gently massaging some places on her arm. "Just when little Danvers is needed we have... baby Danvers," Alex couldn't help the chortle.

Alex ran a hand through her hair, "We need to get an x-ray. Usually we use Kara but..." she glanced at the sleeping toddler. It isn't like she can take this girl to the hospital; they would ask too many questions and she didn't have answers or paperwork. 

"Why not call the big guy?" Maggie asked, Alex swivelled around looked at the other woman. "Hey don't shoot. I just know that he happens to be a portable x-ray machine," she raised her hands and leaned against the wall. Maggie never felt the urge to arrest Lillian Luthor as she did right now. Of course, she didn't know the full story and perhaps, perhaps, there was a chance that Lillian never touched a hair on her head. Maybe it was Lex. Or Lionel. But Lillian is still a manipulative bitch and Maggie was raring with protectiveness. Something she never would have guessed she would have for a Luthor but this Luthor slowly wormed her way into the hearts of the 'Superfriends' and Maggie knew they would all do something should anyone harm her.

She cast another look across her sleeping friends. "It's going to be fun," she murmured wryly, letting herself give out a long breath.

What was her life?

While the two girls slept, Alex, Maggie, J'onn and Winn were talking about what the hell they were going to do. "We don't know what happened in that office and the CCTV in there isn't working, either purposely or due to whatever made them like this," J'onn explained. Alex groaned and rubbed a hand over her weary face. 

Winn looked between everyone, "You- you can't keep them here," he stated. When he saw everyone staring, he backtracked. "I- I just wanted to say something insightful," he mumbled under Alex's hard 'no shit' look. Alex looked at her sleeping sister and Luthor on the beds. 

"J'onn... she- that girl..." cases with children were always hard on Alex. Always had been she just had a soft spot for them, but this particular child was her sister's best friend. Her sister's future girlfriend if she actually got her head on... not straight? Got her head on gay? Alex just knew that she had to make things right. "Me and Maggie can look after them until we find a solution," shit shit shit. Well done, Danvers, go ahead and do that without asking your fiancé. "It's my sis-"

"I know babe," Maggie said with a hesitant smile. Truth be told, she wanted to look after them two. Maggie knew that she was scared of being a parent but that was because of how messed up her parents made her. However, this was a chance to make things right; she wasn't her parents, and these weren't real children. "We got this," but maybe they could prepare her for children with Alex. 

"Winn, call Superman," 

Winn looked like he was going to faint. "M- me? Alex? Alex why me? Alex?!" he stammered but everyone had filtered to their own devices.

WC- 1,540

This is essentially a tester chapter! This is also on Wattpad.

Chapter Text

Chapter 2

"It Doesn’t Seem Like A Coincidence."

Alex walked back to the med-bay and was pleased to see her sister and her sisters ‘friend’ were still asleep. Alex knew that she needed to do something for Lena’s arm because if she woke up and jostled it, it could be even worse than it is now. The thing was, she didn’t know what was wrong with it. She guessed she, or Maggie, would have to wait here in case she woke up. Alex took to assessing the damage as she perched upon a slidey stool in between both beds. It seemed as though Lena was regressed more mentally than physically and Kara physically than mentally. There is a good chance this was done purposely? Lena was a bigger threat with her mind and Kara her body. Kara was at Lena’s office as Supergirl not Kara. Whoever had done this did this knowing that Supergirl was there so were they being followed? Alex’s paranoia set off immediately and she hugged herself in a pathetic attempt at comfort. Were they all being followed or just Lena and Kara or just Kara or just Lena? 

Her mind was running a million times a second. 

Were they safe? Did they know Kara was Supergirl? Did someone plant cameras in Lena’s office or- or Kara’s apartment? There are plenty of opportunities; Lena always has people in her office and Kara is hardly ever at her apartment. Although she has been recently due to her Mon-El brood. Spending the day being Super and awake at night to not be plagued with nightmares. It was that that made Alex a little sad Kara still had most of her big memories. 

“Hey, babe. You okay?” Alex glanced at Maggie, still holding herself tightly to keep her grounded. “What’s the matter Al?”

“What if they’re being followed? It- it doesn’t seem like a coincidence, Maggie. It- it’s like they were targeted due to their skill set. This person must know that Lena works for the DEO or- or the Government at best because why else would she be- be targeted?” Alex ranted, stammering and stumbling over her words as she looked anywhere but her fiancé. Maggie quickly glided over and cupped her fiancée’s cheeks. “What- what if they’ve been in her apartment? Plant- planted bugs? W- what if—”

“Hey, hey, hey. Baby take a deep breath before you start hyperventilating. Focus on my voice, on my heart,” she advised, gently pulling Alex’s hand to her chest. “Listen, I know that right now they are kids but they are unharmed. They are safe,” Alex went to speak but Maggie silenced her with a gentle finger on her lips. “Stop talking Allie,” that immediately made Alex focus; Maggie only called her that when she woke up in a panic due to nightmares. That was her special name for her. No one is allowed to call her that, not even Kara, except for Maggie. “We will protect them. Just calm down,” 

“But- but where do we go from here? I’m actually- I’m lost, Maggie. I just can’t think straight,” Maggie pulled her in for a hug. Because she was still seated on the stool, Alex wrapped her arms around Maggie’s waist as her head rested on her stomach. 

“You need to sleep,” Maggie said softly, kissing her head. 

Alex shook her head, “I can’t. What- what if she wakes up a- and I’m not there,”

“Listen to yourself. You’re thinking faster than you can process. You need rest. We can set up a bed next to Kara and I can watch over you both. I will wake you up when Superman gets here,” Maggie assured, still talking softly and placing gentle kisses on her fiancée’s head. Alex slowly relented; she was very tired and she felt like she was going to be sick. 

Maggie watched over her sleeping fiancée with watery eyes; she hated seeing Alex work herself up. She knew that the other woman suffered with anxiety, it came as part of her life. Having an alien sister she knew she needed to protect, even now as a Government agent. She has a lot of responsibility and after everything she has been through since Kara introduced the world to Supergirl, all the pressure she gets from her mom. Maggie isn’t surprised that she has some sort of anxiety disorder. Alex just never wanted to admit it. After all the panic and anxiety attacks, all the times she had chest pain during a high risk mission. Maggie just wished she would get help because she hates seeing her fiancée this way but she has to have a bravo act on. She needs to show everyone that she is strong because that’s what she was made to do. Nothing matters but Kara. Maggie doesn’t deny that Dr. Danvers loves her daughters but after what she has been told, Eliza definitely prioritised Kara more. Again, not necessarily a bad thing but you’re meant to show equal love amongst your children and Alex did the best she could with what she went through. She gained a sister but lost both her parents in the process. 

She daren’t touch Alex, not even a brush of her lips; when Alex was this high strung she was a light sleeper. Always alert for danger. “Urm, Maggie?” she turned and saw Winn lingering in the doorway. “Superman should be here soon,” Maggie nodded and thanked him. Superman. Clark Kent. Famous reporter Clark Kent. Maggie actually met him once, Clark that is. A few years before she met Alex. He is… a dork and never would have guessed he would be Superman, the man of steel.

Maggie knew she told her other half that she would wake her when Clark got here but seeing the peaceful look upon her face as she slept changed her mind. She decided that she would fill Clark in. Delay needing Alex’s medical knowledge. She just hoped Lena stayed asleep that long.

It was roughly 10 minuets later that another caped Kryptonian flew through the window-slash-hero-entrance and into the D.E.O. facility. Apparently he didn’t look too happy as he stalked in, someone had said they thought he got walking advice from the masked vigilante in Gotham. Maggie knew he had walked into the room simply by the air getting a little frosty as he wordlessly stood next to Kara, a forlorn expression perched on his face before he spoke a language that Maggie had never heard before, she did however, see Kara relax even more in her sleep.

Yet, with the addition of a new and not as familiar (due to him not always being here) voice, Alex stirred. She went from her eyes opening gently to suddenly bursting open and the movement that went with it reminded Maggie of a vampire.

"Alex," Superman greeted.

She shot a glance at Maggie, "Superman," ah, so Clark didn’t know she knew. "Glad you could get here on such short notice," he continued to look at Kara. "Listen, while we would have informed you regardless-" he let out a dry laugh and Alex was cut off abruptly. The agent glared at the alien for the interruption but Maggie understood; she knew that Alex had so much on her mind and the text to let Superman know would be lost in the void of her priorities. "- BUT we need your help; you’re essentially a portable x-ray machine that asks less questions than hospitals. Well, I wouldn’t say that but you understand the predicament and won’t arrest us or get us committed to a mental ward," Maggie let out a snort of a laugh.

Superman gently shook his head but Maggie saw a twinge of a smile. "Where do you need me?"

Alex guided him over to Lena, showing him her arm and he took a scan of her whole arm from shoulder to end of her fingers. They saw him wince as he got just to her elbow. "Looks fractured,” he commented. Maggie’s heart broke even more hearing that. Alex rubbed the sleep from her eyes now she knew no one was in danger and sluggishly made her way to where no end of materials for casts and braces. 

“She probably won’t like it like a typical kid but it’s to keep her safe,” Alex muttered to fill the silence as she gently wrapped her arm up in an elbow brace and attached a sling. At this movement, Lena started to stir and whine, pushing away the intruding hands on her person. “Hey, hey, Lena. It’s agent Danvers, Alex. Kara’s sister,” she said soothingly, gently rubbing her head with her thumb. 

“Mags,” she whimpered, reaching for the Latina with her one good arm. Maggie froze; she actually wanted her. Lena Luthor wanted Maggie Sawyer, the one who has arrested her, rather than Alex who she had worked with many times before and is her best friends sister. Alex gently pushed her closer to the young Luthor, a smile on her face as she watched her tentative fiancée sit on the bed and pull Lena onto her lap, the child’s head fitting snug on her shoulder and her face tucked into Maggie’s neck. 

Alex couldn’t help but smile when she saw that. Perhaps one day, instead of Lena Luthor, it would be their child. 

Suddenly, Alex’s dreams were back on track. The woman she loved and was about to marry. The woman she loved and a child of their own to shape into a strong woman or man or whatever they choose. Just, someone that stands up for themselves. Someone who looks out for others just as much as they look out for themselves.

WC- 1,607

Chapter Text

Chapter 3

"Dey My Toos!"

Maggie soon realised that Lena had drifted off back to sleep. Gentle, soft snores emitted from the little Luthor. Eyes closed— although Maggie could tell it wasn’t a deep sleep. “What’s the plan?” Superman asked. 

Alex laughed a dry laugh. “Isn’t that the million dollar question,” she muttered, perching herself at the end of Kara’s bed. The Kryptonian wasn’t exactly the epitome of a sleeping beauty. Her hair was everywhere, drool, her body tangled in so many ways a contortionist would be jealous. Yet, past all that Alex could see how carefree her face was. How her dreams weren’t plagued with planets exploding and heartache. “We just have to make sure they stay safe until we can figure out how to make them normal again. Me and Maggie already said we would look after them, J’onn said he would look after the city as Supergirl a few nights a week,”

“I can help out sometimes,” Clark added. “I know that she would help me if I ever needed her too, and she is my cousin. I’ll help anyway I can,” Alex nodded.

“Your place is too small,” Maggie commented, looking at her fiancée. Alex hummed in agreement. “What about Kara’s loft?” Alex immediately shot a look at Maggie, a look of panic and uncertainty. Ah right, she thinks that Kara was being followed. “Okay, okay. Not Kara’s apartment. What about Lena’s?” 

Alex just didn’t know. She was adamant that her sister's apartment was not safe at all. It wasn’t a coincidence that Lena was targeted, it can’t be; Lena has one of the most brilliant minds on the planet and Kara was targeted as Supergirl. 

“Okay, Allie, why don’t we go to Midvale for a week? Ay? While we are there, J’onn can sweep the apartments for any bugs or recording devices, even Lena’s office,” Maggie suggested, anything to help slow Alex’s racing mind. The agent relaxed and nodded. 

“Yeah, I- I like that. Where would they sleep?” she asked, always planning ahead. 

“Me and you could share your bed, Lena could take Kara’s old bed and we could get a travel cot for Kara. I know she could be a little old for it, I’m not entirely sure when a kid should be out of a cot but it works,” it sounded like a plan. Now they just needed to call Eliza and tell her the plan and if it was okay to enact the plan. 

The room fell into a weird kind of silence. 

Maggie was laying on the bed with Lena laying on her. Kara was laying on her bed and Alex was sat at the end of it and Clark was leaning against the wall. 

That’s what J’onn walked into. He looked at the two young girls on the bed… and on the detective and he couldn’t help but want to really hurt whoever did this to them. While yes, he still has his doubts about Lena Luthor, he saw what she meant to Kara and thus looked out for her the same as he did his ‘daughters’. It feels like he lost two daughters again and that made his heart hurt so much. 

“They’re taking them to Midvale,” Superman murmured.

“Midvale?”

“We’re leaving as soon as they wake up; don’t want to scare them,” Alex decided, it seemed like that was the best option. 

