Across the Universe, You Found Me - kissmyaxequeen91 (2024)

Chapter 1: Chapter One

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Alex Danvers woke up immediately after her 6:00 A.M. alarm went off, showered, brushed her teeth, and changed into some new school clothes her mother bought. The auburn-haired freshman was too nervous and excited to eat just then, considering she was on her way to orientation at the place she would call home for the next three school years: National City University’s criminal justice department.

Her late father, a National City cop who slowly withered away due to ALS, was so proud when she first got accepted to the university and announced her intentions to follow in his footsteps. He even did a 360-degree turn in his electronic wheelchair, willing his atrophied body to celebrate the news somehow. The two peas in a pod secretly went out for ice cream before dinner to celebrate some more, giving an opportunity for Alex to snap a selfie of the two wearing National City Police hats and posing like Charlie’s Angels.

Her mom, a doctor who had to close her practice due to multiple car accident injuries, was also very proud of their auburn-haired adoptive daughter. She figured Alex and Kara (their younger adoptive daughter) would be like her selfless and courageous husband, considering she caught them playing with their daddy’s police uniform parts and emulating Nancy Drew throughout childhood. Kara even refused to eat dinner a few nights in a row as a six-year-old, protesting until her parents bought her a notepad so she could doodle rescue missions for Alex and her to complete. The eldest female Danvers looked at her husband with a look of amusem*nt in response, lovingly letting him know the protest was his fault via the crinkle of an eyebrow.

Seven years after Kara got her doodle pad, Alex had finally received what she had worked so hard for: a full-ride NCU criminal justice scholarship. After their dad died and their mom had to stop working full-time, Alex had to pitch in financially by working two part-time jobs outside of school. Meeting all of the demands those jobs, high school, taking care of her family, and taking care of herself as a fourteen-year-old had made her grow up so fast. The only way she was able to meet all of those demands was having no friends but her cat (an easy task, given most high schoolers did not want to hang around someone four years their junior who could crush them at every academic subject).

Alex bid her family and grumpy-yet-lovable Lulu goodbye, running out the door toward her bicycle and newfound freedom. Eternally grateful to NCU for alleviating her family’s financial burdens, and determined to make a difference in their community, the now fifteen-year-old breathed in the promising August morning air.

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The young alien arrived to the Criminal Justice Freshmen Orientation half an hour early, wanting to be punctual and take time to reconnect with an old work friend of her dad’s. Dr. J’onn J’onnz had readily given Alex’s dad advice on how to raise two alien daughters (given the professor was an alien who once had a daughter, too). J’onn had left working with the National City Police Department after his wife and daughter were murdered by other aliens, however, wanting to mentor youths to fill the void from losing his family.

Dr. J’onnz was incredibly excited to see Alex Danvers choose his department to fulfill her dream of becoming a cop, especially because he had recruited her so earnestly. Feeling guilty over not being there for her dad during his fight with ALS, and hoping to repay his old partner for years of sacrifice, the mind-reading alien vowed to watch over and guide Alex during her college years.

“Alex, you made it! It’s so good to see you. I hope you found our building without issue,” J’onn said as Alex walked into the criminal justice department’s main auditorium.

“Thank you so much for initiating a mind-mind connection to make getting here easier. I’ve been working on memorizing where all of the different buildings are for a month, but having backup is certainly appreciated,” Alex said while smiling at the man who would become her stand-in dad.

“I’m so glad you’ve learned to control your powers well over the years. Your dad always said keeping Christmas and birthday gifts a secret from you was impossible during your childhood,” the professor reminisced fondly.

“Thank you for reminding me, J’onn. I may not have been surprised by the gifts, but learning how to take off all of the wrapping paper and bows with my mind was fun,” Alex reflected on her childhood while beaming. Being an alien raised by human parents without powers could be a struggle on both ends at times, but the memories of her childhood were more often positive than negative. The main events putting a damper on her youth were her dad passing away due to an incurable disease and her mom being injured by an idiot drunk driver who nearly killed her and Kara during a car accident. At least Alex wasn’t made an orphan again.

J’onn smiled in response to Alex’s holiday memories, hoping the teenager’s college years would allow her to experience more excitement and positivity than she had more recently. By knowing the family and reading through Alex’s scholarship application, he knew she had taken on so much more responsibility than any teenager should have to. Ideally, she would learn to balance her studies and internships with getting to know herself and the world better. Maybe even make some friends who could appreciate her bright, caring, opinionated, ambitious, and resilient spirit.

More incoming students were beginning to enter the auditorium, so J’onn excused himself from the conversation to greet them, promising Alex the two would talk more about life and school over the coming weeks. Free-floating, but too shy to speak with the people who would become her peers, the teen sat in the front row by herself. She may have accidentally mind-bent and fallen out of the chair due to her excitement about this new chapter in life. Nobody would ever know for sure, though.

Chapter 2: Chapter Two

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Orientation was just about to get started, so students currently in and entering the auditorium were trying to find their seats. Fewer middle- and back-of-the room seats became available as the minutes ticked by, so Alex started seeing students heading toward her row. The first two were a certain pair of human twins she hated in high school and would hate even more in college.

“Well, well, well. Lookie here. Kindergarten Cop is attending the same orientation as we are today, Mon. Shouldn’t she be back in alien pre-school where she belongs?”

The childish and xenophobic jab had come from Malik Edge, the eldest twin and first to bully Alex at every chance he could during high school. His pin-headed brother, Mon, was never far behind in bullying the auburn-haired prodigy. Although from the wealthy and politically connected Edge family, the twins could never hope to perform as well as Alex. People like those two were why the criminal justice major was sometimes looked down upon across campus, even though the department had been internationally recognized for its outstanding faculty, alumni, internship opportunities, and resources.

“Mmm, I don’t know, Mal. Now that her boobs and butt are starting to come in, I don’t think alien pre-schools would take her back. Maybe she’ll finally get laid here and I can swipe that person’s notes if I’m not her first.”

Mon was always making horrible comments about Alex’s body, but standing up to the twins in high school often got her nowhere. Their dad, a senator named Morgan Edge, had way too many connections to the school and paid administrators to keep quiet about the boys’ harassment. Alex would never understand why people like them got to live and prosper while her family had suffered, but she tried to become better instead of bitter from it all.

“Get lost, creeps. She’s clearly not interested, and you two are taking up space where people who do care should be sitting,” said a raven-haired, female ROTC student coming up behind the twins. The olive-skinned Navy hopeful was followed by a tall, dark, and very fit male student as well as a pale, short guy wearing a NASA polo shirt. All three shot disapproving looks at Mon, then Malik.

Not as confrontational when met with group-level resistance, the twins cowered away to the end of the row, giving Alex space yet dirty looks.

“Sorry about that. I’m Lucy, by the way. This is my boyfriend, James, and my friend, Winn,” the feisty and no-nonsense cadet said to Alex, introducing the rest of the squad.

“Wow. Th-thank you for that. Are you all criminal justice majors, t-too?” Alex stammered out nervously, not used to anyone but Kara sticking up for her.

“Relax, girl. We’re the good guys. And yes, I’m a criminal justice major doubling in political science,” said Lucy in a reassuring yet dry and matter-of-fact way.

“I’m a criminal science minor who’s majoring in computer science. Wanna see all of the security programs and tools I’m making some time?” Winn shared and asked kindly, clearly passionate about creating electronics for good.

“Hang on, Winn. Don’t scare away our new friend just yet. I’m James, future leading journalist in National City. Might be minoring in criminal justice, but we’ll see,” said the gentle yet co*cky giant.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. You just want to stare at the back of your girlfriend’s head all day in classes,” retorted Winn, miffed by the idea that Alex might not like his gadgets.

“Well, duh. How could he not? The back of my head is ridiculous,” Lucy chimed in playfully after smacking the back of Winn’s curly-haired head.

Alex smiled shyly at the three’s antics, pleased that James had referred to her as their new friend and wanting to get to know them more. However, the lights were dimming, forcing the now four-strong squad to sit and quiet down.

Chapter 3: Chapter Three

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For the most part, the rest of Freshman Criminal Justice Orientation proved uneventful in a good way. J’onn outlined the department’s mission, vision, policies, and major as well as minor course requirements. He also explained that students would need to pick up their dorm assignments and course schedules from the back of the auditorium during the mid-orientation break. The four-member squad learned they would be seeing a lot more of each other, given they shared some first-semester classes and were all going to be in Beghe Hall together (with Winn and James in one double room, then Alex and Lucy in another).

However, true to form, Malik and Mon Edge started up their mean antics again.

The twins obnoxiously referred to the quad squad’s dormitory as “Be-Gay Hall” after dorms assignments had been distributed, joking that Alex would become a college lesbian and steal James’ girl while rooming with the military officer hopeful. James and Lucy wanted to punch both Edges in the face and would have, had Winn not promised to hack the twins’ social media accounts later on.

However, what ticked Alex off the most was what the dumb duo did during faculty introductions J’onn facilitated.

Mal and Mon started whispering about how hot the professor directing the Criminal Justice Department Help Center was and started making crude jokes about ways to seduce her, saying they would find ways to use material from her classes (e.g., hostage negotiation, martial arts, and forensic psychology) to have their way with her. Despite or because of holding her tongue during high school, Alex verbally let the boys have it from all the way across the row, interrupting Dr. Sawyer’s introduction with how loud she was. The raven-haired and olive-skinned professor’s eyes narrowed at Alex, calling her out for what she perceived to be a rude demand for attention.

“Is there a problem over there, Miss . . .?”

“Danvers,” Alex finished for the annoyed professor. “And yes. I’m so sorry for being loud, but the two brothers at the end of my row were saying some horrible things about your body and classes just now. I have dealt with the same treatment from them for four years and don’t want anyone else to be treated that way.”

Dr. Sawyer’s attitude shifted immediately after hearing Alex’s last name, her explanation of the outburst, and J’onn’s mind-message that he completely believed the auburn-haired alien. Sympathetic about the fourteen-year-old’s past, and wanting to reiterate the department’s zero-tolerance bullying clause, the assertive professor knew what needed to be done.

After motioning for the boys to come up to the stage, Dr. Sawyer asked, “What are your names, you two?”

“M-mal and M-mon Edge, Professor,” the pinheads stammered in unison, fearing what the woman would do to them in front of everybody.

“Oh. As in Senator Morgan Edge’s children? That changes everything,” Dr. Sawyer responded.

Alex feared the worst after those words, thinking National City University might let the boys’ horrible behavior slide another four years. However, the feisty professor’s next words quashed that fear immediately.

Turning back to the audience, Dr. Sawyer said, “Let me make something loud and clear for everyone here. Unlike your high schools, this department is going to be bullying-, cheating-, and jerk-free every semester you’re with us. We, as individuals and a department, won’t cower to rich, connected family members when it comes to reinforcing our disciplinary and ethical standards. We report to international and national boards which are financially independent and regulated by leaders like the United States President. I served right by her side during multiple missions, so entitled students who think they’re above the law can start something, but they won’t be finishing anything.”

Fearful of the professor’s glare and implications for their future careers, the twins backed away from the professor and ran out of the auditorium. Rumor had it they stayed in a nearby bathroom until the presentation portion was over, not wanting further confrontation.

Lucy, James, Winn, and Alex led the applause and whoops for Dr. Sawyer’s courage. The auburn-haired cop hopeful breathed a sigh of relief, feeling complete support from people outside her family for the first time in far too long.

Chapter 4: Chapter Four

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After orientation was over, the four-member squad departed the auditorium to help each other move into Beghe Hall. Alex decided to be helped last, considering everything she brought from home fit in a foldable bike trailer or had to be picked up from the student mailbox office. She insisted that Lucy, James, and Winn could stay behind while she picked up the new mattress, bedding, clothes, furniture, and other supplies the scholarship covered (given she could move it all via telekinesis). However, her three friends decided to go along anyway, supposedly because they did not want to miss out on legally running across campus with a mattress.

The next item on the squad’s checklist was meeting their respective FDGs (faculty dormitory guides). Especially considerate of how difficult transitioning from high school to college and from home to a dorm could be, NCU’s leadership board assigned each freshman dorm floor an FDG. Depending on their availability and willingness to serve, FDGs may or may not be people from residents’ major or minor departments.

Alex and Maggie would have the same FDG because their room was on the third floor, but James and Winn’s would be different because they lived on the second floor. Thus, the guys would leave the ladies alone for a couple of hours while they met with their floor and FDG.

James and Winn would end up liking most of the students on their floor, but had a somewhat boring and curmudgeonly FDG from none of their academic departments. However, Lucy and Alex hit the jackpot; they had been assigned to Dr. Sawyer, so they knew what they were getting into while joining their floormates for dorm life orientation.

Unlike earlier in the day, Dr. Sawyer was more personable and less intimidating when talking with the third floor freshmen. She went out of her way to answer their questions and meet them one-on-one for 15 minutes, wanting to get to know NCU’s newest students (especially those who would eventually take her classes). Alex completed her one-on-one before Lucy (who seemed preoccupied with meeting some fellow ROTC students on their floor).

“Danvers! It’s good to see you again today. Sorry about earlier; it’s not every day that a freshman interrupts me speaking and lives to tell the tale,” the professor apologized, wanting to clear the air and start their professional relationship off fresh.

Smiling and averting her eyes bashfully, Alex said, “Thank you, professor. I’m sorry you had to hear that. Those two are the worst and never got punished back in high school because their dad ruled the administrators’ pocketbooks. Some teachers felt bad for me, but any punishments they doled out were reversed by admins in a heartbeat.”

Dr. Sawyer co*cked her head and gave Alex a somber look. “I’m sorry you had to deal with their terrible treatment for all of those years. That you did earlier today, too. J’onn told me all about your family, potential, and powers. I have experienced a lot of bullying and am here if you ever need to talk about that or your dad,” the professor said kindly.

Alex couldn’t believe Dr. Sawyers had been in her place before, but wanted to know more. “What, you? Bullied? Who would do that, and why?”

“A lot of people don’t like strong yet short alpha types who stand up to corruption. I had to fight really hard to earn the chance to protect the President. Whatever the Edges said can’t rival the locker room talk I had to deal with while climbing that professional ladder,” Dr. Sawyer elaborated, shuddering about the dark memories her words brought up.

“I hope you realize those jerks from your past are irrelevant now. I think you’re great,” Alex said to draw the professor out of that darkness.

The bashfulness of Dr. Sawyer’s smile rivaled Alex’s from before, but was followed up by a shrug and some humble words. “Well, I just try to teach students to do what’s right instead of easy. You’ll see what I mean if you take my classes or come to the Help Center for tutoring.”

Alex was excited to have another resilient woman and alpha for an FDG, but also felt something funny in her stomach when seeing the professor’s eyes light up at her. Unsure of what that feeling meant, and starting to feel awkward, Alex decided to end their conversation early.

“Good. That’s great and . . . good. Well, th-thank you for your time. See you around Dr. Sawyer,” Alex barely managed to get out, wringing her hands out of nervousness and trying to get away as fast as possible.

Confused about the sudden end to their conversation, but not wanting to push the teenager for more, the brunette replied, “Maggie. Please feel free to call me Maggie when we’re not in the criminal justice department or something formal.”

The auburn-haired student could only nod quickly and bite her lip in response, signaling to Lucy that she was going back to their room.

Finished with the ROTC conversations, Lucy headed over to talk with Maggie (who worriedly watched the auburn-haired alien leave for what would be the last time in two years).

Chapter 5: Chapter Five

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Night came more quickly than the quad squad and Maggie realized, but all had fun plans for the remainder of what had been a long day.

Once Lucy returned from her one-on-one talk with the professor, she decided to order pizza so the squad could get to know each other better and christen their new dorm. Alex was grateful for the greasy, cheesy slices she pulled from one box and said she hadn’t had anything hot all day. However, Lucy jokingly said that wasn’t true; she teased that her new auburn-haired friend had heart eyes for the professor both Edges thought was hot. After throwing pizza crust at the military hopeful in protest of the light-hearted teasing, James and Winn proceeded to comfort the flustered alien and change the subject to her powers. Before heading to their beds and showers, the four knew a lot more about each other and laughed until their sides hurt. They promised to hang out at least three nights and regularly talk about their classes, such that Alex found herself a study buddy for human-alien relations (James), materials science (Winn), and interrogation tactics (Lucy) in one fell swoop.

Miles away, Maggie and her partner were christening their new house by making love and drinking wine. Or, well, one of them drank.

Shannon (the professor’s girlfriend of two years and fiance of one) noticed the still-full glass after catching her breath. “Mags, can I get you anything? You didn’t drink the pinot noir I poured for you. Is tonight more of a beer night, or are you just love drunk?”

Maggie lovingly swatted her partner for that last comment, then started crying all of a sudden.

Noticing the quick shift in mood as well, Shannon touched the seemingly distraught professor’s shoulder and said, “Mags? Hey, look at me. What’s wrong? If my teasing was too much, I’m really sorry. May I hold you to make up for it?”

Maggie rolled over and into her partner’s embrace, but reassured the blonde alpha she hadn’t done anything wrong. In fact, something right and good was the reason for Maggie’s tears.

“After finishing up at the university, I went to the OB/GYN for a follow-up about my PCOS. She ran some tests the last time I was in and, well, the results came back. Looks like I’m not going to be the only one you’re cuddling anymore,” the brunette said while choking up, moving the blonde’s hands down to her belly toward the end.

Shannon couldn’t believe her ears. She and Maggie were going to be parents! The pregnancy was a miracle, given Maggie’s PCOS often left her with irregular heats, bleeding, and hormone levels (all of which made getting pregnant virtually impossible for the brunette). Tearing up as well, the blonde alien flipped Maggie onto her back and proceeded to kiss, tickle, and scan the blessed belly.

“They’d better not be like those douchecanoe Edge twins you dealt with today,” Shannon teased.

“They?” Maggie asked with confusion.

“Yeah, silly. My X-ray vision says there’s one for you, and one for me,” Shannon said while moving their hands to where each dot-sized twin was nestled.

Maggie’s tears of joy turned into a waterfall. She tried to cling to her partner like a koala, but Shannon had a better way to celebrate and showered Maggie accordingly.

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By the time winter break was upon them, Alex had managed to duck meeting in person with Maggie multiple times, scared to explore the discomfort she had felt that first day in the dorm and wanting to stay focused on her grades. However, Maggie was persistent about checking up on Alex and did so via e-mail as well as correspondence through Lucy (who liked hearing the professor’s stories about using interrogations tactics material in real life).

Regardless of whether they spoke in person or online, the professor managed to keep everyone at school but J’onn in the dark about her pregnancy and hid the growing baby bump under layers of winter clothes. She didn’t want to out herself as an omega, add more stress to her already high-risk pregnancy, or face obnoxious levels of unsolicited touch.

However, the peaceful bonding time she and Shannon were having with their unborn five-month-olds was about to be brutally and irrevocably interrupted.

Mon and Malik Edge had left Alex alone for the entire semester because their dad didn’t want to sully his already rocky relationship with the same United States President Maggie had served. However, once the diplomat announced she would not be seeking re-election, Morgan Edge started plotting to teach the professor a lesson about what she said to his sons during orientation. He hired a private investigator to find leverage he could use against Maggie and was told that her partner and babies were at least partially alien.

“Bingo,” Morgan said at the end of the fateful phone conversation, developing an evil gleam in his eyes which neither of his sons could match.

Chapter 6: Chapter Six

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Like Maggie, Shannon worked as a professor at National City University; however, the blonde worked in the biology department as a bee behavior researcher. Getting stung was a pretty regular occurrence for the alpha because, even with the best equipment and regulations imaginable, altered and/or non-Earth bees which were freshly delivered sometimes found their way through her protective gear.

