95. Alura/Ruby

November 5-10, 2017 (pregnancy week 35/36)

-Alura-

Alura was having a wonderful time shopping with her family.  The shops on Earth were so strange and nothing like she remembered from her previous experience.  The Danvers helped her pick out some beautiful clothes for her to wear on her extended stay.  Everyone in the family was so kind and attentive to her, she was nearly overcome with emotion on more than one occasion.  Everything was a bit surreal, but it was so lovely.  By the time they were finished shopping, she practically had a brand new full wardrobe.

Kara’s Earth family was even better than she had hoped.  Eliza was smart and kind and compassionate, and after they told Alura the story of how Alex and Kara had hidden their relationship until a few months into Alex’s pregnancy, Alura couldn’t have been happier that her daughter was blessed with such an astoundingly patient surrogate mother.  Alura held Eliza in the highest regard.

As for the twins, Alura couldn’t be more in love with their sweet cherub faces and their fun-loving attitudes towards everything.  Even after the trauma of the previous day, Jessie and Jamie still had mostly positive attitudes all morning.  Every so often, one of the twins would sidle up beside her and give her a hug.  Their hugs were the best.  The way they just melted into her made her heart ache with affection.  She noticed that the kids had a pattern of flitting between each parent and grandparent, alternating who got cuddles as the day went by.  The Danvers were very affectionate people, always hugging and kissing and holding hands.  It was sweet.  

She also got a showcase of how well the twins could sing throughout the morning as they both liked to randomly burst into song.  Alura praised them at every turn.  She knew she might be overdoing it, but she’d missed so much, she felt like she had to make up for lost time.

And, even though it was a bit strange that Kara was in a relationship with three different women, along with having gotten them all pregnant at the same time, Alura couldn’t deny that they were three extraordinary women with many accomplishments under their belts, so she would try to be understanding about it.  Along with their impressive resumes and their impressive good looks, they were all kind and generous.  Kara couldn’t stop gushing over them all day, and it was Alura’s pleasure to listen.  Her daughter was clearly in love with each of them.  Her face never dimmed as she went on and on about what her family had accomplished.

So yes, Alura was as proud as she could be of her daughter and the entire Danvers family.  She didn’t know she could feel this kind of joy again after the loss of Krypton and her family.  Determined as she was to see Argo thrive, Alura still felt it difficult to get out of bed some mornings, even after all this time.  She had a feeling that that wouldn’t be the case anymore.  She wasn’t alone anymore.  She had a family again.  A huge one.  It was a little daunting, but not the kind of challenge she would refuse.  It was going to be worth the adjustment.

For lunch, Kara informed her that they were going to eat at a place called ‘Noonan’s’, and that their friends Lucy and James were going to meet them there.  These were apparently some of Kara’s best friends, and she just had to meet them.  When they arrived at the restaurant, there was already a spot waiting for them, and the owners greeted everyone by name and gave hugs all around.

“Amy, Tara, this is my birth mother Alura,” Kara introduced her.  “Mom, this is Amy and Tara.  They own this place, and they’re very good friends of ours.”

Tara and Amy gasped at the introduction.  “Wow, it’s incredible to meet you,” Amy shook her hand enthusiastically.  “How did you…  I mean, how are you…  ?”  Amy just shrugged not really knowing what question to ask.

“We’ll explain later,” Kara chuckled.  “I just really wanted you to meet her.”

“Yes, thank you,” Tara grinned.  “It’s great to meet you.”

“And you as well,” Alura smiled sweetly.

“Well, as you know, lunchtime is pretty busy for us, so we’ll talk to you later, OK?” Amy waved.

“OK, see ya!” Kara chirped.

When James and Lucy showed up and they were introduced to her, Alura wondered how all of Kara’s friends seemed to be so good looking and charming.  This couple was no exception.  They greeted her like an old friend, hugs and all.  She got to know them a little bit, and she liked them.  She liked everyone that Kara had introduced her to so far.  She very much enjoyed her lunch with the Olsens, and they promised to see her again soon.

Aside from the good company, the food was delicious, and she could see why her family liked the restaurant so much.  She made sure to give her compliments to the owners.  The sweet couple promised that they would come visit sometime during the week, and she assured them that she was looking forward to it.

After lunch, the Danvers crew went home to relax for a while before it was time to go to the memorial for Demos.  They all got changed and the twins spent the rest of the time showing her some of their drawings and the things they were working on for school.  They were a bit behind in their studies due to Kara and Alex insisting that they be held back for a few years, but Alura was confident that they could catch up soon.  Intelligence ran in their family, and the twins were quite clever little things.

“Would you like me to help you with your Kryptonese?” she offered.

The twins perked up.  “Yeah!” the replied excitedly.

“It’s the least I can do while I’m here,” she shrugged.  “You’re already doing really well, and I’m proud of you.”

"Thank you," they replied, hugging her fiercely. 

“Carter’s here!” Jessie announced to the group.  She ran/hobbled on her crutch to the front door to let him and his mother in.  “Come on, come on!” she insisted, tugging them inside.  “You have to meet our new grandma!”

Cat chuckled as Carter hurried after her, leaving her to click daintily across the floor in her 4-inch heels.  “Hello, everyone.”

She received a chorus of greetings from the group.

“Grandmother, this is Jamie’s boyfriend Carter, and his mom Cat,” Jessie introduced them.

“Hi!” Carter waved enthusiastically.

“Hello, young man,” Alura smiled at him.

Cat offered her hand.  “Hello, Alura, it’s such a pleasure to meet you.”

“And you as well,” Alura responded warmly.  “Kara has told me such wonderful things about you.  I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.”

“Of course you have.  It’s exciting meeting me,” Cat winked playfully.

Alura chuckled.  “She warned me you were feisty.”

“Among other things,” Cat smirked.

“Mom!” Carter rolled his eyes.  “Don’t mind her,” he told Alura.  “She just likes to mess with people.”

Alura chuckled again.  “It’s OK.  I-”

“Ruby’s here!” Jessie announced, bounding back up on her crutch and hurrying towards the front door.  “Hi, baby!” she said, flinging the door open.

“Hi!” Ruby chirped, giving Jessie a kiss.

Sam and Douglas followed the kids into the living room.  “Hey, guys!”

“Hey!” Kara grabbed their hands and pulled them over.  “Guys, this is my mom Alura.  Mom, this is Ruby, Sam, and Douglas.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you all,” Alura grinned, shaking their hands.

“It’s an honor to meet you, as well,” Sam schmoozed out of habit.

“Yes, it is,” Douglas agreed.

“Yeah,” Ruby nodded.  “Jessie hasn’t stopped texting me about you, so it’s nice to get to meet you for real.”