Maggie frowned, “Won’t we need a car and car seats?” 

“Aw I was thinking of strapping them to my bike,” Alex joked, Maggie sent her an amused look, happy to see that Alex was getting to be herself again. “But yes, car seat,” it was funny, really. A top government facility, fighting aliens 24/7 and yet they had no clue whether a child needs a car seat or not. 

Around fifteen minutes later both girls were awake. Kara seemed fine, not complaining about feeling sick so it seemed to be a momentary thing, probably left over from whatever made them de-age. Lena looked okay too, she was currently sat on Kara’s bed. Kara had not been happy when she saw ‘her Eena’ was hurt and it made Alex’s heart melt to listen to her sister rant.

In the time they had been asleep, Winn, J’onn, Clark, Maggie and herself had managed to get a forward facing harness seat for Kara and a booster seat for Lena that still had a backboard. They had also called Eliza with an update and promised to explain everything when they got to Midvale. With the seats in the car and the travel cot in the boot, they were ready. They just needed to get the girls ready. 

“Kara come on! I need to get you into some clothes that fit,” Alex said in exasperation, trying to wrestle the three year old out of the clothes she was currently wearing and into some smaller ones. She just managed to take the shirt off before Kara wiggled away. 

“Nooooo,” the toddler whined, sliding off of the bed. She landed on the floor with a quiet “oomf” and scrambled to her feet before running away from Alex. She giggled as she hid behind a stool. 

“I have chocolate,” she said in a singsong tone.

A small blonde head poked up from the other side of the couch. “Toclet?” she lisped, Alex did find it endearing. “Kawa toclet?” she asked curiously. Alex nodded, knowing that the three-year-old would not call her bluff. Although Alex hoped she wouldn’t have to show evidence because she was lacking.

“Alex is fibbing, Kar.” called the ever so helpful voice of the logical Lena Luthor. “She doesn’t have any chocolate,” Alex, ever the mature one, sent a glare toward little Luthor while Maggie stifled a laugh. Alex wasn’t entirely mad, this was, of course, the longest and loudest thing she had ever said since being turned into a child. 

Lena carefully climbed off the bed and padded over and silently asked for the clothes before walking over to the half-naked girl. “Look! Puppies!” now her voice was back to the private whisper, something Alex hadn’t been subjected to yet. Kara couldn’t resist and she crawled from her hiding place to see the puppies which let Lena slide the t-shirt onto her. Alex let out a cheer of glee that made Lena flinch slightly but other than that, in the eyes of the couple, this was a win. 

Now to get her into a pair of joggers. 

With Kara dressed and Lena currently getting herself dressed, Alex and Maggie savoured an embrace between them. They felt stuck. They had moved past the initial shock and worry and now they didn’t know what to do next. They were going to Midvale, but then what? Walk around the town with two kids and proclaim them as their own? Maggie finally pulled through the fog and got her cop brain on to mention to Alex that would need to be careful walking around with Lena; she should be in school at her age. While they could pass her off at perhaps four, they couldn’t expect Lena to lie for them when she believes she is seven. 

Lucky for them, it was Saturday. 

“Lee, come on. We need to go,” Maggie called, gently knocking on the door. A small sniffle was heard. “Lena? What’s wrong, honey?”

“Need help,” a small voice murmured, a sense of defeat emanating from the bathroom. 

“Can I come in?” Maggie asked, opening the door when she got permission. Lena, bless her soul, had managed to get her trousers off and (by the state of the bathroom) clumsily pulled some new ones on. That’s where her coordination ended. To be fair, while Alex and Maggie wanted to respect Lena’s autonomy, they should have remembered she had the coordination and mental capabilities of a seven year old child— albeit a smart seven year old but a child nonetheless. She also had her arm in her brace. “Lena-Lou,” she called in a soft whisper. “I’ll help you,”

“Sorry Mags,” Maggie waved it off and helped to ease her arm out of her brace, turning an eye when Lena flinched slightly at the extra pair of hands. “I can do it, jus’ need help taking my top off,” she dismissed. Maggie paused and gently took her in for a hug. Maggie could just punch Lillian right now. “This is nice,”

“It is, little Luthor. It is. Now come on; we need to get a move on before Alex throttles Kara,” Lena laughed and Maggie unbuttoned her shirt and pulled it off her arms before helping her into an army green t-shirt. 

“Kara Zor-El Danvers! Stop kicking my damn chair!” groaned Alex. Maggie held back a laugh as she turned on the indicator. Kara giggled and kicked it again. “Lena, could you please take her shoes off? It will soften the blow,” Lena wordlessly leaned over and pulled off Kara’s trainers, much to the disgruntlement of Kara. 

“My toos!” she complained, looking at Lena with as much betrayal as her little face could. “Eena! Dey my toos!”

“I told you to stop kicking Kara. This is your fault,” Alex replied with no sympathy in her voice. “Let’s sing some songs?” she suggested. Although, now she had the struggle of thinking of nursery rhymes. 

“The big ship sailed on the alley-ally-oh, the alley-ally-oh, the alley-ally-oh. The big ship sailed on the alley-ally-oh on the last day of September,” Maggie sang, Alex looked at her with a lovesick expression on her face. “Hey, i’ve had to comfort kids before in my line of work,” she defended. 

Chapter Text

Chapter 4

"Kryptonian!"

The rest of the car ride wasn’t actually that bad. Kara had fallen asleep in the car and Lena, Maggie and Alex were still singing and Alex even got Lena to talk to her about her favourite dinosaur! "I spy with my little eye, something beginning with ‘K’,” it was Lena’s turn and she chose something that Maggie and Alex would never ever guess. 

“‘K’? There is nothing here beginning with K,” Maggie said stubbornly. Lena giggled. Even Alex was confused. “Did you mean cuh (C) and not kay (K)?” 

“Nope,” she replied, popping the ‘p’. So that was ‘car’ out of the equation. “Guess Mags and Alex!” 

“We’re trying to Lee,” Alex chuckled, turning to check on Kara. She’s had to reach over and push her head back twice now. Thank god for harness straps. That made her pause. Alex wasn’t stupid, not by any means. K. “Kara?” she suggested hesitantly. 

“Close!” Lena replied. 

Alex shared a look with Maggie before she uttered the next words, “Kryptonian?”

“YAY! You got it!” 

“Lena, how did you know Kara is a Kryptonian?” 

Lena, not taking a notice of how the car suddenly got less carefree and more stuffy, picked at her nails as she answered nonchalantly. “‘Cos she was wearing that sign on her costume. Same as that other boy that is on the tv,” she replied. Superman? “Mama and Lex always talking ‘bout Superman and he is K’iptonian,” 

“Lena-Lou, you know that you… well you see-" Alex actually didn’t know what to say. How was she going to explain to a seven year old why she shouldn’t tell people that Kara isn’t human? 

"I can’t tell anybody that Kawa is K’iptonan," Lena supplied, an innocent look upon her face. "I know, I hear how mama an’ Lex talk about them. I dun wan Kawa hurt!" Alex smiled and looked at Maggie who was showing the same sentiment.

"You’re so smart Lee," Maggie commented, looking in the mirror to see her smile in pride. "Proud of you LeeLee," she didn’t know where all these nicknames came from, and by the look in Lena’s eyes it was new to her too but a good new. Refreshing. "Now. I spy—"

"Hey now Sawyer. It’s my turn," Alex said gently pushing her shoulder in jest. "I was smarter than you," and there was the smug grin. Maggie stared at Alex with a questioning glance as she slowed at the red light. Alex didn’t want to back down from the Sawyer stare but she was slowly backing down. "Then again you’re so beautiful and smart and amazing you should go now. Love you my amazing fiancée,"

Lena giggled, "Alex is in looooove,"

"Hush now little Luthor, you’ll feel it some day and then I will tease you," Alex grumbled, she couldn’t help that she wanted to give this gorgeous woman the world and that nothing would ever make her so no to the detective. She was smitten, okay.

"I spy with my brown eyes, something beginning with ‘L’," 

Maggie barely finished her sentence before Lena shouted, probably at the top of her little lungs, "LOVE SICK PUPPYYY!" and burst out laughing. Maggie snorted and rested her head on her hands that were resting on the steering wheel while Alex turned as red as Kara’s cape as she spluttered defensively.

Kara groaned as she shifted in her seat, her blue eyes opening slowly as they slowly filled with tears. "Ayik!" she cried kicking her legs. "Out! Me out!" Maggie was still trying to catch her breath as the light turned yellow, looking at the sign that welcomed them to Midvale. There was a cafè close by they could pull off at so everyone could use the toilet and get some food and just stretch their legs. "OUT!"

Lena didn’t look as open anymore as she stared at the wailing baby, "Sorry Kawa! I didn’t meant to wake you up!" she apologised, holding her hand. Kara slowly stopped the crying, slight sniffles still being heard as tears silently leaked out her eyes. "We are getting out soon!" 

"Eena me ungy an weh," Lena frowned; she wasn’t used to baby talk and didn’t understand what she was saying. 

Alex turned her head backwards and looked at Kara, "Did you say you were wet?" Kara nodded her head tearfully. Alex desperately hoped it was from water but they didn’t have any drinks. Alex shot a look at Maggie who had calmed down as soon as she heard the word ‘wet’ and shot Alex a fake grin. "Please tell me you remember the way to the caf’,"

Lena tucked into the food she had got, a simple sausage and chips with some curry sauce and a hot chocolate. Truth as what she said, Kara was wet. It wasn’t exactly much but it was enough to know that they needed to get her clean. Alex knew it was their own fault for not making sure they went toilet before getting into the car but her and Maggie had enough stress actually putting the toddler into the car. Toilet was the last thing on their mind. Sadly, there was only two adults and two children. Also sadly, both children were attached to different adults. Neither Alex nor Maggie wanted to drag a toddler around a shop and Lena was hungry and already overwhelmed by Midvale after 5 minuets of the damn place. Poor girl was only used to the manor and her school. 

That left them one choice because they didn’t want a toddler meltdown. Maggie kneeled down while the kid ate her food. "Hey Lena-Lou. Would you be okay if Alex stayed here with you and Kara while I nipped to the shop to get some spare clothes for her?" because of course they didn’t pack any clothes to put them into. Of course they didn’t. WHY WOULD THEY?

Lena looked a little nervous as she placed down her fork. She glanced at Alex. The agent was at the counter, Kara in her arms, choosing what the toddler wanted. Maggie heard lots of: “Kara no!”

"You need actual food, not just a cookie. Do you want nuggies or sausage or a pie?"

"PEKAN PIE!?" Maggie laughed as she saw Alex mentally hit herself. 

"But yeah, sweetie. Would that be okay?" she turned her attention back to the green eyed girl. She looked nervous, her eyes not leaving the short haired agent. "Just that Kara would be really sad to be away from Alex,"

Lena nodded, "It’s okay Mags. I’ll stay with Alex!" she looked a little vulnerable as she whispered: "You’re coming back though, right?" 

Maggie kissed her forehead, "Of course sweetheart," Lena looked like she didn’t trust it but after a few moments she nodded and turned back to eating her food. Maggie nodded to herself and stood, watching as Alex walked back with Kara skipping in front of her (wearing Alex’s jacket) and Alex, with a face of a smacked bum, carrying Kara’s food. "Hey baby," she greeted, kissing Alex’s cheek. 

"I beg. Let me go shopping. Even better, we both go and leave them locked in the car," Maggie laughed and kissed Alex again. "Luthor okay with you going?"

"Yep,"

"Lucky shit," Alex said with a hopeless sigh. Maggie grinned again and kissed her nose. "Go. Quicker you go quicker you’re back. Just get some kids pants, uh two spare bottoms, two tops, two jumpers… socks? What size shoe because I think these are a little small for them—"

"I’ve got it Allie. I’ll ring mama D if I need to," Maggie assured. She gave both Lena and Alex a kiss respective to their relationship and said her byes to Kara… she was too focused on eating to notice.

Alex did notice that Lena went slightly more closed off as soon as the doors shut and Maggie was gone. Alex sat down and held her head in her hands.

What. The. Actual. Fu-

"Ayik, weh. No ike," 

Alex sighed, "I know Kar-bear. Mags is getting us some spare clothes. Is your food nice?"

Kara nodded as she ate another nugget, "Yeth! Ummy!" 

"What about you Lena?" Alex asked, looking at the girl.

Lena glanced at Alex, "It is really nice thank you. Urm, does- does mama need to pay you back? Mags say it shouldn’t be a- a problem b- but…" she grew quieter and more unsure as she carried on the conversation, stammering more as she grew unconfident. 

Alex decided to help her out and smiled at the little Luthor. "It’s okay Lee. It’s on me. Maggie wasn’t lying," were they ever going to explain to Lena that she wasn’t ever going to see Lillian again? That her mother was currently in prison. 

Lena nodded in satisfaction and drank her drink. 

"AYIK!"

"Yes Kara! I know!" Alex couldn’t help but snap. Kara stopped her sentence midway, her eyes filling with tears as she started to cry. 