However, the sting Shannon would experience from a rogue bee while closing down her password-protected lab would prove unforgettable.

The blonde alpha didn’t start feeling the burn of the sting until she was on her way to the nearest faculty parking lot. The nasty little bugger had apparently gotten into her pants and stung the area between her belly button and penis. Given the sting’s swelling pattern looked a lot like those of other new bees she had been stung by, Shannon was not too concerned, but preserved the bee for later and reported the incident to the 24-hour department injury hotline in case she experienced delayed symptoms. Feeling better, she hopped into the minivan she had bought for the twins and headed home to see them as well as her fiance.

She and Maggie had a night of holiday food, romantic comedies, and cuddles on the couch planned. The brunette’s sex drive had been sky high lately due to her pregnancy, though, so one thing led to another and the couple wound up making love on the floor. Maggie didn’t notice the barely-there swelling until after they were done due to the frenzy she was in before and the fatigue she felt after.

Tracing the outline of the swelling, she asked, “Hey, babe. What’s this?”

Shannon had completely forgotten about the sting during the make-out session which had gotten them to this point.

“Oh, just another bee sting from research. I found that winged jerk crushed up in my pants while leaving the lab and let the hotline know everything about it. No need to worry, love.”

“Good. It better be dead, because I’m the only one who belongs in your pants,” Maggie said in a playfully sexual way, pouncing on her fiance to signal she was ready for round two.

“You’re killing me, woman,” the blonde alpha said with a mix of seriousness and silliness, gathering the strength to satiate Maggie all over again.

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The couple’s sleep was peaceful until about midnight, such that Shannon was twisted around Maggie like a bonzai tree. However, the brunette awoke to Shannon’s penis pressing harder against her backside than she could ignore. Thinking Shannon was awake and ready for more, Maggie turned over to remind the blonde she had to sleep for three now and couldn’t be up all night like before.

However, Maggie was left with an image which would scar her for quite some time.

The skin between the alpha’s belly button and knees was covered with purple, blotched, and bleeding pustules. The omega tried to wake the alpha to let her know they needed to go to the hospital, but the blonde wasn’t responding. Thinking quickly, Maggie grabbed the emergency first aid kit under the bed and put a towelette infused with immediately rousing chemicals to the blonde’s nose. Shannon then screamed herself into consciousness, not knowing where she was, why she was naked, who Maggie was, and what happened to her body.

Panicked, but doing her best to remember her EMS training, Maggie tried to reassure the blonde that she was there to help and that everything would be okay after they got to the hospital. Shannon was compliant with Maggie’s orders due a mix of pain, fear, and confusion, but only just. Never seeing this set of symptoms during her training, Maggie hopped on a group call with the local branch of the CDC as well as the nearest hospital, saying her partner had been stung by a bee and was experiencing serious skin and memory problems. Wanting to be fully transparent, Maggie also let both organizations know she had been in direct contact with Shannon’s blood and sem*n, meaning she would need to be in quarantine until cleared, too.

The brunette had managed to get her partner and herself in biohazard suits they saved for times like this, but their situation was going to go downhill even more from there.

While Maggie was putting their dirty sheets in one evidence bag, their medical records in two more bags, and the bee sample in a fourth, she felt her first kicks from the babies (who she thought were feeling both mothers’ pain, given their half-alien status). After rubbing soothing circles on her belly and humming the lullaby Shannon always sang to them, Maggie heard a pop followed by a ripping sensation. Hot fluid started gushing into her suit from her vagin*, and the omega started feeling faint as well as nauseated from the pain.

Sliding down the wall she was leaning against for support, the brunette passed out next to her partner for the last time.

Chapter 7: Chapter Seven

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Maggie woke up attached to multiple IVs and beeping machines a week before Christmas (two days after the fateful bee encounter). Once she was coherent enough for conversation, the brunette’s regular OB/GYN and the hospital’s chief toxicologist came to speak with her.

“Dr. Sawyer, we’re so glad you’re awake. We received an urgent message from the CDC about you and your partner’s conditions. We thought you might be dead upon arrival here, but acted quickly enough to diagnose and treat you both. Thank you for keeping the bee and your sheets; my team was able to examine the former and found traces of the toxin which ruined the latter,” the toxicologist said with relief and sympathy.

“Thank you both. Is my fiance still alive?” Maggie replied groggily, still feeling weak from what happened that horrible night.

“Fortunately, yes. Once we figured out what the toxin was, we were able to use some leftover antidote from our emergency stores. We had only worked with cadavers affected by the toxin before you two, but had everything we needed to restore your partner’s memory. Well, most of it,” the wiry and gray-haired man explained.

“Most of it?” Maggie asked with confusion.

The toxicologist paused for a moment to choose his next words carefully, then said, “She still remembers everything up to falling asleep with you, but doesn’t remember waking up the way you found her or your collapse. The toxin causes similar symptoms to appear in many aliens, but the memory gap must be linked to how her brain is wired differently from other aliens’.”

Maggie nodded in understanding, grateful her partner would never have to remember the darker parts of that night.

“Is she awake?” the resilient crime-fighter asked.

“Yes, dear. However, she can’t see you right now and may not be able to for awhile,” the OB/GYN said sympathetically, placing a hand on the healing woman’s shoulder.

“What? Why? Does she need further treatment?” Maggie fired off, not believing her ears.

The OB/GYN and toxicologist shared a concerned look, but knew they had to tell the brunette due to the legal rights she had to Shannon’s medical information as well as her own.

“Shannon is feeling incredibly guilty about what happened to you, her, and the babies. When you both were intimate, the toxin traveled into your womb via her sem*n and eventually caused you to miscarry. Shannon will also never be able to give you children again. I’m so, so sorry,” the OB/GYN shared, devastated that her patients’ lives were so cruelly changed.

Maggie’s hysteria about the news was so strong that her caregivers had to have her sedated. The OB/GYN held the crashing woman while the sedative took effect, and the toxicologist shed tears for all affected by the tragedy.

Chapter 8: Chapter Eight

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Maggie was kept for observation, suicide watch, and follow-up testing for five more days. She was too numb and depressed from her current situation to know or care about which day it was, let alone drink or eat what wasn’t pumped into her. The only thing which sparked her will to care again turned out to be the hospital’s holiday gift donation program.

The brunette omega received more information about Shannon’s condition as time passed, but felt completely alone to deal with her pain because the blonde alpha was still too traumatized to speak to or see her. Given the horrific and sudden nature of the damage done to their little family, both were diagnosed with PTSD (which would take an uncertain amount of time to heal, if it ever did). However, one thing was sure: a student group from National City University cared enough to donate presents to the trauma ward patients, Maggie included.

“Presents for you, Dr. Sawyer,” a man dressed up as Santa said, trying to cheer up the woman made hollow in just a week.

Maggie would have continued sitting in a curled up ball and ignored the man’s attempt if she hadn’t recognized his voice and eyes.

“J’onn? What are you . . . how did you . . .?” Maggie asked with disbelief and uncertainty, wondering whether this semblance of her pre-PTSD life was real.

“Dean Grant, several faculty, many students, and I were all very concerned when you weren’t answering your calls, e-mails, and mind-messages. The CDC was very upfront about nobody getting in here to see you until it gave the okay, but I figured you wouldn’t be ready for so many visitors when it did. I’ll understand if you don’t want to see these gifts yet, but they’ve been cleared for giving by the security and donations teams. I even ran them by biohazard specialists from different galaxies to be sure,” the kind-hearted space dad responded, eyes searching for permission to share what he brought.

Maggie grabbed the bag from him and set it down at the end of her bed, careful to not rip out her remaining IVs and cause the nurses to rush to her aid for the umpteenth time. She motioned for J’onn to sit, wanting to be close to someone not paid to care for the first time since that fateful night. Then, the seasoned professor wrapped his junior in a hug meant to convey reassurance, relief, and sorrow all at once.

The brunette omega had no tears left to cry just then, but soaked up every ounce of soothing beta pheromones J’onn was pumping out.

“Thank you,” she whispered into his shoulder, grateful for her father figure’s thoughtfulness and loyalty during this time of need.

“You’re deserving of all the kindness in the world, Maggie. I will keep checking in on you after dropping you at home this afternoon, but won’t pressure you to talk about anything. Just know there are so many people who want to help you heal, and I’ll listen whenever you’re ready,” he replied, mixing in support with what he hoped would be good news.

“I get to go home today? But what about house? The evidence of what happened?” Maggie fired off more slowly than usual, biting her lip with worry while processing being back where she and Shannon had just been targeted.

“The investigation teams collected everything they could, but are still watching the house for suspicious activity which can help them crack the case. Also, the faculty emergency fund covered the rent for temporary housing, so I rented you a cabin in the woods just down the street from me. The doctors thought more peace and quiet would be good for your healing, but there are several shops, parks, and other attractions over there if you need noise and fresh-brewed coffee to heal. I’ll do my best to make it a good home for you, until . . . if . . . you’re ready to return to where you were before,” J’onn answered carefully, not wanting to assume anything about Maggie’s desires and diagnosis.

Maggie leaned against the man’s costume-clad shoulder again, words failing to escape her and convey the gratitude she had for the people who valued and cherished her. However, J’onn could feel it via his mind-mind connection with the resilient survivor.

Trying to lighten the mood some and gauge Maggie’s thinking, J’onn asked, “Do you want to open your presents here, or wait until we bust you out of here?”

The olive-skinned woman put two fingers up, cracking a small smile and averting her eyes while signaling which option best suited her.

Chapter 9: Chapter Nine

Chapter Text

Maggie sat in the log cabin’s book nook, crossed her legs, and leaned against the pillowed side of the nook, wanting to watch the snow fall from a place which made her feel safe and warm.

Not motivated to pluck a book from the shelved other side or look away from the window, the woman hanging by a thread got lost in thought.

J’onn’s choice in temporary housing was excellent. I wish Shannon could be here to see this. That our babies could have lived to see the snow and maybe taken their first steps here. Will we be able to survive the poisoning, but not who it made us? Where do we go from here, and will we ever get back to what we were?

That rumination was one of many Maggie had had when processing what happened during and after that fateful night. Understandably, they led her to feel too many emotions at once. Fear of Shannon not recovering from her PTSD or wanting to become a parent someday, some other way (if they got through this loss). Confusion and anger over how the bee was exposed to a statistically rare toxin which started this series of unfortunate events. Jealousy over how other parents who were less qualified and prepared got to take home healthy, alive babies that Christmas. Sadness that she and Shannon hadn’t agreed to the twins’ names or been able to hold their lifeless bodies (due to the poison’s high spread and kill potential). Guilt over how she didn’t notice the sting or have Shannon put on a condom before the couple had sex (assuming protection would have stopped the poison).

Maggie had never wanted to vacate her mind, body, and life so badly.

J’onn had left to get her groceries about twenty minutes ago, so there was time for her to make that vacancy permanent if she wanted to. However, before she started applying past teachings from forensic science to make herself disappear, J’onn intervened via mind-message and begged the brunette not to act on her desires (at least until she ate her first post-hospital meal). Not wanting to hurt J’onn, Maggie acquiesced to his bargaining and began fumbling around for something . . . anything . . . to redirect her thoughts.

The kind space dad had created a Christmas tree out of all the presents he had brought to the hospital on behalf of the NCU students. Some were addressed to Shannon (mostly from the biology department), some were for the couple (from past students who knew them both), and the rest (mostly from the criminal justice department) were for Maggie. Hoping a cinnamon- scented candle was somewhere in the fireside pile, the professor began rummaging through the packages. If her flame was going to go out post-meal, she wanted the cabin to smell like home instead of hospital or strangers.

Maggie avoided boxes marked for the couple or just Shannon (wanting to prevent thoughts of her fiance flooding in and sending her back into darkness). She opened all of the others quickly and quietly, but failed to find anything scented.

Feeling empty despite wanting to feel grateful for all the students’ thoughtfulness, the brunette decided to lie on the couch and watch some old Glee episodes while wearing a pre-Shannon polar bear onesie. Her favorite was the one in which Kurt and Blaine were singing “Baby It’s Cold Outside” before acknowledging their feelings for each other.

Something about the duet scene resonated with her, but she wasn’t sure what. Personality-wise, the brunette was far from the slow burn type and, despite having an identity many considered submissive, had no problem with confidently approaching an alpha or beta. Hell, many people had thought she was an alpha. That perception helped her career immensely when left uncorrected, given omegas still faced barriers when rising through the ranks.

A loud and sudden series of bangs on the door interrupted Maggie’s Glee rerun marathon and scared her so badly she fell off the couch. Reaching for a gun which wasn’t there anymore (per the onesie and J’onn’s rules about being left alone), she got up slowly and inched toward the door, such that the person on the other side started knocking again.

Wanting to scare the potential bad guy, Maggie screamed, “National City Police! Back away from the door and put your hands up now!”

A giant thud on the outside of the door triggered a “duck and cover” instinct in Maggie, given all her experience and training regarding bomb threats. However, after hearing and feeling no explosion, Maggie looked out the window and saw a terrified mailman was standing with one hand up and the other awkwardly shielding his body. She also noticed he had dropped a poorly wrapped Christmas present and a first class envelope in front of the door.

Taking pity on the trembling old man, but remaining wary of the packages, Maggie opened the door, apologized to him, and explained her situation. The two made up quickly, such that the mailman apologized for scaring her and said he’d have to tell the story about being scared by a cop in a polar bear costume to his family. The two parted ways on good terms, and Maggie got out the universal threat detector device J’onn had left with her to scan the packages.

Not finding anything threatening, Maggie brought the envelope and present inside quickly, wanting to get out of the cold as fast as possible.

She opened the envelope first, given it was addressed to her from an undocumented P.O. box the President used during times of danger and uncertainty. Apparently unaware of the recent attack on Maggie’s family, the diplomat had written a note requesting her services again via an encryption algorithm. Specifically, she was giving Maggie three months to accept a spot on a highly specialized team of law enforcement professionals investigating the international trafficking of aliens. The human had shared her passion on the subject with the alien diplomat long before meeting Shannon, but hadn’t pursued that line of work after graduate school due to her acceptance as an NCU professor, engagement, and pregnancy.

Overwhelmed by the offer in good as well as bad ways, Maggie decided to not even consider it until after she and Shannon had shown considerable signs of improvement. After learning the costs of pouring from an empty cup the hard way, she had vowed not to go there again.

Fortunately, the Christmas present’s contents would remind her of those self-care lessons. Maggie decided to open it after marking a book in the nook with the letter (wanting the offer out of mind, but not completely out of sight). Although the box was wrapped and taped haphazardly, the fluffy elephant inside was made with immense thought. So much so that Maggie needed to read the card to figure out what its many buttons did.

Dear Dr. Sawyer,

I’m so sorry to hear you were attacked in your home recently. I made a huge mistake by not meeting with you in person throughout this semester and wanted to make up for it. You really mean a lot to me, but I’ve been so afraid to say it out loud. Your persistence in checking up on me via Lucy hasn’t gone unnoticed, and I hope I can explain more when you return to NCU. If you return, that is. Trying not to pressure you or assume anything.

Anyway, the elephant you’re holding is something I made in materials science. The final parts took a few months to come in, so my professor extended the deadline and okayed it being submitted as a final project. We were going to sign a contract to mass produce it post-patenting, but I want you to have the only copy for now. Would have delivered it myself, but the hospital said you had been discharged. J’onn gave me your temporary address. Hope you don’t mind.

In sum, please refer to the legend below for what each button does; my hope is this ball of fluff will serve as a source of comfort, not a source of frustration.

Warmly,
Alex Danvers, Beghe Hall, 3rd Floor

P.S. I may have accidentally read your mind from afar and learned your favorite things. Sorry if that makes me a creep.

Maggie was surprised yet grateful to hear from Alex (given maintaining communications with the criminal justice student had been more difficult than pulling teeth). She read through the legend, admiring the bright young woman’s thoroughness, creativity, and precision. Many toy and self-care companies would not have been able to pull of such a marvelous invention, delay in parts arriving or not.

The brunette was very pleased to find easy-to-turn knobs for adjusting the elephant’s temperature (right front leg), scent emitted (right back leg), and calming pheromones emitted (left back leg). The final leg of the elephant could even be synced to an iPod or other media-playing device, if she wanted. Better yet, the ball of fluff could be charged using multiple sources of energy (e.g., electric batteries, mini solar panels, and biomass) which were as easy to reorder as the emitted elements.

Whispering her gratitude for Alex’s gift to the universe, the omega turned its settings to apple cinnamon, alpha calming pheromone, and warm. Once the smells and temperature were noticeable enough, she synced her iPod to the elephant and turned Christmas music on low, then cuddled up with the elephant on the couch. She would pass out after breaking into tears about the past week’s events, clutching the gift to her chest as if she were holding Shannon.

Chapter 10: Chapter Ten

Chapter Text

The next five months proved vastly different for Alex, her three friends, Maggie, and Shannon.

Both professors’ conditions improved during their sabbaticals from NCU (which were originally for parental leave), but Maggie’s healing and will to live had been noticeably higher at each individual and couple’s therapy session. The brunette was still feeling the same negative emotions as before, but to lesser degrees and for shorter periods compared to December. The President’s offer, Alex’s gift, J’onn’s constant support, and the still-there desire to become a mom collectively gave her motivation to keep going.

Oppositely, Shannon’s identity and motivations greatly changed. Chiefly, she felt too traumatized to want to have children or research bees ever again. Great therapists helped her let go of the guilt she felt regarding the twins’ deaths and Maggie’s close call, but she struggled with intimacy, injections, going to the bathroom, changing clothes, and bathing (as being aroused, pricked, and/or naked reminded her of the trauma). With Maggie’s support, she decided to go through an operation which reduced her daily triggers by changing her alpha parts and pheromones into those of a beta.

However, the reunification, extensive counseling, gradual reintroduction to their house, and surgery were collectively not enough to save the couple’s relationship. The two’s professional and personal goals were taking them in different directions, so they decided to split amicably. Specifically, Maggie decided to accept the President’s offer, Shannon decided to pursue a glacier research position in Antarctica, and both sold the house. They cried about the split and eventually lost contact, but wished each other nothing but the best when parting ways.

Alex was grateful to hear Maggie had recovered enough to pursue a prestigious field opportunity, but was sad the professor would be away from campus for so long. The women had corresponded a few times via J’onn, but had not been able to find a time to meet in person. Maggie carried Alex’s elephant, card, and letters with her on every plane ride and presidential excursion, though, careful to keep at least some connections to her pre-mission life.

The auburn-haired alien wound up in even more classes with Winn, Lucy, and James (e.g., investigative journalism, year one criminal justice seminars, and some more general education courses). She also found out her cat was going to have kittens and that Kara had been accepted to NCU on full scholarship. James was especially glad to hear another journalist/crime-fighter was joining the group, and Lucy jokingly plotted to interrogate Kara until she spilled all of Alex’s secrets (prompting the guys to throw crust from Alex’s birthday pizza at the cadet).

J’onn stayed in contact with Maggie, gave the lovely Senior Ball sendoff speech she wrote in her place, and watched over Alex the entire semester. He prayed to whichever gods were listening that both women would continue being strong in their respective pursuits and not lose their special connections with him or each other. After all, he considered both crime-fighters his daughters at this point.

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The summer after Alex’s sixteenth birthday was also a busy and interesting time for everyone.

Via NCU’s excellent preparation and criminal justice network, the auburn-haired prodigy won a highly competitive internship which allowed her to gain exposure to the many teams within the FBI. Getting to learn from the forensic technology, behavioral analysis, cybercrime, and counterintelligence units was an incredible experience; however, her most memorable moment was observing a hostage negotiation involving several child victims. She was originally supposed to be documenting which negotiation strategies were working or not at different points, but her role grew when one of the released children ran up to where she was seated behind the police barricade and refused to let go until she was reunited with her mom. The little girl’s name was Ruby, and her mom (Sam Arias) happened to be a former NCU criminal justice and business double major. The Latina beta and the young alpha formed a close friendship thereafter and frequently discussed the securities technology firm the alumna and her wife (Kate Kane) had built. By the time school was supposed to start, Alex had a vested interest in babysitting Ruby when Sam and Kate went out for date nights (mostly motorcycle rides and music fests).

