#aaaayyyy

Shortly before the destruction of Krypton.

“Sodam!”

Feet pound against the ground, moving as quickly as they can. The children in their arms left so confused and uncertain.

Save them, save them. Save them, his mind screams aloud. Screams clear. With purpose.

So a being and a heart are invigorated with the fear of the loss of these lives. It should not be allowed. This should not- the thought of it was utterly terrifying. It was a single thing that should not be permitted nor could it ever be allowed in the future. Not with the heart that trembles in his chest, shaking him to the core.

“Sodam, please-” Whatever he wants to beg of this prince never leaves his mouth.

A door is pushed open, heads turn to them.

There is a shocking alarm in those eyes that can’t even dare to bring up hatred that might have been there before, but they were noticed. They do recognize the two men in front of them, more importantly, they do understand the bundles in their arms even as their world shakes. Maybe it’s the idea that father’s with their children are going to perish that keeps their hatred at bay. Allow them some peace in their death.

A prince of Daxam and an ambassador of Krypton. Fathers. Married. There’s no hatred at this moment.

The prince stops as he pulls a panel back that no one would have thought twice about, numbers are entered into a keypad and from the ground arises another pod. One hidden. It shocks those watching, and they both know they must act now before the fear or need for another arises.

“Sodam…”

Cold eyes soften at the sight of a man that is nothing more than an emotional wreck, but relief fills his husband. He can see it as the man passes a bundle over, with a broken sob. Is this the end of their story?

“Call me selfish, love, my dearest, but If I could save any lives, I would wish it to be your lives first.” The prince leans forward to place a kiss against the forehead of his daughter.

Another broken sob, the bundle starts to cry as he places her inside the pod carefully.

“I apologize I could not manage- I could not manage our own. In another life perhaps we would have loved each other for a lifetime, but from this day forward may your god have mercy on our souls and allow us to love in another life.”

The second bundle starts to cry. Their son, he only knows they’re sending them away. They can’t keep him here. Why would they- he’s placed inside the pod too, a tight fit but all they could manage. Is it not better than dying on this planet?

“They may never remember us, but may their hearts know of the love we gave, of the live’s we gave for them. May the next Daxam and Krypton learn to love each other just as we have love one another. No love is better.”

“No.”

“No?”

“May their love be better, grander, brighter. Happier. I will always love you, in every life.”

A smile. A kiss is shared.

“And I, you.”

 //////

 A third pod crashes to earth no more than a week after Myriad.

No more than two weeks after boxes are finished moving in but left untouched in an apartment within National City.

The crash interrupts a celebration of having survived, of the pain and loss the previous year brought to them all. Of the secrets exposed, the shifts, the changes, the hope that remained despite all the suffering in the world.

The pod even from a distance brings hopes of no longer being alone, of the end of a world. Of not leaving a woman with no one else to share in her nightmares or hardships of seeing it. Maybe the world is sending her a reminder that the crest on her chest is not just a promise here on earth but a reality for more than only herself.

The only other who wears the crest rightfully so, he’s made it a promise. She has been redefining the promise with hope, love, understanding.

The world seems to understand this.

So when the pod crashes, her hands are jittery with anxiety and fear of the unknown even as she lands with her only father figure cautioning her to be careful. That anything could be inside, and yes she knows this. She does.

But what should stop her hope from coming to light? Whoever is inside must be unconscious, their breathing is too slow, and this concerns her. It’s enough of a reason to pull her forward in a blind panic and grip the edge of the door, enough to make her breathe once and then pull it open forcefully.

What she see’s inside, what they both see inside, stops her heart and confuses her.

What’s more is the fear that wracks Kara Zor-El’s body because what is inside is so incredibly precious, she’s uncertain if she could ever hold them with the care they need. They’re so small she’s sure there's a possibility of hurting them by accident.

“J’onn...are you-” A hand grips her shoulder.

“I see them.”

There’s silence before he speaks again.

It continues for a moment.

“Agent Danvers, I need a team here. Medical.”

“Big bad?”

“No.”

“What should they-”

“They’re children...Alex, there’s children…” It’s Kara who speaks.

Her eyes prickle with tears at the memories flooding her mind. It’s too familiar. Too hurtful. Have they been abandoned also? How could someone leave their children like this?

One looks to be no more than a few months old, wrapped neatly, the other must be the older brother. At least six. It’s heartbreaking.

How many children this old died on Krypton because of-

How could her family do this?

//////

 Kara frowns, her arms crossing over her chest as she waited for J’onn’s approval to continue forward.

