10. Developments**

“Kara, I swear to Rao, if you play that Beach Boys Christmas album one more time, I’m going to shove it up your ass!”

The Kryptonian pouted.  “But you're the one that gave it to me!”

“And I’m about to take it back!  Now fucking stop it!”  She’d only gotten the godforsaken CD as a part of a christmas package from work.  She didn’t know Kara was going to love it so much.

“Stop swearing!  The babies can hear you!”

“‘The babies can hear you!’” Alex mocked.  “They’re babies, they can’t understand me!”

“They can hear your tone of voice!” Kara insisted.

Alex groaned loudly.

“Why are you being so grouchy?” Kara complained.  “Are you hungry?”

“No!  I’m fucking tired!  I can’t sleep at night, I’m as big as a house, I’ve got all this extra weight pulling on my back and pressing on my swollen ankles and pushing on my bladder, my face is still breaking out really bad, and you keep playing that goddamned Christmas album and driving me crazy!”  She started to cry, and Kara ran over to the couch to cuddle her.

“I’m sorry, my love.  I’m sorry that being pregnant is so uncomfortable for you.  I’ll do anything to help you feel better.  I promise! ”

“You can start by not playing that damn CD anymore!”

“OK, OK.  Fine.  What can I play?”

“Black Sabbath.”

“Alex, no, please!”

“Pearl Jam.”

“Alex!” Kara whined.

“Guns ‘N’ Roses?”

The blonde groaned.  “OK, fine.”  She got up and put a CD in the player, then sat down next to her partner and started rubbing her back.

“Uhhhh, yes!” Alex lay her head in Kara’s lap and started to doze a bit.  One of the babies’ kicking woke her up again.  “OK, little one, I know that it’s a good thing that you’re moving around in there, but can’t you just let mommy sleep for five minutes?”  She rubbed circles over her belly.

Kara giggled.  “I think the baby likes your music.”

“Yeah, and the other one was dancing to the Beach Boys.”  The girls laughed together.  “At least we know they’re our kids.”

“Yep.”  Kara rubbed Alex’s belly too.  “Hi, honey bunny!” she said when the active twin kicked at her hand.  “You like mommy’s music?  Huh?”  She giggled when the baby kicked her some more.

Alex giggled too.  “She loves her Mama.  She’s trying to squirm out to get to you.”

“I love you so much, little squirmy baby! ”  She leaned down and kissed Alex’s skin above the baby’s foot, letting the fetus kick her cheek.

Alex watched Kara a bit, in awe as the Kryptonian kissed their baby through her skin.  She threaded her fingers through blonde hair and scratched at the back of the Kryptonian’s neck.  “I love you, Kara,” her eyes filled with tears again.  Her hormones were really getting to her today.

“I love you too, Alex.”  The Kryptonian repositioned herself to be able to kiss her partner.  “I love you so, so much.  You are, hands down, the most wonderful, beautiful, most perfect human being there is. ”

Alex sniffled.  “Thanks, Kara.”

“I’m sorry you’re so uncomfortable.  Is there anything else I can do for you? ”

“Yeah, you carry them for a minute, so I can get some sleep! ”

Kara looked longingly at Alex’s belly.  “I wish I could. ”

Just then, Eliza walked in the front door with a few groceries in her arms.  “Kara, dear, could you give me a hand?”

The blonde hopped up from the couch and took the bags out of Eliza’s arms.  “I didn’t know you were going to the store.  We could have gone with you.”

“Speak for yourself,” Alex argued defiantly, stretching out on the couch.  “School’s out, and I don’t have to work?  I’m not going anywhere today.”

“It’s fine,” Eliza assured.  I just needed a few things for Christmas dinner, that’s all.”

“Oooooh, oooh, sweet child ‘o mine!” Alex sang badly along with her music.  “Oh, someone said dinner? ”

Kara and Eliza chuckled.  “Are you hungry, my love?  I thought you said you weren’t ”

“I wasn’t until someone mentioned food! ”

Kara laughed again, and Eliza rolled her eyes.  “Come on, Kara, let’s go make dinner and let Alex rest.”

“Yes, please!” Alex begged.  She closed her eyes and rested her head on the arm of the couch.  She knew she should be thankful that her only problems were normal tiredness and swelling, but she was just too exhausted to care.  She finally fell peacefully asleep for a while before Kara woke her up to eat dinner.

“Wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey,” Kara sing-songed.