James, Winn, and Lucy kept their first-year promise and group chatted with Alex three nights a week, wanting to hear about everybody’s summer and plans for the next school year. The beta cadet had also won her first-choice internship and was rotating between different science, technology, submarine warfare, leadership development, and public relations U.S. Navy teams across the country. The beta journalist got to shadow several writers at the National City Times and applied for a spot in the National Student Journalism Guild (which he earned two months later). He and Winn were able to goof around in downtown National City when the omega wasn’t seeing his new girlfriend (Lyra), working with a professor’s cybercrime research team, or hosting a student radio talk show on technology trends.

J’onn was teaching summer courses, reviewing early admissions applications, completing departmental accreditation requirements, and running the Student Help Center while Maggie was working with the President. She and Alex stayed in touch with each other as well as their space dad, and the omega excelled at her new mission. The case regarding the attack on Shannon, the twins, and the omega had gone cold, but she wanted to help other parents who had lost their children. Thus, once her human trafficking mission was complete, she accepted a one-year research and education fellowship from The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Alex was disappointed the professor would not be coming back in the fall or spring, but congratulated her hero and sent her a birthday present in July.

Kara met Lena Luthor via the Incoming NCU Freshmen Group on Spacebook. Both became fast friends before meeting at fall orientation and were welcomed into the originally four-person squad with open arms. Winn in particular was excited about another technology geek joining their group and, followed by Alex, offered to mentor Lena as she completed her first-year materials science class. James offered to mentor Kara as she completed her journalism classes while Lucy joked about the old guard being so soft on the newbie squad members (which is ironic, considering she would join in as well over time).

Lulu the cat also had six babies (one for each squad member to hold). The kittens must have been part-alien, however, because poor Eliza had to tie them down so they’d stop flying around the house and floating away during bath time. Lulu had given up on controlling her babies and watched the Danvers family trying to catch them with amusem*nt. The squad was sad when the babies all got adopted before school started again, but felt fulfilled by watching all of their firsts (especially their eyes opening, squeaking, and walking).

Alex stilled missed Maggie from time to time, however. She hoped they would get to see more of each other in person before Alex graduated (which was going to be two Mays away instead of three, due to how the auburn-haired alpha had completed summer classes and was planning to take more next year). She also hoped the weird feeling in her stomach would go away if she got to know the brunette more in person. She asked the universe and whichever gods were listening to bring the professor back whole and happier, then went to bed early so she could help Kara and Lena move in to Beghe Hall the next morning.

Chapter 11: Chapter Eleven

Chapter Text

That fall, Lena and Kara had no classes together; however, nobody could tell based on how much time they spent together. Kara often flew up to Lena’s single room in Beghe Hall because her roommate ignored all attempts at friendship (despite the blonde alpha’s bubbly, kind, and charming personality). The two would routinely watch movies together, talk about their plans for the future, share food, and comfort each other in bad times (given the challenging family Lena came from and the xenophobic comments Kara sometimes received at school). When the original four members of the squad showed up to Lena’s room to collect the two for lunch, nobody but Alex was surprised to find they had interrupted a cuddles-turned-makeout session. Kara had only talked about liking boys in high school, so Alex had assumed she was straight. Wanting to support the couple coming out beyond exchanging hugs, the four squad members decided to attend National City’s October Pride Fest.

Despite growing up near National City and being open-minded, Alex had never attended the local Pride Fest. Thinking about the event gave her the same funny feeling in her stomach as the time when she had spoken with Maggie in Beghe Hall. She didn’t feel that way when trying to date boys from her classes or internship groups, but also didn’t feel the spark everybody talked about when finding their true loves. Figuring she wasn’t designed to love in that way, Alex labelled herself aromantic and asexual; however, she wasn’t ready to come out, especially to her friends and sister. Word could get out to people like the Edge twins, and she’d never hear the end of it until graduation (assuming she would never have to work with those people again).

The auburn-haired alpha was surprised at the sheer scope of the Pride Fest weekend. About half a million people from various parts of Earth and the universe were spectators, and thousands more (the gang of six included) were volunteers, marchers, or booth operators. After their morning shift with the securities and setup team, Alex struck up a conversation with Kara and Lena about how they knew they were meant for each other.

“Hey, Kara and Lena?”

The couple turned their attention from giggling about holding hands in public to Alex and answered, “Yes, sistah?”

Lena had never called Alex her sister or made Hocus Pocus references before, but the alpha chose to smile bashfully and roll her eyes in return.

“How did you two know you were in love?”

The blonde blushed profusely, but answered first with a smile, “After every time I went to see her, I couldn’t stop floating in my sleep. My roommate got freaked out about my powers, but she wasn’t talking to me anyway, so I didn’t care. Anyway, this one makes me so happy. I hope she’ll be my first, rut or not.”

Alex was happy for the couple, but squeaked and wanted to bleach her ears out when hearing that last part. Neither of the sisters had had a rut yet, given most people didn’t experience ruts or heats until turning 17.

Flustered as well, and feeling bad for Alex, Lena tried to turn the conversation away from sex and gave her perspective on falling in love with Kara.

“I had a few crushes on girls at my boarding school, but what I started feeling about Kara blew them out of the water. I felt nervous when cuddling with her during movie time, and I still feel nervous when we’re together. It’s a good kind of nervous, though. Like a drumroll for the best song ever to start.”

Alex was shook and felt flustered by the brunette omega’s last words, but found a way to stop her line of thinking and the conversation.

“Oh, wow! Would you look at that? There’s a booth over there advertising for band members. I’m going to go check it out. Love ya, and make good decisions!”

Alex sprinted off into the distance, waving backwards at her family and leaving the two confused about what had just come over the mind-reading teen. However, they decided to let Alex be the one to bring up her feelings if she wanted and continued holding hands while giggling and swinging their arms back and forth.

Though awkwardly announced, Alex’s enthusiasm for joining a band wasn’t a lie. She wanted to play in a garage band in high school, but couldn’t due to her rigorous class schedule, family responsibilities, and two part-time jobs. She decided to join a kind group of asexual artists called Pieces of Ace after auditioning for drums and vocals on the spot. However, she asked the band members not to tell anyone because she wasn’t ready to come out to everyone yet. Understanding completely, the other band members agreed and took the alien under their arms, wings, and tentacles. Feeling complete with Alex in the picture, the group of five started negotiating a practice schedule and a list of LGBTQ+ charities to sponsor.

Alex left the band in good spirits and passed some anti-LGBTQ+ protesters before finding her friends and family again. She was particularly bothered by the signs saying alpha-alpha, beta-beta, and omega-omega couplings were wrong and should stay banned (even though laws and times were changing). Alex could never understand why people hated same-status couples people so much, but kept walking to avoid confronting the protesters and her feelings.

After finishing up at Pride Fest and completing homework as well as group project work, the couples in the group of six all decided to go spend more time with their partners, and Winn left to meet up with Lyra. Alex wondered if she would ever have someone to call her own and felt a little sad to be different, but felt better after visiting Lulu and her mom (who knew how special and deserving the young alpha was).

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While National City Pride Fest was happening, Maggie was across the world attending an international conference about missing and exploited children. She had given several talks about ways to keep children safe via technology and situational awareness, but was missing her life back in the United States and wondered if her own children would ever get justice. She also hoped Shannon was doing better. However, the omega’s thoughts mostly focused on missing a certain auburn-haired student who had made all the difference in her recovery in December and again in July.

While serving the President again and going undercover in a notoriously hard-to-bust international alien child trafficking ring, Maggie had been exposed as a mole and stabbed repeatedly by the ring’s leader henchmen. Her colleagues came to her rescue in time, but she still sustained several cuts, bruises, and scars from the incident (the latter of which further decreased her chances of getting pregnant again).

The two couldn’t speak in person or via video conference due to the miles between them and the President’s security protocol, but Alex stayed up all summer night to mind-message the brunette and make sure she was okay. Alex also couldn’t send any packages besides a birthday card, but decided to sing Maggie some songs and asked the brunette to tie a sweater backwards around her middle (the idea being that Alex was hugging her from oceans away). Maggie was incredibly touched by the gestures and the dinosaur card Alex had sent. She hoped whoever ended up with the young prodigy deserved her (as did J’onn and everybody back in National City).

Trying to improve her mood, Maggie picked up and started rereading a pamphlet on having a baby via donor sperm. She read about the benefits of that route, including optional anonymity of the donor, contact with diblings (children sired by the same donor), legal protections, sire trait selection, and timed pregnancies. The costs of that route to parenthood could be steep, but the brunette had enough in savings to cover at least one round of the more effective fertilization methods. She made notes about saving more money in the new year and getting in touch with potential donors when back in the United States, as she was fine with parenting alone if needed.

Chapter 12: Chapter Twelve

Chapter Text

Alex had just gotten back from performing with Pieces of Ace when she found out that J’onn would be coming to Christmas at the Danvers household. In addition to bringing food and gifts, he planned to introduce everyone in his space family and friend group to M’gann (his new girlfriend). He also said he might have one more guest along for the ride, but hadn’t received a confirmation yet (according to Eliza).

Meanwhile, Maggie was entering the National City International Airport for the first time in about ten months. She’d just wrapped up the winter portion of her National Center for Missing and Exploited Children advocacy tour, so she was taking two weeks of much-needed time to rest, eat home-cooked food, and meet with potential sperm donors. She hoped to make a decision about which donor to choose by interviewing donation recipients and, if applicable, diblings all from the same sperm donors. She had her work cut out for her, but was grateful J’onn had invited her to would should be a fun Christmas party.

The omega hadn’t confirmed her attendance, however, because she was waiting to hear whether another potential donor could meet at an earlier or later time that day. Once settled in a SpaceBnB loft overlooking the city’s skyline, she received a text from the alpha saying she could have her donor kids meet the brunette earlier in the day and talk about insemination options after the party ended. Relieved to hear back so soon, Maggie accepted the donor’s proposal, mind-messaged J’onn that she would definitely attend the party, and messaged both to find out where she needed to be in two days.

The next day flew by quickly for everyone going to the party. The Danvers family set up all the decorations in the house, started preparing the food, and rocked out to Christmas music while donning holiday onesies, hats, and socks. Lena joined in on the fun and watched Home Alone with the sisters after spending some obligatory time with the other Luthors. The rest of the squad and Lyra were out getting food, decorations, and presents to bring for the party. J’onn took Maggie out to dinner, hoping to reconnect and lift her spirits (which were low after she realized it was the twins’ death day and learned the potential donors she’d met weren’t right for her).

The day of the party, the brunette omega met with her final prospect’s donor children and their families at a centrally located park. The diblings (a two-year-old omega girl, a five-year-old beta boy, and a four-year-old alpha girl) were generally well-behaved and sweet, such that they played well with each other in the snow and listened when one of the parents supervising instead of interviewing said something. The kids’ moms and dads were great to speak with and were very attentive when supervising, so Maggie felt a lot more confident about choosing the same donor and bringing their child into the group. She texted the alpha donor that she was all in and looking forward to their post-party conversation.

Before getting out of her rental car and heading into the party, Maggie rubbed some more alpha pheromone cream on her arms and neck in case anyone else from NCU was in attendance (not wanting anyone to guess she was an omega with a heat coming up soon). She also grabbed the apple cinnamon pie and party favor bags she’d made, wanting to be a classy and warm guest. Then, making sure she was at the right house for the last time, she mind-messaged J’onn she’d arrived safely and knocked.

Seeing the brunette omega looking considerably happier made the space dad happy as well.

“Maggie! I take it today’s meeting with the family and kids went well?”

Signaling for J’onn to keep his voice down, she gave him two thumbs up while smiling wider than he’d seen in about a year.

“That’s great to hear! Let me know how tonight goes and if you need anything during your stay,” he whispered with warmth and consideration, ushering her into the house.

Alex was placing all of the gifts and party favors around the Christmas tree (or, in Winn’s case, Hanukkah bush) while everyone else was helping Eliza set the table. J’onn introduced Maggie to M’gann and led both ladies into the open concept living/dining room area. Once the table looked set, J’onn introduced everyone to M’gann and Maggie, then offered to say a prayer for the food, gifts, and laughter they were about to share.

The auburn-haired mind-reader was shocked beyond belief and looked to Kara as well as their mom (wondering if either neglected to mention Maggie was J’onn’s second guest). Neither one had known, but the look on Maggie’s face said it all; J’onn had kept the guest list at least partially obscure for everyone. There wasn’t much time for the alpha and omega to remain frozen, however; everyone was starting to clasp hands for the prayer, and Alex somehow found her nervous and sweaty palm touching Maggie’s.

“Dear gods across time and the universe, we come together as family and friends, young and old, and alien and human (minus Lulu) to thank you for this special time we have together. We ask that you bring everyone here good spirits tonight, this season, and as often as possible this coming year. We also ask that you watch over those who could not be here and protect them, wherever they may be. May their examples guide our actions and decisions. Amen.”

“Amen,” everyone said after J’onn finished.

While J’onn was preparing plates for everyone, Alex was still processing how Maggie was back from traveling, in her house, and holding her hand for a breath longer than was necessary. She wouldn’t have believed any of it if Kara hadn’t pinched her and said it was her turn to get food. She let the hungry blonde skip ahead so she could start relearning how to form words and make eye contact, especially with the woman she’d been writing letters and sending mind-messages to longer than they’d been in the same room together.

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Unsure of what to say to one another or how to act, Alex and Maggie sat on opposite ends of the table, such that the alpha was closer to her mom and sister while the omega sat between J’onn and Lucy. All of the food was delicious, but anyone looking at the two women’s plates wouldn’t have known it; they were far too preoccupied to eat, stealing glances at the opposite side of the table when the other wasn’t looking. Eliza eventually noticed her eldest’s still-full plate and hoped she hadn’t worked so hard she’d lost her appetite.

“Honey, is everything all right? You’ve hardly touched your food. Did you overdo it with decorating yesterday? Is there anything I can do for you?”

The auburn-haired prodigy shook her head no to all of the questions and excused herself, saying she wasn’t feeling very well. Maggie offered to help her so everyone else could finish eating, but left a table full of concerned looks aimed where both women had gone.

Alex went into the upstairs bathroom she and Kara shared and quickly rubbed on some beta calming pheromone cream, hoping to settle her nerves and mask her scared scent. After splashing some water on her face and neck, she felt ready to open the door and was greeted by the very person causing her to feel this way.

Not knowing what to say, Maggie paused, then went to hug Alex. The young alien dodged the hug by stepping back and saying, “You shouldn’t touch me. I’m . . . dangerous.”

Confused and saddened by the dodge, Maggie handed Alex the sweater around her waist and signaled for the teen to turn it around (replicating the across-oceans hug they’d exchanged after the stabbing). That action put Alex at ease, such that she let Maggie put a hand on her upper arm and speak.

“Hi, dangerous. It’s really good to see you. I never really got to thank you for all you did for me last December and this July. I’ve carried your elephant toy and dinosaur card to six continents now; they’ve really helped when I’ve had nothing else to call home,” she said, realizing the words sounded creepier out loud than in her head.

Before she could apologize, Alex cut her off and asked, “So you’re saying you liked them?”

Chuckling while blushing and nodding, the brunette made small talk with the teen as they headed back down to dinner (which they finished all of, now that the in-person ice was broken).

Chapter 13: Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Text

The rest of the party became considerably more fun and light-hearted when the Danvers, J’onn, and everyone else played White Elephant (a number-drawing game in which players could accept the gift they’d initially picked or steal a gift someone else had picked). Maggie hadn’t brought a gift because she hadn’t played the game before, but J’onn graciously had her covered by bringing an extra present to enter into the game.

Alex was a little flustered by the game when it was Maggie’s turn to pick a gift from the pile or someone else who’d picked before her. Unknowingly, the brunette went for the gift Alex had made and wrapped better than in months past. The auburn-haired alien held her breath while it was being opened, hoping Maggie would like and be able to keep the gift.

“Oh, wow! This plaid weighted blanket is so cute. It’s even heated, too!”

Bashfully, Alex smiled and averted her eyes. Then, still smiling, she looked up and said, “Merry Christmas, Maggie.”

The brunette figured the gift was from Alex due to its heat knob being similar to the one on the elephant, but was happy to receive confirmation.

“Thank you, Alex. Merry Christmas to you, too.”

Everybody around the women could tell there was something special about the gift landing in Maggie’s arms, so they decided to let her keep it while mercilessly stealing each others’ picks. Lena’s steal was particularly funny, given she took a huge Nerf Gun away from Kara and proceeded to kiss her cheek to make her pout go away.

----

Fortunately, everyone was a good sport about what they received from White Elephant. Still smiling and laughing, they hugged and thanked each other for coming while walking out to their cars.

Alex was sad to see Maggie go because they’d had so much fun together that night, but felt better after the brunette promised she’d be back in town a few days during NCU’s spring break and full-time after May. Not wanting to let her nerves get the better of her, Alex wrapped the shorter woman in a soft hug and rubbed her back up and down some, hoping the brunette would stay safe and keep her word.

Maggie breathed in deeply before letting go, smelling a heady mix of cinnamon, beta calming pheromones, and excited alpha pheromones coming from the teen. The brunette was confused about where the alpha pheromone had come from because the auburn-haired youth had only smelled of beta earlier, but guessed it was from one of the other party guests. Something about the foreign pheromones made Maggie uncomfortable, but she wasn’t sure what, so she kept the discomfort to herself and bid everyone a final goodbye.

The omega would figure out why later that night when meeting up with her sperm donor, though.

----

While driving to the sperm donor’s apartment, Maggie started feeling feverish and sweaty, such that her mind started racing. At first, she attributed the changes to nerves from going to meet the sire of her future child. However, once the alpha opened the door to greet her, both knew the shorter woman’s heat had come early. The two tried making polite and respectful small talk which would make discussing donation options easier, but succumbed to their desires when Maggie’s pheromones proved too strong to ignore or control.

Not wanting to make love with a complete stranger, the omega showed the alpha a photo of someone on her phone and asked the shape-shifting donor to look like that person for the night. The alpha complied immediately, given natural insemination would be more fun for her and less costly for the brunette. The fact that Maggie was dressed to the nines and showing her dimples in response to the photo had nothing to do with the donor’s compliance. Nope, not one bit.

Grateful she’d met an alpha who could satiate her heat while acting out a persistent but immoral dream of hers, Maggie started stripping and hopped into the awaiting alpha’s arms, nearly knocking the tall alien over while demanding her knot.

Meanwhile, Alex realized she was still wearing Maggie’s sweater around her waist. Not sure whether the sweater needed to be washed prior to return, Alex smelled it and got a whiff of cinnamon as well as reasonably subtle omega pheromones. The pheromones made her just as uncomfortable as Maggie had felt, such that Alex’s first rut came on full force a few minutes later. The rut pain and concentration of her smell would be so bad that Lena and Kara would have to stay downstairs while a masked Eliza was holding her eldest’s sweaty, mid-vomit hair. Figuring she had missed the signs of Alex’s premature rut hours earlier during dinner, Eliza felt bad and went to get Alex some medicine to help stop the pain.

Even though she figured the omega pheromones were from someone Maggie knew, the fantasies running through the teen’s mind made her question her asexual, straight, and alpha identities in one fell swoop. She shamefully surrendered to her fantasies, however, as fighting them just prolonged and worsened her pain. She came more times that night in her bedroom than she ever thought possible and was traumatized by the rut (given she’d never been able to org*sm, especially over a complete stranger’s pheromones). It would be awhile before she could look Maggie in the eye again, given her rut may have been triggered by the brunette’s friend or partner.