She appreciated her job, what she got to do, she appreciated J’onn’s thoroughness to bring every agent back alive if he could, but she felt the desire to be home. She had all day since- since Corbin’s attack on Lena.

She’d seen the way Lena had tried to look sure after taking his life. There was a shock she’d only viewed a few times on new agents faces. Knowing they’d become obsessed with their job trying to remind themselves that it was them or whoever held a weapon at them, but Lena wasn’t an agent. She wasn’t a soldier.

Suddenly Kara felt lucky she never saw Alex when she took her first life, she was sure it would have been visceral, too much for her to see. There was guilt a second after she thought of that. Alex was her sister. She was supposed to be there for her as Alex was supposed to be there for her .

Unfortunately, she’d been called away by the people of the city. Throwing Alex a pleading look who stepped away from the man’s body with a nod, rushing to Lena’s side slowly pulling the gun away.

Kara was about to step forward to get her wife’s attention, but a yell of urgency grabbed her attention. She was off.

The only good things to come from the day were the look in Clark’s eyes. Something like respect towards Lena maybe understanding. Later, when showing up at her office with a look of surprise that Kara was still there, he apologized in every way but verbally. Lena though shaking, accepted it in stride while Kara sat in Lena’s chair watching silently.

Kara remained silent, even as her brows rose in shock at the sight of Clark pulling Lena into an awkward hug whispering something in her ear. Kara clenched her jaw resisting the urge to eavesdrop, untrusting that Clark had become unbiased towards her wife.

“Mrs. Danvers,” He nodded at them both, smiling then left.

Once he was gone, Kara looked up from her laptop and pulled her wife into her lap resting her chin on Lena’s shoulder, pulling up Lena’s emails so she could work. They remained silent, but Kara knew her wife appreciated the lack of talking about the day's events. She’d open up eventually, but that wasn’t going to be tonight.

The second thing was Eliza’s need to make sure her daughters, all of them, were safe instantly leaving Lena no room to argue when Kara had announced the DEO needed her but Alex would be off in an hour to check on her. Lena tried to protest, but her mother interjected. None of them could refuse her, and Kara was glad for it.

She leaned over the bed, supplying Lena with a few kisses before she was in her suit and landing at the DEO. Finding Alex first, asking her to at least spend the night in their apartment if she could. Alex didn’t argue. She just gave a nod and hurried to finish her duties for the evening.

Kara, however, wasn’t as lucky.

She was forced to face a group of men trying to steal weapons from a secure DEO vault, or rather what people had called secure. In reality, it had a sophisticated security system but was otherwise abandoned unless there was an emergency.

A group of DEO agents lined up behind her, ready to storm in and secure. They were familiar to her; she knew their names, they had been trained to follow her lead by Alex. A test, to see how well Kara performed with people she knew instead of virtual strangers.

Winn continued clacking away at his keyboard in her ear. She huffed.

“Winn,” it was annoyed slightly.

“Just a second,” he muttered back.

“Winn.”

“Supergirl,” he paused, “I can’t do this with you badgering in my ear. Give me a second this is advanced.”

Kara felt annoyance bubble up in her chest. Though not at him, but instead at how slow this felt. She was impatient to get home especially after having stood here for god knows how long. She almost wanted to ask Winn if he’d figured out how Lex had seeped through the cracks enough to send someone after Lena. She refrained, however. It wasn’t the time.

Her fingers tapped against her upper arms in impatience, all she could do to keep herself from rushing him. She reminded herself Alex would surely be with Lena in just a few minutes, by the time they finished here. Lena would be safe.

It didn’t stop her desire to be there, however.

Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and focused on her breathing. The memories of Lena gently grasping her shoulders after nightmares, reminding her to breathe played in her head. Lena knew this, but Kara had come to replay the memories when she felt too...emotional.

“Just breathe for me. You can let go, love, It’s okay.”

Her eyes opened, and she let her hands drop to her side with a renewed calm. She felt almost centered for a moment. It was enough for her to keep from pushing her friend on the other end of her earpiece.

“And- got it!” He announced, “I have control back over the security system! Your team is a go!”

“You heard him, but with caution,” J’onn finally gave his approval.

Kara nodded to herself, approaching a set of heavy metal doors. She grasped the handles but waited for a second, waiting for the agents behind her to get into position. When the team leader nodded to her, she ripped them off of their hinges and stormed inside.

They spent an hour combing through the two-story vault. Nothing came up, whoever had been inside had used the security system as a diversion. Kara felt frustration, staring a lead wall in a simmering anger. Whoever had constructed the vault surely didn’t want Superman, and by extension herself, peering inside.

