Chapter Text
“Alex you’re not the only person I can trust in my life with a baby,” Kara said with a sigh.
“Kelly-”
“Is busy looking after you. Alex stop making a fuss I can handle him and you’re not the only person I know. Remember I do have these things called friends.”
“Supergirl can’t disappear for two days or fight with a baby,” Alex grumbled.
“She won’t. Relax Alex I’ve got this. Worst case scenario I just drop him off with Nia for an hour.”
Alex sounded like she wanted to object but a groan followed by what was definitely retching prevented her. Kara made a face.
“I’m going to go to brunch. Look after yourself,” Kara said hanging up.
She put down her phone and turned to look at baby Jonathon.
“Well Auntie Alex is sick so we’re going to go see my favourite person in the whole world,” she said smiling at him.
Jonathon gave her a very gummy smile and kicked his legs. Kara double checked she had everything she’d need in his bag and slung it over her shoulder. Picking him up she headed out choosing to walk instead of fly. She had time to spare and Jonathon was a fairly relaxed baby especially when held. Arriving at L corp exactly on time she headed straight up waving to the security as she passed.
Jess looked at her in surprise as she stepped out of the elevator holding Jonathon.
“Hi Jess, is Lena free?”
“Yes she was just reviewing some things…” Jess said slowly her attention very much focused on Jonathon.
Kara smiled and walked into Lena’s office giving the woman herself a smile and a wave as she did. Lena looked up smiling and then froze for a second confused. Kara walked over and turned so Lena could see Jonathon’s face.
“Lena Luthor meet Jonathon Lane-Kent.”
“Ah, the youngest member of your family. Hello Jonathon,” Lena said smiling at him.
Jonathon did a little wriggle that Kara took as approval. Lena put aside her papers and rose.
“Noonans?” Lena asked putting on her coat.
Kara smiled and nodded as Jonathon wriggled some more. It seemed he had good taste. They headed out once more waving at Jess as they passed. Jess’ continued confusion at the presence of an infant overruled her usual professionalism as she stared.
“So babysitting for Clark and Lois are you?” Lena asked as they got in the elevator.
“Yes, they needed an emergency couples getaway according to Clark. Which I suspect means Lois was tired of having everyone dropping by to see the baby. The woman is a force to be reckoned with and she hates how everyone keeps checking in on them.”
“Who would risk the wrath of Lois Lane?” Lena asked with a laugh.
“Her father apparently. He thinks she’s mellowed now she’s had a baby. He also thinks he should be the one to babysit now he’s retired and keeps coming by to see they’re caring for his grandson properly. Lois is close to murder so Clark is taking her for a nice vacation somewhere hot, relaxing, and far from her father or sharp stabbing implements.”
Lena laughed.
“Who’s covering in Metropolis then?”
“Interestingly J’onn, assisted by James.”
“Ah so I’m guessing Alex is your backup while looking after the littlest super,” Lena said holding out her hand for Jonathon.
Jonathon grabbed her finger shoving it into his mouth and chewing on it. Lena smiled shaking her head at him as the doors opened. Lena apparently entertained by Jonathon’s attempt to chew her finger off at the knuckle didn’t try to retrieve it. Kara took a deep breath and looked over at Lena.
“Alex caught some kind of bug overnight and has been… very ill.”
Lena glanced up and gave her a smile.
“I take it she was but now is not. So who’s your backup for when you get a call?”
Kara sighed.
“Well uh, honestly I hadn’t planned, um…”
Lena chuckled softly as they made their way onto the street.
“If you need you can drop him with me.”
“Really?” Kara asked excitedly.
“Sure, I’m not very busy over the next two days. I can do paperwork and wipe up drool at the same time. It’ll be just like a board meeting only with less misogyny.”
Kara laughed. Lena gently retrieved her now wet finger from Jonathon’s clutches.
“So how goes that article on the bike path squabbles?”
Kara rolled her eyes.
“I swear the lower the stakes the dirtier the tactics.”
Lena laughed.
Standing in line at Noonans Jonathon suddenly decided he was done with everything and begun crying, loudly.
“Uh…”
Kara looked down at him frozen for a moment not sure what to do. Normally she would just walk him around or fly him somewhere but that wasn’t really an option in a crowded restaurant.
“Has he been fed?” Lena asked.
“Like a fifteen minutes ago,” Kara said quickly. “And it’s still an hour until his regular nap time.
“Hand him over,” Lena said.