Maggie’s symptoms would only last a few hours due to one of two theories she would have to test: the highly-virile donor impregnated her that night, or her PCOS put a swift end to the heat. However, Alex’s rut would stay that strong for a week (prompting an emergency room visit as well as follow-up counseling with a sexual health therapist).

The short brunette heard Alex was very sick via J’onn’s mind-messaging, but figured she shouldn’t see the auburn-haired teen in person yet (given she’d had a miscarriage and nearly died when someone else had unknowningly transferred something toxic into her). However, she decided to send the teen a card and some flowers while out getting pregnancy tests, prenatal vitamins, and groceries at a store near her SpaceBnB loft.

Alex would remain on bed rest for the remaining four days Maggie was in town, so the two would have to wait until three months later to see each other again.

Chapter 14: Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Text

Maggie was sad to learn that night in December did not get her pregnant, but was persistent in her dream to become a mom and fortunate enough to find a sperm donor willing to try multiple times after their first. The donor had even flown up to see Maggie for Valentine’s Day weekend so the brunette wouldn’t have to take off work, surprising her with a bouquet of alien flowers, a bottle of scotch, and some new movies to watch when arriving.

Spending the holiday together was fun, given their rut and heat synced up time- and intensity-wise. Throughout that week, the two repeated and modified the fantasy-based sex Maggie had sought back in December, christening every room in the omega’s apartment. However, unlike before, the temporarily auburn-haired alpha’s curiosity got the better of her. Wanting to know more about the person Maggie was always asking her to change into, the donor asked after another round had left them tied and cuddled up on the omega’s bed.

“Hey Maggie, may I ask you something personal?”

The brunette felt a little nervous about answering that question, but was willing to if the donor met a request of hers beforehand.

“Sure thing, if you change back into yourself first.”

The shape-shifting alien chuckled a little, but changed back and kissed the brunette on the shoulder to signal she could look up at her back-to-normal face and hair.

“Who’s this Alex person you keep fantasizing about?”

Maggie figured that question would come up eventually, but was nervous to tell the donor and felt somewhat ashamed of losing self-control in retrospect.

Sensing the omega was starting to shut down, the donor said, “Maggie, hey. It’s okay. Whatever it is, I’m not here to judge you. If Alex is an ex, someone who’s taken, a platonic friend, or someone who’s no longer with us, that’s okay. You’re just trying to get pregnant in a way which makes you feel safe, not wreck anyone else’s life or hurt them. You can tell me.”

Maggie was grateful to hear the donor was so accepting of her and her situation, so she began telling the alpha about Alex.

“Alex is this amazing young woman who’s so caring, smart, thoughtful, funny, cute, brave, and stubborn . . . usually in the right ways. She’s always checked in on me when I’ve been away for work or hurting personally, and she’s even invented multiple things for me. I've been having dreams of her for several months now and unable to fully commit to dating since Shannon because of them. The thing is, we can’t be together.”

Sad to see Maggie look so defeated, and curious to know more, the donor kept the conversation going, ready to stop if Maggie needed to at any point in time.

“She sounds really great for you. Why can’t you be together, though?”

Maggie paused and looked away in response to that question at first, but resumed eye contact and responded after the donor started stroking her back and wavy raven hair.

“First, there’s a huge age gap between us; she’ll be 17 this year, and I’ll be 27. Plus, even though I haven’t taught her, I’m a criminal justice professor at National City University when not on special assignments like the one I’m here for. I don’t want to become someone who uses her power for nefarious reasons, especially when a college student who lost her dad not too long ago and looks up to me as a role model is involved. Third, I don’t know if she likes women, especially those who want kids.”

The donor felt bad for Maggie, yet honored the woman was opening up to her this way and trusting her with some of her deepest secrets.

“Maybe you two can be together when she graduates and is of age. Meanwhile, you can get to know her better and see if she’s open to having children in the future. Why love women in general when she could just love you, though?”

Maggie was touched and relieved by the alpha’s non-judgmental, supportive words. However, she was still feeling vulnerable and unsure of herself.

“You don’t think I’m a bad person?”

The alpha shook her head no and pulled the shorter woman to her chest, stroking her back and hair some more while pumping out calming pheromones.

“I think you’re great. If you both end up being together and want children, I’m happy to give the baby we’re about to make a sibling.”

Maggie’s eyes dilated at that last sentence and the alien’s transformation back into the alpha Alex she had been dreaming of. Feeling uninhibited now that the air was clear, Maggie went all in on the love making and began chasing satiation more fiercely than in all of their previous encounters.

“I love you, Alex Danvers,” she whispered for the first time while on the brink of org*sm.

The pretend-Alex whispered between fiery kisses and impossibly strong thrusts, “I love you, too, Maggie Sawyer. Please take all of my knot. I wanna see you swell with our babies.”

Maggie org*smed harder than she ever had before, followed by the pretend-Alex. Once the two were no longer blacked out, the tall alien brushed messy brunette hair aside to smell the pheromone glands on Maggie’s neck. The still-shifted alpha swore Maggie smelled different and strongly believed she was pregnant, placing a tentative yet hopeful hand over the olive belly. Tests and time would tell if she was, though.

----

Meanwhile, back in National City, Alex met up with Sam and took Ruby to the local park before the Latina beta and her alpha went out for Valentine’s Day. The lines of pink-blossom cherry trees, fields of newly green grass, and stately buildings all around them were truly mesmerizing. Both women and Ruby loved the collage of natural and artificial wonders the city had to offer.

“This Valentine’s Day date is going to be pretty interesting,” Sam mused while smiling bashfully.

Not sure where the brown-haired beta was going with that, Alex smiled in acknowledgement, but kept her eyes on Ruby (with the hope that the mom would eventually follow suit and keep her next words PG).

Not hearing anything out of the auburn-haired teen, Sam started her usual teasing up again and said, “Well, aren’t you going to ask why?”

Alex adored Sam enough to view her as an older sister. However, hearing about her having sex with Kate made the teen want to bleach her ears out as much as she wanted to when Kara started talking about dates with Lena.

“Eww, Sam! Stop trying to overshare. There are children here,” Alex retorted while flinging a handful of Cheerios at her friend.

“Yeah, I know. The kid flinging cereal is pretty bad from what I hear,” the beta playfully countered, earning a hard eye roll from Alex.

“Ruby’s sibling, on the other hand, has been pretty great so far. We’ll see if that changes between now and October,” Sam said, sneakily sharing some important news with her friend.

Eyes as big as dinner plates, and mouth as open as a gargoyle’s, Alex replied, “Wait, are you pregnant?”

The brown-haired beta nodded with a huge grin on her face, then motioned for Alex to keep it down (as she hadn’t told Ruby or Kate yet).

“Yes, and I was hoping to ask you something . . .”

“If you’re trying to get me to babysit two for the price of one, you’re out of your mind,” the auburn-haired crime-fighter interrupted, trying to get back at her friend for being sassy earlier.

Giggling while shaking her head and trying to cover her mouth, Sam sassed back, “Not even if they’re your godchildren?”

Alex froze while processing the honor Sam wanted to bestow upon her. Then, she squealed out loud and hugged her friend tight, jumping up and down out of excitement.

However, their moment of happiness was temporarily dampened by a nosy, old, and bigoted woman who was inching past them with her walker.

“Stop trying to recreate how you made that baby in front of everyone. Nobody wants to see you gyrating those hips like Elvis did. Gays and their desperate need for attention,” she complained, mistakenly assuming Alex was the sire of Sam’s unborn baby.

“Wait, what are you talking about? The baby is my godchild, and I’m not gay,” Alex retorted, clearly annoyed at how presumptuous and off-base the woman was about their little moment.

Glad her friend accepted the title of godmother, but annoyed at the elderly lady, Same replied, “It’s okay, Alex. You don’t owe anybody an explanation of yourself or your excitement. I’m sure this woman was just leaving.”

The nosy woman was about to fire back at that comment when Sam’s eyes lit up red with fury. Startled, the stranger began hobbling along faster, muttering about how terrible aliens were on the way back to wherever she came from.

“Thank you, Sam,” Alex replied, grateful their peace had been restored.

“You’re very welcome, Not Gay. Let’s get Ruby and roll the hell out of here so I can share the good news with her and her mama,” the Latina teased, wanting to lighten the mood before they collected her sweetie pie from the jungle gym.

Alex nodded and followed Sam, happy about her new role and excited for the little family’s future.

Later that night, the old woman’s words came to mind again as the teen read Ruby a bedtime story on accepting others for who they really are. While cuddling the passed out five-year-old, Alex hoped a certain someone could accept her for who she really was one day.

Chapter 15: Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Text

Right before Spring Break rolled around, two of the women Alex was closest to were in the throes of morning sickness. Sam and Kate started relying on the teen more for babysitting and school pickup duties, given they didn’t want Ruby to worry about the beta or her sibling. Maggie called the donor up after sending over a photo of a pregnancy test, crying at how their last time on Valentine’s Day led to a fairly faint plus sign. The brunette omega also let J’onn know he was finally going to be a space grandpa, but left the details about the baby’s conception out. She needed every ounce of faraway support imaginable while clutching the toilet in her apartment.

Alex sensed when both women weren’t feeling good, but was less concerned about Sam because the cause of the beta’s suffering was clear and manageable. Wanting to check on Maggie, the teen sent her a mind-message, letting her know she could cancel their SpaceBnB reservation at the small California beach they’d talked about if needed. The omega responded right away, though, reassuring Alex everything was going to be okay and that she was excited to see her again in a couple of weeks. Once reassured the brunette’s vomiting was temporary, the auburn-haired alpha let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding and leaned back against her favorite tree at NCU. She loved the sensation of the sun warming her face and shining through her new undercut (which Kara had gawked at and Lena had given two thumbs up).

Alex got the undercut somewhat by mistake. She had tried cutting her hair without help, but felt so anxious about the thoughts flooding her mind lately that her mind wandered, leading her to cut one side far too short. She didn’t regret her mistake, however, because it led to her meeting Zell (the incredibly kind and accepting campus barber). The young alpha felt like she could tell Zell anything because, unlike most people on campus, the barber was an alpha and alien who also struggled to come to terms with her identity. The teen often wandered over to the hideaway 1960s-looking shop, searching for answers about life rather than hair.

The teen had debated telling Zell what was on her mind lately out of fear of judgment and abandonment, but decided to balance self-protection with honesty. Getting up from the base of the tree, Alex decided to seek advice on behalf of a made-up friend.

Upon hearing the bell to her shop ring, the motherly figure greeted the auburn-haired youth with her eight open arms, purple and gold veneers, and kinked green and black hair. Her chocolate-colored and comfortably pudgy tail whipped forward, offering Alex a Dum Dum lollipop from a jar on the front desk to make her feel at home.

“What’s happening, baby? Something wrong?”

Though not endowed with mind-mind connection abilities, Zell could always sense when the teen was feeling off. She really appreciated Alex stopping by all the time because, unlike most students, she was genuine and cared about Zell beyond the hairdressing.

Alex leaned against Zell’s bosom and nodded, trying to repeat the narrative she had crafted about her fake friend. The sensitive soul patiently waited for Alex to start, letting the girl gather her wits and courage while rubbing circles on her back.

“So, I have this friend who’s in love with someone. The friend wants to confess their feelings, but there are all kinds of barriers preventing the two from being together. Both are good people and take a lot of pride in doing what’s right, but there’s this amazing spark between them, at least from my friend’s point of view. Why can’t we live in a world where people just love who they love?”

Eyes and face softening at the teen’s sadness, Zell rocked the girl back and forth, thinking of what to say in response.

“I’m really sorry your friend is having to grapple with such a difficult situation. Sometimes, the very things and people we want most are those we have to fight for the most. Hardly anyone has gotten someone or something good without loss, but your friend may be able to leverage and grow from that loss rather than succumbing to it. As time fades and people lose their preconceived notions of what is just or socially acceptable, they start to find their true selves. Your friend and their love interest deserve nothing but each other’s true selves, whether apart or together. Can you see?”

Alex nodded into Zell again, understanding what her friend meant and grateful to hear how non-judgmental yet honest she was.

“Your friend just needs to give the both of them time to grow, baby. Their love sounds a lot like bamboo; those shoots grow a hell of a lot for years, but nobody sees it because none of the growth occurs above ground. However, when the shoots do start growing above ground, ain’t nobody gonna stop them from hitting six feet high or more in just weeks. There’s nothing wrong with being like bamboo; life is a forest, and we’re all different trees just trying to grow from the roots we have.”

That comparison really hit home for the teen. If Zell was right, and Maggie did feel something in return, the two crime-fighters were already a year through their below-ground growth phase. Perhaps they would hit the above-ground phase after Alex graduated and turned 18. Society might disapprove of them being a non-straight as well as alpha-alpha couple, but none of that had to matter in the end. Women throughout history had broken rules and status quos in pursuit of more important things, after all.

“Thank you, Zell. I’ll share what you said with my friend,” the teen replied, grateful Zell was such an excellent storyteller and listener.

Smiling, and giving a final hug before the teen left, Zell said, “Anytime, baby.”

When Alex was out of earshot, Zell prayed to whichever gods were listening that her young friend’s existential crisis would make her better instead of bitter.

----

Maggie was nervous yet excited the whole plane ride to see Alex. She decided to follow her donor’s advice and see if the auburn-haired teen was interested in having children as well as a relationship with a woman one day, yet do so in a way which wouldn’t scare her off or break any laws.

Meanwhile, Alex was thinking of what to say to the brunette while driving the new Jeep Wrangler she’d bought with money earned from selling copies of her inventions (minus the elephant she’d given Maggie all those months ago). If sales on her products continued being that good, she’d be able to pay off her family’s new house and set up a memorial scholarship for her dad by the end of the year. She hoped to use some of the remaining money to help her family as needed, but devote a substantial portion to supporting those she hoped to bring into it.

The two decided to rent a beachside cottage for a few days during Spring Break, wanting to catch up and see what each had planned for the upcoming year. Alex was going to be a senior in the fall and Maggie was going to resume her professor-director duties then, so the two decided to make the most of the time off they had now.

Before getting out of the Jeep and stepping into the cottage, Alex rubbed beta calming pheromone cream on her face, neck, arms, hands, and upper back, trying to calm herself, maintain the self-protective identity she’d created at school, and not melt into a puddle of nervous goo upon seeing Maggie. Meanwhile, Maggie was inside the cottage’s master bedroom and rubbing on alpha calming pheromone cream for similar reasons.

The alpha twisted some long, sun-bleached stalks of beach grass between her pale and trembling fingers. Then, courage gathered, she stepped onto the cerulean and cream cottage’s wrap-around porch to ring the doorbell.

Hungry, and wanting to impress Alex, the brunette had gotten a jump start with making vegan spaghetti and meatballs. She was lost in thoughts of whether the teen would like her cooking and the three flavors of So Delicious vegan ice cream she’d bought, but snapped back to reality when her meatballs smelled close to done and the doorbell rang.

“Coming! Just getting done with making us lunch,” Maggie shouted so Alex would hear.

“Okay! Take your time,” Alex replied, smiling at the ground at the thought of eating with Maggie for the first time since Christmas.

After cleaning herself up and reapplying the alpha cream which had come off mid-cooking, the brunette answered the door with a bashful, dimpled smile.

“Hey, you,” she said softly while tilting her head and opening her arms for a hug.

Alex blushed at how willing Maggie was to touch her, even after the months they’d spent apart. She rarely liked being touched, but felt safe in Maggie’s arms and couldn’t bear the thought of denying her such pure affection ever again. Part of her wished she could sweep the brunette up Hollywood-style and kiss her so hard she’d forget all about their lunch. She’d have to file that idea away for another day, though; Zell’s words about Maggie deserving to know her true self came to mind, and the alpha wanted to honor them before moving past hugging.

The two toured the cottage some and negotiated who would get each bedroom while the spaghetti and meatballs were cooling off. Alex volunteered to take the loft bedroom upstairs, loving the winding staircase leading up to what would prove a marvelous view of each day’s sunrise. Maggie would take the downstairs master bedroom, thinking of how she could see the stars while using the outdoor jacuzzi. However, considering how much time they would spend in both rooms, their choices wouldn’t matter in the end.

----

“I can’t believe you got me to try all of this vegan food, but I’ve gotta hand it to you; the pasta was to die for, and I’m really loving the ice cream,” Alex confessed while helping Maggie do the dishes from lunch.

Smiling proudly, the crime-fighting cook affectionately bumped the alien with her hip and continued cleaning up, catching glimpses of the teen finishing the ice cream whenever possible. She wanted to keep thinking of other things Alex’s tongue could do, but cleared her throat and asked a question to regain self-control.

“So, of the three flavors, which was your favorite?”

Alex scrunched her face and put a finger to her chin while looking up in thought, trying to discern a way to rank the flavors.

Maggie couldn’t help but think of what a child with Alex’s mannerisms and expressions would look like. God, could she be any cuter? I hope our baby makes the same face when figuring all of their firsts out.

Before Maggie could remind herself the baby wasn’t really Alex’s and subconsciously put a hand over her belly, the teen suddenly came up with an answer.

“They’re far too different to compare. I feel like the Snickerdoodle punched me in the face with all of the cinnamon dough it had, but I’m too feisty to put it down. The Dark Chocolate Truffle is really rich and creamy, but doesn’t make me feel sick like the dairy equivalent would. The Salted Caramel Cluster has so much texture and is really buttery, but offers a different experience with every bite. All in all, good ice cream haul, Maggie.”

The brunette smiled again, displaying full dimples at how happy Alex was.

Putting her spoon in with the rest of the dishes, the auburn-haired inventor returned the question, wondering what Maggie’s answer would be.

“How about you, Maggie? Which flavor do you like best?”

Not realizing she was thinking out loud, the brunette replied, “I like them all, too, but can’t help but wonder what my babies would have thought about them.”

Alex froze and became paler at those final words, prompting a flustered Maggie to awkwardly start explaining what she meant.

“Two winters ago, my then-fiance and I were on our way to becoming parents. We were about halfway through a twin pregnancy, but we were poisoned and lost them. That’s why we were in the hospital for so long. I still wanted kids, but my fiance couldn’t have them anymore and didn’t want to become a parent because of the trauma we faced. We broke up over that and how we’d grown apart.”

Having no clue Maggie had gone through all of that, but not knowing what to say to show support, Alex rushed over to the brunette and swept her up in a warm hug. She began rubbing slow and soft circles over the shorter woman’s back, willing her hands to do what her mouth and brain were too paralyzed to do.

Maggie curled into the taller woman, breathing in all of the calming beta pheromones she could get and letting out a sob she hadn’t realized she’d been holding onto for over a year.

Suddenly, Alex’ brain kicked into gear and came up with something to say.

“I’m so sorry you were hurting and alone so much, Maggie. I’ll pray for my dad to watch over your angel babies. You deserve so much more than what happened back then. When you’re ready, I think you’ll make a great mom and partner.”

Maggie’s tears began to stop after hearing those words. Clutching her love like an anchor latching onto the ocean floor, she quietly thanked the alien and decided to change the subject, not wanting to reveal her pregnancy by accident as well.

“So, have you found anyone through school or your internships?”

Alex frowned a little and averted her gaze, thinking of how dating guys felt like a waste of time in retrospect, but not ready to admit how she might be gay.

“I tried going on a few dates, but there wasn’t any spark. Those guys can’t compare to this one alpha I haven’t been able to stop thinking about. I prematurely shifted into adulthood during Christmas and probably wouldn’t have survived the experience without those thoughts.”