She wanted to call it the Government’s arsenal but knew if J’onn could help it none of these weapons would ever be touched again.

They swept the vault again for any traces of evidence, the only thing that could be found was a set of dirty footprints leading to a door that had been blown off its hinges with military grade explosives. She frowned and pointed it out to a couple of agents who nodded and followed the footsteps outside.

“Cuff him-” Kara frowned upon hearing Alex’s voice in her ears so suddenly. She hadn’t entirely meant to zone in on her sister, but she wondered what had brought her to arresting someone.

Lena’s heartbeat was-

“Ma’am? We’re ready.” Kara looked up to find Vasquez giving her a nod.

Kara turned her attention back to the vault. She was the only one who had memorized all of the vaults belongings. It was easier and faster than letting the DEO try to figure out what was missing a week later; it provided a better chance to capture the men and bring back the weaponry from the wrong hands.

While men continued unlocking lockers, boxes, cabinets, cases, Kara continued scanning through what was already open and ready. She shifted, turning to the agent beside her with a tablet out prepared to find what she’d name as missing. She gestured to the small plaque that read what was supposed to be there, and the agent nodded finding the weapon.

“No that’s wrong, it’s not narrow-” she was cut off by the sound of Lena’s voice filling her ears again.

“I’m certain he was just angry or- I don’t know- but they’re not bad people. They’re not , and I don’t want this to affect them just because I'm a Luthor negatively.”  Kara frowned deeply, uncertain if it was a good thing she had purposefully sought out Lena this time.

Lena never referred to herself as a Luthor, or at least Kara couldn’t remember the last time she had in such a severe manner.

“Ma’am?” The agent brought her attention back.

Kara tried to give a reassuring smile, but it fell short. She shook her head when the agent gave her a concerned look. Kara took the tablet and scrolled through the inventory, she pointed to a weapon and let out a sigh.

“See if you can find that,” she saw the agent nod, “and see if Winn can send you security level five weapons from the DEO database. I think the vault database was messed with to throw us off.”

The agent nodded and ventured off towards weapons that looked similar to the one they were supposed to find. Kara moved on to the next seat of weapons, guns specifically, and glanced them over with a hum. This wasn’t the most exciting part of the job, but sometimes it was necessary. She felt respect for the agents that usually had to do this.

As she reached out towards a weapon, she heard the familiar sound of her phone, inside Alex’s locker in the DEO. It had been left loud enough so she could hear it, in case Lena or Alex called her. If it were an emergency, it would be Lena that would call, rather than text or facetime her.

She felt her heart clench in fear. It was Lena’s ringtone.

“Winn,” she waited until it gave her a hum that she was listening, “my phone is ringing. Patch me in through my earpiece.”

“I can’t, that’s not allowed and anyway don’t you have-”

“Winn,” She spoke sternly, “just do it. It’s Lena. It’s in Alex’s locker.”

A pause, nothing.

“Now.” She left no room open for arguing.

She let out a small sigh of relief when she heard his fingers clacking against his keyboard as quickly as he could make them move. Kara took the opportunity to step into a secluded corner away from agents so she could at least have some privacy.

Finally, Lena’s teary voice filled her ears. Before she could finish saying hello Kara cut in, not allowing her time to think this was a mistake, that she was interrupting Kara’s job, or that she was selfish. Lena wasn’t. She was the least selfish person there was. They both knew it, more so, so did Alex.

“Baby,” she started softly, “what happened?”

Instead of replying, she could hear Lena cover her mouth. Trying her best not to let Kara hear her dissolve into the sound of sobs, but it only muffled it slightly. Kara’s heart clenched in sadness this time.

She felt a swell of protectiveness form, her own eyes beginning to water at the sound of Lena. She turned away from the agents who had started to stare would give them privacy. She didn’t want them to question.

“Lena?”

“Hang on Kara,” It was Alex who spoke this time, “Lee, I know but- put it on speaker, please? So I don’t have to stop holding your hand.”

It took a moment, but eventually, Lena did clumsily with shaking hands as she desperately tried to stop herself from crying. Kara frowned, wishing she was able to hold her wife. Lena clung to her sister’s hand, as far as Kara could tell, unwilling to let her be anything but her anchor at the moment.

What Kara heard next had her nearly in the air, flying to their side.