Kara complied ignoring the various irritated looks people were throwing them. The irritation quickly turned to confusion. She saw a couple of phones come out. Apparently people recognised Lena. Lena positioned Jonathon over her shoulder and started patting his back. He squirmed but soon quietened significantly. Kara blinked at Lena as she begun to slowly move from side to side. Lena noticed her staring and gave her a confused look.
“How did you do that?”
“Process of elimination. He’s having trouble digesting his breakfast.”
“No I mean how did you know what to do?” Kara said motioning to her.
Lena rolled her eyes.
“Kara I am one of the youngest CEOs of a fortune 500 company, I have two PhDs and-” Kara crossed her arms. “Okay fine Jack had a sister and we involuntarily babysat her kids a lot. It’s why they stopped talking actually. Every week she would randomly turn up while we were working hand me the baby and let her three year old twins run through the lab. She’d say how her babysitter had measles or something and she had an appointment. Then she wouldn’t come back for five hours. It was trial by fire for us all. Sometimes literally. I’m pretty sure Jack had nightmares about a burning Thomas the tank engine for years.”
Jonathon had quietened to small whines as he squirmed. Kara looked from Jonathon to Lena.
“Okay, so you need to tell me the story behind that. But more importantly Lena you’re successful, beautiful, rich, and good with kids. How are you single?” she asked shocked.
Lena laughed and shrugged.
“One my last name is Luthor and two I’m a workaholic,” she said. “I don’t have time to date.”
Jonathon convulsed and Lena sighed heavily as she felt the sticky warmth of baby vomit cover her neck and begin sliding down her back. Jonathon seemed happier immediately. Kara looked at the mess now covering her friend and gave her a very apologetic look.
“How much was that shirt?” she asked.
“Including tailoring, six hundred,” Lena said.
Kara pulled a face and Lena laughed.
“Just get me a blueberry muffin and we’ll call it even.”
“Deal,” Kara said turning to the server.
“Three sticky buns, a blueberry muffin, one caramel-”
Lena walked over to an empty table and sat down ignoring the vomit now halfway down her back she shifted Jonathon so she could look at his face.
“It’s because I’m a Luthor isn’t it,” she said narrowing her eyes.
Jonathon shoved his fingers in his mouth and smiled. Lena sighed.
“I see you’re definitely your father’s son,” she muttered.
Kara arrived with their table number and rummaged through her bag to find the baby wipes. She put them on the table and Lena handed over Jonathon. She started cleaning what she could off her neck.
“I’m so sorry about that,” Kara said.
“It’s okay Kara. I expected he’d cover me in something at some point. It’s just what babies do. On the scale of disgusting things I could have been covered in, vomit is pretty low.”
Kara nodded still feeling a little guilty and looked at Jonathon.
“I think he aimed too,” Kara muttered watching Lena shift her shirt to clean more of her back. “You’re supposed to be nice to her. She’s the good Luthor.”
Lena chuckled.
“Did I ever tell you about the time I watched a child projectile vomit all over mother dearest?”
Kara looked up smiling.
“No. Tell me everything, in detail.”
Lena smiled.
“We were visiting the Luthor children’s hospital. One of those look how good we are paying for your kids health care things. Lex had spent an hour playing with some of the older kids, he brought a new gaming station and things like that to win them over. I was standing there being pretty and Mother handed me this child, maybe three years old. He was very relaxed and kinda cute so I stood there holding him politely for the cameras as his mother watched. Lex came over to say hi and get a few nice pictures of us being generous. Anyway, I felt him tense and I get worried. Lex must have seen it coming because he ducked and this kid projectile vomited right over
Lex and onto Mother’s face.”
Kara started laughing.
“Best part, it was all caught on camera. Lex and I used to send each other the footage whenever she started to drive us up the wall.”
“Please send it to me,” Kara pleaded.
“Unfortunately it doesn’t seem to exist anymore. I’ve looked.”
Kara sighed disappointed. Their order arrived and Kara picked up a sticky bun with one hand eating it as she cradled Jonathon in her other.
“Back to your being single though,” Kara said.
Lena sighed.
“Really Kara? When have I ever needed someone to make myself happy?”
“I’m not saying you need someone I’m just wondering why you don’t have someone,” Kara said.
There was a reason for that but Lena wasn’t about to confess. Well not really.
“If you ask the tabloids I have you,” Lena said smirking at her.