Alura laughed softly. “Funny, she’s been telling me all about you today as well.”

Ruby blushed and grinned sideways at Jessie.

Sam leaned over to whisper in Kara’s ear, “Does she know about me?”

Kara giggled.  “Well, for one, she’s Kryptonian, so whispering doesn’t really help, and two, yes, my mother knows about how much of a help you’ve been to Lena.  Beyond that is up to you.”

Sam nodded.  “Thanks.”

“Is there something I should know?” Alura asked.

Sam thought about it for a second before nodding.  “Yes.  You should know.  I’m…  Well, I was… Reign.”

Alura’s eyes widened.  “Oh, you poor thing!”  She pulled San into a hug.

“Oh!” Sam said in surprise.  “This wasn't the reaction I was expecting.”

“What were you expecting?” Alura asked.

Sam shrugged.  “A little caution, I guess.”

“Do I need to be cautious?” Alura wondered.  “Kara said the Worldkillers were taken care of.”

“No, of course not,” Kara assured her.  “No caution needed.  Sam is one of the best people we know.  We trust her with our lives.”

Sam blushed.  “Thanks, Kara.”

“No, thank you.  You’ve been such a blessing to us,” Kara insisted.  “Lena especially.”

“Yes, indeed,” Lena agreed.

“You guys, stop it,” Sam whined.

Douglas laughed and wrapped her in his arms.  “You’re OK, babe.  Just take the compliments.”

“Thank you,” Sam murmured sheepishly.

Alura chuckled at Sam’s bashfulness.

“OK, we should get going,” Alex announced.  “We don’t want to be late.”

Everyone grabbed their stuff and headed out to the big van.  Apparently Lena had ordered a couple of new vehicles to fit their family needs, and everyone was excited to ride in the new van.

The memorial service was right in the DEO main hall.  J’onn was the main speaker, but he allowed a few others to speak as well.  Overall it didn’t really take long.  The guest speakers were short and sweet, and everyone seemed to really miss poor Demos, lighting candles and saying little prayers.  

The twins cried, tucked under their mothers’ arms, drawing comfort from their presence.  It made Alura’s heart ache for the time she lost with Kara.  It was so strange that her granddaughters just happened to be the exact same age as Kara when she left Krypton.  And there were two of them.  It was like a miracle.  Rao had multiplied her blessings for some mysterious reason, and she’d be grateful until the day she died.

When it was their turn to approach the memorial shrine, Kara had a request.  “Mom, could we maybe recite Rao’s prayer?”

Alura turned and nodded.  “Of course, my love.”  She picked up one of the candles and lit it before speaking, “Though we go forth alone, our soul unites us under Rao's gladsome rays.  We're never lost, never afraid for we shrink not under the Sun of Righteousness.  Rao binds us to those we love. He gives us strength when we have none.  And in the darkest places, he guides us.  For Rao sees all, feels all.  His love, eternal.  Rao, protect us, so that we might protect others. And we shall rise, a fire in His heart, burning and free.”  She turned around with tears in her eyes after hearing the Danvers reciting along with her.  “You guys know the prayer?”

“Yeah, Mama taught it to us a few months ago,” Jessie explained.

Alura sniffled and kissed Kara on the cheek.  “I’m so proud of you, my daughter.”

Kara grinned.  “Thanks, Mom.”

“What now?” Alura wondered.

“Now, can we go home and play games?” Jessie requested.

“Or!” Kara put her finger up and finished in a sing-song voice, “We could pull out the karaoke machine!”

“Oh, yes!” the kids jumped at the opportunity.

“What’s karaoke?” Alura frowned in confusion.

“Singing,” Jamie explained.  “The machine plays the music, and we take turns singing along.”

“Oh, that sounds lovely,” Alura grinned.  “I’m afraid I don’t know any Earth songs, though.”

“It’s OK, not everyone has to sing,” Jessie told her.  “Cat never sings, and Mom and Maggie don’t like to sing because they’re not very good at it.”

Alex and Maggie scowled indignantly at her, but she just giggled.

“If you don’t like it, we can do something else,” Jamie offered.

“No, no, that’s just fine.  I like music,” Alura grinned.

“Sweet!”  Jessie exclaimed.  

The Danvers and company returned to the mansion and gathered in the living room.

“Someone needs to get the machine out,” Alex said, making it clear that she wasn’t getting it.

“I’m not getting it, my leg hurts right now,” Jessie complained.

“I got it!” Jamie announced, running to the hallway closet to retrieve the karaoke machine.  She returned to the living room and set everything up while everyone found a seat to await their turns.

Alura sat between Kara and Alex at their insistence, both of them leaning their shoulders against her affectionately.  In a fun little surprise, Alex’s baby started moving around so much they could see her moving Alex’s belly around.  Alex pressed Alura’s hand to her stomach to let her feel it, and Alura started crying.  They were happy tears, but still, her emotions got the better of her in the moment.  “I feel so blessed to be here with Kara and her Earth family.  You have no idea.”

“We feel the same way about having you here,” Alex replied with a smile.

“I guess it’s time for the babies to wake up, since they’ve been sleeping all morning,” Lena chuckled.  “The boys are starting to get rambunctious as well.”

“Mine is kicking me in the ribs, as usual,” Maggie complained, holding her side with a grimace.

“Oh, I’m sorry, sweetie,” Kara pouted.  “Is there anything I can do for you?”

Maggie shook her head.  “I don’t think so…  Wait.  Actually, yes, some ice water would be great.”  

Kara busied herself with getting drinks for her wives, her mothers, and her injured daughter.  In the meantime, the rest of the group looked through the song list to see what they wanted to sing that they thought Alura would like.

“Kara, would you be a doll and get me a drink too?” Cat requested.

Alura was confused when Kara went to the opposite side of the house for this drink than she did for the others.  “Do you have two kitchens?” she asked when her daughter returned.

Kara chuckled.  “No, our alcohol is in there,” she pointed a thumb behind her.  “That reminds me, Lena picked up some alien alcohol for anyone who wants it.”

Sam’s hand shot into the air, “Yes, please!”

“Mom?” Kara asked.

“Sure, I’ll try some,” Alura accepted.

Kara disappeared again and came back with two glasses full of what looked like regular red wine.  

Sam took a cautious sip of it.  “Mmm, I like it.”

Alura did the same with a nod.  “Yes, it’s rather good.”

Kara beamed and gave Lena the thumbs up.

“You’ll have to thank Lyra.  She picked them out,” Lena informed them.

“We’ll do that,” Sam confirmed, taking another sip.

Douglas went to sniff the beverage, but Kara stopped him.  “Don’t drink it!  It’ll kill you!”