Maggie felt a mix of emotions after processing that response: sadness over Alex’s pain, happiness at how she was technically single, jealously over the unnamed alpha, uncertainty over the young adult’s interest in women, and arousal at how much her body had apparently changed. However, not wanting to scare her love away, the brunette kept those feelings to herself and reciprocated the kindness she’d received earlier.

“You’re really great, too, Alex. Anyone would be crazy not to date someone who’s a formidable crime-fighter and inventor, plus a beautiful softy,” she replied more thoughtfully.

The auburn-haired alien blushed hard at how the brunette said she was beautiful. Then, once her brain decided to start working properly, she whipped out the checklist of everything she had planned to do with Maggie during the next three days. The next items on the list were walking on the beach, talking about their friends and family, racing kayaks, and sharing plans for the future while roasting marshmallows under the stars. Wanting to make the most of their time together, the two lathered on sunscreen, put on their aviators, and made a run for the beach, enjoying the fiery spirit each brought out in the other.

Chapter 16: Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Text

The rest of the afternoon’s activities proved incredibly fun as well as informative for Maggie and Alex. While walking on the beach, the brunette got to see the sun shine through the inventor’s new undercut for the first time and just barely stopped herself from tucking the longer side behind a snowy, exposed ear. She also got to see how much maturity and the criminal justice program’s fitness routine had changed the teen; her biceps, butt, breasts, and quads were much more developed, and she walked with far more confidence than the first day they’d met. To prevent herself from launching at and taking the teen right there in the sand, Maggie decided to start checking off Alex’s second item for the evening: talking about their friends and family.

Alex had somewhat less to tell because Maggie had already met her family and James, Winn, Lyra, and Lucy at Christmas. However, the teen was happy as well as surprised to learn they both deemed J’onn a stand-in father. Knowing how Alex had already opened up about her dad, the omega decided to open up about her biological parents and brothers, then shared how they’d turned their backs on her when a therapist said the persistent dreams she’d been having meant she was gay. The auburn-haired softy stopped walking and pulled the shorter woman into a hug right after that, saying she’d do everything in her power to always be there for her and saying her family was Maggie’s from this point on. The brunette thanked her counterpart again, then decided to change the subject to something more positive.

Consumed by thoughts of how she might have a chance with Maggie one day, Alex’s penis twitched and started to harden some. Thankfully, the teen’s arousal and well-endowed lower half were obscured by the beta pheromone cream and thick, long compression shorts. Those and Maggie’s next question prevented their hug from becoming all the things Alex had imagined during her first rut.

“So, have you signed up for any summer courses or internships yet?”

Alex had given her summer course load and internships a lot of thought, so she was more than willing to share them with Maggie.

“Mhmm! I decided to take some courses on human sexuality, the psychology of romantic relationships, and developmental psychology to be a better partner and mom in the future. I’ve been so focused on developing professionally that I’ve neglected to explore those aspects of who I am and could be. My internships will pair well with those classes; one will be with the National City Police’s summer outreach camp for kids, and the other will involve NICU observations and research at National and Women’s Hospital. I’ve been thinking about becoming a doctor before going back to the FBI again. Dana Scully from The X-Files has become my hero, as has Temperance Brennan from Bones.”

Maggie was in awe of how much direction and curiosity the teen had, grateful National City University had felt the same way and made her dreams financially possible. She was also relieved to hear how Alex wanted and cared about children. Perhaps she would accept the brunette’s baby and hand in marriage one day, gods of the universe willing.

Concerned at Maggie’s silence and tentative belly rubbing, Alex roused the omega from her thoughts and asked, “Maggie, is everything okay? You look a little paler than earlier.”

Not wanting to worry the young alien, Maggie reassured and congratulated her before saying she was ready to race kayaks, then watched the teen go to get everything they needed from the cottage. After Alex was no longer in sight, the pregnant omega began wretching into some sea grass which was closer to the ocean. Once done, she wiped her hands on her compression shorts, took a few sips of water which was fortified to prevent morning sickness, and marveled as two kayaks began floating from the cottage’s walkway to where she was. She’d resigned to never getting used to how special Alex was, yet hoped to show appreciation for it when both were ready.

Fortunately, the rest of the day was kinder to Maggie’s body. She was able to bounce back after losing to Alex during their first round of racing to and from a small island off shore, such that she victoriously tapped the island’s sand with her paddle first. Alex pouted a little at the loss, but Maggie took pity on her and said the final round would be a double or nothing bet: whoever won would get to pick the movies they watched during their final night’s movie marathon. The final race ended with a tie, however, so the two mutually decided to watch the first, fourth, and fifth Harry Potter movies (as neither liked or owned the rest). However, the agreement didn’t stop the two from bickering over who would eat the most marshmallows like an old married couple. Alex would win that bet, but only because she expanded her stomach using her powers and Maggie remembered she shouldn’t drown the baby in sugar. The sight of the inventor being so full she looked seven months pregnant simultaneously amused and aroused Maggie (who started fantasizing about working with the donor to get Alex pregnant). To halt her thoughts temporarily, Maggie said it was getting late and told Alex she was heading in for the night. The two hugged and padded to their respective rooms, catching glimpses of each other along the way.

While Alex was on her laptop looking up birthing and parenting workshops to go to when back in National City, she heard Maggie’s shower turn on downstairs. Against her better judgment, she began to think about what showering with Maggie would feel like. Specifically, as she imagined kissing the brunette’s exposed neck, rubbing suds on her breasts and belly, and closing the space between their pale and olive fronts, she could feel her alpha awakening. To prevent her true pheromones from wafting into the rest of the house, Alex decided to head into the upstairs bathroom, caulk its door’s bottom, and take a shower as well. Confident Maggie could not hear her anymore, the auburn-haired alien took her throbbing and lead-heavy penis in hand, wanting to relieve the tension she’d felt around the dimpled woman all day. She org*smed as usual when thinking about her love, but was surprised to see her release coming in stronger waves and from a small, purple tube which had never emerged from her tip before. Alex tentatively stroked the tube and shuddered at how sensitive it was, then watched it recoil back into her penis. Exhausted from the day, Alex resigned to explore the tube’s structure and functions more at another time.

Meanwhile, Maggie was too far gone from her shower org*sm to think at all. Thankfully, the jelly-legged walk to her bed was not far. She slept naked and soundly, wrapping the sweater Alex had washed and returned around her middle to make her and the baby feel held.

----

Maggie was sad when the third and final day of her vacation with Alex was coming to an end. They’d grown so much closer physically and emotionally, such that the two had shared more high-fives, secrets, hopes, hugs, and other tidbits about themselves than ever before. She didn’t want their little bubble to end, even though she loved her job with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and would be seeing her auburn-haired love again in two months.

Fortunately, after packing their respective cars for their upcoming return trips, the two had the movie marathon they’d talked about to look forward to. Alex showed Maggie how she could pop popcorn with her mind and explained the physics of a kernel changing shape due to heat. Maggie loved listening to the inventor talk science to her and make all kinds of cute expressions when watching Harry and his friends go through their firsts (especially the Sorting Ceremony, quidditch, Christmas, dragonslaying, and patronus casting). Alex was equally enamored with the brunette’s reactions to each scene and wished she could hold the shorter woman in her arms, preferably round with their children. She hoped their future babies would love the Harry Potter series, too, and was curious about which houses they’d identify with most (given Maggie was a Hufflepuff-Gryffindor hatstall and Alex was a Slytherin-Ravenclaw hatstall). She’d love their children dearly, even if they were squibs or muggles in the end.

As The Order of the Phoenix was nearly through, Maggie started falling asleep on the couch in Alex’s loft, the emotions from being pregnant and on the verge of leaving getting to her. She eventually passed out on the auburn-haired crime-fighter’s shoulder. Not having the heart to deny Maggie anything, and knowing the woman falling asleep on her symbolized complete trust, Alex let her love lie and continued watching the movie. She eventually lost count of how many glances of the sleeping woman she stole and passed out as well, hoping to dream of them seeing each other again to stop herself from crying.

The two slept peacefully throughout the night. However, the next morning was less than glamorous for Alex due to the upright position she’d maintained all night long and the bowling ball-sized weight she felt in her lap. Thinking she was dreaming of all the times Lulu would sit on her stomach at two in the morning, the barely-asleep alien felt around for and started stroking what she thought was her cat. Her eyes shot open when she felt and heard things which weren’t from a cat, though.

Somehow, Maggie had transitioned from the pale woman’s shoulder to her lap while they were sleeping, such that the only barrier separating her face from Alex’s groin was the inventor’s pajama pants. She was also moaning and nudging the area with her nose, even though Alex had stopped unintentionally caressing her hair. Alex was a mix of scared and aroused at the scene, praying to whichever gods existed that Maggie’s first sight that morning would not be the prominent and throbbing erection in her pants. She couldn’t bear the thought of the brunette thinking she was a creep or just there for sex. Plus, even though the two had grown much closer from the trip, she was far from ready to confess her alpha status.

Cursing herself for forgetting to wear a protective cup, nearly outing herself, and potentially scaring Maggie, Alex carefully peeled the curled up woman off her lap using her telekinesis, set her down on the upstairs bed, and hurried downstairs to Maggie’s now empty bathroom to relieve herself. She was careful to caulk that door as well, but was struggling to stay quiet, especially when her purple tube began to emerge and lengthen. Thoughts of Maggie confessing her love and taking her knot drove her over the edge again and again, such that the veins on her penis looked like they would explode from all of the inventor’s pent-up passion.

Meanwhile, Maggie was awakening to the feeling of being in a bed which wasn’t the one from her cottage room or apartment. She smiled when feeling hot liquid running down her entrance and legs, remembering how good her dream of welcome home sex with Alex felt. However, what she saw after rolling out of bed to use the upstairs bathroom horrified her: the liquid running down her lower half was actually blood. Thoughts of what happened to her twins immediately came to mind, so she knew she needed to go to the hospital she’d passed on the way here. Not sure where Alex had gone, and not wanting to wait for an ambulance, she decided to drive herself to the hospital and left without a word, vowing to mind-message the teen when she got the chance.

After taking a shower in Maggie’s bathroom and cleaning up the mess from that as well as her release, Alex used her telekinesis to get her final outfit from upstairs and decided to make blueberry pancakes for the brunette as a sendoff surprise. Wanting to share their final trip meal, but not realizing Maggie was gone, Alex took a plate of fresh pancakes upstairs for her to eat whenever she was ready.

“Maggie! Rise and shine, please. I made us pan . . . cakes,” the teen trailed off, happy one second and worried the next after not seeing her love anywhere in the loft.

Alex looked and called for Maggie throughout the house, but heard nothing. She even went out back to check whether the brunette had taken a final stroll on the beach or time in the hot tub, but found no evidence of her being there, either. She then started mind-messaging and trying to call Maggie with no success. Frantic, Alex ran out front to check there as well, but found the rental car parked next to hers was gone.

Choking on her tears while sliding down the front door, Alex came to the only possible conclusion she could using the available evidence: somehow, Maggie must have heard her coming and saying the Latina’s name over and over again. Feeling humiliated and ashamed, she cleaned up the cottage as quickly as possible and left the keys in the mailbox as instructed, not sure where to run to with all of the feelings threatening to kill her from within.

While sitting in a hospital bed, processing her current situation, and waiting for her test results to come back, Maggie finally got the chance to listen to Alex’s voicemails and mind-messages. She understood the teen cleaning and locking up without her due to what was supposed to be an early leave for both, but couldn’t understand where all of the apologies were coming from. She was particularly broken and confused by Alex’s last voicemail; the auburn-haired dove was apologizing profusely mid-sniffles and said she understood if the brunette didn’t want to see her ever again, given what happened between them earlier. Maggie didn’t blame Alex for whatever was happening to her body, assuming the teen might be blaming herself for the bleeding; she had truly enjoyed their evening and would have given anything to be with the woman she’d been dreaming of that night.

However, right as she was about to message Alex back, a senior nurse came in and confirmed what Maggie had feared: she’d lost the baby, most likely due to her PCOS. Maggie was surprised at how she didn’t even cry about this miscarriage and, when cleared for discharge, immediately went to the airport to turn in the rental car and catch her flight. She broke after making it back to her apartment, though, unsure of how to respond to the woman whom she’d pictured siring that child for nearly half a year. For the moment, she tied the Christmas sweater around her waist, willing the universe to let Alex know how loved and wanted she was despite the messes they’d somehow found themselves in.

Chapter 17: Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Text

Alex and Maggie felt a mix of emotions when May arrived. The auburn-haired inventor felt relieved to be done with finals, yet worried about how she’d done on them. She had objectively aced all of her assignments after coming back from California, but felt incredibly detached and numb when checking them off her to-do list, given she was still hung up on whether Maggie would ever speak to her again. Meanwhile, the brunette had told the donor about the miscarriage and worked with a counselor to heal from it, but was still lost on when or what to tell Alex. She had sent the teen a birthday card and present to make up for the long time since they’d last talked, but hadn’t heard anything back. Neither woman knew the university mail system had misplaced what Maggie had sent, though, so both women felt they had no choice but to let their connection lapse of the time being.

Alex’s spirits improved as she started her summer courses and internships, though. Part of her work at National and Women’s Hospital involved interviewing parents facing high-risk pregnancies for research, facilitating classes for them, and giving them tours of the NICU facilities. She felt like she had a new purpose when holding the tiny hands of preemies who needed more attention and reassuring parents that they would be in great hands if delivering at that hospital. Reading far more than her human sexuality, psychology of romantic relationships, and developmental psychology classes required made the budding scientist seem more of an expert to all she interacted with, such that she was frequently confused with Dr. Eliza Danvers (who had taken a senior-level diagnostics position with the hospital after undergoing a surgery she wouldn’t have been able to afford without Alex’s invention money). She beamed at the misidentifications people made, glad to be viewed as helpful and smart as the woman who’d raised her.

Once her work with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children ended and she showed more signs of healing, Maggie’s counselor recommended that she go through a series of high-risk parenting classes in National City. The goal was for the brunette to meet other future parents who had struggled with the same or similar challenges, such that she wouldn’t feel as ashamed or alone regarding what happened in California. She ultimately signed up for the classes held in Alex’s department, not knowing the angel had been assigned to help run them and provide other services for expecting parents.

The first parenting class was happening during the same time interval as NCU’s annual Senior Criminal Justice Ball, so the professor gave a relatively quick speech (per her normal faculty and Help Center director duties), then drove to the hospital. J’onn was especially understanding of her need to leave early, given he was the only faculty member who knew about the miscarriage as well as her need to heal from it. He hugged the short woman after she’d finished her speech, then sent her off with the hope that the classes would help her feel whole again.

The omega started making shy small talk with the other class attendees, but still felt alone because she was the only single person in the room. Seeing the brunette look uncomfortable, and not wanting her to leave, the main class facilitator reassured her she had the perfect person to work with her on all of the partner-centric exercises, then dashed off to get her. Maggie never expected for Alex to be the one walking in with the main instructor, though.

Both women were shook and nervous to see each other after all of this time, but Alex made the situation easier by following her mother’s advice on practicing cool professionalism in difficult interactions with patients. She decided to detach from her emotions as best as possible and view Maggie as a patient rather than her loved one. The technique worked fairly well, such that both women were able to manage their nerves and work relatively well together when Alex wasn’t helping the other future parents.

Once the class was over, Alex quickly bid goodbye to the future parents and instructor, then darted off to the same-floor locker room she’d quickly grown used to changing in. Despite how a sign on the door said the room was just for interns and medical staff, Maggie couldn’t help but follow in, desperately needing to talk with the woman she loved beyond what little they’d said the past two hours.

Searching for the auburn-haired intern, but not wanting to scare her off, Maggie slowly looked around the corner of each locker row and softly said her name out loud upon finding the right row. Startled, yet relieved to hear the voice was just Maggie’s, Alex looked up slowly, then bashfully averted her eyes. However, remembering her mother’s advice again, she decided to say the same thing to Maggie which she said to all future parents visiting the hospital.

“Thank you for stopping by our medical wing. I hope you found it helpful. Have a good night, and drive safely.”

Right as Alex was walking past her to leave the locker room, Maggie made a quick decision without thinking, her feelings of missing the intern overwhelming her.

Hugging Alex tightly from behind, the omega pressed into the space between the alpha’s shoulder blades, nuzzled it with her cheek, and sobbed out, “I’m sorry.”

Not sure what she meant, and not having the heart to leave Maggie like that, Alex turned over her shoulder and worriedly asked, “What do you mean?”

Maggie was ugly crying so hard that she started breathing irregularly. Sensing the tears and remorse were about the California trip, Alex returned the hug and rocked her back and forth, rubbing circles on her back to help the tears stop.

Once she was able to speak without breathing more raggedly, the brunette started explaining what she meant.

“I’m so sorry I hurt you by leaving without saying anything. You didn’t do anything wrong; I did . . . without meaning to.”

With a concerned yet haunted look on her face, the intern thought through what her teary-eyed love was saying, unsure of how to respond. Maggie kept talking, though, so all Alex needed to do was listen.

“I wanted nothing more than to have breakfast with you before leaving California. You meant a lot to me before the trip, but you meant so much more after. I could never hurt you on purpose, and I didn’t leave that way because I didn’t want to see you again. Right after waking up that morning, I found out the baby I was trying to have with a donor was in trouble. I didn’t know where you’d gone when finding out, but panicked at having to handle the situation alone and just . . . had to get out of the cottage. I was going to mind-message you back while waiting for the baby’s test results to come back, but got interrupted with the news of how they didn’t make it. I’ve been in therapy since, and my doctor sent me here to heal.”

Alex was shocked and saddened by everything Maggie had gone through, yet relieved to hear their current situation was due to a misunderstanding.

“Please say something,” Maggie whispered while sniffling and burrowing further into the hug, given Alex had been too in her head to form words.

Trying to be honest without outing herself or scaring her love away, the auburn-haired woman said, “I’m so sorry you lost the baby and felt so broken after the trip, Maggie. I remember everything you said about your twins and can see why you’d be freaked out and hurt so much. I wish I’d been there to hold and help you instead of downstairs struggling to control myself. Part of my body started changing in a way I’d never seen before, so I couldn’t help but . . . examine it. For science.”

Maggie was relieved to hear Alex wasn’t mad about her leaving so messily and not saying anything about the baby until now. She was also intrigued by what the teen’s self-exploration had involved, but decided to let that part of her response go for now.

After thanking each other for listening and understanding, the brunette proposed they try a technique which she’d learned from therapy: assuming the best of people rather than the worst. That philosophy was very difficult for Maggie to apply universally (given she’d seen, studied, and experienced so much darkness), but she wanted to try to assume the best of Alex because she couldn’t imagine her life without the sun of a woman anymore. Thankfully, Alex agreed to the change, even though she operated from a similar worldview and knew applying the rule might be challenging at times.

Wanting to make up for lost time, and trying to lighten the mood, the teen joked that they’d need to do something twice as big to celebrate Maggie’s upcoming birthday. That joke reminded the shorter woman of the gift she’d sent her taller counterpart, but hadn’t received acknowledgement of. Seeing an opportunity to try out their new rule for the first time, Maggie asked whether Alex had received the gift instead of asking why she’d never acknowledged it. She was saddened at how her love hadn’t received the microscope kit and hand-drawn dragon card, but couldn’t help laughing at how big the whites of her eyes had gotten at the question. The two walked out of the locker room, giggling over Alex’s reaction and how some of the nurses were looking at them.