"Me- me n-nyee du-du-du-du toy’yit!" she wailed through her sobs. Alex didn’t have a clue what she was trying to say. She just screaming. She needed Maggie. Alex wasn’t cut out for this! How was it that she was the one that wanted the kids but Maggie was the one better with them! "I WAN MAGS! Eena!" Kara squirmed down and crawled under the table to sit next to Lena. Lena was unsure as she wrapped her arms around Kara.

"I’m going to loose my mind," Alex mumbled.

"I- I think she needs the toilet," Lena whispered. Alex nodded and gestured for them both to follow her to the girls bathroom. Alex went to help her into the stool but Kara shook her head.

"NO! Ayik meanie. Eena elp," Kara said stubbornly, crossing her arms.

"Lena can’t help, Kara. Her arm hurts remember," Alex said, remaining calm this time. "I’m sorry I shouted at you baby, Alex was just getting stressed and my mind was just…" Alex sighed and hung her head. "I’m sorry baby,"

Kara but her lip before wrapping Alex in a tight hug, thankfully her powers were dulled a little due to her being younger and probably some other factors that she doesn’t have the brain capacity to think of yet. Just thankful that she can’t squeeze her head off. "’give oo Ayik," Kara mumbled. "Oh…" Alex knew what that meant. They were too late. Too much of a fuss has been kicked up. 

"Are you a new mom?" Alex didn’t have the energy to deal with whatever entitled bitch was invading her privacy.

"Uh, y- yeah. This little one is my uh daughter and she is my urm niece," Alex replied, subtle Danvers, subtle. "Kara and Lena," Alex looked up and her brain went offline as she looked into the familiar eyes of Josie.

"Alex?"

"J- Josie… wow Josie uh hii," she greeted in shock.

Where was her Maggie?

Chapter Text

Chapter 5

"Who’s the lucky man?"

Maggie pushed the cart down the clothing isle, completely lost. She already forgot what Alex said they needed. All she had on her mind was clothes, and the fact she needed to be back pronto. A better shop could be made when they were at the Danvers family home and there were two people to keep an eye out on the kids. “Joggers?” she questioned to herself as she walked down the kids isle. She had rung mama-D in the car asking about sizes and she replied how they should be the ages on the tag— like Kara’s would say “2-3 years” however the blonde was slightly tall for her age despite being the younger side of 3, thank you for that very helpful knowledge, so Maggie was going to buy 3-4’s. 

What colours would they like? Kara would probably like pictured clothes and Lena may want nicer clothes as that’s what she is more familiar with. Maybe leggings? Jeans? She piled things in the basket: packs of pants (princess and robotics and days), two pairs of cargo joggers, two jumpers, two shirts, two pairs of socks. Maggie then wandered if she should get toys for them; what else would they do? She wasn’t just gonna stick them in front of the tv all day. So, as she wandered down the isles, she wondered what they would want. Maggie was going to get them a stuffed toy each, perhaps it could help with bedtime, and a toy they could play with. Lena would probably want something sciencey? Or robotics. Something to build. Kara… what would a three year old want? Kara loved animals… Maggie saw something that caught her eye. A type of vet set. Came with a dog and some veterinarian tools. Perfect for Kara.

With that done, all Maggie had to do was buy for Lena. 

Would she like some lots of pieces lego? Something to put her mind to? 

Yes. With that decided, Maggie looked over all the lego. Did toddler Kara have an afinity for putting non-edible things in her mouth like most toddlers? Weren’t Kryptonian’s meant to be smarter than us? Didn’t she learn calc at aged four or in fourth grade or something like that, Alex is probably more in the know about the Krypton way of life. Then again, Kara was on earth. Maybe she was super smart at this genuine age. 

“Birthday shopping?” Maggie looked up to see a couple with a pushchair, inside was a child perhaps around Kara’s age? Well, her new age. “How old is your child?"

Did she bring up Alex? Say that they weren’t their kids? “Me and- and my fiancée are looking after two kids. Two girls. Three and seven,” Maggie answered with uncertainty. The couple smiled at her and gestured to their little one. 

“This is Sami, he’s two. Sami say hi?” the mom questioned. 

“Hi!” the boy replied, a grin on his face and kicking his legs. 

“Hi sweet,” Maggie greeted, the dad looked at the trolley. 

“Careful with the lego, these little ones love to eat anything and everything. It’s like they’re born with pica,” Maggie laughed a long with the couple and nodded. 

“Yes, haha. That’s true. Well my Lena is very careful with her things, especially seeing as how small they are,” Maggie replied, defending her girl a tad. She wasn’t careless! “And Kara well, we won’t be keeping our eyes off of her regardless if Lee had lego or not,” Maggie isn’t even sure they were going to cope with an extra pair of eyes. They needed all of Midvale to make sure Kara stayed out of trouble! The couple laughed knowingly. 

“The trick is about your timing. An hour nap when she’s finished lunch, perhaps a trip to the park or some sort of entertainment center when picking your eldest up from school and then bedtime at 7:30. Perfection,” mom said, winking at Maggie. “Who works out of you two?”

“Uh we- we both do,” Maggie replied, shit how was she going to explain this to her boss? No way could she explain her predicament. Maggie would have to still work and leave Alex alone to figure what the hell she was going to do. Maggie could book perhaps a week or two holiday with the amount of extra time she does but what if this takes longer? “But we shouldn’t have them long and we have help,"

“Well, we’re here if you need help! Perhaps a play date with your youngest and my Sami,” the dad offered after a shared look with his other half and they walked off. 

Maggie sighed and rubbed her head. She couldn’t wait to wake up from this nightmare. 

“How- how are you?” Alex stammered out, looking at her former friend. “This is a bit of an awkward time Josie,”

“It isn’t like I meant to bump into you Danvers,” Josie replied with an eye roll. “Your girl seems to have had an accident,”

“Akident otay!” Kara replied, crossing her arms angrily, a glare on her cute button face as she mustered all her energy to make this other woman scared. Alex just hoped she wouldn’t unleash heat vision. “Nu mean tu Ayik!” 

“Okay, Tiny,” Josie replied, Alex seethed. Why was she being a bitch? Their dramas happened years ago and she was being very rude to these babies. 

“Me K-” oh shit no don’t say your name!

“HEY,” Alex said loudly, stepping in front of Kara, ignoring the kick she got— they would deal with that later. “Why are you instantly harassing me and these kids you selfish bitch,” okay, that was definitely the adrenaline because Alex, never in a million years, would have said that to anyone— much less Josie. Even though it still stings when she thinks of her former friend. "Listen just-" she sighed, "Just go,"

"Have you had too many knocks to the head? I need the bathroom idiot," right. She was in a bathroom. Alex wanted to start this all over again. Back to when she didn’t shout at Kara and essentially made her wet herself— that is something she won’t be doing again. Stressed or not.

She felt a pressure on her leg and saw that Lena was tapping her. "Toilet," Alex could have cried there and then. Of course this child needed to use the bathroom. The one time Alex really did not want to be in the bathroom and now she is going to be stuck in here with Josie. Alex gestured to the free cubicle (quickly grabbing Kara’s hand before the toddler slipped out the bathroom) and leaned against the sink.

"What do you get up to lately Danvers?" asked Josie from the stall she was in. Alex didn’t expect her to strike up a conversation!

She stammered out: "I- I am an FBI agent in National- National City!" her voice reverberating off of the cold walls. "You?"

Josie didn’t reply, instead answered with another question. "What about your freak of a sister?" completely ignoring Kara’s defensive call of 'Hey! F’eek id a bad wowd!' but honestly, Alex loved it. To know that Kara was in there somewhere was beautiful. (She also had a suspicion Lena was taking forever on purpose but Alex just blamed her paranoia). 

"Uh Kara is doing great, thank you," Alex said, her voice full of sarcasm at her gratitude. "She’s actually a reporter for CatCo World-Wide Media in National City," Alex wanted to rub her sisters achievements even further by mentioning her friendship with a certain CEO, but seeing as said CEO was just two doors down, Alex didn’t find it appropriate. 

The door opened and out came a laughing Josie. It made Alex’s blood boil. All the bullying Kara was subjected to during her high school days, bullying Alex did nothing to stop or prevent. Of course she stood up for her 2/10 times but there were so many more times she watched idly by, or laughed. Times she didn’t defend her at sleepovers when they would talk smack about a bunch of people. 

Alex had really hoped that Josie would have grown up, but it seems that some people are just hardwired a certain way. It seemed that some part of Josie would always be judgmental, Alex sure wasn’t going to judge but when you’re on the side of it she is… it’s hard to see it not as a part of her personality but as a character flaw. 

"Are you going to tell me something about you?" Alex asked, trying to steer the conversation off her. "Dating anyone?"

"Married, actually. Archer is his name," she revealed, rubbing the soap in her hands. "I can see the ring on your own finger. Did you and Rick finally get together," she asked with a laugh.

Cold. It’s so fucking cold. Wet. It’s wet too. Alex feels like she is being crushed by water. Claustrophobia. Claustrophobia by water. No, that’s just called drowning Alex, get with it! But it’s hard to function when you feel like your body is turning to jelly and all you want to do is BREATHE but your chest feels like it’s being crushed and your feet have long since been able to touch the floor.

Exhausted. 
That’s how she feels. Alex isn’t sure how long it’s been since she rested. She knows if she stops kicking her legs then she will sink; her arms can’t keep her up long enough. Every time she stopped, water splashed up her nose causing her legs to work again and a splutter leave her mouth. Her broken voice scratched “h- help” into the void as—

"Alex?" Josie ended up nudging the agent which made Alex snap her head to the side and enter reality again. ”You’re still weird— the heck was that?" Alex knew exactly what that was. That by the very mention of his name, Alex still was blasted back in time to when he kidnapped her. That she still can’t have a bath, that she practically begged Maggie to help her get rid of her shower and make it a wet room.

PTSD.

That’s what her DEO assigned therapist has proclaimed. That among many things but it was mainly the PTSD that stopped her from sitting in a freaking bath tub— even without the water. 

"Alex, can we go back now?" she looked down and— wait, when had Lena finished AND washed her hands? Josie was staring at her like a cell under a microscope. 

"So… go on. Who is the lucky man?"

Lena scrunched her nose, "Alex kisses Maggie. Not a man," Alex held the bridge of her nose in frustration. This kid was deathly honest. Some parents would say that’s a good thing but this is the second time now (granted, while they were trying to dress Kara, Lena did it) her honesty has contradicted what Alex has said. Although, this time she said it internally: do NOT let Josie know you’re gay.

Josie looks at Alex with a scrutinising eye, "You’re a lesbian?"

"Yup. That’s me," Alex said awkwardly, running a hand through her hair. She did just realise they were talking in a public restroom with two bored children. One of which was still wet— MAGGIE. "I- we need to go. Their food is getting cold and- and I need to make sure my partner can see us," with that, Alex took Lena’s hand and walked out of the bathroom. Kara seemed happy to finally be moved, even if she was contained to her sister’s hand. A small part of Alex hoped that Josie would follow them. Hoped that she would have another opportunity to talk to her.  

But she didn’t.

Instead, when Alex sat down and did a scout, she saw that Josie was sat a few spaces behind her. 

Alex sighed again, it felt like a permanent reaction at this point, and looked over at her girls. Kara really didn’t seem to care she was in wet clothes but Alex felt so much guilt. If Maggie took any longer than 5 or so minutes then Alex would have no choice but to take her trousers and pants off and just have her jacket around her because the agent wasn’t going to allow Kara to sit in her own wee for any moment longer!

Lena looked… at peace as she finished her food. It was unsettling to see due to how much she knows Lena has gone through at this age. How on edge she really is and how ready she is for danger. 

Chapter Text

Chapter 6

"Did you get the, uh, adult juice?"

Maggie’s phone beeped when she was at the alcohol section. She knows that this is probably the last thing she should by given the fact Alex had a problem but she seemed to have it under control from the times she has seen her drink. Kara isn’t exactly at the right mind to berate her for buying some Jack Daniel’s and a bottle of coke. 

                       4 Notification(s):                                             My Girl ❤️

f| my girl ❤️

> Maggie

> Please hurry and come back

> I cannot take it any longeeeerrr AND guess who we bumped into in the bathroom???

> Josie freakin Andrews 

t| alex

> WHAT

> That bitch. Are you okay babe? I’m sorry I wasn’t there but I got stopped by this couple and I was trying to figure out what to buy etc.

> But are you okay?

f| my girl ❤️ 

> Sounds like you’re having as much fun as I am. Oh, Kara had another accident BTW and I sorta yelled at her. But we got over it. I need you Mags. 

> I’m okay. Can’t believe I was friends with her tho. She really hasn’t changed at all! Now, stop texting me and get back to this caf so we can change Kara and get to moms place. Don’t forget alcohol. Love you xxx

Maggie chuckled, sending the sentiment back, and skipped her phone in her pocket. Looks like shopping was over. She went to the checkout and then back in the car before driving back to the cafe. 