“Really? They’re still running that story?” Kara asked scrunching up her face in that adorably confused way that always made Lena melt a little.
“Do you remember when we took a walk in the park and you bought that bouquet of flowers for Nia as a congratulations on her series about gender in alien cultures?”
Kara frowned.
“Vaguely.”
“Yes well apparently you wearing a white dress and carrying flowers next to me in a dark suit was enough to conclude we’d gotten married that morning.”
Kara choked on a mouthful of sticky bun and Lena laughed.
“Hey Kara! Lena!”
Nia waved from the counter and smiled at them. They waved back as she hurried over. She stopped looking at Jonathon confused.
“Why do you have a baby?” Nia asked.
“Nia Nal meet Jonathon Kent. Clark and Lois’ son.”
Kara turned him around so Nia could see his face.
“Aw cute baby,” Nia said smiling.
Nia wriggled her fingers at Jonathon. He looked at her and gave a little kick.
“Hey Nia did you know the tabloids think Lena and I are married?” Kara asked returning Jonathon to his previous position.
Nia scoffed.
“Oh my God Kara,” Nia said with an eye roll. “No one actually believes you would marry Lena.”
“Hey! I would totally marry Lena, she’s amazing,” Kara protested.
There was a moment of silence then Lena was laughing and Nia was just shaking her head as a dozen people turned to look at them. Kara tried not to blush but it was too late. She quickly focused her attention to Jonathon ignoring Lena’s continued laughter and Nia’s exasperated sigh.
“Kara no one thinks you’d marry Lena because you look too straight. It’s not Lena, it’s you.”
Nia waved her hand to indicate Kara.
“She’s got ambiguously bi look that comes with designer clothes and enough confidence. Which you pull off really well by the way.”
Lena gave Nia a nod and a wink.
“See, bi,” Nia said indicating Lena. “You on the other hand scream straight. You’re every girl next door and it’s all… yeah no. You’d have to kiss her in public before anyone would actually think you’re together.”
Lena had now finished her muffin and was starting on her coffee with a small smile as she watched Kara glare at Nia.
“I bet you we can get a story going about us starting a family before Clark and Lois return,” Kara said pouting.
Lena coughed almost spitting up her coffee as Nia laughed.
“I bet you a twenty you can’t. I’ll be generous and give you a week. No one will buy Lena is thinking of starting a family.”
Now it was Lena’s turn to glare at Nia. Nia smiled back and sipped her own coffee.
“Challenge accepted,” Lena said.
Nia looked her over carefully.
“No public statements, it all has to be inferred. No buying stories, and no going around loudly talking about it.”
“No forcing it, agreed.”
They shook and Kara added her hand then Jonathon’s on top.
“Agreed,” Nia said fist bumping Kara the Jonathon. “Well I’ll see you both later.”
Kara turned back to Lena as Nia made her exit.
“I guess we’re going to be spending a lot of time together today and tomorrow then.”
“Is that a problem?” Lena asked smiling at her.
Kara quickly shook her head smiling back.
“I’m actually kind of looking forwards to it,” Kara said with a smile.
“Shall we do dinner tonight. Somewhere expensive where we’ll be photographed looking all domestic with the baby?” Lena asked.
“If it’s expensive doesn’t that mean they won’t let us bring him?” Kara said worried.
“Kara, I’m Lena Luthor. Trust me they wouldn’t dare refuse me service. I’ll have Jess make the booking.”
Kara smiled and was momentarily distracted as Jonathon decided he wanted to try and throw himself at the ground. Lena held out her hands.
“I’m pretty much done. Hand him over and enjoy your sticky buns.”
Kara did so with a smile. Lena settled Jonathon in her arms.
“Did you bring any of his toys?”
Kara rummaged in the bag again and handed over a small stuffed bear. Lena offered it to Jonathon and he started chewing on the ears.
“So tell me what pain Andrea has caused you this week. Is she still trying to find a way to shove you into fashion?”
“I may have pointed out that considering her opinion of my wardrobe my covering fashion is probably not in her best interest,” Kara said.
Lena smiled.
“What did she say?”
Kara sighed heavily.
“Maybe having to look at actually fashionable people will finally teach me the importance of neutral colours.”
“White and cream are neutral colours,” Lena said.
“Thank you!” Kara said.
They stopped in the lobby of L Corp Lena carrying the now sleeping Jonathon.
“Come on hand him over,” Kara said just slightly louder than normal.