“Ugh,” Alex gagged.  “Don’t even talk about bacon right now.  It still makes me want to yack.”

Kara made a face that Alex knew was the blonde’s indignation that the brunette would have the audacity to hate bacon, but she couldn’t help it.  Ever since she got pregnant, she couldn’t stand the sight or smell of it.  The Kryptonian wisely didn’t comment.  “I’m sorry, my love.  Are you hungry?  Your mom made chicken.  Not bacon.”

“OK,” Alex said petulantly.  “Help me up, please,” she stretched her arms out, and Kara scooped her up and placed her gently on her feet.  “What would I do without you?”  She gave the Kryptonian a long, loving kiss.

“Boy, a little bit of sleep seems to have done you wonders,” Kara commented.  “You seem to be in a much better mood than you were thirty minutes ago.”

Alex nodded.  “I told you I was tired.”

“I know, baby girl,”  Kara rocked her for a moment.  “Can I still call you that after we have two actual baby girls?  Or would that be weird?”

“Is that a serious question, or are you just wondering out loud?” Alex asked.

“A little of both?” Kara answered.

Alex kissed her.  “You can call me whatever you like, Angel.  Just don’t call me late for dinner.  Let’s eat!”  She waggled her eyebrows.

Kara giggled.

After they were settled in at the dinner table, Eliza wanted to know, “Have you girls given anymore thought about what to name the babies?”

They both nodded happily.

“And?  What have you come up with?”

Alex smiled.  “We’re thinking about naming them Jessie and Jamie.”

Eliza chewed thoughtfully,  “Why those names?”

“I don’t know,” Alex answered.  “We wanted to give them genderfluid names, in case they turned out to be like Kara, and they wanted to be something different than just ‘a girl.’  Kara liked the name Jamie, and I liked the name Jessie, and they both went together well as twin names, so we just decided on those two.”

“I think you should give your name to the baby that likes your music,” Kara told her.

Alex smiled.  “Haha, yeah!  That would be this one,” she rubbed her right side and got a punch in return.  “Hi, Jessie!  Do you like that name?”  The baby kicked, “I’ll take that as a yes.”  She rubbed her left side, “That makes you Jamie, little one.”  Jamie kicked her twice.  She giggled.  “I think they like their names!”  Kara was grinning her megawatt smile, and even Eliza had a smile on her face.  That made Alex’s heart soar.  “I’m so happy!” she told them.  “I can’t wait until I can meet them!”  She rubbed her belly some more, and actually enjoyed them moving around this time, now that they weren’t keeping her from sleeping.

“Now, that’s not an invitation to come too early,” her mother spoke to the babies for the first time.

Alex almost burst into tears, but she didn’t want to ruin the moment.

“You girls stay in there for as long as you can, OK?” Eliza continued.  “We don’t want anyone going to the NICU.”

Alex relished the fact that her mom was attached to the babies enough to finally talk to them.  She and Kara had been talking to them since long before the books said the babies could hear them.

They happily finished their dinner, and when they were finished, Eliza excused herself to her room for the night.  While Alex and Kara were cleaning up, Alex asked, “What’s she doing in there?

Kara lowered her glasses.  “She’s typing on her computer.  I can’t see what from here.”

“Oh,” Alex said, a little disappointed.  She wanted to know what her mom had been doing lately.  She’d been slinking off to her room a lot, the last few weeks.  She wasn’t sure if it had anything to do with her, or not, but Alex wanted to find out.  She helped Kara finish cleaning up the kitchen, still wondering about it.

“Do you wanna watch a movie?” Kara asked her.  

“OK, but can we watch something we’ve never watched before?  Please?”

Kara blinked.  “OK, sure,” she conceded.  

They went upstairs to cuddle in their new queen-sized bed.  Well, not brand new.  Alex had begged and begged her mom to let them have the bed out of the guest room when she started to get too big to share a twin with Kara.  It was bad enough that she couldn’t sleep on her back or her stomach like she usually did.  Being pregnant made it hard to sleep, even with the blonde’s comforting embrace.  She didn’t want to have to sleep in separate beds, too.  She needed Kara beside her.  It was a tough sell because Eliza already didn’t like the idea of them sharing a bed, but Alex eventually won out when she tearfully explained all her problems sleeping.

The Kryptonian zipped back downstairs in a flash and came back with one of Eliza’s movies.  “It’s called White Christmas,” she announced. “I’ve never seen it.”

Alex raised her eyebrow.  “Mom never made you watch it with her?”