Alex smiled as she pocked her phone. Lena had finally finished her food, Kara having beaten her around five minutes ago. She still had her appetite it seemed. "Urm, agent Danvers? When- when-" she cleared her throat and calmed her nerves. "When is Maggie coming back?"

Alex held her thought of ‘I wanna know that too, kid’ and instead replied, "Soon. Tell me something about you," maybe this would help the smallest Luthor to feel comfortable around her. But wait, she flinched at the demand and that’s when she remembered what a control freak her mother and brother are. "If- if you want that is," note to self, when you adopt kids, please don’t take the neglected ones. You’ll just make them worse Alex. 

Lena schooled her expression- she is SEVEN for Christ sake - and folded her hands onto her lap, a posture better than Alex’s own. "I enjoy playing chess, although I am yet to beat Lex. I am fascinated by science-"

"Fatinated?" echoed Kara with her cute crinkle. Given how her family is and how they seem to view mistakes and imperfections, Alex was expecting Lena to scoff at the child. Sneer even. Show something other than the love that was spreading across her pale face. Even without her memories, Lena Luthor had a soft spot for her Kara. It astounded Alex how obviously in love they were but were too scared to admit it to each other. 

"Lena and Kara are definitely in love," Alex said once she and Maggie made it home from game night. Maggie laughed and nodded, grabbing two beers from the fridge. Not that she or Alex actually needed them seeing as they drank plenty at Kara’s loft. 

"Alex, babe, anyone could tell that,"

Alex whined, "Mags, don’t take this from me! My uh, my radar-“

”Gaydar,” she interjected. 

“My gaydar is actually working!” Maggie laughed again at the excited and adorable look on her girlfriend’s face. “It works babe!” Maggie wrapped her in a hug and turned some music on before taking her on a dance. 

“It does yes,” she nodded, “It works hunny,”

The memory made Alex hold in a laugh; she didn’t want anyone else in this place thinking she was weird. Especially seeing as the Danvers were somewhat infamous in this small town. Alex doesn’t know how Eliza stayed when her daughters are the Cop Catchers. 

“Fascinated,” Alex prepared herself because from her tone of voice it seemed she was going to give the dictionary version. "You find something very interesting and attractive, and your thoughts tend to concentrate on it," she explained. "Agent Danvers is fascinated by Mags,"

They could see Kara’s cogs turning. "An me fatinated-"

"Fa-sin-ate-id," she spelled out  

Kara nodded in concentration, "Fa-tin-ah-ted! Me didth it. Buh me thay- I fatinated at Eena!" she announced proudly, happy to make the connection. Alex could have laughed at the blush appearing on Lena’s colourless cheek. They needed to introduce her to, you know, the SUN. 

"No, Kara. God. I said agent Danvers was fascinated by Maggie because they dating. We aren’t dating. You’re a baby!" Alex knew that was the wrong thing to say, but Lena was talking matter-of-factly. Kara is a baby. More a toddler, I suppose, but a baby nonetheless. 

"I nu baby! Eena baby!" Kara huffed. Lena bit her lip and looked at Alex nervously before back at Kara. She simply nodded and scooted across to the edge of the sofa and looked out the window. Closing herself off. Brilliant. Well that worked wonders. "Ayik— me nu baby? Kay?"

"Yeah, Kar-bear. You’re not a baby, but neither is Lena, okay. Lena didn’t want to make you sad by calling you a baby, but you are only little. You’re three, Lena is seven," where do you go from here Danvers? How do you get it through Kara’s baby brain. "To me, you’re both babies because I am much older than you. To Lena, you’re a baby to her! She wasn’t being mean,"

Yeah, Kara lost interest. She just looked back at Lena. "Eena, me thowy me thay baby. Me nu fatinated at Eena! Pwomith!" Lena spared her a glance, a ghostly smile upon her ghostly lips. 

"Okay. I’m sorry I said you were a baby," Alex called that a win. 

Then she saw someone and she could have died. Thank the Lord! "Mags!" it seemed Kara saw her too. She started shaking her legs and grinning as the detective walked through the cafe. 

"Hey ba—" Alex made an ABORT motion with her hand and Maggie stopped mid-sentence. "Uh- little Danvers? Hey Lee," Lena had turned around at Kara’s call and a big grin lit her face when she saw her safety blanket. 

"Mags!" Lena took the plunge and wrapped her new friend in a tight hug. "You came back!" Lena could have cried as she soaked up Maggie’s warmth. Maggie didn’t freeze this time. This time she wrapped her own arms around her small body and kissed the top of her head.

"Told you I would little Luth," Alex smiled at the scene. Maggie was a natural. "Clothes for Kara," Maggie gestured to the bag, "Plus some uh," she new spelling it out would work for Kara but not Lena so she called upon her very rusty ASL knowledge to finger spell: T O Y S as inconspicuously as she could. Alex took a while but eventually nodded in understanding. 

"Did you, uh, get the adult juice?”

Maggie scoffed, "Who do you think I am? Winn?" Alex chortled before gesturing to Kara to follow her.

"Mags, I maked Kawa sad," Lena mumbled into Maggie’s clothes. "An- a now agent Danvers is gonna be mad at me too an- an I don’t want her to be mad ah- at me! What if she h- hits me o- or locks me in- in a room—"

Maggie looked down at her and gently pulled her away to look in her eyes. "Hey. Lena-Lou breathe; Alex won’t do any of this, okay, I promise. And even if by some magical chance she does, I will protect you," Maggie soothed, cupping her cheek. "But I promise that we would never hurt you,"

Tears welled up in her eyes. "Promise?"

Maggie nodded and cuddled her again, "I swear," she also swore to kill Lillian if she were ever given the chance. 

"Kara Zor-El Danvers! Why are you such a pain," groaned Alex. "Did you never wear clothes on Krypton or something?" maybe she was commando while potty training so around this time. Less clothes equals less accidents in some peoples mind. Alex believes it equals more mess. Perhaps keep em in a vest and a pair of pants or so, plus it’s for their own self respect. Who wants to run around naked? Alex swears most parents do this so they can get the precious naked baby photos they’re all proud of. When she and Maggie have kids, Alex is swearing off naked baby pics. Maybe one. Their first bath. She certainly wouldn’t push the photo onto every friend their kid walks through the damn door. She is still mortified to this day when Eliza showed Vikki that photo of hers.

"Coh Ayik unny mad!" she giggled, even happier now she realised that she was uncomfortable because she was sat in wee-wee. That sucked how her trousers clung to her! That had never happened before. Did they wear different underpants on this planet? She stopped wriggling and let Alex pull the pants up on her. "Ayik- where Eena?"

"With Maggie," she replied, now pulling the shorts up her skinny legs. "Puppies or the sun?" she asked, showing the two shirts. Puppies were on a dark purple while the sun was on a blue. 

"PUPPIES!" she cheered, jumping up and down. Alex chuckled; it was like seeing adult Kara all over again. "Ayik… me no mena ittle. Is me?" the mood shifted as Alex gazed at Kara. Her look so soft yet she felt it could break a feather. So Kara really did keep her mind. "It otay. Me tutht oo," Alex felt like crying as Kara’s gentle voice floated into her ears. She wrapped her in a tight hug, as tight as she good given as it will still feel like a baby hugging her finger.

"Love ya Kar,"

"Wud Ayik," 

Chapter Text

Chapter 7

"Eena mama nu nithe!"

Soon enough they were back in the car. With full tummies and hopefully empty bladders, the Danvers family (yes, this included Lena) set off to Eliza’s home. "Do you think we will get the luxury of Kara falling asleep again?" Alex asked after another foot to the back of her chair. 

Maggie looked in the mirror and laughed softly to herself. "Sorry babe. I think you’re stuck with her for the next fifteen minutes," Alex grumbled to herself but caught Lena looking at them both with a critical eye. Alex could see her mind racing. Could see that there words on the tip of her tongue that her brain just couldn’t make her push out. Maggie had subtly told her, on the way to the car, what Lena was scared she would do when they got to their destination. Alex felt mortified at the implication and red hot fury at Lillian Luthor. So Rao help her when Alex’s life wasn’t full of children. 

Alex decided to try and loosen her lips. "You okay there Lena? You look constipated," she joked. Lena startled and a wonky grin formed upon her lips, as if she wasn’t quite sure she could laugh or if it was a joke. "You can laugh sweet," Alex said through a sad smile. Lena relaxed a little a small giggle filled the car. 

"What id con’pated?" Kara questioned, struggling to get her mouth to form the ways of the word. 

"When you can’t poop," piped up Maggie. Kara grimaced and Lena laughed at her  

"No waf at me," she grumbled. Lena bit her lip; this was the second time she upset Kara with her words. But she was only little… so it was normal for her to be grumpy all the time. Maybe she needs a nap! Lena knows that Kara has been asleep for all the car rides but it hasn’t been thaaat long. She knows because she keeps looking at the car clock. 

Instead, she placates the child! 

"Okay. I’m sorry Kar!" she smiles at the blonde girl. She notices that this elects a smile out of Alex and that’s when she makes the connection that if she is really nice to Kara then Alex will like her more! Alex did say that Kara was her sister. It makes sense! Lillian was nicer to her when she made a deal out of Lex. "I really like your uh shoes Kar!" Lena complimented, looking at the girls laceless shoes.

"Dey pew’pul," Kara explained, Lena was actually surprised at how quiet her voice. Kara Danvers is anything but quiet, a fact she has come to learn very quickly. "Hair pwity!" Kara said, trying to reach out to touch it. Lena, much to Alex’s surprise, didn’t flinch. Or, she did, but only out of instinct and it was such a small reaction Alex would have missed it if she wasn’t… well, Alex. Lena hesitated but leaned in and let Kara get a closer look at her hair. "It nu bwown?" Kara said confusedly; it looked so brown!

"I have highlights," she explained, saying the big word slowly. Would agent Danvers be proud of her if she taught her sister something new? "Do you know what they are?"

"Pen?" Lena genuinely giggled at that.

"I suppose so yes. But it is also when someone makes certain places in their hair a different colour," it didn’t pass Alex that Kara was staring at her with rapt attention, very different to when Alex was trying to talk to her in the cafe when Lena called her a baby. "My hair is brown, well done, but there is some hints of dark purple," she pointed out the coloured strands. "I only did this last week to wind my mum up," oh boy, when Lillian found out! "She didn’t like it,"

"Maked Eena pwity," Kara whispered, as if it were a big secret. "Eena mommy thupid," Lena laughed and nodded.

"Mother is far from stupid, Kara. She is one of the smartest people on the planet! She is just very apathetic," Lena explained in a no-argument tone. It appeared she always had that tone of voice that made any rebuttal die at your tongue. "But uh, you could say she isn’t nice," Lena added, remembering her mission was to make Kara happy and not to make her cry. Lena thought that being wrong would make the toddler cry and that if she offered a change then it would make her happier.

It worked.

Kara nodded her head firmly. "Yeth! Eena mama nu nithe!" phew. Crisis over. Maybe she will get dinner today! (Because no matter how much Maggie can promise no ramifications for upsetting agent Danvers’ sister, doesn’t mean it is true. Maggie isn’t in control of Alex’s actions. Agent Danvers is an FBI agent, or of similar rank, and that means she is even more powerful than Maggie in their jobs)

"There’s my Alexandra Danvers!" a woman greeted as she brought Alex in for a hug as soon as the four of them walked into the house. Lena looked around. The house had an oddly… warm feel to it. But it was a house? How can a house feel warm? The Luthor mansion always had a cold tinge to it, even in the summer when everyone was trying to keep warm. When all the radiators were on. It still felt cold and Lena grew used to it. But the Danvers house— no, the Danvers home, was warm and it was full of photos and quotes and plants. "Where’s my Kara?" Lena watched as Kara poked her head out from behind Alex’s leg. She looked up at the aging woman with those big blue eyes before jumping up for her arms. Lena was a little worried the woman would demand a hug from her, so she turned her little body and looked up at Maggie, using her own arms to gesture she wanted to be picked up.

Lena felt herself get lifted off of the floor and into Maggie’s solid embrace. Lena felt at home here. Lena felt warm here. Lena found out that her favourite place was in Maggie’s arms because she felt safe here, like nothing could hurt her. Not her mum, not agent Danvers and not the hugs of the Danvers Sr.

She felt Maggie’s sweet voice, a voice that didn’t make her shudder and shake, ask if she was okay. "Mhm," she mumbled, snuggling into her even more. After everything they had been through, Lena was feeling a little sleepy. "No hugs," she added at the same tone. "Only you, Kara," because she felt if she let anyone else hug her then her body would crumble. That agent Danvers would stab her in the back, literally. That this woman would squeeze her so tight and whisper words of anger into her ear for so much as looking at her baby daughter. Scared that she would wake up in the coffin called Luthor Manor. The house that sucks the light out of everything. The house where hitting kids is encouraged but talking about it is not. 

"Okay sweet girl. I’ll make sure no one hugs you," Maggie assured her. Lena bit her lip. Would asking for more be okay? Lena guessed that Maggie felt her tense up because she started to sway them. "Anything else?"