“I just wanted to smell it,” he told her.

“Oh.  Well, I wouldn’t do that either, just to be on the safe side,” Kara frowned.  “In fact, you might want to wait an hour or so after she’s done drinking it before you kiss her.”

Sam looked affronted.  “You couldn’t have warned us of that before?”

“Sorry!” Kara squeaked.

Alex and Maggie snickered.

“Hush, you two!” Sam pointed an accusing finger at them.  

“Does everybody know what they’re singing?” Kara quickly changed the subject.

She got mostly affirmative answers, enough for them to get started.  They spent the rest of the next hour singing lots of different songs, everyone hoping to get praise from Alura.  She didn’t know any of the songs, but everyone performed well as far as she could tell, and she encouraged them all.  They may be eager to please her, but she was eager to please them as well.  She had almost forgotten how well her daughter could sing.  It was such a blessing to hear her voice again.  Emotional as it was, she wouldn’t trade it for anything.

After that, the group sat around and chatted for a while.  Sam told Alura about having Ruby at a young age, and Cat gave a brief history on how she became the Queen of All Media, then got bored and sold the company to Lena.  Douglas was apparently from a place called Morocco, and he told her a little about his family and how he preferred America over Morocco and English over Arabic.  Something about the religion in his home country being oppressive really turned him off to his native heritage.  

The kids were a bit harder to get information out of.  They didn’t really think they’d accomplished much in comparison to their parents.  But Carter was apparently a part of his school’s chess club because Lena and the twins got him into the game.  He also was a very good writer according to this mother.  He liked to write little fiction stories that had won several awards in his class.  He also planned to follow in Winn’s footsteps and become as tech savvy as he could be so that he could work for the DEO when he got older.

Ruby was apparently on a sports team.  Alura wasn’t really sure what soccer was, so they showed her a couple of videos to let her get a picture of it.  She also loved to bake and read and sing and go to the movies.  She told Alura how she had gotten her powers triggered by her own mother’s attack on her girlfriend and that that was how she found out about Sam being Reign.  Ruby planned on training with the twins at the DEO, so when she got older, she and the twins could join Kara in the superheroing business.  Beyond that, she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do for a living when she grew up.  

Alura found it all very interesting.  The love shared by the group was nearly palpable, and she enjoyed finding herself in the middle of it all.  Argo was practically a paradise, but there was nothing compared to the warmth and satisfaction of being with family.  For the millionth time, she thanked Rao for this second chance.  

The rest of the week was a whirlwind of meeting new people and training to use her new powers.  She met J’onn and M’yrnn, the Legionnaires, Julia, Eve, Snapper, Dr. Hamilton, Vasquez, the Mayor, and the Chief of police Jeff Williams and his husband Robert.  It was hard to remember everyone’s names, but she did her best.  Kara knew such lovely people, it was a pleasure to meet everyone.

During training, Winn tested her strength, and she measured around the same strength as the twins.  When she found out how strong Sam, Julia and Ruby were, it was quite a shock.  If that was how strong Reign and Purity were, it was a miracle that Kara was still alive.  

That’s when she found out from Winn about the big fight between Reign and Supergirl that almost killed her daughter.  Alura tried not to have an aneurysm.  She thanked Rao about a hundred million times for the blessing of the Legionnaires and their 31st Century technology that saved Kara’s life.  In fact, the next time she saw the Legionnaires, she thanked them profusely as well.  

Bless them, they responded by saying it was their honor to help Supergirl, and explained to her how Supergirl was their idol and role model in the future.  Kara’s leadership over her lifetime inspired them to be the heroes that they were now.  It seemed that every time she thought she couldn’t be prouder of her daughter, the universe proved her wrong, and she found out something new that filled her with more pride.  

Alura knew Kara would have powers on Earth, but she underestimated just how smart and wise and strong and good Kara was.  She never knew Kara would be so highly esteemed by and so inspiring to so many and for such good reasons.  It was just…  beyond incredible.

That night, she requested that Kara take her flying around the city, just the two of them.  Kara showed her around from the bird’s eye view, and at one point, they landed on the rooftop of Catco.

“I like to sit up here sometimes and just enjoy the peace,” Kara explained.  “All the noise from below just blends together, and if I don’t focus on any one thing, it all just kind of becomes a dull background roar.”  

When Kara sat down on the edge of the rooftop, Alura followed suit and took Kara’s hand in hers.  “I learned a lot about you from your  friends this week.”

Kara bit her lip.  “Oh yeah?”

Alura nodded.  “Yes.  And I’ll be honest, I imagined you doing great things when you got to Earth, but I never imagined anything as wonderful as what you’ve accomplished.  You have grown into such an incredible woman, and I am so, so proud of you.  I love you so much, Kara, and I’m so thankful for this chance to get to know you and your family.”

Tears streamed down Kara’s face, and she hugged her mother tightly.  “Thank you, Mom .   I love you so much too.  I never thought I’d see you again, and now that you’re here, I just can’t believe it.  It’s almost too good to be true.”

They stayed there hugging and crying for a little while before they pulled themselves  together and smiled again.  “We should get back home," Kara figured. 

Alura nodded.  “Yes, the twins wanted to teach me a song.  I don’t want to put them off too long.”

Kara giggled.  “They really love you.”

“I love them so much too, Kara.  They look so much like you when you were young, but they’re so different too,” Alura mused.  “But they have your sweetness, that’s for sure.  You were always as kind as they come, and that’s something that I’ve always been thankful for.”  

“I learned it from you,” Kara replied.  “You were always such a good mother to me.”

“OK, stop before we both start crying again,” Alura laughed.  “But thank you, my love.  This second chance with you means everything to me.”

“Me too,” Kara grinned.

They lifted off and flew home where the twins, the mothers-to-be, and Eliza were all waiting for them.  As busy as everyone had been this week with work and training and meeting people, they wanted to have a family night.  They all wanted Alura to watch something called Star Wars, whatever that was, so after dinner they sat down and watched the movie.  It was… strange.  She wasn’t quite sure if she liked it or not.  Apparently, there were a lot more movies, so she had more time to figure it out.  She felt a little bad that she wasn’t more excited about it because Kara and the twins seemed to love it so much, but thankfully they didn’t seem to hold her indifference against her.

Before they went to bed, the twins wanted to sing to the babies, so they gathered the mothers-to-be and sang them a few lullabies.  It was so cute.  They didn’t stay up long, though.  Tomorrow was Ruby’s birthday, so the kids went to bed without a fuss.  

XXXXXXXXXXXX

November 11, 2017 (pregnancy week 36)

-Ruby-

Saturday morning, Ruby awoke with a spring in her step.  It was her thirteenth birthday, and she was super excited.  Pun intended.  She took her time getting dressed and doing her hair.  She hadn’t quite got used to superspeed yet, and she wanted to look fabulous today.