A couple of people glanced over and noticed their CEO. Lena sighed heavily.
“He’s so cute though.”
“I know right,” Kara said moving closer to look at Jonathon asleep in Lena’s arms. Several phones were already out and Kara made sure they got a good angle of her and Lena smiling at the sleeping Jonathon. “But you have a company to run so give the baby back.”
Lena sighed.
“I can run my company and hold a baby Kara. It’s not hard.”
Kara laughed and carefully took the still sleeping baby from Lena.
“Get your own baby,” Kara said as Lena pouted.
“Maybe I will,” Lena said quirking an eyebrow.
Kara laughed and a faint blush tinged her cheeks.
“Go run your company woman,” she said giving Lena a gentle push.
“Okay I’m going. I’ll see you for dinner.”
Lena leaned over pressing a kiss to Kara’s cheek and giving Jonathon one last look before she headed for the elevator smirking as she saw several people turn to watch her go.
Arriving back at her office she saw Jess watching her curiously.
“Jess could you make a booking for Kara and I at Lucrezia for seven thirty, oh and have them put us on the terrace we’ll have the baby. I would hate for anyone to be disturbed by him.”
Jess blinked and nodded looking at her computer. She seemed to make up her mind and looked back at her boss.
“If I may Miss Luthor, um… what’s with the baby?” she asked.
Lena laughed.
“Kara’s babysitting for friends. But more importantly Nia Nal might have suggested to Kara that no one would actually think the two of us were planning a family because she looks too straight. So we’re out to prove her wrong.”
Jess made a choking noise.
“Are you alright Jess?” she asked frowning.
Jess nodded quickly.
“Anyway so we’ve got two days with the baby to make the tabloids think we are. We’re just not allowed to force it.”
“I’ll make sure to let it slip to a reporter today where you’re eating,” Jess said.
Lena smiled at her.
“Thank you Jess. Somewhere trashy if possible.”
“No problem, uh Miss Luthor?”
“Yes Jess?”
“I don’t wish to cross some kind of boundary but it would be helpful to know…”
Lena looked at her waiting as Jess hesitated.
“Yes?” she prompted.
“Are you in a romantic relationship with Ms Danvers?” Lena blinked in surprise. “It would just help clarify, as to uh…”
Jess seemed to be struggling so Lena took pity on her.
“If I was in a romantic relationship with Kara would I work until nine pm six days a week?”
“Uh… you did with Mr Olsen,” Jess said cautiously.
Lena gave Jess a sad smile.
“I wasn’t in love with James.”
Jess opened her mouth then closed it sudden understanding hitting her.
“Oh.”
“Seven thirty, the terrace, Lucrezia,” Lena said gently. “And please send the details to Kara so she knows where to meet me.”
Jess nodded quickly picking up her phone.
“Yes Miss Luthor.”
Lena entered her office closing the door with a sigh and then heading straight to her bathroom to clean the remaining vomit off her back and change her shirt.
Kara looked up as Lena arrived at seven thirty exactly. She smiled and waved one arm around Jonathon. Lena greeted her with a kiss on the cheek and gave Jonathon a smile.
“How has he been?” Lena asked sitting down.
“Demanding. He wants someone to hold him constantly,” Kara said.
“Hand him over for a bit then.”
Kara gratefully gave him up. She smiled as she watched Lena settle Jonathon in her lap before considering the menu. They were halfway through their starters when Kara smiled.
“There’s three photographers and they’re very excited,” Kara whispered.
“Well then quick look utterly in love with me,” Lena said with a wink.
Kara laughed and shook her head a faint blush covering her cheeks.
Jonathon for his part seemed to be content as long as Lena was looking at him. This resulted in Kara cutting Lena’s chicken up for her and at several points feeding her as Lena gave Jonathon his dinner. These moments were quickly documented by the photographers.
By the time they had their dessert Jonathon was once more asleep in Lena’s arms. Taking advantage of his current adorable state they left, Kara carrying Jonathon and Lena putting an arm around her waist to steer her around the various obstacles on the street. The photographers went a little crazy.
“They’re following,” Kara muttered still smiling down at Jonathon.
“Well just to build suspense perhaps you and Jonathon should escort me home on foot,” Lena said.
They lost their tail of photographers on the busy streets as they weaved among the crowds returning from late dinners and the theater. Lena kept her hand on Kara’s back the whole time. Neither mentioned how unnecessary it was. Instead Kara leaned into it a bit and Lena stepped closer.