Lena blamed it on her neglected body. Her neglected mind. The way that her body hummed as she was rocked like she was Kara’s age. The way her mind was eased when Maggie’s gentle and maternal voice was the only thing she could hear. "Nobody touch," Lena whispered, fighting the urge to do the one thing she never let anyone see her do. It was probably her biggest secret really. She knew that if Lillian ever found out she did this then there would be hell to pay.

But she couldn’t help the way the tip of her thumb edged into her mouth. Or the way it was like a missing leave of the puzzle and her mind started to slow.Maggie kept rocking her— left… right… left… right. Lena was very tired. Stressed. The tip of her thumb became her whole thumb as her eyelids lost the battle with gravity and soon all Lena knew was darkness and she succumbed to sleep. 

Chapter Text

Chapter 8

"Want A Hug?"

Kara was soaking these cuddles up like cuddles would end tomorrow! She loved hugs. The pressure it gave, the security and warmth. Made it all better if the person she was hugging was her sister or her adoptive mother! "Huggggies," she squealed in delight when Eliza spun her around quickly. Kara laughed and went to burry her face into Eliza’s neck but then something caught her eye. It was Lena! But, she was in Maggie’s arms and Maggie was swaying side to side (it did look very comfy) and Lena had her thumb in her mouth. Kara could hear her heartbeat slowing. Woah. Kara could hear her heartbeat. She knew that she wasn’t human but she didn’t know she could hear heartbeats! Her eyes widened in wonder. What else could she do?

Kara made a motion to get down, wriggling in her caregivers arms and bending over to get out. Eliza, not wanting to drop her, placed her on the floor. Kara grinned and ran to the sofa, climbing on it before jumping off the back of it. She had flashes of memories of where she was hiiiigher than the clouds. Memories of gliding past buildings. Kara closed her eyes, anticipating impact, but it never came. Instead she heard gasping and slowly opened her eyes to see that she, while being curled with her knees up, was FLOATING. "WOAH!" she yelled, a look of wonder on her little face as she relaxed her body. "I’m nu on foor!" it was a moment short lived, however, as she soon came crashing to the ground. It wasn’t too far, though, as she was only a little above the sofa.

"Kara!" Alex rushed to her and checked her body. Making sure she wasn’t hurt. Kara, however, was giggling as she let Alex check her. That made her feel so weird but so good at the same time. "It’s not funny! You could have hurt yourself!" oh Alex.

"THAT WAS AWESOME!" she claimed, jumping up, narrowly missing clashing heads with Alex. "Ayik! What me do?"

(Alex sighed, she had thought she wouldn’t have to deal with a superpowered toddler as she hadn’t shown any signs of having her powers. She had hoped it was because of the machine. Just turns out she needed a bit of sun.)

Kara was ecstatic as she tried to remember what other powers she has! She knew she had the ability to hear heartbeats, to float. What else? Maybe she could handstand! Kara tried to do a handstand but her lack of coordination failed her as she went tumbling to the ground. She grumbled to herself as Alex checked her out again.

"You need to be more careful Kara," scolded Eliza. Kara pouted, her blue eyes shining slightly as she was scolded by her adoptive mom. "Kawa sowy mama," she whined, not registering the surprise that was on Eliza’s face. Kara walked over to her and asked to be picked up again.

Cuddles now. Powers later.

"Mom, me and Mags are going to set Kara’s bed up and lay Lena down to rest. If you’re okay with Kara that is," Alex called, watching Maggie walk up the stairs. "It’s fine dear," Eliza called, Kara got excited as she began to sway her like Maggie had done with Lena. "You two go," Kara had never felt happier than she did in the safety of Eliza’s arms.

She did miss Lena though. She hoped she wouldn’t be asleep long!

Maggie gently carried Lena up the stairs, faintly hearing the go-ahead from her soon-to-be mother-in-law and the following footsteps of her beautiful fiancée. Maggie had only been to this house a couple times and to her it was still a maze as she tried to remember which way she had to go to get to Alex’s room. "That’s the bathroom Mags," Alex’s teasing voice called. Maggie bit her lip to stop a curse, despite Lena being asleep it felt wrong. "This way," and she knew Alex was laughing.

Maggie followed Alex into the room and carefully deposited Lena on Kara’s old bed, quickly running her hand across Lena’s hair as she whined at the loss of contact. Just like at the DEO. Maggie was careful to make sure her sling came off, don’t want it to strangle her in her sleep, and place a cushion under her bad arm. Soon though, Lena relaxed into the bed and Maggie could walk over and collapse on Alex’s bed. Tears immediately welled in her eyes and that concerned Alex who had just come back with Kara’s travel cot  

"Hey, what’s wrong babe?" she asked, quickly making her way to Maggie’s side. She kneeled down beside Maggie and took her hand. "Mags?"

"L- L- Le- Lena-" she couldn’t talk. She just cried again. Cried for the childhood Lena should have had. Cried for the fact that such a sweet girl like Lena was stuck with the Luthor’s her whole life. Cried for all the other children who had to fend for themselves. For her 14-year-old self. 

Alex was getting a little worried as she placed a kiss to Maggie’s hand. "Just breathe, baby. You can talk soon. Want a hug?" Maggie nodded and Alex climbed into bed with her, pulling her on top of her. Maggie lay with her head above Alex’s heart and their legs entangled. "Just breathe with me," 

Maggie cried still as she tried to follow Alex’s breathing. She just couldn’t get over how much pain Lena has been through already. She knew that she got adopted by them at four, now she was seven. Only three years later. If this is what damage could be done in three years, what about fourteen years later? Her aversion of touch, did she still have that? Hating random hands on her for so much as a handshake. Maggie can’t help but think of the discomfort she gave her when arresting her. How tough she had been grabbing her wrist and putting the cuffs on, when she dragged her out her office. Lena may be a very successful woman, a very capable one, but deep inside she is a broken child that needs shown that love exists. That people care for more than her brain or her body. Maggie knows she has Kara, that little Danvers alone can show her so much love. And that’s perfect. But Lena needs family love too, not just romantic love. 

Thats when Maggie swore she would be the best sister to that young woman. 

"You calmed now?" Alex asked softly, taking in how her body had stopped shuddering and how she couldn’t hear her gasping for breath anymore  "Or are you asleep?" she teased  

"I’m- I’m okay," she replied, feeling Alex kiss the top of her head. 

"You good to talk now?" 

She was still feeling her previous emotions but Maggie felt like she could talk now and not get stuck on every word. "L- Lena. The stuff that- that she has been telling me— been showing me," she stopped and let out a frustrated sigh, climbing off of Alex so that she could pace. "I- the shit that Lillian put her through- Alex… why couldn’t anyone see it when she was actually a child? The- the layers of- of abuse she has been through? Thinking that we’ll hit her or- or take food or lock her in a room. The thumb sucking. The malnutrition, body of a toddler but mind of an adult," she ranted.

Alex looked at the sleeping body on the other bed as she propped herself up on her elbows. Lena did look unwell. She was small. She was pale. She had little bruises spread across her entire body. Lena was seven but had the body of a five year old. Lena was ghostly pale which showed she didn’t go outside much. She didn’t call people by their names, apart from Maggie. She didn’t like comfort off of people that weren’t her safety people. Yeah, most kids are like that but they aren’t as careful as Lena is. 

"I’m worried about her, Alex. This is just the first day with her. But from what I’ve seen in the short time… we have a mission ahead of us," Maggie finalised, her lacing having stopped as she gathered her thoughts.

"Then we will deal with it when we get there," Alex climbed off the end of the bed and pulled Maggie onto her lap. "This isn’t my first time dealing with a traumatised child. At least this time I’m not a kid myself and this one doesn’t have superpowers," Maggie laughed softly and nodded, leaning into her girl.

"Let’s put this cot up," she said. 

Downstairs, Eliza was colouring with Kara. They had loads of spare notebooks around the house and tonnes of pens. "Me d’war’d an thun," Kara said, her tongue out in concentration. Eliza chuckled.

"Why is it red, honey?" Eliza asked as she coloured her sun in. Not with much coordination mind you. It was going everywhere and her round sun looked more like a drunk hexagon.

Kara giggled, "Coth dat du cowa ob da thun mama!" she replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Silly mama! Kara continued to colour, now she was drawing people! "Da Ayik, Mag, Eena, mama an Kawa," she pointed out, tapping each wonky drawing as she did. "Me d’war Ka’ now!"

"Who?" Eliza asked, a small frown on her face; who was ‘Ka’. 

"Ka! Thiwy mama. Mama know Ka! Ka wike Kawa!" Eliza tried to figure out who that was. This 'Ka' was like Kara? "Kawa wubs Ka— eben doe Ka weeve Kawa awone," she added nonchalantly. "But Ka weeve Kawa wit mama an Ayik tho it kay!"

Ka! Kal-El! Clark!

"Oh! You’re drawing Clar— uh Kal-El!" Kara nodded enthusiastically. "You know that Cla- Kal loves you too, right? He was just very busy,"

"Me know," Kara replied, but there seemed to be a hint of sadness to her words. Eliza knew that deep down, Kara has always wanted to live with Clark in Metropolis. She even admitted so to that DEO agent, that she wanted to live in Metropolis and be ‘Super’ with Clark. "Mama, tirsty. Dooce?" Eliza smiled at her and nodded, kissing her head and going off to make some juice for Kara. 

Alex then came downstairs.

"Ayik!" Kara called in joy upon seeing one of her favourite people on the planet. "Wook! Me dwor," Alex peered over at the picture and smiled, ruffling her hair. 

"Cute. Mom, I’m just going to get the travel cot," she called to Eliza, she didn’t realise that she was just at the cupboard. "Oh— you’re there," Kara laughed at the two before getting back to her drawing. "Juice? Mom. That’s a lot of sugar… I think even a tiny pinch is enough to send Kara through the roof," Alex mentioned, glancing at the puppy pretending to be a Kryptonian. 

"She’ll be fine Alex," Eliza said, a soft smile showing. Alex liked this… seeing Eliza like this. Her mom turned so strict as soon as they got Kara and it was hard to catch her with her guard down. But ever since they got here… Eliza has had more smiles and laughs in the short time than she has heard in a while. It was refreshing. "There you go Kara," and then Alex left.

"Dank oo," she murmured, taking a long sip of her drink. As Kara was colouring and drinking, she kept shifting in her seat; these clothes were weird! They weren’t like what she wore on Krypton. Were clothes on Terra this different too.

"Are you okay Kara?"

Kara’s head shot up and she looked at the concerned eyes of Eliza. "Me tay mama," she replied.

"Hey, mom! Can you come help?" Alex called from the front door. Eliza looked at Kara.

"Don’t move, okay? I need to help your sister with your bed, stay at the table," she told her; Eliza didn’t want to risk anything and Kara was quite an adventurous girl. 

"Otay mama!" Eliza’s heart warmed every time she heard the little girl call her that; she knew that she would never heart it from her again once she turned into her regular self. Eliza just didn’t know where it came from. Kara was clear when she came here, Eliza was never going to be mom; she would love her like a daughter but Kara didn’t want to call anyone else mother. Didn’t want to disrespect her own mother. Eliza was at peace with that, she would never ask her to call her mom if she didn’t want to. She was 12 when they took her in, when her mom died, she had all those memories and if Kara called her mom it would be like she was forgetting her biological one.

"MOM! I’m gonna break my freakin toe in a minute!" she grumbled, Eliza knew she wasn’t necessarily meant to hear the last part.

"Alexandra, calm yourself. I’m on my way," she calmly called to her daughter. Kara watched her walk off and grinned. Finally! She dropped down off the chair and went on a quest. Not about her powers… but to find Lena! 

Now. Where could she be? Was she playing a game of hide and seek? Kara got excited, she loved that! It’s just, Lena disappeared super quickly and Kara didn’t know where she went. She had to know where she went! 

Kara tried to listen for her heartbeat but there were so many and- and she wasn’t there to focus on. This was really hard! Come on Kara. You got this. Aw Rao, Kara could hear Alex and her mama’s voice. Oh well, Kara is just gonna have to get into trouble; she had to find Lena and make sure she is okay. 

So, Kara located the stairs and started to crawl up the big stairs. Why were there— oh wait  Kara giggled to herself and floated herself a little in the air. Wait, how do you move?

Can Kara fly or just float? 

Chapter Text

Chapter 9

"Thank God you came home,"

"Kara! There you are," gosh darn it! She had been caught. "Mom, I found Kara! She’s at the stairs," a slightly frazzled Eliza came around the corner.

"Kara! I told you to stay at the table! You scared me!" Kara’s eyes filled with tears as she was shouted at, her body dropping to the floor as she lost concentration. "I thought you were gone!"

"I- I- I-" she hiccuped, "I s- sowy- sowy m- m- mama!" she wailed, "See Eena!" Alex sighed and placed the cot down, bringing Kara into her arms. The Kryptonian clung to her sister for comfort and protection as she sobbed in her neck. "SEE EENA," Alex shushed her, holding her as tight as she could. 