When she finally meandered downstairs, her mom and Douglas were there waiting for her with party hats on and balloons in hand.  “Happy Birthday!” they both said way too loudly.

She grinned at them.  “Thanks, guys.”

Behind the adults, the kitchen counter was covered in all kinds of food.  Pancakes, cinnamon rolls, eggs, bacon, sausage, and an enormous fruit salad.  Ruby immediately started drooling.  “Wow, you guys really went all out!” she exclaimed.

“You deserve it, babe,” Sam beamed at her.  “Shall we dig in?”

“Yes!” Ruby replied.

“I can’t believe my baby is 13!” Sam lamented.  “I feel so old.”

“Aw, you’re still young and beautiful,” Douglas countered.  “Trust me.”

Sam smiled at him while stuffing a piece of pancake in her mouth.  Both Sam and Ruby’s appetite had doubled since they got their powers, and it got worse if they used their powers a lot.  Douglas didn’t seem to care.  He was used to it after working for the Danvers for so long.

Ruby spotted a stack of gifts on the counter that she hadn’t noticed before.  “Are those for me?” she asked gleefully.

“Yes, but finish your breakfast first,” Sam chuckled.

Ruby bounced happily in her seat and ate until her stomach protested.  Douglas was so much of a better cook than her mom, but she kept that thought to herself.  She waited patiently until they were all finished eating before asking about the presents again.

“Alright, alright,” Sam relented, grabbing the gifts off the counter and handing them over.

Ruby squealed with delight before tearing the first gift open.  It was a set of pastel-colored eye shadows.  “You’re gonna let me wear makeup?” she gasped.

Sam nodded.  “Nothing too crazy.”

“Thank you, Mom!” Ruby kissed her mother on the cheek and moved on to the next gift.  The next package she opened was a palate of blushes, the next was a couple of eye-liner pencils, then a couple  of tubes of mascara, then a set of four different shades of lightish pink lipsticks.  The new teen was floored.  “Wow, Mom, thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome, baby.  Douglas has some things for you too,” Sam pointed out.

“Oh!” Ruby grinned as Douglas pulled out some things from the chair under the table.  “Sneaky!”

Douglas chuckled and handed over a medium-sized box and a card.  “Here you go, kiddo.  Or should I say, young lady?”

Ruby couldn’t stop smiling as she took the proffered gifts.  She opened up the card first.  On the front was just a kitten with a party hat on, and inside it just said Happy Birthday, but Douglas had written a note.

It said, “Dear Ruby, it has been an honor and a pleasure getting to know you over the last few months.  I hope that we all continue to grow closer because I can’t imagine my life without my special girls in it.  You are a joy and a light wherever you go, and I love you more every day.”

Ruby’s heart ached at the sincerity of Douglas’ message.  She almost forgot to look at the little gift card that fell out of the envelope.  Before she did, she gave Douglas a big hug and kissed him on the cheek.  “Thank you,” she almost whispered.  “I love you too, Douglas.”

Sam had tears in her eyes, but Ruby knew it was from being happy, so she finally looked at the gift card.  It was a $25 gift card to her favorite movie theater.  “Oh, wow, sweet!” she exclaimed.  “Thank you!” she said again.  Then she turned her attention to the box.  She tore it open to reveal a box set of the Divergent series.  “Oh!  You got it!  I’ve been hoping to read these.  I hadn’t gotten around to it yet.”

“I know, you told me,” he replied simply.

“I did?” she asked.

He nodded.  “A couple of times, actually.”

“Thank you!” she said yet again.  “Thank you both.  This was a great start to my day.”

“I’m glad,” Sam said, kissing her on the head.  “Shall we do your makeup before we leave?”

“Where are we going?” Ruby wanted to know.

Sam shrugged.  “Lena said she wanted the three of us to meet her at the DEO.  That’s all I know.”

“OK…” Ruby replied.  “OK.  Makeup.  Let’s do it.”

The three of them cleaned up the mess from breakfast, and then they sat back at the breakfast table to do Ruby’s makeup.  Sam wanted her to start with the basics before she let Ruby have any more wild colors.  Ruby was OK with that.  She’d been begging her mom to let her wear makeup for ages now.  Sam showed Ruby a few tips and tricks about how to apply and blend the makeup to make it look more natural.  When they were done, Ruby knew Jessie was gonna flip her lid at how great she looked.  She wondered if she and her girlfriend were going to have any time alone today.  She hoped so.  It was her birthday, afterall.

When they were all finished getting ready, they called Lena and told her that they were on their way to the DEO.  Ruby hounded her mother all the way there about whether or not she truly knew what was going on, but Sam insisted she was just as in the dark as anyone, no matter how much Ruby pushed.  

When they arrived, Jessie hollered across the main hall, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RUBY!”  She superspeeded across the hall and lifted Ruby into the air, kissing her for longer than she probably should have while everyone was watching, but neither of them cared about that in the moment.

When they returned to the ground, Ruby was blushing.  “Thanks, Jess.”

“I got you a present, but Lena made me leave it at home,” Jessie lamented.  “I’ll give it to you when we get done here, OK?”

“OK,” Ruby grinned.

“You look extra pretty today,” Jessie beamed at her.

“Thanks,” Ruby blushed.

Jessie took her by the hand, and they finished walking across the room to a chorus of more “Happy Birthdays” from the Danvers, Cat and Carter, the Legionnaires, and Winn and J’onn.

“Thanks, guys,” she waved at the group and got hugs from the Danvers.

“We have gifts!” Winn announced, finger in the air.  “But we just have to wait for-  Oh, there she is…  Julia!” he waved at the new super.

“Hello!” she greeted everyone cheerfully.  “What’s up, guys?”

Everyone said hello, and she got hugs before Winn cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention.

Winn waved his arm towards the table in the center of the room.  There were three medium-sized boxes of the same shape lined up on top of it.  “Step right up, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, behold!  Lena and I have… created some things,” he finished mysteriously.  “First!  The birthday girl,” he handed over a box with a flourish and a bow.  “M’Lady.”

Ruby giggled at him and took the box.”Thanks!”  Lena and Winn made something for her?  How cool was that?  She didn’t know what it was, but she knew it was going to be good.  She took the lid off of the box to reveal a silky purple and black fabric.  Her eyes widened.  “You didn’t.”  She pulled the fabric out of the box to reveal a jumpsuit with the House of El crest proudly displayed in black on the purple chest.  In addition to a cape with black on top and purple underneath, the suit had a snug-fitting purple hood that would cover her hair, and a black domino mask to cover her identity.  “It’s incredible!  Purple is my favorite color!  And you’re letting me wear the crest?”