Kara’s phone rang and Lena found herself holding Jonathon again as Kara left her with his bag and a kiss on the cheek to go change in an alley. Lena looked down at Jonathon.
“Looks like you’re coming home with me,” she whispered.
Jonathon didn’t seem to mind. She increased her pace and ignored the bewildered looks of her security as she walked through the building and took the elevator up. Inside she looked around and then decided to sit on the couch and check the news. Supergirl wasn’t on it but after twenty minutes Lena looked back at Jonathon watching her from a pillow and had an idea.
“Would you like to join me in my lab? We can make something special for your parents,” she said.
Kara wandered into Lena’s home lab just after one am to see Lena sitting with Jonathon behind a blast screen as a flamethrower did it’s best to incinerate something.
“What are you doing?” Kara asked.
“Making a fireproof baby capsule,” Lena said.
Kara blinked and looked at her confused as the flamethrowers shut off and Lena walked around the shield to check the capsule she’d made. She stopped.
“Hey Kara could you…” she motioned to the red hot capsule.
Kara walked over and pressed the release button. The protective shield slid down. Lena smiled and extracted the contents.
“Hmm it’s still a little warm,” she said holding one of the peaches in her hand.
Kara looked from the capsule full of peaches to the flame thrower and back again.
“Why peaches?” she asked.
“I can’t find my other thermometer and my housekeeper ordered too many.”
Kara shrugged and picked one up biting into it.
“So why are you making this?” she asked.
“I thought it may be a nice gift. So far it’s fire and bullet proof. I was thinking of making it submersible but that would potentially compromise the fire proofing and I feel like that may be more important,” Lena explained.
Kara nodded walking around the capsule to examine it from different angles while Lena went over to her computer to look at some readings. She looked up a moment later her eyes going to the digital clock on the wall.
“Is that the time?” Lena asked.
“Yeah it’s pretty late,” Kara said yawning as she went to pick up Jonathon.
“We should probably go to bed then,” Lena said with a sigh. “Well that’s if you’re staying over.”
Kara turned and smiled at her.
“If it’s not too much trouble I’m a bit tired now and I don’t really want to fly anywhere else tonight.”
Lena smiled at her.
“You’re always welcome here, you know that.”
Kara collected the sleeping Jonathon and they headed back to the house part of Lena’s penthouse.
“It always astounds me that you only have one bed,” Kara said laying the sleeping Jonathon down in the middle of Lena’s ridiculously large bed.
“I only need one normally. And you never complained before.”
Lena smirked at Kara who blushed.
“I snuggled you one time-”
“Six,” Lena corrected.
“Okay so I snuggle you every time but it’s only because you’re very snuggly.”
Lena scoffed.
“Okay so uh… I guess we each take a side to make sure he doesn’t roll off in the night,” Kara said. “That’s a thing babies do right?”
Lena nodded.
“Do you want first shower while I find us something to sleep in?” Lena asked.
“Sure.”
Kara kept waking throughout the night and looking at Lena sleeping opposite her. Lena had one hand reaching across the bed to rest against Jonathon as though even in her sleep she was watching over him. At one point he coughed and she saw Lena’s eyes snap open. Kara gave her a small smile over Jonathon and Lena returned it.
Kara loved Lena’s smile. Especially in moments like that when her guard was completely down and she was smiling just for Kara. It had taken a long time for Lena to smile at her like that again, but it had been the way Kara knew Lena had returned to being her best friend.
Kara closed her eyes falling asleep listening to the steady beat of Lena’s heart mixed with Jonathon’s faster one in the bed beside her.
Jonathon woke them early. Kara decided to take care of him so Lena could have another fifteen minutes sleep. Then it was time to shower and Lena looked after him as Kara flew home to change and top up his bag. When she returned Lena was sitting at the table Jonathon in her lap and a tablet on the table in front of her.
“Okay so I’ve checked and the photos from last night are all about us having a romantic dinner nothing about starting a family,” Lena said scrolling down.
Kara sighed and started cutting up her mountain of pancakes while Lena ate her toast one handed. Jonathon kept trying to steal the toast as it moved past.
“We’ll give them until lunch and then step it up if needed,” Kara said. “I’ll take him to work with me for the morning then we can go to that sushi place you like. They have seats out the front.”
Lena nodded her agreement.
“Shall we feed him on our way to get coffee this morning?” she asked.
Kara grinned at Lena.