“Someone broke in and attacked Lena,” Alex could only hear the sound of glass breaking them Kara muttering apologies, “stay right there. Just listen to me-”

“Someone attacked her, Alex-” Lena let out another cry at the reminder, Kara winced with a frowned, “-I’ll be there in just a second, okay baby? I’m coming. I’m-”

“Kara!” Alex sharply argued, “Seriously stay there. Do your job okay? I’m taking Lena to the DEO. We’re going to wait for you and mom there; you’re both staying at my place.”

“Al-” Kara tried to argue.

The DEO could do the job she was supposed to do. She was just faster. More efficient. Right now, nothing was more important than her family, and she knew that every agent with her would understand eventually. She knew J’onn wouldn’t be mad if she just left because Lena needed her, she-

“K-kara?” Lena finally spoke, though by no means calm she was able to talk.

“Yes, baby?” Kara’s voice softened drastically from her desperate tone. Some part of her knew what Lena was going to say, and she knew that she’s already given in.

“Please don’t,” Lena begged, Kara found herself closing her eyes and nodding already, “do what you need to. Then c-come and get me. Please?”

Kara let out a heavy sigh of understanding and nodded again, despite knowing they couldn’t see her.

“Alright baby, alright. I’ll see you very soon,” she promised, “I love you. I love you, Alex.”

“I love you too,” Lena spoke softly.

“Love you too Kar. She’ll be in med bay.”

Kara waited until one of them hung up, and released a breath before turning back to find the agents working. She was grateful when they didn’t ask her why she forced them to work two times as fast, barely keeping up with her.

They were a good team.

She was lucky.

//////

 Lena herself was shocked by the words coming out of her mouth, but it was too late to take them back. She felt resolved to fulfill them, despite her shock. Frustrated that there was still an unknowing xenophobia here, where there shouldn’t be.

They looked so small on the sunbeds...her heart broke for them.

That’s how she found herself here, sitting on one of the beds placing the ice pack on her shoulder down before holding her hands out with a sigh as she repeated herself.

“Give her to me,” the agent rose their brows, she rolled her eyes, “neither of you knows how to care for her- she’s crying very loudly and if she’s anything like Kara that cry could cause a few problems. So please.”

The agent holding the fussing baby looked uncomfortable but complied readily. Almost relieved that Lena offered and ignored Alex’s eye roll. She barely heard Lena over the crying of the tiny girl in her hands. She stepped forward, nearly thrusting the baby over.

Lena frowned at the unprofessional behavior and took the child, tucking her, blanket and all, into her hands and began to bounce her lightly with a soft smile.

“Go get something for the baby to eat,” Alex ordered the agent before she could smile at the soft sight.

“But- I- c-can’t we just- keep feeding her with-” Alex gave them a look, and Lena glared.

“I’ll feed her if you’re really terrified of a child,” she chastised with a cold tone, the agent flinched and looked down, “but she needs formula. I’m certain mother’s work here, Kryptonians are similar enough to humans...baby formula should work. Just a lot of it. So please pull on your big girl breeches and do something because she’s hungry.”

The agent nodded, speeding out of the room, afraid to let her down. Lena sighed and looked down at the child, pulling her closer to her chest and speaking in a softer tone.

“Nim voi, ukiem,” came out fluid and nearly flawless. As flawless as it could sound from a human.

Alex smiled and took a step closer. Watching as Lena spoke in quiet Kryptahniou. It seemed to work, and perhaps it was the familiarity that was so comforting to the child in her hands. Or maybe it was how Lena’s voice exuded warmth, even going so far as to place a kiss to the child’s forehead.

Tiny hands tried to reach up and grasp at Lena’s face, she tilted her head away and smiled, pulling back softly telling the child she was very much okay. It melted Alex’s heart to see, ignoring the thought that this could be a future for her sisters as it would be up to them to decide. Instead, she wrapped an arm around her sister and kissed the side of her head.

Lena looked up at her with a smile which fell as the agent from before stumbled in and left her with a few filled bottles before leaving to return to their post.

“I have to go talk to J’onn okay?” Lena looked up at her, scared of the absence of her older sister and Alex only kissed her again, “Mom is on her way. The agent outside is ordered to protect you. If you have any questions you can call mom or me, we’ll answer instantly, and Kara will be done soon. She might get here first. Okay?”

Alex handed her a bottle as she nodded.

“Al?” Lena called out as she opened the door, “could you have someone bring me the RS-Simulation gear from the training room? I think I could rig it up here, and it’d be healthier for them than the kryptonite exposure.”

“They don’t deserve that, do they?” Lena nodded, Alex smiled and nodded back, “I will. If anything can get it working enough for them, it’s you. If you need help, don’t be afraid to call someone okay?”