“Kara insisted,” Lena replied with a proud smile.

Ruby didn’t know who to hug first, so she just went for the closest, which was Winn.

“Oh!  Gentle!  Gentle!” Winn yelped.

“Sorry!” Ruby squeaked.

“I’m OK,” Winn assured her.

“Good.”  She hugged Lena and Kara as well.

“One thing I do have to say, though,” Winn spoke again, “This suit is for absolute emergencies only.  This does not give you the freedom to go out and be an actual superhero.  I don’t have the right to give or not give you that permission.  That’s up to your mom.”

Ruby nodded.  She and her mother had talked quite a bit about what Sam expected out of her now that she had powers.  Number one, she was to continue her schooling.  Sam gave her the option of tutoring with the twins or just finishing up at her regular school.  For now, at least, Ruby chose her school.  She had friends there, and she didn’t want to leave them.

Number two, Sam didn’t want Ruby using her powers in public or revealing her abilities to anyone outside of their immediate family.  Number three, Sam wanted Ruby to wait at least until she was sixteen - preferably 18 - until she revealed her super self.  That way she had at least three years of training under her belt.  And fourth and finally, Ruby was not to use her powers to do anything illegal.  Ever.  “Got it.”

“Oh!  I almost forgot!” Winn pulled out a set of black boots from behind the table.

“Cool!” Ruby grinned.

“Next!  Eenie Meenie Miney Mo, Julia, come on down,” Winn said in an announcer voice.

Julia stepped up with a timid grin.  “Do I get a suit, too?”

“You do indeed,” Winn placed the next box in her hands.  “I hope you like it.”

Julia opened her box and pulled out a suit similar to Kara’s new one, but with different colors - silver, bronze and olive green.  Again, the Crest of El was emblazoned on the chest, as per Kara’s request.  The cape was olive green on top and bronze underneath, with a bronze domino mask, and Winn revealed a pair of bronze boots from behind the table.  It was gorgeous, and everyone approved.  

“Thank you guys so much!” Julia breathed in awe.  “It’s amazing.”

“How do you feel about the name Songbird?” Winn asked.

Julia chuckled.  “I like it.”

Winn gave the twins a thumbs up.  “Aaaand last but not least, Sam!” Winn slapped the box into her hands with enthusiasm.  When she raised an eyebrow to protest, he interrupted her, “I know, I know.  You don’t want to play the superhero, but it just seemed wrong for you to not have a suit.  Don’t speak, just open it.”

Sam sighed and opened her box.  When the suit was revealed, everyone gasped at its beauty.  The suit itself was red with gold and black accents.  The cape was red on top and gold underneath, and her mask had a sort of crown on the top of it.  From behind the table, Winn revealed a pair of red and black boots.  “Wow, this is really beautiful,” Sam shook her head in disbelief.  “Thank you, Winn.  Thank you, Lena.”

“You’re welcome,” the pair replied.

“Now, how do you feel about the name Flamebird?” Winn asked.

Sam blinked.  “What’s a flamebird?”

“Oh, it’s this really cool Kryptonian legend,” Winn told her.  “The true Flamebird is a massive, flaming dragon-like creature from deep in Krypton's past. The bird's partner is Nightwing, who is also its mate and opposite.  Among the early Kryptonian Gods, Flamebird was charged by almighty Rao with constantly refreshing the world by burning down the new creations of her brother, Vohc-The-Builder. She did so, but there was no hostility between the two; Vohc was grateful that Flamebird constantly pushed him to reimagine his works. The two dieties were in love for a time.  However, to help his friend, Nightwing, Vohc made it possible for him to meet Flamebird. As such, those two fell in love. Vohc's next creation was a monument representing all of his love for Flamebird. While Flamebird truly admired and appreciated the work, she fulfilled her duty to Rao by burning it down. This time Vohc actually begged for this work to be saved, but Flamebird ignored him. This destroyed much of Vohc and changed him into Vohc-The-Breaker.   Now, in each cycle, the Nightwing and the Flamebird are reborn, and must find each other. Also in each cycle, they are betrayed by a friend and killed.”

“Oh,” Sam frowned.  “So I’m supposed to be betrayed by a friend?”

“No, no, no,” Winn shook his head.  “You were already betrayed by your creators.  They did a cruel thing to you by putting those monsters in your head.  I think that cycle is broken this time around.”

Sam thought about it for a few moments.  “Alright, then.”

“Yes!” Winn pumped his fist.  “Two for two, girls!”  He high-fived the twins.

“Do I get a name?” Ruby asked.

“Not yet,” Winn replied.  “We thought we’d wait until you were a little older.”

Ruby pouted.

“Don’t worry, kiddo, when you’re ready to reveal yourself, we’ll come up with a really cool name for you,” Winn promised.

“OK,” Ruby accepted.  “I guess that’s fine.  But I don’t want to be a bird.”

“No birds.  Check,” Winn quipped.

“This was a great birthday present,” Ruby beamed.  “Thank you guys.”

“You’re welcome, sweetie,” Lena grinned.

“Yeah, totally,” Winn said proudly, chucking Lena on the shoulder.  “Just wait until we’re finished with our gadgets!”

Lena wiggled her eyebrows when everyone got excited. “No spoilers!”

The crowd groaned.

“Is that all, Agent Schott?” J’onn asked.

“Yep,” Winn replied with a clap of his hands.

“OK, people, you don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here,” J’onn barked to the crowd that had gathered.  

“OK, back to the house, then,” Alex announced.  She was followed by her family, Sam, Ruby, Douglas, Cat, Carter, Julia, Winn, and the Legionnaires.  They were having a Superfamily lunch today at the Danvers house before Ruby had her “official” birthday party with her friends later that evening at her own house.  J’onn was going home to get his father before meeting them at the mansion.

Since it was still a little early, the gang played some games to pass the time.  Over the course of the morning, they were joined by James and Lucy, Eve and Mon-El, Lyra, and Amy and Tara.  By the time everyone arrived, there was a mountain of gifts on the table in the living room, and the house was filled with chatter and laughter.  Ruby was positively elated.

At one point, Jessie snuck Ruby upstairs to give her her birthday present.  At first, Ruby thought Jessie was going to talk her into making out, but then Jessie had a literal gift in her hands.  Ruby took the small box gently and unwrapped the sparkly paper.  When she took off the lid of the box, she revealed a silver necklace with the House of El crest on a pendant.  “Oh, wow,” Ruby gasped.  “It’s beautiful.”

“I just want the world to know that you’re my girl,” Jessie blushed.