"Kar-bear, Lena sleeping. Okay? Lena sleeping," Alex assured her gently, kissing her cheek. Kara continued to cry and soon Alex felt wet. And not from tears. She pulled Kara away from her body and looked down to see wet patch on the front of Kara’s shorts and on the middle of her top. "Oh, baby. You’ve had another accident," she said gently, bringing her back for another hug. 

Eliza frowned, "She’s in pants?"

"Yeah, of course?" Alex replied in the same state of confusion. Eliza shook her head. "What?"

"How many accidents has she had?" she asked  

Alex adorned a thinking face, "This is the third in like, twenty minutes," that sounded bad. "Wow. Does she have a small bladder or something? Is this some sort of consequence from the machine?"

Eliza laughed, "Alex, she is a toddler. Yes, she has a small bladder and she doesn’t have the same amount of control over it as adult Kara does," Alex knows she should know this, it’s simple biology. "Did you buy any diapers or pull ups for her?" Alex slowly shook her head. "Thank god you came home," muttered Eliza teasingly. 

"Well I- I don’t know! I’ve never looked after a kid before on my own! Well, a kid younger than 12," Alex defended, rubbing Kara’s back as her crying came to a slow. "What- what do we do?"

"I will get her changed into some pants, you go set the cot up. Then, I will go to the store and buy what you need," Eliza held her hands out for Kara and Alex pried the sad girl off of her chest. Kara was crying for Alex as the agent left the room. She didn’t want to be with mama; she wanted to be with Alex! "Kara, stop now. You’re being silly," Eliza scolded.

"Ayik!" Kara demanded, trying to wriggle out of Eliza’s grip.

"Alex is busy. Let El- let mama get you out of your wet clothes," Eliza said, reaching into the bag and getting out a pair of pants. Oh, it seems Alex failed to mention that Kara only had one pair of trousers left. Let’s hope she didn’t wet these in the time it will take for the women to get the cot up. 

"You sure your mom is okay shopping?" Maggie asked as she turned the TV on for Kara. They had on Bluey and Kara seemed enticed by it. 

"Babe. It’s either mom goes shopping or we don’t have what we need," Alex replied. She was looking for something to make them for lunch. Kara could eat for all of them, she just hoped that her stomach shrunk like her bladder did. She wasn’t sure if Lena had any allergies or anything though, so that struck down a hot lunch, it would be sandwiches and the sort. "Now. Do toddlers have to have everything cut up?" she asked. Maggie and her made eye contact and the former couldn’t help the short of laughter— boy did they have reading to do before they got kids of their own. Their kid would be dead in days if it were left to them. They’d have diapers on their heads and jumpers as a skirt! 

"Mag wook! Dey danthin!" Kara pointed out. She hopped off the sofa and started to boogie along, to her it was the best thing ever but she was really just crouching up and down with an odd gait. "Nah danth!" Maggie flushed, this was going to look so stupid. She got up and started to move her body in silly way, hoping to get a giggle out of Kara.

It worked.

Maggie had her laughing her head off as she tried to copy the detective. "Look at my girls," Alex said as she walked over, hoping over the back of the cough and joined in dancing with Maggie. 

It was such a sweet moment. No evil bad people, no DEO, no kryptonite. Just family.

Until it wasn’t.

Maggie’s head shot up as she heard cries coming from upstairs and Alex went straight into DEO agent mode; all her previous paranoia over being followed sunk back in and she started to panic that someone was attacking them. Attacking Lena. But it was a frozen fear. It paralysed her. This wasn’t typical. This wasn’t normal. Alex’s brain was heading into overdrive as she tried to collect her thoughts.

She didn’t even recognise Kara tapping her leg or the fact that, against her best wishes, Maggie was already upstairs. 

"Ayik?" Kara questioned, tugging at her shirt. "Hewoooo sissy?"

Alex snapped out of her frozen state and stared, wide eyed, at the child attached to her clothes. She couldn’t do this. Alex… she needed air but she couldn’t leave Kara. Where did Mag— Lena! 

Alex picked Kara up and told her to be quiet, walking up the stairs and belatedly realising she didn’t have her gun on her. They got to the edge of her room and Alex told Kara to stay by the wall. If anyone other than herself or Maggie come to her, she needs to fly.

Kara was confused though because she could only hear two heartbeats in the room. Why did Alex think there was someone else there? 

Maggie’s PoV

The cry filtered in and Maggie immediately felt Alex stiffen. Shit. Maggie knew that Lena was fine. She trusted her intuition that it was just a nightmare or some sort, yes she was concerned, especially when she first heard it, but now she relaxed a little, knowing that the only enemy are the demons of her past. 

And Alex’s.

She should be there for her in her time of need, believing that even more as she looked into her horror struck eyes and her rigid posture, but Lena comes first; she is a child and waking up alone in an unfamiliar room. Alex would agree with her. Plus, Alex had Kara to ground her and she knew that baby Danvers would do so even unknowingly.

Maggie sent a sad smile Alex’s way and went up the stairs to where the sound of a little girls cries echoed. Oh, Lena. Maggie climbed the stairs and walked into her fiancé’s bedroom to find the little girl writhing in her bed, tears rolling down her porcelain cheeks. Maggie carefully sat on the bed, making sure to not sit on her but also making sure that she didn’t fall out of bed. "Lena," she called gently, not touching the child. "It’s a dream darling. Wake up sweet girl," Lena kept crying out, thrashing in her sleep. Sweat coated her face. Tears. Tears travelled down her face like a bowling ball thrown at pins.

Maggie gently reached for the girl, bundling her up and holding her close to her chest. At first, she tensed even more, fighting the hold, but Maggie started to sing the ship song, the detective didn’t even think she could sing well but the little Luthor stopped thrashing, just let out cries. They soon quietened. Silent tears rolled as her pain filled eyes slowly made contact with Maggie’s concerned, yet love filled, ones. "Hello my beautiful girl," she praised. Lena sniffled and wiped at her eyes with her good arm, it was a little hard considering that it was tucked beneath her and Maggie. "I’ll do it— if you let me," Maggie offered. Tentatively, Lena inclined her head. "How’s your elbow?" surely the pain meds she was given are wearing off now. Lena bit her lip. Maggie arched an eyebrow at her look. She had dealt with enough people in her line of work to know that Lena was withholding something. "Lena?" she pressed.

The girl immediately burst into tears again, aching to get out of Maggie’s grip if her struggle was anything to go by. "No touch," she begged. Maggie knew she had to respect that request; Lena was smart enough (and traumatised enough) to know what was best for her in this circumstance. Lena scooched backward until her back was against the wall and she cradled her injured arm. "Sorry. I’m so sorry— I- I know that I should tell you or- or agent Danvers but- but I wanted to be strong— I am strong I swear! I- I made do-"

"Lena. Lena. Calm down. Take a deep breath," she advised, not coming any closer but not moving any further back. Lena looked at Maggie with fear in her eyes. It was so raw that Maggie held back a flinch. Held back the anger coursing through her fiery lines at the ideas of what she could do to punish Lillian. She needed Lena, adult or child, to tell her what happened. She needed to get Lillian arrested. Lena was the key. Lena was the source. Child abuse isn’t taken very lightly in National City, much less at the NCPD. "Please darling, I can see that you’re not breathing well. You’re a smart girl-" flinch. "You must know the implications of that," maybe if she spoke to her as an equal and not as an unknowing child. 

"P- p- pass- pass out," she hefted out, Maggie could see the strength it took.

"Yes, exactly sm- clever girl," don’t call her a smart girl, she told herself. It was clearly a sore spot. "You will pass out. You’re going to start hyperventilating soon, if you aren’t already," Maggie couldn’t exactly hear her breathing but she could see her chest moving up and down quickly. She was already small, imagine how small her lungs are. "I need you to close your eyes and focus on my voice. Focus on breathing,"

"I- I- I… I-" she was getting stuck on the word. She couldn’t move past it. Lena closed her eyes, a cough ripping through her body. "Help," she cried. "'cared," Maggie slowly came closer, sitting next to her and gently guiding her sideways to rest her head on her lap. 

"The big ship sailed on the alley-alley-oh, the alley-alley-oh, the alley-alley-oh. The big ship sailed on the alley-alley-oh on the last day of September," Maggie sang softly, running her hand through Lena’s hair and placing a hand on Lena’s heart. It was beating fast. Too fast. "The captain said ‘It will never, never do, never, never do, never, never do!’ the captain said ‘It will never, never do!’ on the last day of September!" she said the second verse in a funny voice when she was pretending to be the captain. 

Maggie faintly registered an extra pair of eyes on them and glanced up to see Alex. Maggie could tell that Alex was still clearing the fog. "Hey babe," Maggie greeted gently, not ceasing her soothing movements on Lena. "You okay?" she asked carefully.

"I- there- there’s no one here…" she replied, confusion etched into her far away voice.

"I know babe; Lee had a nightmare. It’s just us," Maggie answered in the same tone of voice as before. Maggie could see the tension leave Alex, her shoulders loosened and a long breath left her lips. "You feeling better Lee?" she asked.

"Mhm," the girl replied.

"You wanna talk now? What should you have told us?" Maggie asked.

"That my elbow has been hurting," Lena replied softly, her voice almost unheard. She then spotted a tiny head poke its way around the corner. Blue eyes shone to Lena’s green ones. 

"Eena!" she called, rushing to her friend. Lena smiled and sat up, wiping her eyes. "Eena cwy? Why?"

Lena didn’t reply, just wrapped her in a hug.

"Who wants a pizza?" she heard Alex mutter about getting fifty.

Kara’s eyes lit up, "PEEZAAAA!" and started jumping up and down. Lena gave a sad smile and that’s when Maggie really realised how mature she was for her age. Seeing Kara react in such way she knew she should react with yet, she couldn’t.

Chapter Text

Chapter 10

"You like her accent? It’s Irish,"

Eliza walked inside the house and heard nothing. It worried her. No house was this silent when there was a (super-powered) toddler in the house. She placed the bags on the floor by the door and ventured further in. What she saw made her heart melt! Maggie and Alex lay on the sofa, fast asleep, Alex's head on Maggie's thighs. There was a small bundle of blonde suctioned to Alex's front, her ear pressed to Alex's heart while Lena lay wedged sideways, her body behind Alex's legs and her head on Maggie's chest. She didn’t have the heart to wake them all, but she saw the small patch on the back of Kara’s trousers and knew that she had to wake the Kryptonian. Plus, if she remembered toddlers, if you let them sleep too much during the day they won’t at night and Kara is now the right age for those danger naps. 

Eliza gently reached for her, holding her under her arms and lifting her up. The girl whined as she was pulled from her heat source and even Alex let out a noise of protest, clutching her sister tighter. Eliza held backs a laugh at her daughters. She knew that she was not getting anywhere like this so she kneeled down and placed a soft hand on her eldest’s forehead, brushing her hair calmly. "Alex, sweetie. I need to get Kara changed," she murmured. The agent grumbled and cracked half an eye open, Eliza assumed it was to check that it was actually her mom talking to her. 

"B’ quick," she sleepily mumbled, relaxing her grip on Kara. Eliza smiled and took Kara. Despite letting her, Eliza noticed Alex tense when Kara whined and cried but she also saw Maggie unconsciously soothing her daughter and Alex succumb back to sleep.

Eliza was very proud of the life her eldest daughter lives. Proud of the women she became. Eliza was happy that her daughter met Maggie; the scientist couldn’t have asked for a better daughter-in-law and she was determined to be the mother Maggie deserved. A sweet and nurturing voice to overwrite Maggie’s memories of a sour and detached one. "Shh, it’s mama, Kara. I need to get you changed," Eliza said Kara in a motherly voice, kissing her forehead. The young girl opened her bleary eyes and a dopey smile formed.

"Mama," she cooed, cuddling her a little before itching to get down and stretch her legs. "T’aynded?" she questioned.

Eliza booped her button nose and nodded, placing her on the bathroom floor. "Get you in some pyjamas and a pull up?" Kara nodded, her thumb slinking into her mouth. Eliza noted Lena also did that and smirked subtly. Eliza took the wet clothes off and helped her into a pull up before helping her into a fleeced sleep suit and done the zip up, pressing the popper at the top that would keep the zip safe from wandering hands. "Are you hungry?"

"Ayik peeza," she explained, "Wots!"

"You had lots?" Eliza asked, matching her enthusiasm.

Kata nodded and Eliza had half a mind to assume she used her super speed. "Mhm! Eena no muchd. Thee nu ungy," Kara said, almost like it was a secret. 

"Lena didn’t eat much?" Kara shook her head. She looked sad at that. "She wasn’t hungry?"

"Nu-uh!" 

"Are you still hungry? I bought some more food," Kara grinned and nodded, jumping up and down in excitement. She started to float and Eliza laughed, taking her in her arms and walking to the table where she placed the girl on a chair with a cushion under her. The eldest Danvers woman had bought a small, cream table, perfect height for children Kara’s age yet, especially given her size, Lena could sit there too if she wished. However, she had to get it out of the box and set it up and she didn’t feel comfortable doing that while everyone was asleep as it would leave Kara unattended. "Look at me. Bib," Eliza said. Eliza put the rubber bib on Kara, the one with the pocket to catch any food she drops. Kara frowned at the offending material but didn’t make a move to remove it.