Kara shook her head no.  

“OK, Angel, let’s watch it.  I haven’t seen it in years.  Mom and dad and I used to watch it every year when I was a kid.  It’s pretty good for an old-timey movie.”

Kara skipped over to the DVD player and put the disk in.  They watched, cuddled up in the bed, until the song “The Best Things Happen While You’re Dancing” came on, and Kara held her hand out to Alex.  “May I have this dance?”

“Kara!  I’m as big as a house!  I can’t dance like that right now!”

The Kryptonian had other ideas.  She grinned mischievously and scooped Alex up into her arms and started swaying to the music.

Alex squealed in surprise, but then when she realized what was happening, she started giggling.  “Kara!” she laughed.  But the blonde kept hold of her, grinning wickedly, dancing with her in the air until the song was over, and she was placed gently back onto the bed.  “You’re such a nutball.”

“You love me, and you know it.”

Alex laughed.  “Yep.”  She pulled Kara down into a kiss.  Afterward, she whispered, “I know another dance we could do.”

“Oh, yeah?  What is it?” Kara asked innocently.

“It’s called The Horizontal Mambo,” Alex deadpanned.

“How do you do it?” Kara started to get up, but Alex grabbed a fistful of her t-shirt before she could get too far.

“It starts like this,” Alex purred, drawing Kara in and kissing her deeply.  “And ends with us joined at the hips.”

“Ooooh, I get it,” Kara smirked.  “You want that right now?”  

Alex nodded.  “Very much.”

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Kara bit her bottom lip in delight, paused the movie, then leaned back over and kissed her lover deeply again.

Alex moaned happily.  Maybe if Kara could get her off enough, she could get some sleep tonight.  She pulled Kara’s shirt and pants off, leaving her in her underwear.  She sometimes loved this sight more than seeing the girl naked, and right now was one of those times.  Kara was definitely a fan of the pink with polka dots look, but she also had a habit of buying matching bra and underwear sets that drove Alex wild.  Like this pretty turquoise number that she was wearing now.  Alex brushed her thumbs across Kara’s nipples through the silky fabric, enjoying the inhuman purr she got in response.  “I love it when you do that,” she admitted.

Kara nuzzled her nose and started to undress her.  “I love the way you touch me,” the blonde husked into her ear, tugging the brunette’s shirt over her head.  “You are so beautiful, Alex.  So perfect.”  She kissed her way slowly down the brunette’s chest, over her swollen belly, ending at the hemline of her sweatpants  “I love the way you look carrying my babies,” she said, looking Alex in the eyes.  “It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”  

God, Kara was such a sweet-talker in bed!  Alex wondered at how she could be so smooth in times like these, but often turned into a bumbling mess in front of pretty much anyone else.  In her heart, Alex held out hope that it was just because Kara believed so strongly in what she was saying.  They both needed each other like they needed oxygen to breathe.  It couldn’t possibly be untrue.  Alex started to tear up a little.  She felt so awkward nowadays since she was nearly thirty weeks pregnant - it did her heart some good to hear that Kara thought she was beautiful.

The Kryptonian freed her from her pants, leaving them both in their underwear.  “You smell so good.”  Kara took off the human's entirely unsexy maternity underwear and bra, leaving her bare, then built up the pillows behind her and laid her on her side.  “I want to taste you,” she breathed heavily, lifting Alex’s top leg and resting her head on the other to get a good angle.

Alex cried out at the first plunge of Kara’s tongue inside of her.  She tried to be quiet because she knew her mom got mad when she heard them, but everything was extra sensitive since she got pregnant, and sometimes she just couldn’t help it.  The Kryptonian’s face was already slick and soaked, letting her tongue slide easily around the brunette’s cunt.  “On my clit.  Please, Kara.”  The blonde obeyed, and Alex yelped instead of screaming, but it was still pretty loud.

There came the sound of Eliza tapping against the ceiling underneath their room to express her displeasure.  Kara stopped licking her for a moment, eliciting a whine from Alex.  

“Sorry, my love. ”  The Kryptonian seemed to be using her x-ray vision to look through the floor.  “I think she’s leaving. ”

The human grinned.  “Good!  I hate having to be quiet. ”

Kara pouted.  “I don’t like it when she’s mad at us. ”

“She’ll get over it,” Alex rolled her eyes and grabbed Kara’s hair and pushed her head back down where she wanted it.  She didn’t try to hold back her moans this time.  If her mom was gone, why bother?  “Oh, fuck yes, Kara.”  She bucked her hips in rhythm with the blonde’s tongue.  “So good!  Oh, yes!”  Kara worked her up and up, and soon had Alex screaming in pleasure, too incoherent to make any actual words, the brunette’s legs wrapped tightly around the blonde’s ears.  