Ruby leaned forward and kissed her girlfriend.  “Thank you, Jess.  I love it so much.  Will you put it on me?  I don’t know if I can handle such a little clasp yet.”

Jessie grinned and nodded, taking the necklace from Ruby and securing it around her neck.  “There you go.”

Ruby touched the pendant with reverence.  “Thank you.  This means a lot to me.”

“I’m glad,” Jessie smiled.  “I love you, Rubes.”

“I love you too,” Ruby replied with another kiss and a big hug.

“We’d better get back before people notice we’re missing,” Jessie suggested.  “We’ll have time to be alone later, I’m sure.”

“OK,” Ruby agreed.  “One more kiss.”

Jessie chuckled and kissed her girlfriend thoroughly before they headed back downstairs.

“There you are,” Sam said when they returned.  “I thought maybe you guys snuck off to go make out or something.”

“No, Jessie wanted to give me my birthday present,” Ruby explained.  “See?”  She held up the little charm on her new necklace.

“Aww, that’s so sweet,” Sam grinned.  “It’s beautiful, Jess.”

“Thanks,” Jessie blushed.

“Staking your claim, eh?” Douglas teased.

Jessie giggled.  “Yep!  My Ruby!”  She squeezed her girlfriend and kissed her cheek.  

Soon the Williams arrived with all the food.  Chief Jeff and Robert greeted Ruby with hugs and kisses before directing their two staff members where to go with the food.  As soon as they started bringing things in, Ruby’s stomach roared.  It all smelled so good, she was practically drooling.  By the time everything was in, there was food covering every inch of the dining room table, and there was even some overflow into the kitchen.  There were burgers, hot dogs, ribs, pulled pork, grilled chicken, pasta salad, potato salad, actual salad, rolls, corn on the cob, steamed broccoli and baked potatoes.  Thank God or Rao or whoever that these men knew how much the supers ate.  They didn’t know about Ruby’s powers, and she wasn’t allowed to tell them, but they’d brought enough food for an army, so it should be plenty to feed all the humans, aliens, and mothers-to-be.  Her appetite would go completely unnoticed among the group.  As a birthday bonus, she got first pick of all the food.  She tugged Jessie along behind her, and they loaded up their plates with a mountain of goodies.  Everything they tasted was like heaven on earth.  Robert was a grilling master, and it showed in every bite.

Watching Alura and M’yrnn try the food was entertaining.  M’rynn had tried some of it before, but not everything.  The pair seemed to bond over their shared new experiences.  Since they knew everyone was watching them, they made a bit of a show of trying each new thing and reacting to it.  The ribs seemed to be everyone’s favorite, and that was no different with the two newest aliens. 

After it seemed like everyone had eaten their fill, Kara announced that it was time for presents.  It took Ruby almost an hour to get through all the gifts.  Honestly, she hadn’t really thought anyone would bring gifts, but they proved her very wrong.  There were so many, she couldn’t even count them.  She had to have her mom write down what everyone got her so she didn’t get mixed up.  Among the highlights were a pair of noise dampening ear coverings from Maggie, a silver charm bracelet from Eliza, some movies from the Legionnaires, and a giftcard to a local laser tag place from J’onn and M’rynn.  Everything was great, really.    

After all the gifts were opened, the twins insisted that it was time for the cake.  Ruby had almost forgotten about that.  She was excited to see what the twins had made her.  They hadn’t let her see it yet.  When they brought it out, Ruby gasped.  It was so beautiful, and it was huge!  The three-tier cake had a light brown frosting with little periwinkle and lavender flowers all over it.  “Wow!” she exclaimed.

Jessie and Jamie grinned proudly.  “It’s chocolate, chocolate chip cake with peanut butter frosting,” Jessie explained.  “I really hope you like it.”

Ruby tried not to cry.  “I love it so much, you guys.”  She gave Jamie a hug and Jessie a kiss.

Eliza came over and lit the candles and directed everyone through singing “Happy Birthday” to her.  “Blow carefully,” Eliza reminded her in a whisper.

Ruby nodded.  “Right.”  She sucked in a breath and blew out all of her candles at once, just barely managing not to trigger her freeze breath.

Everyone clapped and cheered.  

“What did you wish for?” Jessie asked.

Ruby mimed zipping her lips.  “I’m not telling.”

“Aww,” Jessie pouted playfully.

Eliza cut the cake and divvied out pieces to everyone, and Kara brought out the ice cream and served it to everyone as well.  

When Ruby tried the cake, she groaned in appreciation.  “Oh my God, this is soooo good!  You guys rock.”

The twins grinned.  “Thank you!”

Everyone complimented the twins on a job well done, and by the time everyone was finished with the cake and ice cream, they were all feeling the food comas coming on.  Everyone squished into the living room and just sat around talking for a little while.  There was still two hours to go before Ruby’s party at home with her school friends, so no one was in a hurry to leave.  Jessie and Ruby just snuggled on the couch together, both too full to do anything else.  

Soon enough, it was time to clean up, but when Ruby got up to help, she was told by several people to go sit back down.  She sat down next to the mothers-to-be and asked if she could talk to the babies.  Of course, they let her, so she knelt down in front of them and cooed at each baby bump for a few minutes, giggling when they got excited at the sound of her voice.

“They really love you, Ruby,” Maggie grinned at her.

“I really love them too,” Ruby replied earnestly.  “And I really love you guys too.”

“Aww, we love you too, Ruby.  Come give us a cuddle,” Maggie insisted, opening her arms to the new teen.

Ruby gave Maggie, Lena and Alex hugs and kisses and then sat back down on the couch with them.  Alex put her arm around her, and Ruby couldn’t help but melt into the affectionate touch.  The Danvers had to be the best people on Earth, and she was so thankful that they came into her and her mom’s lives, along with the rest of the Superfam.  When Alex started stroking her hair, Ruby almost fell asleep.  The only thing keeping her awake was the gentle undulations of the baby under her hand.  She was so excited for the babies to come.  She’d lost count of the times she’d dreamed that they’d already been born, and it just made her more desperate for their arrival.  She fully planned to spoil them rotten.

After the place was cleaned up, people started filtering out, giving Ruby hugs and wishing her a happy birthday one last time.  When most everyone was gone, Sam came to claim Ruby so they could get home and get ready for her second party.  Ruby hauled herself to her feet, and called out to the twins and Carter that it was time to go.  Jessie, Jamie and Carter were going to ride with them to the birthday party, and then Sam would drop all the kids off back at the mansion later.  Saturdays were still sleepover nights at the Danvers, afterall.  She tried not to think about why.  As much as Ruby loved Douglas, she had no interest whatsoever in picturing what he did with her mom when they were in private.  That was beyond gross.  Anyway, staying the night at the Danvers was always the highlight of her week.