When they both arrived in the parking lot and leaned against her Jeep, Alex also decided to implement a new relationship rule: they’d never leave each other again without a kiss goodbye. Maggie was thrown off guard by the rule and how close Alex started getting to her face, but was powerless to tell the teen to stop. However, when Maggie’s eyes closed in anticipation, Alex quickly sneaked a Hershey’s kiss into her love’s closed hand, winked when her eyes shot open in surprise, and skipped away to start the car. Maggie rolled her eyes and smiled lovingly, unable to be mad over the cute and bold prank Alex had just pulled off. While walking back to her car, she realized she wouldn’t miss spending her birthday or sharing more kisses with Alex for the world.

Chapter 18: Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Text

The rest of that summer was beautiful as well as transformative for Maggie, Alex, and all they knew.

James proposed to Lucy after she returned from another internship from the Navy, as did Winn to Lyra after he returned from working at NASA’s headquarters. Lena and Kara also proposed to each other via a series of Fourth of July fireworks (despite the brunette omega’s family disapproving of their union). Everyone said yes in response, so the majority of Alex’s network was discussing wedding plans and dates. Pretty much everyone agreed to wait to marry until after graduation, though; each wanted plenty of room to balance wedding planning with school, internships, and everything else going on.

Alex was genuinely happy for all of the new fiances, yet wondered if her time with Maggie would ever come. The two had shared so many Hershey’s kisses, stolen glances, jokes, laughs, and hugs since that first parenting class that Alex always had great fake friend follow-up stories for Zell (who was relieved to see the teen’s existential crisis seemed to have passed). The doctor-cop hopeful nearly kissed the brunette for real on a few occasions, but always stopped herself, not wanting to scare the woman away or overstep her bounds. Plus, the near-senior was just starting to accept she was a demiromantic lesbian and didn’t want to be kicked out of the four classes she needed to take with the brunette before graduating.

To channel her desires for Maggie, meet her human sexuality course’s research participation requirement, and further understand what her penis’s purple tube could do, Alex decided to participate in a study exploring how X-ray power simulation could affect sexual performance in unmated alphas over time. Specifically, between June and the start of the fall semester, Alex was to go to the lab as often as she could to project her sexual desires on a see-through yet anatomically correct replica of an omega’s torso (which was assigned to just her and wired to collect data on synthetic egg fertilization, org*sm quantity, knot density, and sperm quality). The teen was incredibly nervous and uncertain at the start of the study due to her lack of sexual experience with a partner, so her initial metrics typically fell at or below the averages posted by the lab. However, she was determined to improve them because, if and when Maggie was ready for sex or another donor baby, she wanted to be able to provide sperm and pleasure with precision as well as confidence.

Alex generally went to the lab after outings and meals with the dimpled Latina, so she had plenty of chances to harness the power of science to become the partner she hoped to be for her love. However, going to the lab proved especially helpful during her ruts. Given the replica was of an omega instead of an alpha (per the aims of the study), Alex’s fantasies would frequently change to be about an omega Maggie taking her knot and becoming swollen with their children, so she would sometimes bite the neck or shoulder of the replica while knotting it and filling it with her seed. Within a month of spending more time with Maggie, the teen’s sexual performance improved considerably, such that she was generally able to produce a few strong knots, several fake embryos, and an org*sm in the replica during each visit.

The most notable changes in Alex’s sexual performance occurred after she started reading a course-required book on the biology of sex, pregnancy, and birth. Bamazon had delivered the book to her dorm right after Maggie's July birthday lunch ended; however, she had to wait to start reading it until after babysitting Ruby as well as checking up on Kate and Sam.

Given all was well with the little family and the baby was developing as expected, Alex turned her phone off when returning to the single dorm she’d moved into in May and belly flopped onto her Detective Pikachu bedspread. After taking a few relaxing breaths to unwind, the rising senior reached for the thick medical textbook she’d hidden under her pillows, turned to its table of contents, and started deciding which chapter to read first. Given Maggie’s struggles with having children and her role at National and Women’s Hospital, the teen chose the chapter on egg fertilization methods doctors used to help high-risk, same-sex, and/or low-fertility parent hopefuls get pregnant. She was so fascinated by the book’s illustrations of each procedure that she popped its interactive learning DVD into her laptop, wanting to know more about one procedure called IUI (intrauterine insemination) in particular.

The DVD gave Alex the chance to simulate an IUI procedure via her laptop, such that she was able to guide a thin tube full of sperm into a three-dimensional uterus by moving and clicking the laptop’s trackpad. While listening to the real-life doctor narrating the procedure’s instructions, she learned that the point of IUI was to increase a patient’s chances of becoming pregnant by giving the sperm closer access to eggs which were ready for fertilization. Watching the procedure produced so many burning questions in the teen’s mind that, despite how her clock showed it was midnight and she needed to be up at eight o’clock the next morning, she knew what she had to do.

After putting on her NCPD jacket, sneakers, backpack, and building access badge, the teen jogged over to the sex study lab, hoping to quiet her chattering mind so she could eventually get some sleep. She reviewed the DVD and book chapter sections on how IUI was performed, then retrieved her see-through omega replica from her lab locker. Once the replica was propped up on a steel table in the room and facing her, Alex reviewed the IUI materials one more time for good measure, then pulled her pants down and started fantasizing about mating Maggie hard against a wall to get aroused. Once hard and hot enough, Alex pulled her boxers down as well, then lubricated herself naturally before slowly penetrating the pretend-omega. As she allowed the fantasy to become as intense as what she’d masturbat*d to in California, the alien could see her purple tube emerging and elongating inside the see-through replica. She held off on org*sming this time, though, curious to see whether she could get the tube to elongate more and penetrate the cervix like the tube in the IUI video could.

Though much thinner than the rest of the alien’s penis, the purple tube was too thick to pass through the needle-thin fake cervix at first. However, Alex thought of a quick remedy to the situation and decided to make the cervix widen using her telekinesis. The sound of the widening was like nails on a chalkboard due to how the replica was never designed to expand in that area, but Alex pressed on and kept holding off her org*sm so she could get the answers she sought, thrusting gently while waiting for the cervix to be just the right size.

After a few minutes of careful and focused movement, Alex was able to move the purple tube all the way through the cervix and into the replica’s womb. However, the biology book and DVD could have never prepared for what her penis would do next.

Once the purple tube reached about halfway into the pretend-omega’s uterus, it seemed to develop a mind of its own and rapidly split into two suction-ended branches. Alex nearly came from watching the split, but held on for dear life to stop herself, wanting to watch what would happen next through the replica’s see-through chest and shoulder.

The wait was very much worthwhile, though; Alex got to see each branch of her tube latch onto each of the replica’s fallopian tubes, then suction and shake them until the ovaries had released all of their eggs. Alex’s jaw dropped impossibly farther as she watched what must have been hundreds of fake, dyed eggs descend into the see-through uterus. The two branches merged back into one, but the rest of the purple tube stayed and expanded more, prompting Alex to widen the cervix again. Then, wanting to intensify the fantasy and increase the pretend-omega’s chances of becoming pregnant, the alpha ripped the still-joined pair away from the cart, toppled the replica on the lab’s lone cot, and knotted the hell out of it, such that she had to expand the pretend-omega’s opening and uterus with her mind as she released far more than she ever know she could (especially outside of her rut).

She repeated Maggie’s name all the way through, bit the replica’s neck so hard that she took a chunk out of it, placed a hand over its expanded belly, and eventually passed out on top of it. After waking up an hour later, she was surprised at how rough she’d been with the pretend-omega, but even more shocked at the still-changing sexual performance metrics she saw on the replica’s arm meters.

Egg fertilization rate: 93.50%, recalculating
Omega replica org*sms: 3, recalculating
Healthy embryo count: 275, recalculating
Knot density: ERROR, number not programmed, recalculating

Once her knot deflated enough for her to withdraw, Alex tucked her still-hard and elongated member into her underwear and jeans, cleaned up everything she’d touched in the lab, and went back to her dorm to shower and sleep. She’d stay away from Maggie, the lab, and the book for five days, though, as she needed time to deflate completely and process what all she’d just experienced.

----

Fortunately, Maggie was very understanding of Alex’s need to take a break from hanging out; they’d spent a lot of time together over the past few weeks, and the teen had a lot on her plate to handle (as her second internship was beginning while her first was ending, she had multiple course finals to study for, and she had personal obligations to attend to). Plus, the professor had a lot to do while the rising senior was away; in just a few weeks, she’d be teaching four fall upper-level courses to make up for all the teaching she’d missed out on, so the amount of prep work she needed to do was brutal. She was excited for the fall to come, though, as she had so much more to share with her students than she did before working with the President again and serving with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Right before attending her final parenting class, she received a text from Alex which took her mind off all the course readings and syllabi she was finalizing.

Hopefully My Future Wife (Need to Put a Ring on It): Hey, Maggie! :) Hope you’re still coming to tonight’s parenting class. Just need to change in the locker room beforehand (caught a baby being born because no nurses or doctors could make it in time), but will be helping everyone strap on their pregnancy pads. Attendees will go through birth simulation before class ends (me included, for science and empathy building). Let me know if you need a hand held; I’ve heard those fake contractions can hurt like a bitch, but we’re some pretty bad bitches, so I hope we come out on top. ;) Promise to resuscitate me if I die from pain, though? <3

The brunette smiled and tilted her head lovingly at the text, heart eyes and dimples showing shamelessly. She really appreciated how supportive Alex had been all this time and wished she could show her by helping her change, strapping on something else, and coming out on top in a different way. However, remembering Alex was still underage and their relationship was far from that point, she stuck with flirting and playing into the intern’s competitive side.

Alex smiled after hearing her phone buzz with a new text just seconds after she’d texted Maggie. After stripping down to her sports bra and compression shorts as well as washing off from the delivery, she toweled off, picked up her phone, and deactivated its lockscreen.

She + Me = Chapel and Baby Maybe: I’m sure the contractions will be a breeze compared to when my stomach has been stabbed and otherwise throbbing in pain. I look forward to you begging me to hold your hand and buying me more vegan ice cream when you lose the pain game, though. ;) <3

Alex’s jaw dropped at how sassy Maggie had just been, so she lovingly decided to return fire. Once she stopped picturing the dimpled Latina throbbing in places below her stomach, of course.

The brunette was just grabbing her keys and jacket to head out when she got Alex’s response.

Hopefully My Future Wife (Need to Put a Ring on It): Oh, you are so on! My abs of steel will protect me well, so be prepared to feed me instead. ^_^ =P <3

Maggie couldn’t help but moan, slide against her front door, and start touching herself at the thought of seeing and kissing Alex’s abs. If the fake contractions didn’t kill her, waiting to make love to the scientist-cop until she was of age would.

----

Alex was concerned that the brunette hadn’t responded to her last text or shown up to the parenting class yet, but was relieved to see her quietly sneaking in via the back door fifteen minutes late. She made a note to ask what made Maggie seem so frazzled and walk with a limp, but kept her attention on the main instructor, not wanting to draw an embarrassing amount of attention to the already flustered professor.

The main instructor was explaining how contractions worked using anatomically correct replicas of betas and omegas which looked somewhat like the see-through replica Alex had interacted with, but contained fetus replicas and could simulate the different types of muscle movements birth involved. Alex made brief eye contact with Maggie (who smiled shyly and gave a head nod before averting her eyes and moving her hair to where her neck showed). The intern thought the woman was so beautiful, especially flushed and with her hair down that way. She couldn’t wait to hug and hold her later during class, and hoped they could do more in the future.

While Alex was zoned out thinking about Maggie, the instructor asked her to start handing out the pregnancy pads to all of the attendees, but had to snap her fingers to get the teen’s attention and help. Maggie noticed and giggled, such that Alex was now the one blushing and averting her eyes. However, she speedily did as asked and helped all of the future parents suit up for what would prove to be an interesting round of pain survival.

The main instructor let each pair go at their own pace as far as increasing the level of pain and switching who wore the pad went, but checked in with each couple to see how they were progressing. Alex and Maggie giggled at how some couples started bickering about who would wear the pad first and how much pain their partners could put them through, but were more focused on resolving those issues for themselves.

“I’ll go first and take the maximum amount of pain this pad can give, but only if you coach me as if I were actually giving birth. Somebody’s gotta show you how this is all done,” Maggie offered with a wry smile, challenging the cop-scientist while secretly trying to get them to bond more.

“Fine, but if you lose the bet, you have to tell me why you were late and walking with a limp earlier,” the auburn-haired intern shot back with a mix of playfulness and seriousness, earning a deep blush and audible gulp from the brunette.

“Deal,” Maggie choked out while nodding. She didn’t want to keep her feelings a secret anymore, but didn’t want to lose her love over a bet. No competition could ever be worth losing Alex, playful or not.

Consistent with the terms they’d negotiated, Alex helped Maggie put the pregnancy pad on by lifting up the bottom of the shorter woman’s shirt, making sure the pad’s underside was only making contact with olive skin, and tightening the black velcro straps to an extent which was snug on Maggie. Alex did her absolute best to retain self-control, but couldn’t help herself when Maggie put her shirt back down and looked back up at her with the utmost trust.

Before the brunette could lie down and prop herself up on the thick yoga mat they were provided, Alex abruptly whispered, “Wait!”

Startled, Maggie turned back to Alex, searching for answers in the teen’s eyes and face.

The auburn-haired warrior sauntered up to her love, then said with soft eyes and gesticulating hands, “I just wanted to let you know you look so beautiful and happy this way. With the baby belly and the hair. They really suit you.”

Maggie was so touched by Alex’s kindness that she started crying. Alex began looking guilty and panicked in response, though, so Maggie gently put an olive finger to the teen’s lips and whispered, “Shh. It’s okay. These are happy tears. Thank you for being here with me.”

Over the moon about the new way Maggie had just touched her, but wanting to focus on comforting her love, Alex softly hugged the shorter woman to her chest and rubbed circles on her back while swaying gently.

Without thinking, Maggie grabbed the hand Alex had on her back and slid it forward, such that their hands overlapped on one side of the baby bump. To catch herself and not scare Alex away, she quickly said, “Sorry. Can you make sure the pad is still centered before we start?”

Alex nodded her head while still looking softly into the brunette’s chocolate-colored soul windows, then reassured her she had nothing to be sorry for and adjusted the pad a little.

The two got down on the thick blue yoga mat to begin the exercise, such that Alex was propping up a mostly horizontal Maggie from behind. That part of the exercise would only take them ten minutes, but the intensity of what they were doing made the time stretch beyond what they’d ever anticipated.

Alex slowly changed the dial from barely-there contractions to the high-intensity contractions people would expect to experience right before pushing. Just minutes into the pad being turned on and Alex providing emotional support, Maggie started sweating profusely, breathing raggedly, moaning, and (without her knowledge and Alex understanding why) smelling strongly of omega. Against her will, Alex’s penis started responding to the smell coming from Maggie (as it was a stronger version of that which triggered her first rut). Thankfully, the small grunt Alex made when coming in her scrubs-covered compression shorts was drowned out by the broken scream Maggie let loose after getting to the max intensity. She put Alex’s pale and trembling arm in a vice grip, signaling that she couldn’t take anymore and needed the pad turned off.

Alarmed at the scream she and the other attendees heard, the main instructor ran over to make sure everything was all right. Fortunately, Maggie was able to speak for them both after catching her breath; Alex, on the other hand, could only nod while averting her eyes and tearing up a little over what she’d just experienced in front of a roomful of people.

Seeing Alex’s discomfort and embarrassment over what had just happened, the instructor publicly assured everyone that experiencing strong physical and emotional reactions to simulated births was perfectly normal, given how stressful and involved pregnancy simulations could be. She even praised Alex for how much she cared for her patient in front of them all, such that everyone applauded her and let the incident go, wanting to finish up their respective turns with the pads and receive their certificates of completion before leaving.

Once more coherent, Maggie apologized to Alex for gripping her arm so tightly, feeling guilty over screaming as well as bruising the teen. Grateful for the apology and how Maggie seemed to not have noticed her org*sm or alpha pheromones, the teen quickly nodded her head in response and got up so the brunette could put the pad around her. However, once Maggie started pulling Alex’s shirt bottom up, she noticed how flushed and shaky the teen still was, so she wanted to check in before doing anything more.

“Alex, are you okay? You don’t have to go to max intensity or go through the contractions simulation at all if you don’t want to. The bet we had is never going to be as important as your health is to me.”

Tucking the longer part of her auburn undercut behind a pale yet reddened ear, Alex reassured Maggie she was okay to go, then whispered a request while closing her eyes and touching the bridge of her nose to the shorter woman’s forehead.

“Just go really slow, okay?”

Maggie was mesmerized by how close Alex had gotten to her heart and head, but snapped herself out of it, remembering they needed to finish up the exercise and go home.

Focusing on the knob after nodding yes, she slowly started cranking it up to max intensity. The teen started moaning and sobbing like she had when in the same position, but signaled it was okay for her to keep increasing the contractions’ intensity. Meanwhile, Maggie was starting to get aroused by the sounds and hip movements Alex was making, such that her lower half unintentionally started sending out strong waves of omega pheromones. The pained scientist-cop started smelling the same pheromones she’d smelled earlier when in the opposite position, so her penis started responding again. By the time Maggie put Alex on max intensity, the professor’s pheromones were so strong that even she was beginning to notice them. She was going to stop administering the contractions and go apply more alpha cream to avoid being outed, but was paralyzed by an alluring alpha scent which had flooded the air and how Alex’s condition suddenly seemed to go downhill.

From Maggie’s perspective, Alex was becoming cross-eyed, bow-backed, and faint due to the pain of the contraction simulations; in reality, the teen had org*smed too hard to notice the pain and was on the verge of passing out in exhaustion. However, right before she blacked out on the brunette’s lap, Alex reached up and kissed her love hard on the lips. After tracing her lips and shaking her head to make sure what she’d just experienced was real, Maggie noticed dark purple liquid and what appeared to be tentacles coming out from the teen’s shorts. Panicking over whether she’d pushed Alex too far and whether her love would be okay, she called the instructor over for help, then followed the medical team rushing the teen to emergency care.

Chapter 19: Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Text

Maggie had fallen asleep face down on the hospital bed while sitting in a chair and holding Alex’s hand, exhausted from the stress of watching her love collapse combined with all of the course prep, org*sms, and fake contraction pain she’d gone through that day. The doctors rushing the intern to the emergency room mistakenly called Maggie her wife because they’d been found clutching one another on the classroom floor, but the Latina didn’t correct them, desperate to be by Alex’s side instead of left in the waiting room like other non-family and non-guardian visitors tended to be. Maggie hoped her love would follow their rule of assuming the best of each other when talking about what happened in class, but started having a nightmare in which she didn’t and never spoke to her again.

Meanwhile, Alex was also asleep, but dreaming of the rich and beautiful life she and Maggie could have together.

----

The apartment surrounding them was cozy and warm, with a lit fireplace and blurry hues of red, orange, and gold surrounding them as they slowly danced together. Maggie’s feet were partly atop Alex’s as they swayed and took each other in breath by deep, appreciative, longing breath. The auburn-haired woman tilted the brunette’s chin up to look at her, then joined their soft lips in a passionate yet gentle kiss. Maggie’s hands went from rubbing circles and drawing hearts on Alex’s back to weaving through the auburn glory that was Alex’s hair, panting and kissing back harder as she did. Once the kissing got more frantic, Maggie abruptly yet gently pushed against Alex, then flung her shirt off into the distance and started undoing Alex’s belt and zipper.

The cop-scientist was about to stop her love from going further, but was too far gone and ready to be with the beautiful, strong warrior-academic to form words. Cooler air met pale, exposed skin as Maggie freed Alex from her compression shorts. Alex was about to panic at Maggie seeing her penis for the first time, but the brunette brought Alex’s face to her level, touched the bridge of her nose to the pale expanse of forehead, and confessed she’d known and loved Alex was an alpha for a long time. When Alex responded with a searching and vulnerable look, Maggie burrowed into pale yet warm neck, cupped as much of the heavy penis as she could with one hand, and confessed she’d been unable to date anyone since her first fiance; being with Alex had ruined her for anyone else, but she was not she was not ashamed of the ruining. In fact, she was happy and wanted more moments like this.