Eliza often wondered what Kara was like as a baby. What her life was truly like on Krypton. Growing up, Kara hasn’t wanted to talk about Krypton. It was too painful, too soon. Many nights waking in cold sweats but she would never talk to them about her dream because it was full of shaking tremors and frightening screams as she fled her home. Eliza wished that she could talk to Alura, wished that Kara still had her biological family despite losing her planet.

"Mama otay?" Eliza was brought out if her zone-out by the little voice. She smiled at the blonde girl.

"Yes sweet, mama’s okay," and she set to making Kara a sandwich. One thing she didn’t miss when Kara went to college was that she no longer had an alien mouth to feed. Eliza’s protective brain kicked in though as she set to work, "Has Lena said anything else?" she asked.

Kara frowned; "Eena no ‘peak much," she replied. "Eena 'peak pwitty!" she giggled, kicking her legs back and forth. Eliza laughed a little quietly.

"You like her accent? It’s Irish," 

Kara’s brow furrowed again. "Iwish? Wha Iwish?"

Eliza smiled gently and shook her head, handing Kara her sandwich. "It doesn’t matter honey. Eat up," Kara didn’t need to be told twice. 

"Mama dink?"

"What do you say honey?"

She scrunched her nose up, "Me say dink?"

"What is the magic word?"

"Eena day madic no 'zist," Kara argued. Eliza held back a chuckle; Lena didn’t think magic existed no. Some ort of unexplained science.

"P-p—" she prompted.

"Oh! Mama dink peeeeeass!" she begged. Eliza nodded and handed her a drink of orange juice she had already made. Kara clapped her hands and drank happily, her legs swinging back and forth as she reached for her food again. 

Eliza looked back at the sofa. By the sounds of it, she had to make sure Lena got some food in her too because she hadn’t had much herself. Eliza just didn’t want to wake her up. Partly because she needed rest but also because she wasn’t comfortable around Eliza. As fate would have it, Eliza was in luck because her daughter started to stir. She knew that Alex wouldn’t stay asleep much now that she had been woken up, especially since she didn’t have her sister anymore. She would at least make sure she was okay. “Morning,” Eliza teased lightly.

Kara’s ears perked up a little and she turned to look at Alex. “Ayik wait’ed up!” she called happily.

“Alex woke up,” Eliza corrected gently, tapping her nose. Kara scrunched up said object and lightly pushed her hand away. “Hungry sweetie?” Alex shook her head and yawned, scratching the back of her neck. “I hear that they had pizza?” it was a great privilege to be able to see sleepy Alex. Adult Kara loved it; she said she looked ‘adorable’ and that mortified the agent.  Of course Maggie had videoed the whole thing. But to see Alex as she was now, rubbing sleep out her eyes and yawning like she’d never slept before was an honour and one Eliza was happy she was still allowed to see. 

Alex nodded, “Yeah, just those ones that have been in your freezer probably since the last time we were here— they were gonna go out of date next Wednesday,” Alex replied with a chuckle. “Three of them. Kara ate one and a half. Lena picked at like two slices. There’s left over wrapped in the fridge,” Kara perked up at that and started to beg for pizza. 

“Peeeeeeeease!” she dragged out, bouncing up and down. It seemed little Kara liked pizza as much as big Kara liked potstickers. “Me seep nite!” she ‘bargained’.

“You will go to sleep tonight if we give you some pizza?”

“Pomis!”

Kara broke her promise. A fact that Kara knew deep down at the back of her mind but as she wailed her hands reaching out for Alex’s retreating form, she didn’t think of that.

Big fat and salty tears fell out her eyes as she stamped her feet. “AYIK BACK!” she screamed, looking around the dark room. “I sowy,” she sobbed to herself. The room was too dark, it was surrounding her like an unwelcome blanket.

Her eyes boring holes in the door. 

If only it were literal. 

Chapter Text

Chapter 11

"Alexandra Danvers!"

Alex didn’t like it. 

Her sister was crying, still after a few moments. Sure, kids don’t like going to bed but the kickoff usually starts before they’re deposited into their bed. Alex could tell that Lena was feeling uncomfortable too. "Is Kawa okay?" Lena asked Maggie, she wasn’t really focusing on the film they had been watching anyway. "Where is Mrs Danvers?" random, but okay.

"She is in her office," Alex replied, nervously biting her nails. "I’m going up to her," she said, getting up.

"Al, if you fetch her then that is giving in. She needs to go to bed!"

Alex stared at her fiancé. "Maggie, no offence, but you don’t know her. You weren’t up with her many nights for years when she saw her… her planet exploding. You didn’t deal with that," she whispered that last part, glancing at Lena. God, what were they doing  They’ve messed up majorly. 

Her sister has probably been through more trauma than most women her adjusted age (because let’s be real, technically Kara is in her fifties or something but the suspended animation happened) and being deaged with all of her memories intact is going to make it worse. She is going to remember everything yesterday Kara did but with a smaller brain, with bigger emotions. They’ve probably traumatised her more! "Mags. She’s my sister and- and she is smaller than she was when she went to bed last night. She just wants a cuddle. And her crying is-" she whispered, "Upsetting Lena," that was also true. With what she went through, and her inquisition of the whereabouts of Eliza, there is a chance she is worried Kara is being hurt.

"Okay. You’re right," Maggie said, somewhat subdued. She didn’t want to listen to it either. Alex was right, she didn’t grow up with Kara. She hasn’t known her as long as Alex has. Didn’t have a bond as close as they did. "I’m sorry," and she went back to Lena.

Alex bit her lip but before she could move, the office door slammed open and Eliza came out like someone set fire to her arse. "Alexandra Danvers! Why is your sister crying the house down?" she demanded. Alex froze. "Well? Go and get her," Alex shot off; she didn’t need telling twice never mind from Eliza. Eliza set her sights on Maggie, on her third daughter. "Margarita Ellen Sawyer, would you care to explain to me why Alexandra gets Kara?"

Maggie winced at the full name, the last time she heard that was when her father left her pre-wedding party. Before that was when he kicked her out. She had a fleeting fear the same would happen, she would be told to leave for making Eliza’s youngest cry, that she would be torn from another family.

But she trusted Eliza, trusted that it wouldn’t happen even though she was angry with her.

"We put Kara to bed, that’s all. She started crying because she wanted Alex," she replied softly, looking at anywhere but Eliza. Warmth spread across her body when she felt a small hand hold her own. Lena. "I was hesitant because that’s just giving into the attention children want," because that’s what her parents did with her brother and he turned out spoiled.

Eliza walked closer to them and Lena shakily got in between them, a tremble in her lips. "Pees don’t hurt her," she asked, Maggie just noticed that her accent was still, if not more, prominent now than as an adult. Maggie gently turned her around and picked her up.

"I’ll be okay short stuff. Mama Danvers is nice, okay?" she assured her. "Why don’t you go find my other half and your best friend?" Lena nodded tentatively and went upstairs when she was put down, just now noticing she couldn’t hear crying. "That- that wasn’t a reflection on you Mrs Danvers. Lena has just been through a lot," Maggie said quickly. 

Eliza held Maggie’s hands, "I know sweetie. Listen, Kara isn’t like most people. She has been through a lot and that is too much for a normal brain, never mind that of a toddler," she explained gently. "I know you had her best interests at heart, I do, but Kara isn’t exactly a normal child,"

Maggie nodded quickly, "I- I know Mrs D! I- I didn’t think I just- a- and Lena was crying-" Eliza hugged her.

Alex raced up the stairs and walked into the bedroom. She flicked the light on and saw a shaking bundle of baby in the middle of the bed, covering her eyes as sobs broke through her tiny body. "Oh Kar. I am so sorry," she murmured, reaching in and taking the small girl. Kara screamed a little, saw it was Alex, then wrapped her arms around Alex’s neck. The agent was so glad she didn’t exactly have her max strength. Alex swayed back and forth with her, rubbing her back and whispering to her. "I’m here baby girl. I’m here darling. Shh,"

"S-… so dar- dark Ayik," she sobbed. Fuck. Alex nodded, holding back her tears as she held Kara close. Of course. The phantom zone alone! "Me 'lone!"

"I remember being alone in that pod and not knowing if I was going to see anyone ever again!" Alex overheard Kara say to that FBI agent in the house.

All of the nights where Alex basically slept with her head under the covers because Kara needed the main light on. Stupid! 

"I’m here now, sunshine. Ayik is here," she murmured. Little footprints were heard and Lena meekly walked into the room. "Hi Lena,"

"Mags told me to," she said quickly, going to the bed she assumed she would be sleeping in. The same bed she napped in earlier. "Do- do I have pyjamas?" she asked worriedly. Whether at the topic of the question or the target, Alex didn’t know. She very much hoped it was the latter though. 

Alex frowned, still rubbing Kara’s shuddering back. "Yeah, of course you- I mean yes, just yes. You do have pyjamas," she held back a sarcastic comment because this was an abused child she was talking to. "Are you going to bed?" she asked. Lena bit her lip, choosing not to answer. "In the bag," she added, pointing to the bag by Kara’s cot. Lena nodded and grabbed the bag.

"Is urm… Kara are you okay?" Lena asked, directing from asking Alex to the girl in question. Kara didn’t replied, just stayed sniffling into Alex’s neck. "Okay," she whispered sadly, finding the bigger set of pyjamas and going to leave the room.

"Hey, Lee. Don’t take it to heart sweetie," Alex said. "She’s very upset okay,"

Lena merely nodded and made her way to the bathroom.

Chapter Text

Chapter 12

"You know you can call me Alex, right?"

Slowly locking the door, she turned and slid down it. She had no idea what was going on, it was all a whirlwind. Lena covered her mouth as a small sob tried to make its way to the surface. Was this a trick from mother? These women have been kind to her, but surely it can’t last long? She tried to think of things she did wrong but trying to remember the details of yesterday was giving her a headache.

She didn’t think she did anything to warrant a- a sort of abduction? Mother is definitely behind this. Why else would she stick her in a house with a Kryptonian. Lex probably stole this off of Superman, perhaps she is his daughter, she was wearing that funny sign in her office when they woke up. See, why was Lena at LuthorCorp? It just didn’t make any sense. The kindness, the putting her arm in a sling, the food. It didn’t make any sense!

Lena started to cry. Comforted by the silence of the small room she met the tears travel down her cheeks as she tried to control herself; she couldn’t do this in front of them! She had already broke down when they first arrived here and begged Mags not to let anyone touch her. Pathetic. She definitely is going to tell mother if she hasn’t already. Yes Mrs Luthor, she isn’t let anyone touching her like some sort of special kid. Lena can just hear it now. (She ignores how that definitely doesn’t sound like the Maggie she knows.) She can feel the bruises already when Lillian would no doubt grab her just to prove that she can touch her whenever she likes.

The girl decided she had been in the bathroom for a good amount of time now and shakily got to her feet. The seven year old reached and slowly eased her arm out of its confined, a small whimper in her throat as she accidentally elbowed the door. With that out of the way, she got dressed. Slowly. Carefully. She couldn’t believe that despite her behaviour, she got rewarded with pyjamas and wasn’t being made to sleep in a vest and pants. Lillian loved that one, especially in the winter times where she would keep the heating out of her room. Little Lena would have to find warmth in her duvet but she still felt it. Lex would sometimes make her sleep in his room for the warmth.

"Lena? Are you okay in there?" Lena startled at the voice just as she was getting her leg into the trouser part and stumbled, falling ungraciously backwards into the wall. Ow.

"Yes thank you!" she called, calling on any God to keep her voice polite, airy and calm. Despite the burning pain that shot up her body. It wasn’t straight away, but soon Lena heard Alex retreat back into the bedroom. Oh yes, the bedroom. Lena had an inkling Mags sent her to bed. She was trying to figure out if it was simply what Mags perceived as her bedtime, or it was a punishment. Maybe a punishment from her so that Mrs Danvers didn’t punish her for backchat? She imagined that whatever she could concoct would be worse. It always is with the boss of the house.

Lena feared for Kara, truthfully. After the fuss she just kicked up? She was sure to get the belt. Yes, her age was young but that never stopped Lillian. Lena shivered as she remembered it. They couldn’t do that to Kara! Lena would fight to have her punishment instead of letting the blonde baby get it. When Mags and agent Danvers had gone and it was her and Kara in the bedroom, Lena was going to have to talk to the child about proper ways to behave.

She thought she was scared of the dark?

Wait until one of the adults gets her with a good old Hermes Etriviere.

Finally dressed, Lena grabbed the sling and walked out of the bathroom, tentatively going to agent Danvers— Lena knew that Mags and Mrs Danvers were talking downstairs. She saw that Alex was laying on her and Mags bed with Kara on her chest. The agent was propped up. "Oh. You’re busy. Never mind," she murmured.