Lena smiled and nodded.

With that, Alex left, and Lena was left with a bottle in her hands, a vulnerable Kryptonian infant and a few minutes before anyone showed up. If she could get the gear and lights set up in here for the children, it would be painless and an alternate way to take care of them without weakening them in the same way Kryptonite would.

She held her breath as she brought the bottle up to the baby’s lips and waited. The baby seemed to take it and eagerly suck. Lena let out a sigh of relief and chuckled nervously.

She might have known enough about childcare, but she was still incredibly nervous with such a precious thing. She let out a breath of air and tried to calm herself. It was a child, what could she do? Drop her? She shook her head stopping the train of thoughts. She wouldn’t forgive herself if she did that. Her grip tightened slightly as she watched the child in her arms eat what was given to her eagerly.

Her lips tugged upward.

The baby had dark hair, oddly purplish eyes, and light but reddened skin. She was wrapped in a red material, it took her a moment to realize, but once she had, she smiled. She was covered in Kara’s cape and likely had been for the week that the children had been at the DEO. She let out a light laugh hoping it wouldn’t upset the baby.

It was then that she found a paper set off to the side, on the table and she realized Alex had left it. Likely the children’s information. She rose a brow and slowly pushed herself off of the bed, ambling, speaking in the baby’s native language to keep the small girl calm as she picked up the paper.

“Lan-Do?” She rose a brow, looking at the form of the sleeping boy, “‘managed to gather his name before he fainted and reverted to a coma’ -- ‘Lan-Do. Approximately six years old, possible loss of hearing, cannot confirm until-’”

Lena flipped to the next page and let out a small gasp of surprise.

“Kole,” she looked down at the baby in her hands and smiled, “it looks like Kara was adamant wasn’t she? Kole. Pretty name.” The baby only let out a sound of distress, and Lena let out a soft sigh with a smile, “you and your brother are safe. I bet you’re hungry hm?”

Kole accepted the next bottle eagerly.

Kara found Lena in the confines of the med-bay, looking over blueprints on the ground with one hand and the other holding the bottle for the baby to feed on as she did. Kara hesitated at first to enter but did, in super regalia sitting beside her wife, familiar with how she worked and pulled the basket towards her as she took her wife’s place of feeding the baby.

Lena only gave her a glance and small smile as the bottle was passed over before Kole could get fussy, looking back down at the boxes in front of her as well as papers and blueprints.

“Ta-nim rraop tav?” Kara questioned softly, and aware Kole probably didn’t like loud noises.

Lena looked up at her for a moment, distracted by taking the book of her notes in hand and shrugging.

“We’re fine, love. She’s just hungry,” Lena smiled at the child in question.

Kara gave a sad smile. Lena watched her for a moment but didn’t push it; instead, they sat in silence for a moment. Lena continued to go over her notes, pieces of what she’d constructed so far around her. Lena waited until she was ready to talk.

“You were attacked,” Kara spoke finally.

“I’m-”

“Lena,” Lena turned to find wet eyes watching her, “you’re fine, but you almost weren’t. You don’t- I’m Kara. You don’t have to act like it didn’t affect you.”

Lena quickly set her things down and cupped Kara’s cheeks, kissing her forehead. She knew she had to be completely honest. She didn’t have to find a compromise in this. Kara loved her. She’d listen.

“I know I'm sorry...I- I’d like to move and hire security if that’s okay?” Kara nodded eagerly, but they’d talk about it later, “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Kara leaned forward stealing a kiss. Lena smiled at her.

“Kole?” Lena questioned.

Kara gave a small smile.

“Just another form of her Kryptonian name, I- they should know their history right?” She asked unsurely.

“I’ve mostly spoken in Kryptahniou around Kole,” Lena nodded, “I think they should know about Krypton. You’ve written a lot down so if you’re not ready to tell them, they can read when they’re older. Can I ask what her name is?”

Kara smiled sadly again.

“Ko-El.”

Lena smiled softly. She knew what that meant; she’d known the moment Kara came to her in nervousness and anxiety explaining the children. It was a step forward. They’d both always wanted children, despite Lena being nervous about being a good foster mother.

“I know you want to ask but-”

“Kara,” Lena cut her wife off, “she has at least another week before they release her...you have time.”

There was a pause. Kara looked so hopeful.

“You know what my decision already don’t you?” Lena smiled knowingly and nodded in understanding, "You have a choice too-"

Lena leaned forward and kissed her wife softly before turning back to her work.

“Alright, now perhaps you can help me with this.”

Kara smiled softly and nodded.