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Suddenly the door to their bedroom burst open, and in barges Vicki Donahue, Christmas bags in hand, and a panicked look on her face.  “Alex are you OK?  Ohmygod!”  Vicki quickly turned around and covered her face with her hands.  Her Christmas gifts were long forgotten on the floor.  “What the fuck?  What the fuck?  What the fuck?” Vicki chanted.  “What are you two doing?  Ohmygod.  What the fuck!  You’re fucking your sister?  Ohmygod, how am I ever going to stop seeing that?  Ohmygod.  I need a brain scrubber.  Arg!”

Alex and Kara scrambled for their clothes.  “Vicki!” Alex shouted in a panic.  “What are you doing here?”

“I was bringing you guys Christmas presents.   Now, I’m being scarred for life!  What the fuck, Alex?”

Alex and Kara shared a look.  They were not prepared for this in the least.  They were fully prepared to take their little secret to the grave, but now here it was out in the open.  They both stammered for too long, not giving the other girl any kind of answers out of sheer terror.

“I’m out of here.  You guys are sick,” Vicki spat, then started walking out.

“Vicki, wait!” Alex was shaken out of her stupor.  “Kara and I aren’t really sisters!  You of all people know that.  You’ve been my best friend since second grade.”

“Yeah, which makes this all the more of a complete shock to me!  I can’t believe you would ever do something like this!  It’s sick and wrong, and you’re sick and wrong, and I’m leaving!”

“Vicki, please!” Alex followed after her as quickly as she could.  “Don't leave!”

“No, Alex, there's something seriously wrong with you.  First, you go out and get pregnant by some random guy you don't even know, and now you're fucking your sister?  No.  We cannot be friends anymore.  You're sick and twisted, and who knows what other kind of fucked up, demented shit you're into.  I'm not going to be any part of it!  We're through being friends.”  With that, Vicki stomped the rest of the way downstairs and out the front door.

Alex struggled to breathe.  She felt like the world was closing in on her.  She sat down on the stairs and tried to take deep breaths, but it was hard, not just because she was freaking out, but also because of the babies.

Kara ran to her side and held her.   “Alex, I'm sorry!  I'm so sorry!  I didn't even hear her coming in!”

Alex sobbed, holding her head in her hands.  “She wouldn't even listen to me!” she wailed.

“I’m sorry, Alex!  I’m sorry, baby girl!”  Kara rocked her as she cried.  “It’s all my fault.  If only I had been paying better attention!”  She started crying, too.  “I thought we were safe since your mom left.  I wasn’t listening for anyone, and I let myself get too absorbed in what I was doing.  I’m sorry!”

They cried on the stairs for ages until Alex’s back was screaming at her to get back in bed.  She had Kara help her up and back to their room, still sobbing.  She was terrified of what was going to happen next.  Everyone was going to know about their little indiscretion by the time they got back to school.  Then what?  They would be shamed out of school for sure!  She wondered what Vicki was telling her parents right now.  Was Eliza going to get disturbing or harassing phone calls now?  Would they be run out of town?  She just couldn’t calm down - that is, until she heard Kara talking to her belly.

“It’s OK, babies.  It’s OK.  Shh!”  She looked extremely distressed, with tears pouring down her face.  “They’re crying because you’re crying.”

Alex’s heart clenched.  “They’re crying?”  She tried her damnedest to stop her tears, but they just wouldn’t stop.  She didn’t know the babies could cry yet, and it shattered her heart even more that she was upsetting them.

Kara nodded and rubbed her belly in big, soothing strokes.  “Shh!  It’s OK, girls.  It’s OK.”

It felt really good to have Kara rubbing her stomach, and on top of already being bone tired from being pregnant, now she was emotionally exhausted as well.  It wasn’t long before she cried herself to sleep.

When she woke up, the clock said 12:08am.  She sighed.  It felt like she had rocks in her stomach from the dread of not knowing what was going to happen to them, now that Vicki knew their secret.  She tried not to think about it.  She didn’t want to upset the babies again.  But it hurt so much knowing that she’d probably just lost her best friend forever…  And who knew how many other people the girl would turn against them when they returned to school.  She sniffled, then felt the arm wrapped around her tighten a bit.