Then, like she did during their last parenting class, she brought one of Alex’s hands to her belly, overlapped their hands, and earnestly whispered into a pale and keening ear, “Sire them. All of them. Forever. Please?”

Alex’s penis twitched hard into colder air at the request, but she was still unsure of whether Maggie really accepted her. To prove herself and her feelings, Maggie bent down, pushed the alpha’s shirt up some, kissed exposed belly, touched the bridge of her nose to the top of the pale yet flushed shaft, and kissed as well as stroked it gently. Softly rubbing olive cheek to pale yet reddening belly, she said, “I want to be with all of you. Like this. Now and forever. Mark me so everyone knows it, too.”

After the brunette uttered those words, Alex was about to strip off the rest of her clothes, ready to take the alpha and mark her in any way she could. However, she was stopped by the purple tube emerging from her penis, splitting in two, and gently stroking as well as hugging Maggie’s face. The brunette nosed and kissed the branches, too, prompting the suction cups to emerge from them. Before they knew it, one branch suctioned up Maggie’s left ring finger, while the other did the same to Alex. Alex was about to apologize for her penis leaving what appeared to be a henna tattoo on each of their fingers, but was cut off immediately by the brunette standing up and putting an olive finger to her lips.

“Shh. It’s okay. These are beautiful. Marry and mate me. Sire them,” Maggie choked out while moving pale hands between olive hands and belly again.

Alex’s penis twitched harder again as she heard Maggie’s pleas. Crying and smiling, she nodded her head yes to all of them, shakily flung off the rest of her clothes, and started taking off Maggie’s, hoping science would find a way for two alphas to have babies together one day. However, when she smelled and saw Maggie’s omega parts, she realized waiting would be unnecessary; they had all the science they needed then and there.

Alex choked out a happy sob upon seeing Maggie’s parts, then gently kissed olive belly, thighs, and mound to convey her acceptance of the Latina’s entire being. When she stood up and joined the bridge of her nose to Maggie’s forehead, the purple tube joined in on the closeness and gently started tracing the omega’s swollen as well as wet cl*torus and folds, curious to understand the layout of what it instinctively knew was home.

Both women shuddered and whimpered at the delicate touch, then started kissing again, happy to be free from the constraints of their clothes, assumptions, and society’s rules. Once Alex was hard enough and the tube vigorously started tracing Maggie’s opening in anticipation, the omega lovingly slid Alex’s ruler-long penis inside her and whispered after adjusting, “Welcome home, Alex Danvers. Stay here with me. I love you, my wife to be. My soulmate.”

Alex nodded vigorously between happy tears as she slid in the rest of the way and expanded Maggie and herself, determined to make them wives, parents, and bondmates in one fell swoop. She scooped up the omega, had her against their walls and bed, and bit olive neck enough to leave a mark. Right before biting, Alex confessed her love for Maggie in between ragged breaths and frantic thrusts, let the tube take control of how many warrior-academic eggs were knocked loose, and came hard, determined to fulfill all of Maggie’s dreams.

----

In real life, Maggie came to suddenly, startled by her nightmare as well as Alex’s mid-dream grunting. She panicked when seeing considerably more purple liquid filling the intern’s catheter through her dark, mussed hair and nearly called the nurses in for help, but was distracted by what Alex was saying and doing in her sleep. Under the hospital blankets, she was vigorously thrusting a well-endowed and prominent penis while moaning Maggie’s name over and over again, such that the catheter bag kept filling and eventually ripped from all of the purple sem*n the virile young alien was producing. The Latina’s sex and ovaries throbbed with want at the sights and sounds, but she vowed to not say or do anything about her love’s alpha status, feelings, and sexual orientation, given she didn’t want to pressure the teen to do anything again (especially come out). Instead, she protected Alex’s privacy and dignity by using the same sweater they’d exchanged over the years to cover the teen’s lower half and getting the nurses to give her a larger new catheter bag.

Thankfully, while Maggie was ensuring her care and protection, the auburn-haired alien started dreaming something which made her stop thrusting, stop ejacul*ting, and calm down.

----

Maggie was glowing from her very visible pregnancy and the vast expanse of sunlight shining upon her goddess body. Alex was holding her close from behind and swaying them both a little as they worked to wash and dry their dishes. After feeling soft and wanting lips plant kisses from her shoulder to her neck, the Latina felt their babies stir and kick hard enough to leave small imprints where their hands and feet were pushing out for longer periods. Instead of being haunted by the memory of when the twins sired by Shannon kicked the first time, she was calm, happy, and able to enjoy the fluttery feeling. The babies sired by Alex were her best pregnancy to date and so close to being here that she could feel it. Somehow, despite everything she’d been through, she just knew they’d be okay.

Once done with the dishes, the brunette turned around, pulled her wife close, dabbed some soap bubbles on the pale woman’s nose, and giggled as the cop-scientist playfully pouted and scrunched her face up. She hoped their babies would make those faces one day, too.

After wiping the bubbles away with an olive thumb, Maggie pulled Alex in close for a gentle kiss, then took a free pale hand, ran it over her swollen breasts and belly, and curved it up inside her pants to cup her sex. Alex was surprised to feel the fuzzy head of their first baby already down and ready to make its way into the world, but she knew what to do when Maggie tearfully yet happily whispered, “It’s time, love.”

Slowly and carefully, she picked up the shorter woman and took her to the inflatable swimming pool which they’d placed in their bedroom. They agreed on how important it was for their offspring to be born where they’d been conceived, as bringing things full circle was a pattern they wanted to keep up. After drawing plenty of warm water and arranging their home birth supplies, Alex stripped and slid in behind an already naked and ready-to-push Maggie, drawing up olive and toned legs to give their babies room to come out.

As Maggie was panting and pushing against her love, they were able to see blood and the rest of their first baby start coming out; however, Alex waited to grab the baby because a small hand was gripping its ankle. After a few more pushes and breast stimulations from her wife, Maggie squirted their first two babies into existence and tearfully held them as they started crying in her arms. Their proud sire looked on from behind, lovingly stroked each tiny omega girl from cheek to toe, and kissed their heart-eyed mother while thanking her for being and making the most precious gifts she’d ever received.

Maggie was still processing how their girls were here and alive while she and Alex were holding each skin to skin and under cerulean and cream blankets emblazoned with the same sun and stars they’d seen in California. She noticed one six-pound baby had paler skin like Alex’s yet black hair like hers while the second had slightly darker skin yet reddish-brown hair like her sire’s. Although burning and sore from the delivery, the new mother had never been happier. She kissed the palm of her free hand and cupped her wife’s sex with it, then leaned into and nuzzled the shelter of her neck to show grattitude words could not express well enough.

Alex had to reunite the babies on their dam’s now-heaving chest to reopen shaky, olive legs and make way for the arrival of their next pup. The tiny omega girls had fallen asleep holding hands, but would soon awaken due to their dam’s distress and their sire’s need for help.

Maggie could feel how much bigger their next pup was because her cervix and opening started burning drastically more. To make matters worse, the pup had gotten stuck in the birth canal, prompting its dam to scream and its sire to intervene with her telekinesis. Alex began widening Maggie’s birth canal with her mind while stimulating her breasts and trying to mind-message the baby soothing sounds, but was starting to lose the baby while juggling the comfort and safety of all involved. Sensing their parents’ and sibling’s distress, the omegas woke up and began flopping in different directions, such that the paler one went up to send soothing mind-gurgles to their dam while the other went down to send mind-gurgles to their unborn sibling in place of their sire. Once everyone involved was more relaxed, the unborn pup stopped fighting the process of being born so hard and came out in a nearly-black cloud of blood.

Alex tried putting the first two babies together in their sleeper so they could rest and not feel crowded on Maggie’s chest by their sibling, but they wailed in protest, prompting their sire to reverse course. Once against olive chest and calm again, they rolled over to make a cuddle sandwich with their quivering, face-down sibling (who’d peed on their dam’s chest from being so scared). Alex and Maggie had also been so stressed by their third’s arrival that they hadn’t even thought to check what they’d had, but were fine to cuddle the whole litter while taking deep breaths and calming down as well.

After Alex had drained the dirty water, refilled the pool with clean warm water, gently cleaned her wife from forehead to sex, cleaned their first two pups, and prepped to deliver the placentas for whenever Maggie was ready, the proud yet exhausted parents received a pleasant surprise. Their third pup had rolled onto its back and fallen asleep arm and arm with their first two, one hand in its mouth and one clutching its sex for comfort. However, once the baby withdrew its lower hand, Maggie and Alex smiled and met foreheads, pleased at how there were now two alphas in their house. They dabbed their daughter’s hands, face, belly, legs, feet, hips, and penis clean as she slept, elated that, at least for now, their family was complete.

To honor Maggie’s three lost babies and Alex’s lost dad, the couple decided to name their daughters after angels. The two omegas were named Michaela and Gabriela, and the alpha was named Ariel; however, for the sake of cuteness and brevity, their moms, aunties, uncles, grandparents, and friends would often call them Micki, Gabi, and Ari.

----

Maggie was incredibly thankful and relieved when Alex finally woke up, as she’d waited for hours and their family and friends had arrived to check on them. Before everyone piled in the room, the two had a heart-to-heart on what happened in the parenting class. Specifically, Alex apologized for her tentacles and their contents scaring Maggie, but said she couldn’t apologize for the kiss; as bad as her timing was, she’d been wanting to do that for so long that it hurt worse than any fake contractions ever could. The brunette teared up in response, grabbed the teen’s hand, and confessed that she’d felt the same way about kissing Alex; in fact, she was late to class because of how she’d been pleasantly overwhelmed by the closeness they’d developed.

Neither woman brought up the pheromones they’d smelled, said the three words everyone yearns to, mentioned sex, or came out during that conversation. However, they agreed to becoming girlfriends as long as all of the work Alex completed during Maggie’s fall classes was graded by someone outside the school. The teen met the criteria for the department’s 10-10-10 Auditing Rule (which stated that all work completed by students in the bottom, middle, and top ten percent of their classes would be sent off for external evaluation), so that compromise was feasible and safe for them both. Maggie sure hoped they would talk about what being girlfriends meant and have the four other conversations, though; she’d been rubbing the engagement ring in their sweater’s pocket for so many months that she would probably need to have it remade.

Chapter 20: Chapter Twenty

Chapter Text

Alex’s family and friends were all relieved to hear she was okay, especially due to Maggie’s quick acting. In fact, while Kara, Lena, J’onn, and the other friend squad members stayed behind to check in with the teen and help her through being discharged, the eldest Danvers wanted to take the time to speak with Maggie and thank her personally. She hadn’t seen the teen and professor hold hands or confess their love for each other, but knew the connection they had was somehow different and special. Likely due to a mother’s intuition, Maggie would guess.

“Dr. Sawyer, would you mind taking a walk with me through the first floor garden? I know it’s late, but you’ve been stuck inside with Alex and I thought you could use some fresh air,” the caring practitioner and parent said.

“Sure thing, and thank you for asking,” the brunette said after nodding Alex’s way and rubbing the teen’s now normally-clothed shoulder.

Luckily, the first floor garden was just two floors down by elevator, so Maggie didn’t have to fidget over what she perceived to be awkward silence for long. She had no idea what the eldest Danvers was going to say, but was hopeful they could work things out professionally (pending the blonde was also mad at her over what happened with Alex).

“The stars are quite lovely out here at night. They remind me of when Jeremiah and I first learned we were going to be parents to Alex and Kara. We’d been waiting nearly a decade to adopt, but so many arrangements fell through that we thought we’d never be chosen,” Eliza shared once they were in the garden, wanting to put the clearly nervous professor at ease and share a little more about her family.

Touched by how much she could relate to the doctor’s struggle to become a mom, and wanting to start their conversation with empathy, Maggie replied, “I’m so sorry you and your husband had to go through all of that pain; you’re definitely not alone as far as loss goes. I know he’d be so proud of your girls. None of my babies made it to birth, but being a parent without a partner or children is a very lonely road sometimes. Thank you for not giving up.”

Stunned and saddened to learn she and Maggie had so much in common, the blonde put a gentle hand on the Latina’s shoulder and continued talking.

“I’m sorry about your babies and if something I said or did made you feel nervous. I just wanted to thank you for watching over Alex tonight. She mentions you a lot and is always so happy after seeing you. I know you will have a lot of students this fall, but was hoping you could continue watching over her. She’s been more secretive over the past few months, likely because she’s putting a lot of pressure on herself to succeed. Whether she goes to medical school first or directly into a police academy, I just want her to be happy. Can you promise to be there for her when and where I can’t be?”

Relieved to hear Dr. Danvers was understanding and not mad at her, Maggie nodded her head, returned a gentle shoulder squeeze, and took a moment to think through what to say next.

“Alex is one of the most incredible people I’ve ever met. I want the same thing you do and am honored to be so close to her. She has the biggest heart and most complex mind of all students I’ve had, powers or not. She was there for me when I lost the babies and has been nothing but loyal to those she cares for. I’ll do everything possible to support her.”

Smiling and nodding in thanks and pride, Eliza kept walking with the Latina through the rows of roses, lilies, succulents, and other garden plants. She stopped at a fountain with an angel head spout and stone bench, then motioned for the Latina sit with her for awhile.

“I used to come here a lot after Jeremiah passed and if the girls ever had or gave us trouble before. You and Alex are quite like me; you’re pretty closed off on how you’re doing to all but a small group of people, if that many. Please feel free to call me if I can be of help, or stop by here and rest at the least. Whatever you’re going through, you don’t have to bear it alone.”

With tears in her eyes, Maggie nodded in acknowledgement, grateful Dr. Danvers was being so kind and supportive. The blonde physician took and rocked Maggie in her arms, such that the brunette let out a sob she didn’t know she’d been holding back since Alex collapsed.

“Thank you,” she brokenly whispered mid-hug.

“Any time,” Eliza replied sincerely while offering her counterpart some tissue and a gentle shoulder squeeze.

The two women stared into the fountain in thought, then walked back to the hospital door in appreciative silence (which was only broken by Eliza as they were about to reenter).

“Oh, and in case Alex hasn’t said it before, welcome to the Danvers family, dear.”

Maggie hugged the physician, grateful she’d been adopted into multiple space and human families which she hoped to add to in the future (pending everyone accepted the romantic nature of her relationship with Alex instead of coming at her with pitchforks).

----

Fortunately, the rest of the summer was peaceful, healthy, and happy for Alex, Maggie, and all they knew. While the other squad members were cramming in some wedding planning before the fall semester started, Alex was enjoying first dates, cuddles, and bashful, light kisses with Maggie. The brunette felt complete with the auburn-haired alien pressed up against her as the big spoon while they laid down on her couch, floor, and bed. She couldn’t wait to wake up to and lie down with the pale young woman, even though they were fully clothed when doing so (much to her omega’s displeasure).

Maggie never mentioned Alex’s morning wood, alpha pheromones (which sometimes made it through the layers of beta pheromone cream), definition of “girlfriends”, or hidden identities during those weeks, but wanted to let her love know she’d accept and be there for her when she was ready to talk. Thus, the night before the fall semester started, she started the conversation while threading Alex’s chin-length, auburn locks through her nimble, olive fingers.

“Alex?”

After burrowing further against Maggie, moving her black hair aside, and settling the bridge of her nose against olive neck, Alex replied, “Hmm?”

Shuddering at how close Alex had gotten, Maggie replied, “I know we have a lot on our plates this fall, given we’ll be together for hostage negotiation, combat practicum, forensic psychology, and criminal justice research methods. I also know you’re still trying to plan for what’s next after graduation. No matter what, I’m here for you, and you can talk to me about anything. You don’t have to push down your feelings or who you really are around me. I just want you to be happy.”

After kissing from Maggie’s scent gland to behind her ear in gratitude, Alex decided to tell her the full truth about what happened during their last parenting class.

“I’m happy with you, Maggie, and I don’t ever want that to end. I’ve been scared to tell you parts of who I really am because I wasn’t sure if one was a phase and whether you’d accept me for it and the other. The truth is, the night we went to the hospital, I hadn’t fainted or had issues with my tentacles; when we were working together, I smelled some really strong omega pheromones and succumbed to my gay mess of an alpha twice. It’s why my tentacles and the purple liquid came out of me. I’m sorry I wasn’t brave enough to just tell you before, but I’d rather have you in my life in some way rather than not at all.”

Maggie kissed Alex and held her gingerly in understanding, making soft eyes at her and holding her close. The pale woman continued talking, though, so Maggie didn’t have to say anything yet.

“I want you to know that you can share all of yourself and your feelings with me, too. I thought you were an alpha for the longest time because of what you said the first day we met, but have had these beautiful dreams in which you weren’t one. I hope the omega pheromones I responded to were yours because I haven’t wanted and don’t want to be with anyone else, ever. Regardless, you’re home to me, Maggie. I want to build a home and family with you someday.”

As Alex was tentatively moving her hands underneath Maggie’s shirt to draw circles on her belly, Maggie cried happy tears and kissed her love with deep yet bridled passion. Then, she proved equally brave by coming out and confessing her feelings.

“It’s true, what you said about me being an omega. I’ve tried to keep that part of me hidden from most people for so long to get more work opportunities, but keeping it secret has really hurt me personally. I was too scared to tell you I was the one having the miscarriage in California before and could have died from that and what happened two Christmases ago, all because I was scared of what my professional network might think. Before we have children together, I want to stop hiding my omega; our girls deserve to have a role model who’s proud of and open about who she is, not ashamed. Plus, when the time is right, I want everyone to know they and I are yours. That we’re a family of badasses, no matter what we were born as.”

Crying happy tears for Maggie, herself, and their future children while caressing olive belly, Alex choked out, “Thank you, honey. I can’t wait to make you a mom.”

Maggie tearfully smiled at the notion of herself becoming round with Alex’s children and hoped her love’s wishes would come to pass. Tired, and wanting to enjoy her last moments with Alex before their big first day of classes, Maggie chose to hold off on discussing how those dreams hinged in part on her PCOS. She hoped her auburn-haired angel would accept her proposal either way when the time was right, though.

Chapter 21: Chapter Twenty One

Chapter Text

The first two months of fall classes proved transformative, engaging, and insightful for Alex as well as everyone close to her.

When Maggie came out as an omega to everyone at school, Mon and Malik Edge made comments about her identity and first fiance which were cruel and oddly specific, yet led to an intergalactic police force reopening the Latina’s case and finding the two jerks and their dad guilty of two attempted murders, two infanticides, biological terrorism, breaking and entering, extortion, and various other crimes. Maggie, Alex, and everyone else negatively affected by the Edges breathed a sigh of relief because the terrible trio was banned from Earth and sentenced to a maximum security prison on a planet far, far away. The President, Cat Grant, J’onn, Eliza, and several others were especially supportive of Maggie and her first babies getting justice. Cat decided to run for Morgan Edge’s senator seat, J’onn was promoted to Interim Dean of NCU’s Criminal Justice School, and Maggie was nominated for Department Chair. However, the omega turned down the position because she wanted to spend more time with Alex, continue her Help Center director duties, and set aside time for their future children.

Maggie and Alex grew closer by sending lit, biodegradable paper lamps into the atmosphere to mark the closure the omega and her twins had gotten. Over time, listening to Maggie talk about medical jurisprudence and learning how to escape her chokehold and pins during class also turned Alex on so much that, after class, she would immediately run back to her dorm and start projecting her desires onto the omega replica copy she’d bought for herself once the sex study ended.