When they arrived back at their home, Ruby, Sam, and the twins used their powers to quickly decorate the house with streamers and banners, letting Carter and Douglas blow up the balloons with the small rented helium tank.  Of course, the boys couldn’t resist quoting their favorite movies in the chipmunk voices it caused when they played with it.  The six of them dissolved into giggles at their antics.

Soon, there were about a dozen of Ruby’s friends from school filling the living room.  Everyone was excited to meet Jessie and Jamie.  Ruby talked about them all the time, so in addition to wanting to meet Supergirl’s daughters, they were just generally curious to meet them as Ruby’s friends.  They were curious about Carter too, since Ruby had mentioned him as well, and soon everyone was talking and having a good time getting to know each other.  

For the main activity of the evening, Ruby had convinced her mother to let them add color to their hair.  Sam had specifically sent each parent a permission slip in order to know who could and could not get color and what colors they were allowed.  They had bought nearly 10 different colors from the basic blonde and brunette to the wild greens and pinks.  Ruby was going to color the tips of her hair blue.  She was so excited.  She’d been begging her mom to let her do this for years, and now she was finally relenting.  

As a joke, Jessie had bought them a bunch of temporary tattoos.  Where she’d gotten them, Ruby had no idea, but they were all skulls and skeletons and dragons and things like that.  The other kids ate it up, laughing and giggling about them and tatting themselves up.  Ruby could tell that it made Jessie feel good to have other kids their age treating her nicely.  Ruby didn’t know if it was the fame that made them treat her well, or if she just had better classmates than Jessie and Jamie had had, but what mattered was the sun-rivalling grin that lit up Jessie’s face at the positive interactions.  That smile was one of Ruby’s favorite things in the whole world.

Jessie had told Ruby more than once how people at her old school had treated her and her sister.  For the life of her, Ruby couldn’t figure out why anyone would treat the twins that way.  They were sweet and beautiful, and they wore their hearts on their sleeves.  She didn’t know how anyone could not like them.  Ruby adored them both, and no matter what, she knew she would have them as friends for the rest of their lives.  They had a bond now that tethered them together whether they liked it or not.  Their Kryptonian heritage was a part of them, and right now, they were the only ones who understood what it was like to be half-human, half-Kryptonian.  It was up to them to learn about their Kryptonian history and preserve it as best as they could.  Together.  

Ruby practically vibrated with energy as her mom put the color solution in her hair.  This was it!  They watched YouTube fail videos on TV while they waited for everyone’s hair to set.  The twins had permission to dye their hair, but neither of them seemed too keen on it.  At least, that was the case until they started getting underway, then Jamie pulled Carter aside and whispered to him, “Do you think it would be OK if I dyed my hair brown?”

“Your parents gave you permission,” he whispered back.

“No.  I mean, do you think it would look pretty?” she clarified.

He grinned bashfully at her.  “I think you would look pretty no matter what.”

“Really?” she checked.  “What if…  What if I have Sam cut it like my mom’s?”

“Of course,” he assured her.  “If you want to do it, then do it.”

“You’re sure?” 

“Yeah!”

“Thanks,” she beamed, sneaking a kiss to his lips.

Carter chuckled.  “You don’t have to thank me.  It’s your hair.  You’re allowed to do what you want.”

“I just want you to like the way I look,” she admitted with a blush.

Carter held her hand.  “I can’t really imagine not liking the way you look.”

Jamie blushed again.  “Thanks.”  She kissed him again before running off and whispering what she wanted to do in Sam’s ear.

“Are you sure about that?” Sam checked.

“Yes!  My mom will be so happy if I look more like her,” Jamie beamed.

Sam chuckled.  “You got it, kiddo.”

Sam finished up with the other kids before she started on Jamie.  Only about half the kids were allowed color, so it didn’t take too long.  Jessie, for her part, was content to just sit next to Ruby and Douglas and eat the snacks they had put out.  She apparently still didn’t want anything done to her hair, even with Jamie changing her mind.  That was fine with Ruby.  Carter was positively NOT allowed to color his hair.  Cat was adamant.

When Sam finished cutting and coloring Jamie’s hair, it was time for Ruby to rinse hers out.  She ran upstairs and jumped in her own shower, so the other kids could use the bathroom downstairs.  When she got out, the blue was absolutely gorgeous, and she squealed in delight.  “Mom!  It looks awesome!” she called as she ran downstairs.

Sam looked up from helping Luke rinse his hair in the kitchen sink.  “Wow, it looks great!  I love it!”  She finished rinsing the boy’s hair, and let him towel it dry.

“Cool!” Ruby exclaimed over the green streak in his blonde hair.  She high-fived her friend, and she and her mom helped the rest of the kids rinse their hair out as well.  

When they were all rinsed and dried, everyone was excited about their new color highlights.  After that, they were just waiting for Jamie’s hair to be done, since she got all of her hair dyed instead of just a streak or two, and it was taking a little longer.  The style of her new cut was very similar to Alex’s, but Sam had given her more of a pixie style than a bob.  It was really cute as far as Ruby could tell so far.  Only a few more minutes more, and Sam had Jamie go upstairs and get in the shower to make sure all the color solution would come out.  When she came back down, she almost looked like a completely different person, and everyone gasped and oohed and ahhed over it, giving both her and Sam compliments.  

“Do you like it?” Jamie asked Jessie, Carter and Ruby.  

The three of them nodded emphatically.  “It looks gorgeous!” Carter told her.

“I really love it,” Ruby replied.  “You definitely look a lot more like your mom.”

Jamie grinned.

“I do really like it,” Jessie said, “But I’m a little disappointed that we won’t be able to play our switcheroo game anymore.”

Jamie giggled.  “We’ll just have to play it with the babies.”

Jessie barked a laugh.  “OK!”

The others giggled.

After that, Sam ordered pizza for dinner, and while they waited for that, Sam suggested that Ruby open presents.  The boys all seemed to get her movies or superhero action figures, while the girls mostly gave her things like makeup and scented body lotion and stuff.  She liked it all and thanked each of her friends for their gifts.

Surprisingly, Luke had a gift for her mother as well.  “This is for saving my life,” he said, handing over the gift.

Sam’s eyes widened.  “Luke, you didn’t have to do that”

“I wanted to,” he shrugged.  “It’s nothing major.  I wanted to get you something better, but this was all I could afford.”

“Aww,” Sam cooed, opening her gift.  It was a coffee mug that said, “MY HERO” on the side.

Ruby grinned knowingly at her mom.

“Luke, thank you, this is very sweet, and I love it,” Sam opened her arms to hug the boy, ignoring Ruby’s look.