“Whatever happens, Alex, I want you to know that I love you, and I will do anything for you, and I will never, ever leave you.  Not ever.  You understand me?”

That made Alex cry harder.  It was confusing to feel such sorrow and dread, and such love and comfort all at the same time.

Kara rubbed her back.  “I love you so much, Alex.  My baby girl.  My best girl.  You’re the best girl there is, and you don’t deserve to be treated so badly, my love.  I hate that you’re hurting so much.  I wish I could make it all better.  You’re not a bad person, Alex.  You’re the best person I know, and I’m so lucky to have you.”

Alex clumsily rolled over to face her partner.  “Thank you, Kara.  I love you so much.”

Kara continued to stroke her back and whisper her love in Alex’s ear until she could fall asleep again.

The next few days went by in the normal blur of holiday shopping, wrapping, cooking, eating, working, and watching Christmas movies.  She tried calling Vicki, but found that her number had been blocked.  By Christmas morning, she was having difficulty finding it in herself to have any holiday spirit.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Kara watched helplessly as Vicki Donahue flipped out about her relationship with Alex.  She found herself wanting to defend her partner, but was at a total loss for words.  When Vicki was gone, she let herself fall down onto the stairs next to Alex who was sobbing inconsolably.  She tried to comfort her, but it didn’t seem to do much.  When Alex finally passed out in their bed, Kara carefully tucked her in, then went downstairs to call Eliza.  When her foster mother arrived home, Kara tearfully told her about what happened, and how Alex had reacted, and even how upset the babies were.  

When Kara was finished explaining, Eliza actually seemed quite sympathetic.  “Oh, my,” she said.  “Well, I guess I should expect a phone call from her parents, now, hmm?”

“I guess so,” Kara mused.  She wondered how many people Vicki would tell about them.  It’s not like Vicki was a gossip, but people were going to notice that she and Alex weren’t speaking anymore, and they were going to ask about it.  The big question was how much of a problem this was going to be?  “What will you say to them, if they call?”

Eliza pursed her lips in thought.  “Well, I suppose I’ll just try to explain to them what Alex was trying to explain to Vicki.  You girls aren’t sisters and never have seen each other that way.  I don’t know what else there would be to say.”

Kara nodded.  At least the woman seemed to be prepared to defend them.  That was something.  “Thank you, Eliza.”

“Of course, dear.”

XXXXXXXXXXXX

When Christmas morning rolled around, Kara woke Alex with soft, gentle kisses to the face and neck until the brunette started giggling and started to push her away, then thought better of it, and pulled her into a kiss on the lips.  “Merry Christmas!” the blonde greeted cheerfully.  She kissed her lover on the forehead.  “What would you like for breakfast?”

“I want my best friend back,” Alex answered sullenly.

Kara frowned sympathetically.  She’d liked Vicki - right up until the moment where she broke Alex’s heart.  Now, she thought the girl could rot.  That didn’t help her partner, though.  She chose to answer a different way.  “Maybe we could ask Santa.”

“Yeah, right.”

“Come on, baby girl.  Let’s get up and get moving.  It’s already ten o’clock.  I’ve let you sleep late enough.

Alex pouted.  “Only if you help me in the shower.”

“You got it.”  Kara scooped her up out of the bed and carried her into the bathroom.  Normally this would get a laugh or a protest out of Alex, but today, the pout never left her face, though she did seem to hold onto Kara a bit tighter than she normally did.

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After Alex brushed her teeth, Kara helped her disrobe and step into the bathtub, but before the water could even be turned on, Alex demanded, “Fuck me, Kara, please.”  She placed both palms on the shower wall and positioned herself so that Kara could easily enter her from behind.

Never the one to deny Alex anything, Kara eased up behind her, and placed one arm under her belly to take some of the weight off her back.  She placed long, languid kisses up and down her lover’s back, neck and shoulders, enjoying listening to her increased breathing and heart rate, wanting to take her time.  Alex relaxed under her touch.  “I love you so much.”  Kara brushed her fingers through the human’s folds to gauge the girl’s readiness.  “Great Rao, I love that you stay so wet for me all the time now.”

“The wonders of being pregnant,” Alex quipped.  “You can go ahead and put it in. I'm ready.”

Kara roused her cock a bit more before sliding easily inside.  “Is that OK, baby?”