"Hey, no. What’s wrong sweetie?" another pet name. They were full of them. Did they forget her name was Lena?

Lena bit her lip, asking for help was weakness but carrying on despite being in pain was foolish and reckless. "Lena?" oh, so she did remember her name. "You can talk to me, honey. I swear,"

Lena’s heart was racing as she blurted out, "Please help me put my sling on!" in a garbled mess. Her hands were sweaty now. "I- I know I should be able to- to do it myself but it’s hard a- and I can see you are busy so- so it doesn’t matter. Really," she tried to play it off, but keeping her arm in the same position was making it ach and she already could feel some pain from it due to getting changed and bonking it on the door.

Agent Danvers smiled and gently got up, keeping Kara tucked into her chest. She walked over to the cot and lowered the toddler down, pulling the covers over her. "I’m not busy, in fact you did me a favour," agent Danvers said with a humorous smirk, playfully pointing at her. "Because I was going to stay there all night with that lump on me if you hadn’t of needed me!" Lena saw the smile on her face but what was she thinking?

"As long as you’re sure," she whispered. Alex nodded and carefully helped her into the sling. "Thank you agent Danvers,"

"You know you can call me Alex, right?" Alex asked, keeping lingering hands on her cheek for comfort. Lena swallowed and didn’t reply. Don’t give into it. She is making you trying to slip up.

Instead, she said what she had been thinking about since the bathroom.

"Please don’t punish Kara. Punish me for her mistake," she asked, holding back the tiger of tears. Lena walked to Kara’s cot and stared at the peaceful girl. "She’s only young. The- the dark must have frightened her! I- I know that is no excuse, but she is a baby!" Lena knew that even if she wasn’t granted Kara’s punishment, she would have earned her own by talking as she is.

Lena wasn’t looking at Alex as she spoke.

Her gaze was inherently on Kara.

She jumped when a hand landed on her shoulder.

"Lee. I will never punish for fear. It it ever came to it, punishment would come down to a- a talk and maybe a time out," Alex replied, seemingly flustered. Lena didn’t believe her but nodded nonetheless. "Kara was scared. She, like you, has been through so much and that reflected tonight. If anyone was to blame for Kara’s behaviour tonight it is me," Alex said kindly. "I… I don’t even want to blame Maggie either because she doesn’t know Kara. She has her own experiences from her own family she battles against a- and she doesn’t understand Kara. I should have been better," she said firmly. Lena could see how tense she got. Lena could see, could feel, the insecurity radiating off of her.

Lena nodded, unsure of what to say. She didn’t know them. Agent Danvers smiled at her. "I-… Come on, let’s go find Mags,"

Lena shook her head adamantly. "Mags told me to find you. I think she wants me to go to bed,"

"Why? It isn’t even 8 PM," the agent asked with a frown. Lena bit her lip again (it was probably going to bleed soon) and shifted uncomfortably. Was this a test? See who she listens to most, who she respects most or fears the least? No matter what she did there was going to be a wrong option! Her chest tightened in her anxiety. Who does she listen to? Maggie or agent Danvers?

Lena’s hands shook. Her mind raced. She did fear agent Danvers a lot more than Mags. This woman was an FBI agent, or DEO? That’s what the logo was in her place of work. A federal agent. She could send her to a black site for punishment! Her breath hitched. "Uh-" there was no right option, just a safer one. "Okay," she whispered, hanging her head.

"Okay?" agent Danvers questioned. Lena didn’t look up, just focused on her bare feet. The way the carpet was soft and unlike the hard floorboards of her own Luthor bedroom. "Come on," she held her hand out and Lena hesitantly took it, anticipating the controlling squeeze yet confused when the hold was gentle.

Surely the act has got to give soon?

When the punishments come?

Lena started to cry silently as she as led like a pig to the slaughter downstairs.

Chapter Text

Chapter 13

"Can I have a detective story"

Each step felt like a drum as her little legs carried her down. Lena really, really didn’t want to make Mags sad, but if it came down to it, she was more scared of making agent Danvers sad. Lena worriedly glanced up at Danvers. She no longer had Kara wrapped to her chest. Lena remembered that Kara and Danvers must be sisters; Kara called Mrs Danvers ‘mama’ and Danvers calls her ‘mom’. It made sense now, why Kara was getting away with a lot of Why she was allowed to act so immaturely and not get punishment!

Because Kara was Alex’s sister!

Oh, that meant that all eyes would be on her. Lena would have to be careful; she assumed they would all take Kara’s side. Even if Kara hurt her first— which she doubted she would on purpose— and she retaliated— which Lena herself wouldn’t do— Lena knew she would probably get all the attention for bad things on her.

“Hey. What’s going on in that brain of yours?” Danver’s spoke as they neared the bottom step. The words were at the tip of her tongue but she couldn’t see herself to say them. She jumped off the step and into Maggie’s arms, burring her face in her neck.

“Hey sweetheart. What’s wrong?” she asked gently rubbing her back. Lena didn’t reply. She just soaked up the affection. Affection she knew would be short lasted when the facade dropped. When she was forced home. Ironic. She let out a wry chuckle. Home.  She figured a zoo would be just as homely. Have people stare and point at you as they make you do some ridiculous things. “Lee-Lee, I can’t help your head if you keep things up there,” Maggie whispered, kissing her head. Lena forgot all about the fact Danvers was at the stairs. That ‘Mama Danvers’ and Maggie were in the middle of talking. She hadn’t even registered Mag’s own red face.

Lena just made a sad noise aimed at Mags’ neck. She tried to talk but if she did then she knew sobs would leave instead of words. She didn’t want that. “It’s okay baby, I’m here,” Mags whispered in her ear, rubbing her back. Lena sighed in content. Maybe, just maybe she had made the right choice. Perhaps Mags was soft and even during punishment, she couldn’t help but discard it for comfort.

She knew the adults were talking still. She knew that Maggie had sat down at the edge of the sofa. Yet, Lena focused on Mags. On the vibrations in her chest as she spoke, the smell of whatever she had used to coat her body. The long hair that Lena was hiding behind.

She felt a gentle tap on her cheek and she lifted her head up to look at the Latina woman. “Why don’t we think about getting you to bed?” she asked softly, a smile on her face. Lena sniffled— Wait, when had she began crying?— and nodded. She didn’t want to leave Mags, what if she left while she was asleep? But she was also very tired. “Want me to tuck you in?” nod.

Maggie carried her upstairs and gently walked into Kara’s bedroom. Lena looked at the sleeping blonde and quickly looked away. Mags put her down on the bed and fumbled with the nightlight that was on the bedside table. It was shaped like a star! She giggled when it took Mags longer than it should to turn a light on and quickly covered her mouth. The word ‘Sorry’ on her lips as she willed herself to say it. “It’s okay,” Mags said before she could. “You can laugh. It was pretty silly wasn’t it?” Lena nodded with a hesitant grin. “Now then get those legs under the covers,” Lena snuggled down, her hair splayed on the pillow and her eyes drooping.

Mags tucked her in and kissed her forehead. Lena’s tummy felt weird at the affection, it felt nice but it was unusual. “Can… can I have a story?” she asked hesitantly. “My brother would sometimes read me a story,” she added meekly. Mags smiled at her and gently traced an invisible line down her nose.

“Of course Lee,” she said, “I doubt the Danvers girls have any child stories laying around though, this has to come from my old head okay?” Lena nodded, holding the covers closer to her body. Mags sat on the floor with her back against the bed. “Do we want a princess story?”

“Noo,” Lena said, a pout on her lips. Stop being an ungrateful little brat. The pout disappeared. “I- I mean if you want,”

Mags kissed her head again, “It’s okay to say ‘no’ hun. I asked you a yes or no question and you chose the latter. Maybe, though, change it to a ‘no thank you’?” Lena bit her lip, Mags didn’t sound angry. Whenever mommy (‘How many times Lena? Sound American!’)—she flinched a little but Mags didn’t say anything, just held her hand as she sorted through her thoughts— was angry she looked and sounded angry… but not at first. Not all the time. Sometimes she looked kind before she yelled. Daddy hardly ever shouted but he looked disappointed.

Mags just looked… happy? Patient? She had a small, ghostly smile on her carefree face as she rubbed small circles on her hand.

“No… thank you. Urm. Can I have a detective story?” she asked tentatively.

Chapter Text

Chapter 14

"Morning sunshine"

Alex flopped onto the couch and put an arm on her face. “Mom, this is so hard and it hadn’t even been a full day,” she said after a few minutes. The room was silent for a while, no noise, not even from upstairs. Alex relished in the silence. Using it to calm herself and process everything. She just needed five seconds. Five seconds alone.

Eliza came over and sat down, gently lifting her daughter’s head into her lap and running a hand through her short hair.

Alex could sense she wanted to say something but Eliza let the heavy silence hang for a while. “It is hard,” she finally said, her soothing movements not ceasing. “Especially seeing how they don’t exactly have the best upbringing or even human dna. But like you said, it hadn’t even been a full day yet. You need time to gauge their triggers, if they have any—”

“Lena definitely does,” Alex mused.

Eliza hummed and waited a few moments before carrying on. “Stay here as long as you need. Find out their likes, dislikes, triggers,” she offered. “I assume the DEO is finding a cure?”

“Mhm— Winn is on point,” Alex replied quietly, eyes closing. Alex let out a wry laugh- “We could have used Lena on this,”

Eliza nodded, “But you don’t have Lena. You have a child that is scared out of her mind. So, you need to think about her, not the DEO. How are you and Maggie going to move forward with your sister and Lena Luthor?” Alex thought hard.

What were they going to do?

Raise them like their own? What if a cure was never found, what if they stayed little forever. Are they capable of aging normally, or will they be stuck as these ages forever? Too many unknowns and it was making her head hurt. “Need Mags to make any sort of game plan,” she said. Eliza made another noise, indicating she understood. “I wanna hurt them so bad,”

“The people that did this?”

Alex shook her head, “The Luthor’s,” she said with gritted teeth. “I- that little girl upstairs… Mom, she…” Alex sighed in frustration and stood up. She thought better pacing. “She constantly thinks she will be in trouble, that she will be punished. She only trusts Maggie. I’m also worried she is going to make her injury worse; look at the way she leaped at Mags,” Alex explained.

Alex really wished somebody had spotted the signs earlier. When she was actually a child. Surely, a child that shutdowns when overwhelmed is a massive red flag of something? A child that is scared of new people. A child that expects punishing for crying. Perhaps not exactly child abuse, but the thought that nobody checked on her. That her school never spoke to her about all these things. Asks her how she feels. Validates her. She probably got homeschooled when she was young, for that very reason. Would show her premature maturity.

It made Alex feel ill.

That out there was a child suffering, not just any child but a child that would later grow up to be someone she cared dearly for. (A child she assumed would soon become her legal sister).

Around twenty minuets later and Alex was a little worried. She excused herself and carefully walked up the familiar stairs and into her bedroom. A smile immediately came upon her face at the sight of her fiancé. She was still kneeling on the floor but her upper half was facing Lena, her arms cross on the bed and her face down. Asleep.

She smiled and gently rubbed her shoulder, “Mags,” she whispered, “Mags,” slowly, her eyes opened. She yawned and looked around the room, her eyes stopping on Lena’s sleeping face. “Morning sunshine,” she teased.

“Mmm,” Maggie said as she still gathered her bearings. “W’time?” she stood up and stretched, Alex bringing her in for a hug before they both left for downstairs. “I told her a story about this detective and she had fallen asleep, her little hand clutched tightly on mine,” Alex sent her a sad smile, mirroring the look on her fiancés. “Every time I shifted she would let out this… just sad noise until I settled. I guess I fell asleep,”

Entering the living area, Alex pulled her fiancé onto the couch. “We need to talk about the future,” straight to the point. Eliza nodded in approval.

Maggie chuckled slightly, “If you want a serious conversation with me, then we better get coffee because I am so tired and you are so comfy,” the detective joked. Alex smirked and kissed her head. “But I agree,”

“For one, how will bedtime work?” Eliza asked, “Because how Kara was left cannot happen again,”

“I found an old nightlight,” Maggie said, “I turned it on for Lena. A star,”

Alex smiled fondly, “That’s the nightlight we got Kara. She was petrified of the dark for so long…” it morphed into a frown. “Can’t believe I was so stupid as to leave her alone in a dark room. I just- she seemed to remember. I didn’t think it would effect her,”

“Alex, she may somewhat still have the memories of big Kara, but her emotional capabilities lie somewhere of a toddler,” Eliza said firm but not unkindly. “We need to remember that she is essentially a baby,”

Right. How do you look after a baby?

Alex can barely look after herself. She’s a workaholic. Maggie can’t say much else.

Kara also wasn’t human. Does she have to be exposed to even more sunlight? Do we try and limit exposure, keep a handle on her powers?

“And with Lena, she may act grown up but it’s probably a facade,” as selfish as it was, Alex didn’t even want to think of that right now. Two traumatised children on their uneducated hands.

“We are going to need a lot of coffee,” Maggie spoke into the silence.