Douglas leaned over and whispered in Sam’s ear.  “See?  You’re a hero already, and you haven’t even put on the new suit.”

Sam blushed but said nothing in response.

Soon, the pizzas arrived, and everyone pigged out.  This time, the cake was just a store bought one that said “Happy 13th Birthday, Ruby.”  They all sang, and Ruby once again had to temper her powers in order to blow out the candles.  Everyone clapped and cheered, and soon, it was time for everyone to leave.  Sam and Ruby thanked everyone for coming, made sure everyone went home with a bag of goodies, and said goodbye as the parents came and picked everyone up.

When everyone was gone, the twins and Carter helped Sam, Ruby and Douglas clean up before they got dropped back off at the Danvers’.

“Well, did you have a good birthday, baby?” Sam asked.

“Yeah, this had to be one of the best birthdays ever,” Ruby grinned.

“I’m glad,” Sam smiled at her.  “You deserve it.”

“Yes, indeed,” Douglas agreed. 

“Thanks, guys,” Ruby said with hugs.

“Alright, are we ready to go show off your new hairdos?” Sam asked.

“Yes!” Jamie and Ruby cheered.

“Alright, let’s go!”  

The group headed back out to the car and piled in.  They cheerfully sang along with the radio as they drove back to the Danvers mansion.  Sam texted Lena that they were on their way, just in case the mighty foursome was indisposed.  Lena’s return text just said, “OK.”  Ruby then remembered about Alura and realized the family was probably spending time with her instead of fooling around. 

When they arrived, the group poured out of the car and the kids ran inside.  “We’re home!” Jessie announced as they came through the door.

“In here,” Kara called out to them from the living room.

The group made their way inside, but Ruby Jamie stayed back a little bit.  “Are you ready for the big reveal?” Jessie asked her parents and grandmothers.

“Yeah!” they responded.

Jessie rolled her tongue in lieu of a drumroll, and Ruby stepped forward first.  “Tada!”

“Oh, nice!”

“I love it!”

“Very cool!”

“Awesome!”

Ruby beamed.

“And now, be prepared to be surprised!  Check out Jamie!” Jessie announced.

Jamie stepped forward, and the family gasped.

“Oh my gosh!” Kara exclaimed, standing up and crossing to her daughter.  She reached out and ran her fingers through the newly brunette hair.  “I love it so much!”

The other women all agreed that it was fantastic.

“I did this for Mom,” Jamie shared.  “Do I look like her now?”

“Definitely,” Kara nodded.

“Come here, baby,” Alex requested, patting the couch next to her.  Jamie sat down next to her mother, and Alex pulled out her phone to take a selfie of them together.  “People are going to go gaga over your hair.  I love it so much!”

“Really?” Jamie checked.

“Really, really,” Alex kissed her on the forehead.  “I can’t believe you did this for me.”

Jamie snuggled into her mom’s side for a few moments.  “I love you, Mom.”

“I love you too, baby.”  Alex looked at Jessie.  “You didn’t do anything to your hair?”

Jessie shook her head.  “Nah, I didn’t want to.”

“I thought for sure you’d want to match either Ruby or Jamie,” Eliza commented.

Jessie shrugged.  “I like my hair the way it is.”

“OK, that’s perfectly fine,” Eliza assured her.

“What do you think, Grandmother?” Jamie asked.

Alura smiled adoringly at her.  “I love it.  It looks beautiful, and it definitely brings out your features from your mom.  Plus, it’s going to make it a lot easier on me to be able to tell you two apart now.  As much as I hate to admit it, I was still mixing you two up a little bit, not to mention, you both look so much like Kara at that age that I was mixing you up with her too.”

The others giggled.

“Sam, you did an amazing job,” Alex complimented.

“Thanks,” Sam grinned.

“I didn’t know you were so good with hair,” Lena commented.

Sam shrugged.  “Well, I did a lot of research, when Ruby was younger, so I didn’t have to pay for our haircuts.  That was a big expense back in the day.  Plus, Ruby’s never really liked getting her hair cut, so it was just easier for me to do it myself.”

“I like my long hair, what can I say?” Ruby chuckled.

“Same here,” Jessie agreed.  “I might be gay, but I’m not the super butch type.  I still like wearing dresses sometimes, and I like to look pretty.”

“You are pretty,” Ruby assured her.

Jessie blushed and grinned.  “So are you.”

Ruby’s heart fluttered.  She was ready to finally get some alone time with her girlfriend.  She checked the time.  It wasn’t quite nine o’clock yet.  They had time to get themselves cleaned up and ready for bed and still have time to watch something on TV before it was time for bed.  (They didn’t have to go to bed until 10 on Saturdays.)  Although, Ruby was going to request that she and Jessie get some alone time instead of watching TV, and she had a feeling that once she did that, Carter and Jamie would request the same.

“Well, we’re gonna head out,” Sam announced.  She and Douglas made her way around the room giving hugs and love.  “I love you, Ruby.  Be good.”

“I will.  Love you too, Mom,” she bearhugged her mother with all her strength until Sam grunted and laughed.  She gave Douglas a big hug too, but at a much more human-level strength.  “Love you, Douglas.”

“Love you too, sweetheart,” he replied, kissing the top of her head.  “Have a good night.”

“You too,” she smiled and waved at them as they headed out the door.

“Aww, you love Douglas,” Maggie cooed.

Ruby chuckled.  “Yeah, I really do.  He’s so nice, and he makes my mom really happy.  I’ve never known her to smile so much, especially when he’s around.  And she’s not just happy, she’s less stressed out too.  He really seems to help her find her zen.”

“I’m so glad to hear that,” Lena smiled sweetly at her.

“Me too,” Alex agreed.  “Douglas is a great guy, and Sam is an amazing woman.  They deserve to be happy together.”

Ruby nodded, “Yeah.”  She turned to Kara.  “Kara, can you help me do something with my hair, so I can take a shower and not ruin my new hair color?”

“Umm…” Kara frowned in thought.  “I think we have a shower cap somewhere.”  She zipped upstairs to go look for it.  It only took her a minute to return.  “Got it!”  She pulled Ruby’s hair up into a bun and gave her the shower cap.  “There you go.”

“Thanks,” Ruby smiled.  “I’m gonna go wash up.”

“Me too,” Jessie agreed.  “Mom, can I use your shower?”

“Yeah,” Alex permitted.  “Go ahead.”

The pair ran upstairs to take their showers.  Ruby wished she could sneak into the master shower with Jessie, but she knew that would get them in loads of trouble, so she behaved herself.  When they were all cleaned up, they didn’t even bother going back downstairs.  They just fell into bed together and made out like their lives depended on it.  It was a wonderful end to a wonderful birthday.