Alex hummed in response.  “Mmm, yes.  Just like that.”

Kara wasn’t going very fast or very deep.  All the books, along with Dr. Landry, said to take it easy on the rough pressure.  For Alex, who was extra sensitive at the moment, that seemed just fine, but for Kara, it took a little longer for her to get off that way.  This soft, gentle lovemaking was fine once in a while, but they both liked to get rough from time to time, and this time, for Kara, the slow pace was a little torturous.  “You feel good, my love?”

“Yeah,” Alex answered breathily.  “You can go a little deeper, if you want.”

Kara wanted.  She pressed in a little harder with her hips, and got a pleased moan in response.

“That’s good,” Alex assured.  “Keep going, don’t stop.”

The blonde wasn’t sure if she even could stop right now.  Her cock ached with need.  She wanted to buck her hips so much harder, and she sweated a little from the restraint.  “Alex!  I love being inside you.  You feel so good.”  She knew talking to her partner would get her wetter, and hopefully let her fuck a little harder, too.  “Do you feel good, baby girl?  Hmm?”

“So good!” Alex cried out.  “Don’t stop!”

“I won’t stop,” Kara assured.  “I won’t stop.  Oh, you feel so good, Alex.  I love your pussy so much!”

Shockingly, Alex cried out as she came without Kara even touching her clit.  “Ohmygodohmygodohmygod!” she groaned, and Kara had to catch her to keep her from falling to her knees.  She panted happily for a moment before turning her head and saying, “Keep going.”

Kara obeyed.  They fucked until Kara knotted and even after that, until her dick just couldn’t hold up anymore.  Even then, Alex begged her to get her off one last time with her fingers on her clit.  Again, Kara obeyed.  She loved watching Alex come apart for her, and it was Christmas after all.  Not to mention the girl needed a good cheering up.  Finally, after Alex could no longer stand without help, Kara washed them both, and dressed them in matching cute, fuzzy Christmas sweaters and socks.  

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Alex didn’t even protest when Kara picked her up and carried her downstairs.  That was a big clue that the human was going to need lots of cuddles today.  The Kryptonian had absolutely no problem with that.  She would even get Eliza in on the snuggle time.  As upset with them as she might be for getting pregnant, Eliza was still a good mom, and she loved her daughter very much.  She already had been unusually tactile with Alex, ever since the incident with Vicki.  It would be easy to get her on board.

She set Alex gently down on her feet at the bottom of the stairs and took her hand as they walked to the kitchen where Eliza was sitting, reading something on her Blackberry and drinking coffee.  Christmas music was blaring from the CD player on the counter, presumably to drown out their sex noises.  Oops.  Kara turned the sound down to a more tolerable level.

“How nice of you to join me,” Eliza drawled.

“Morning, Mom,” Alex told her with a kiss to the cheek.  “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas, sweetheart,” her mother answered with a genuine smile.  “How are you feeling today?”

Alex tilted her head side to side,  “Some good, some bad.  Physically, I feel pretty good.  I’m still pretty sad about Vicki, though.”

“That’s understandable, dear.  That’s not something you just get over.  Kara and I are here for you, though.  We love you very much.”  She hugged her daughter tightly.  Apparently, Eliza’s motherly instincts were kicking in because Kara didn’t even have to tell her that Alex needed to be touched.  

“That’s right, my love.  We’re here for whatever you need.”  Kara hugged her from the other side.

Alex gave them a half-smile.  “Thanks, guys.”  Then, “Not to ruin the moment or anything, but I’m pretty hungry.”

“I bet you are,” Eliza teased.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Alex asked indignantly.

Eliza smirked.  “It just seems like you worked up quite the appetite while you were upstairs.”

Alex turned beet red and groaned, hiding her face in her hands.  “Ugh!”

Kara blushed too, pressing her lips together in her embarrassment.  “Sorry,” she said, out of habit.  She got up and started pulling things out of the fridge to cook for breakfast, carefully remembering not to grab anything resembling bacon.  After breakfast, she cleaned up, not letting Alex or Eliza do anything but sit and relax.  

“Hi, babies!” Alex cooed at her stomach as the babies wiggled around inside her.  She rubbed both sides of her belly and giggled when the twins leaned into her touch.  “Mommy loves you!”  

This was one of Kara’s favorite things to watch.  She thanked Rao for the x-ray vision that made it possible for her to see her babies before they were born.  She was already learning the subtle differences between them.  They were so perfect, she couldn’t stand it!

Eliza leaned over and put her hands on Alex’s belly.  “Hello, little ones.  Your grandma loves you too.”

The twins happily kicked at her hands, and Alex started crying.

“What’s wrong, dear?” Eliza said, panicked.

“I love you, Mom,” she said tearfully.

“Oh,” Eliza calmed down and gazed softly back at her.  “I love you too, Alex.  I love you so much, sweetheart.”  They hugged for a long time, and Kara breathed a sigh of relief.  The tension between them all had been dissipating for a while now, and it finally felt to Kara like things were getting back to normal.  Maybe even better than they were before.  Kara couldn’t remember the last time Eliza lectured Alex for anything besides taking her vitamins.  That in itself seemed like a Christmas miracle.

When Kara was finished cleaning up, she turned cheerfully to her human family, “Presents?”

“Indeed!” Eliza answered just as happily.

Kara helped Alex get up, but refrained from carrying her this time.  It took all her willpower to keep from picking her up all the time.  She just wanted to cradle her partner in her arms and never let go, to protect her from all harm.  Unfortunately, Fate had other ideas.  She was learning that she couldn’t protect people from all harm, no matter how strong she might be.  Some painful things were just different.  Matters of the heart slip right past the strongest fists.  It hurt her to learn this lesson, but it made her determined to be a light to anyone around her who was hurting.  She couldn’t protect from emotional harm, but she could be a salve to it by being kind and gentle and welcoming to those who were in pain.

She patiently walked beside the mother of her children as she waddled along into the living room.  “You are just so cute,” Kara told her brightly.

“Whatever,” Alex rolled her eyes, but she still smiled, nonetheless.

“I love you,” the blonde said.

“I love you too, Kara,” the brunette answered.

The Kryptonian helped her partner down in the middle of the couch, so she could sit between the other two.  “What first?” Kara asked excitedly.

She passed out presents, and they opened them.  Mostly the girls got stuff for the babies, but that’s what they wanted.  Eliza bought them two amazing carseat/stroller sets that made them extremely happy.  Plus, some baby clothes and bibs, and Alex got a breast pump.  Alex and Kara had gotten Eliza an engraved locket that said ‘Best Grandma,’ and had sonogram pictures of each baby on the inside.  The woman ‘oohed’ and ‘ahhed’ over it with tears in her eyes, and Kara felt proud that they could get her a gift that she loved so much.  After all the presents were opened, Kara pulled out one last tiny box that was hidden in the tree and handed it to Alex, kneeling down on the floor in front of her.

Alex took the package slowly, and opened it with some trepidation.  “Kara?” she whispered.  Inside was a simple, but beautiful gold diamond ring.

“On Krypton, when two people are matched together, they have a bonding ceremony, kind of like a wedding.  Then, after that, when the couple is in private, they bite each other on the neck as a permanent sign of their bond.  The bite does all kinds of other things besides showing a bond, but that’s beside the point right now.  Anyway, I didn’t think you would appreciate having a permanent bite mark on your neck, and, well, you couldn’t bite me hard enough to make a mark anyway, so that just wouldn’t work.  What I mean to say is…  I want to marry you, so I’m using the human ritual of engagement with a ring.  I hope that’s OK.  I mean…  Alex, will you marry me?”

Alex and Eliza both had tears in their eyes.  “I want to marry you, Kara, but how are we supposed to do that?  Gay marriage isn’t legal yet.”

“I know,” Kara assured, “But we can still use the Kryptonian bonding ceremony without the bite.  I can get Clark to officiate.  We can be married in the eyes of God and Rao.  Please, Alex.  Be my wife.  I want to be married when our babies come.”

“What if Clark won’t do it?” Alex asked skeptically.

“Alex, I will do anything to convince him to marry us.  I promise.  Please, please, say yes!”

“OK, yes,” Alex smiled through her tears.  “Yes, I want to marry you, Kara.  I want to be with you forever.  I can’t think of anything I want more.”

Kara clapped her hands with glee, then plucked the ring from the box and slipped in on Alex’s finger.  Only, it wouldn’t go on all the way because Alex’s fingers were swollen from pregnancy weight.  “Oh, no!”

Alex pouted.  “No!”

“Here,” Eliza took off the simple charm necklace that she’d been wearing before and exchanged it with the locket they’d given her, then she took the ring from Kara and slipped it onto the charm necklace.  “You can just wear it like that for now.”

“OK,” Alex answered petulantly.  “Thanks, Mom.  Does this mean you’re OK with me and Kara getting married?”

Eliza nodded firmly.  “Yes, and if you have any trouble convincing Clark to perform the ceremony, then let me try and convince him.  I think you two should definitely be married before you have these children.  It’s only right.  You two are ‘sisters’ in the eyes of the law, so you’ll have no problem with getting to one another if there’s an emergency.  We can also make sure that Kara has full legal rights and access to your children in case of an emergency.  That’s not a huge deal.  It can be as close to a legal marriage as you’re probably ever going to get.”

Kara and Alex nodded in agreement.  “I’ll call Clark tomorrow,” Kara stated.

“OK,” Alex and Eliza acknowledged.

Kara used her super-speed to clean up all the wrapping paper and put things away in their designated rooms.  The second bedroom upstairs was now the nursery, and Kara put all the baby stuff away while her heart pounded in excitement.  Alex was going to marry her, and their babies were going to be here in just a few more weeks!  She couldn’t be happier.  “Let’s go for our walk, and then we can watch a movie!” she said excitedly.

Alex groaned.  “I don’t want to get up,” she complained.

“You always say that,” Kara argued.  “Come on.”  She tugged on her partner’s hand, then helped her hoist herself up off the couch.

“OK, OK, fine.”  Alex allowed herself to be pulled up, so they could go out.  “Will you grab our jackets from upstairs, please?”

Kara was up and back in the blink of an eye with the jackets.  “Here you are, my love .”

“Thank you. ”

“Kara, I’d like to talk to you when you get back,” Eliza said cryptically.  

“OK,” Kara agreed a little timidly.  Did she do something wrong?  She couldn’t think of anything.  She took Alex for their morning walk (even thought it was afternoon already), and when she came back, Eliza took her aside to speak to her privately.

“Kara, where did you get the ring that you gave to Alex?”

The Kryptonian blinked.  “Um, I bought it at Kay’s.”

“And where did you get that kind of money?”

Oh.  That.  Oops.  “Well…”

“You didn’t steal it, did you?”

Kara’s eyes went wide.  “No, of course not!  I would never do something like that!”

“Well, I didn’t really think that, but you got me wondering…”

“I, um…  Well, I might have lied about some of the days that I was working and went down to the state park to ‘pan’ for gold.  I can see it easily, so it didn’t take me long to get enough to sell for both your locket and the ring.”

Eliza seemed satisfied with her answer.  “I see.  I think you’re going to probably have to do that more often,” she chuckled.

“You’re not mad?”

“Of course not, dear.  Of all the things you girls have done by now you thought you would be in trouble for that?”

Kara shrugged.  “I don’t know.  I wasn’t sure if you would see it as a misuse of my powers or something.”

“Did anyone see you doing anything out of the ordinary?”

“No, there was never even anyone around, not that they can see me using my ‘hawk-eye vision,’ as Alex calls it.”

“Then I’m sure it’s fine,” Eliza reassured.

“OK.”

“Shall we go watch a movie?”

“Yeah!” Kara said happily.  “Can we watch White Christmas?  Alex and I started to watch that the other day, and I really liked it but…  We got distracted…”

“Mmm-hmm,” Eliza answered knowingly.  Then she got kind of a sad look on her face.  “I guess we can watch it.  We used to watch that movie with Jeremiah every year while Alex was growing up.”  She started to tear up, so Kara hugged her.  “Thank you, sweetie.  Come on, let’s get out there before Alex falls asleep on us.”

Kara giggled.  They went out to snuggle with Alex on the couch and watch their movie.  She decided that day that White Christmas was one of her new all-time favorite movies.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

The next day, first thing in the morning, Kara called Kal-El.

“Kara?  Is everything OK?” the Man of Steel asked.

“Yeah” she answered.  “Everything is great.  I was just calling to ask you…  Well, would you be willing to perform a Kryptonian bonding ceremony for me and Alex before the babies are born?  We’d really like to get married.”

She could hear Clark taking a slow deep breath in.  “Actually, yes.  I’ll do it.  I do think you two should be married before you have kids together.”

“Really?” Kara asked disbelievingly.  She expected to have to put up a fight.  Score one for old-fashioned values!  They were really working in her favor right now.

“Yes.  I’ll do it.”

“Thank you so much!”  They worked out the details of whens and wheres, and Kara hung up feeling giddy as can be.  She and Alex were going to get married!  Yes!