The Latina started worrying about why Alex was leaving class in such a hurry, thinking she might have pushed her love too far physically or mentally. Thus, on a day she didn’t have any meetings, office hours, or other obligations, she decided to pay the auburn-haired polymath a dorm visit, hoping the two of them could talk through whatever was going on. However, after she heard the teen’s erratic and heavy breathing instead of a proper response to her knock, she let herself in with her campus security override card, scared teen was hurt or sick.

However, the sight before her was far more mesmerizing than terrifying. Alex was sweating bullets in her black tanktop and free of her boyshorts and NCU track pants as she was passionately mating the omega replica against her back wall, such that the first thing Maggie noticed was her pale yet strong and firm butt contracting with every thrust. The brunette froze from a mix of want and uncertainty, not sure whether the teen had even heard her enter and, if she had, whether she cared about being watched.

Wanting to be close to her love as she masturbat*d, the brunette decided to slowly step forward and hug Alex from the back in a way which was special to just them so the scientist wouldn’t be startled or prone to injury. The auburn-haired woman’s head and eyes rolled back when she realized Maggie was there and watching her, such that she guided olive hands to reddened belly, grapefruit-sized sack, and steel-hard knot at a deliciously tortuous pace. Maggie’s clothes were soaked by her sex’s response to the spectacle and Alex sucking her neck’s scent gland, and both came together after Maggie started massaging the younger woman’s breasts under her tanktop and expressing how much she wanted to be bitten. After the two recovered and stopped slumping against the replica, Alex took an olive hand in hers, turned it over, kissed its palm, and cupped it around her throbbing penis as she finished.

Maggie wasn’t surprised by the impossible amount of purple sem*n inside the swollen replica due to what she’d seen at the hospital, but was surprised to see what looked like a metrics bar on the pretend-omega’s arm. Curiosity got the better of her, so she croaked out the question after catching her breath and turning the replica’s arm toward them.

“Honey, whatcha got here?”

Alex attacked her olive neck’s scent glands again with her tongue in response, causing the Latina to squirt hard and shamelessly against their soaked lower halves.

“A taste of how pregnant I’m going to get you when you’re ready,” she seductively yet hoarsely whispered into the omega’s left ear.

Maggie squirted again at Alex’s words. She knew humans couldn’t produce 500 fertile and healthy eggs at once, but was relieved at how the inventor’s likelihood of producing healthy multiples was basically a hundred percent. Her scarred uterus and ovaries throbbed with want, unsure of how much longer she could wait for Alex to take, bite, and knot her.

“I am so ready, but need to share something important with you beforehand,” she responded while getting pale knuckles to reach backwards and rub against where she’d been soaked.

Alex came again after feeling Maggie’s soaked pants and would have bitten into olive neck if the professor hadn’t pulled away at the last second. A little hurt and shocked, Alex withdrew slowly and turned around, curious as to why Maggie stopped the marking.

Hesitantly, the auburn-haired student asked after biting her lip, “Have I done something wrong?”

To reassure her, Maggie stepped forward with soft eyes, cupped as much still-erect and dripping penis as she could, and kissed pale and quivering lips gently. The kiss quickly grew heated, such that Alex started to thrust into Maggie’s hand and got sloppy due to her sheer need and wetness. In a frenzy, she picked up her shorter love and thrust against the wall hard, knocking the woman’s wind out of her by accident. The mishap reminded the Latina they needed to stop, though, given how important the conversation they needed to have was.

Wind still returning, the kind professor shakily whispered, “You can have your way with me tonight if you’re okay with what I have to tell you. I want to make love to you and not hold anything back, though, so let’s do dinner and resume this at my place. How about 7:00?”

Sad her alpha was going to go unfulfilled for a couple more hours at the minimum, but thankful Maggie wanted to be completely herself when they were together, Alex agreed to the arrangement and gave the professor some clean clothes to wear for her trip home. She let the shorter woman shower beforehand while cleaning up the replica, then kissed the brunette hard as a sendoff and promise.

However, the night would go quite differently than they’d planned.

----

After several rings, knocks on the doorbell, calls, and texts, Alex was starting to worry about her love. She nearly went around the back of Maggie’s new house to see if she was back there making vegan barbecue for dinner, but was stopped by her window view of the woman’s lower half on the floor between the dining room and the kitchen. Thus, she raised the dining room’s window from the outside and rushed in, hoping she’d made it in time.

Alex was relieved to find Maggie conscious, but saddened by the state her love was in. Maggie was on the floor sweating profusely, clutching her lower half in a pained fetal position, and clenching her blood-soaked, quivering inner thighs. Alex ran to and scooped up her love quickly, despite being flooded with thoughts about the terrible situation. Who did this to Maggie? If the cause was natural, why is Maggie bleeding so much during what clearly smells like an active heat? Is the universe going to be cruel and take Maggie away from me, too?

Instinctively, Alex took her trembling Maggie into the master bedroom’s shower and sat down on the bench fused to its back wall, turning the handle to the coldest temperature permissible and grabbing the shower head. Maggie jumped and grabbed the lapels of Alex’s shirt with iron fists when hearing the shower turn on, so Alex turned off the head and started whispering words of comfort to her.

“Maggie, honey, can you hear me?” If someone did this to you, I can stop and collect whatever evidence you want to file a police report. I’ll be here for you no matter what because . . . I love you. So, so much, honey. Taking a shower will help your body temperature drop and get the blood off of you. I want to help you heal from whatever happened.”

Maggie nodded her head weakly and lifted her arms so Alex could take her dress off. Alex rolled up the dress and tossed it aside gently, not wanting to completely destroy any remaining evidence of what Maggie went through. Meanwhile, Maggie started removing her blood-stained panties. She only had the strength to pull them halfway off, so Alex finished the job for her. Only after tossing them aside, too, did Alex see the true extent of Maggie’s bleeding. Her love gushed a new stream of blood once the panties were gone and clutched Alex, whimpering while providing a broken explanation of her pain.

“Happens . . . PCOS . . . leftover damage . . . cop years . . . babies. Heat . . . too early . . . hurts. Not attacked. Need to . . . cool down. So hot.”

Alex was relieved to hear Maggie hadn’t been attacked and was able to speak, but felt sad about her love’s body betraying her this badly and in a way she’d heard about while working at Women’s and National Hospital. However, Alex wasn’t prepared for what Maggie would brokenly ask next.

“Need to get out . . . bra. Too hot . . . bloody . . . to keep it on. Help me?”

Wanting to help but protect Maggie from the arousal she was unwillingly starting to feel again, Alex moved Maggie forward a little and slipped a thick, folded towel between their lower halves. Maggie didn’t even notice the towel until after Alex removed her sweat-soaked bra.

“Thank you, Alex. Compression is . . . good. May stop the bleeding some,” Maggie choked out after sitting back on her love’s towel-covered lap.

“You’re very welcome, honey. Let’s get you all cleaned up and feeling better,” Alex whispered while trying not to break at how limp Maggie felt in her arms.

After Maggie’s weak nod, Alex looked around the shower for bottles of body wash, shampoo, and conditioner. However, seeing the shower area was pristinely empty, Alex leaned back in frustration and bumped her head against a button she hadn’t noticed before. A panel to their left began to jut out of the wall and turn slowly, revealing a heat and PCOS emergency care kit for Maggie. Alex was amused at how her love incorporated cop stealth into something as normal as taking a shower, but wondered if doing so was yet another example of Maggie doing everything to hide her omega status before that semester started.

Relaxing her mind and creased brow to focus on Maggie’s care, Alex opened the kit and removed the three bottles she needed. The paler woman decided to start cleaning Maggie’s hair and face to help her relax, then work down from there. Alex had other reasons for her actions; the compression she unintentionally made for Maggie needed time to work, and each woman was more vulnerable than ever before (given the former’s unintentional yet sincere confession and the latter’s evident yet newly exposed suffering).

Alex turned the shower head back on slowly so Maggie wouldn’t jump again and let the water trickle down the feverish woman’s head. Once Maggie’s hair was soaked enough, Alex pumped out a dollop of heat-friendly shampoo, rubbed her hands together, and steadily worked her coated fingers through Maggie’s raven locks.

Then, letting the shampoo settle some, Alex took a washcloth from the kit, pumped a couple more dollops of body wash on it, and gently turned Maggie’s face toward her. As Alex wiped the sweat and stray drops of blood from Maggie’s face, she noticed several small scars and tiny freckles scattered randomly. Maggie’s beautiful deep brown eyes closed while Alex was reading the skin-deep evidence of her police work, then opened them halfway to look at her love. Both women were tempted to kiss due to their newfound physical and emotional closeness, but knew they had should wait until Maggie was fully okay. Thus, so they silently agreed to Alex nudging Maggie’s forehead with the bridge of her nose.

As Alex worked her way down the olive-skinned woman’s body, she noticed equally small freckles but bigger and more irregular scars, likely from the times Maggie was stabbed and shot on the job. Alex approached each scar gently, constantly looking at Maggie’s face for signs of discomfort and withdrawal of permission to touch. Finding none, softly dabbed and wiped Maggie’s neck, shoulders, arms, and belly, nudging her love with her nose to stay present in the moment and let the shorter woman know a scar touch was coming. Alex never knew this kind of intimacy could be so special, but knew she was ruined for anyone else. Maggie was the only person she’d ever walk down the isle for.

Maggie was nearly asleep due to her love’s thoughtful and caring ministrations, so Alex flicked some bodywash and gently ran the shower head over her exposed breasts, legs, and feet. However, Alex needed Maggie to be awake for the compression’s removal and the rest of her cleaning. The taller and paler woman didn’t want to do anything without Maggie’s clear consent, so she jostled her love enough to get it.

“Maggie, I’m so close to being done. Just stay with me a few more minutes so I know if cleaning . . . down there . . . ,” Alex paused and gesticulated a little awkwardly, “causes you pain or discomfort.”

Maggie nodded a little faster than before and relaxed into Alex’s front side, craning her neck to look at her love through halfway open eyelids.

Consent given, Alex proceeded to remove the towel serving as Maggie’s compression and check for further bleeding.

Not finding any new blood or damage, Alex exhaled in relief and asked, “Maggie, are you okay with me wiping you down, or would you like to do it?”

Maggie leaned back into Alex’s front and scratched her lightly for a moment, indicating she wanted Alex’s help again.

Nudging Maggie’s head and keeping a healthy distance between their lower halves, Alex turned the shower head to a hotter temperature and lightly caressed Maggie’s belly while the water began raining down. Then, the nearly-legal woman started washing away the blood and sweat coating her love’s mound, hoping all would be okay.

----

After Alex finished cleaning and toweling Maggie off, she scooped up the sleeping woman and tucked her in for the night. The teenager texted Kara and their mother, letting them know she would be home for the weekend as soon as possible, but telling them not to wait up for her.

Without realizing it, Alex had kept her phone’s volume loud enough to wake Maggie, who rolled over and garbled, “Stay . . . please.”

Alex apologized for waking the precious woman, turned the volume off, texted her mom and sister about staying with an officer getting medical treatment, and nearly got in bed to cuddle Maggie. However, realizing for the first time how wet and gross her clothes had become, she stopped. Realizing the weight of Alex joining and cuddling her was absent for too long, Maggie opened her eyes halfway. Then, seeing Alex shivering and trying to figure out what to do about the mess, Maggie pointed to her closet and told Alex she could borrow some PJs. Alex gratefully accepted the offer and quickly began rummaging through the closet. She chose the thickest set of PJs available and repurposed some shoulder pads to keep her penis in check, not wanting to make Maggie’s situation more uncomfortable.

Once Alex had changed and dried her auburn hair off with a leftover towel, she climbed into bed behind a still-awake-somehow Maggie. The cinnamon roll of a woman flipped over instead of staying the little spoon and began to nuzzle Alex’s neck with her nose, seeking the soothing pheromones unique to alphas. Maggie began burrowing, snoring, and drooling softly once under the spell of Alex’s protective cradling, thankful she finally had someone to call home.

----

Alex woke to jagged waves of sunlight shining through the bedroom blinds she forgot to close. Hating to move away from Maggie, but needing to check in with her family, Alex promptly let Kara and their mom know she crashed at a fellow officer’s house instead of risking a tired, late-night drive on her green and black Kawasaki Ninja. Accepting the excuse without question, the other Danvers women texted her smiley faces. Kara also let her sister know the graduation cap and gown she’d preordered were available for pickup. Then, the eldest Danvers texted Alex an adorable selfie of her, Kara, and Lena holding up two scribbled signs: one saying Come home soon! XOXO and another saying We miss and are proud of you! #that’smygirl #grADuate.

Alex beamed at her family’s insufferable cuteness, but didn’t regret missing one Friday family night to help Maggie. She would attend many more family nights in the future (especially ones to celebrate Kara and Lena’s graduation as well as hers from medical school and/or National City’s police academy), but what she experienced with Maggie last night was special in its own way. Someday, she hoped her love and their children would all be able to go to those family nights.

“Hey, you.”

Maggie’s raspy voice interrupted Alex’s reflection on the last twenty-four hours and their future.

Smiling sheepishly down at the covers and back up at her lover, Alex caressed the long locks of raven hair cascading onto the pillows and touched foreheads with Maggie.

“Hi,” Alex happily squeaked out in response.

Maggie grinned and reciprocated the nudge, wishing Alex a good morning and wanting to explain what happened the night before.

“I’m so sorry if I scared you, disappointed you, or made you feel uncomfortable yesterday. I’ve had PCOS and injuries making it worse for awhile, but that heat really knocked me on my ass. Since my second miscarriage, I haven’t felt so . . . needy and vulnerable. Not enough to miss something as important as dinner with you without notice. Being an omega sucks sometimes.”

Alex kept stroking Maggie’s hair and nodded in understanding, wanting to reassure Maggie that everything was and would be okay.

“You didn’t do anything wrong, Maggie. Yesterday wouldn’t have happened if I’d healed you before.”

Maggie tilted her head and scrunched her eyebrows in confusion, knowing there was currently no cure for PCOS or how her scars worsened it. Then again, she remembered her girlfriend was a telekinetic, science genius, secret gay bar rockstar, and scrappy old soul who would do anything to protect those she loves and serves.

Perhaps she invented a cure without telling anyone. What did I ever do to deserve her?

Alex picked up on the brunette’s confusion through her face and mind-message, then responded in kind.

“You never had to be or do anything to deserve me, other than being your true self. I was referring to the newfound healing side of my telekinesis, though. I asked a biology professor if I could experiment with some leftover grant mice induced with PCOS after learning about it and my healing ability through my hospital internship. I was able to cure the disease in about 90% of the mice by bending subatomic particles with my mind, so he and I are going to work on creating a non-invasive machine which can replicate my power. We filed a million-dollar grant proposal the night before the semester started and hope to get as close to a 100% cure rate as possible. Omegas like you deserve more than a life filled with pain.”

Maggie was overwhelmed and touched by how thoughtful Alex had been with her research. She had neglected to ask Alex more about her alien superpowers before and after California, not sure if Alex was ready to discuss them and not wanting to put her on the spot either way. However, she consented to Alex healing her, hoping to never have experience the pain, unexpected bleeding, and miscarriage brought on by the disease ever again.

----

Maggie’s breathing was ragged and shallow from everything Alex had done to her the rest of the day. Being on the receiving end of that much intensity left her spent and sweaty, so much so that she couldn’t put her clothes back on if she tried.

After receiving consent for what might be an eight-hour-long procedure, Alex asked Maggie to remove her shirt and pants to make targeting each part of her body easier. Then, the scrappy genius rockstar nerd-bian explained what her love was about to experience: up to three different particle manipulations which had worked on the PCOS-induced mice.

The first round of particle therapy lasted five hours, given it involved changing the programming of Maggie’s trillions of cells. Alex’s photographic memory contained pictures of the genetic codes most strongly associated with PCOS, and she created a mental algorithm which could be used to alter them all in one procedure. She worked efficiently yet carefully to alter Maggie’s cell because even one mistake could spell trouble. Fortunately, the only negative post-op side effects were Maggie’s all-consuming needs for food, sleep, and a left big toe scratch.

As Maggie used her break time to rest and eat, Alex scanned her body to figure out whether to perform the insulin-targeting particle therapy. Evidence pointed to the second treatment type not being necessary, so Alex began the third (one targeting gunshot-related and other inflammation in Maggie’s body). That procedure was considerably easier due to its smaller scope and lasted about an hour and a half.

Maggie was so tired from all of the particle manipulation that she wasn’t sure how to respond to a bonus request from Alex: to heal the scar tissue in her reproductive system, especially everything from the miscarriages.

The raven-haired warrior consented, but with one condition: she wanted to see what Alex saw when performing the procedure, as she needed visual reassurance that she could carry to term for Alex someday. The young polymath understood and accepted the condition immediately, happy to know her mate was open to that type of mind-mind connection. Maggie cried in happiness because her face hurt too much to smile anymore.

Within an hour and a half, Alex healed all of the scars in Maggie’s womb and wiped the omega’s sweat away. The procedure would have been much quicker, but the promising young alien slowed down so her mate could emotionally respond to the physical reminders of each loss going away. Like the starry nights they’d seen in California, their mind-mind connection felt like a sea of darkness which eventually succumbed to the light. Neither had been more in love than at the close of the procedure and their eyes.

Chapter 22: Chapter Twenty Two

Chapter Text

From start to end, October proved an incredible month for Alex, Maggie, and their band of family members and friends.

National City’s Pridefest came much earlier compared to the previous two years, but was just as fun and exciting as ever. Alex had planned the biggest, gayest proposal imaginable for Maggie, and the omega had planned a quiet yet intimate and meaningful proposal for her alpha.

With some money she’d made from the PCOS healing prototype and other things she’d invented, Alex rented and coordinated an entire float for her love, such that giant rainbow elephants would be blowing bubbles, dancing to “New Romantics” by Taylor Swift, and holding up a “Marry me, Maggie?” sign. Alex had chosen the elephants to commemorate how she designed her first invention to help Maggie heal and how she wanted more firsts with Maggie and their children. Three of the elephants had wings to commemorate Maggie’s angel babies and show her Alex would never forget how special they were to the brunette. The song was meant to convey how both of them had experienced a lot of hate, yet built their home from all of those bricks and were becoming more free (despite their love being a scarlet letter to some, if they knew). It was also supposed to convey Alex’s personal journey from identifying as ace and someone who’d waited for love to no avail, yet come into her own as an out lesbian and alpha after falling for Maggie.

For later that night, Maggie had rented out the local planetarium’s space show room for the two of them and planned for them to watch an altered version of the Milky Way show (which had the planets align and a constellation asking Alex to marry her). She also wanted to stream a poorly Photoshopped yet hilarious slideshow of how she’d fallen for Alex and all she hoped they would do in the future (including driving the nurses at the old folks’ home crazy). The songs she chose for the streaming were “Story of Your Life” and “100 Years” by Five for Fighting (as she wanted to convey how all the loss she’d experienced brought her closer to Alex and how they didn’t need to rush or have everything figured out to be right for each other).

Although a block away from Alex and Maggie during the Pridefest Parade, Lena and Kara were able to spot their sister and the professor standing next to each other and watching the floats go by. Kara had been clueless about her sister’s romance, but Lena had caught on because she had spotted the two holding hands when Alex was in the hospital and could easily tell when the two were exchanging heart eyes during combat practicum. The blonde thought the float meant for Maggie was really sweet and wondered if it was referring to their Maggie or someone else, but Lena wasn’t surprised at all to see Maggie crying happy tears and hugging Alex. The youngest Luthor kept the true meaning of their little moment hidden from her fiance, though, wanting to give Alex the decency and privacy she deserved (even if it meant a fight over the ethics of their situation breaking out later on).

“Hey, Lena? Why is Maggie crying? Did someone say something hateful to her? If so, let me know. I’m more than happy to fling them into space. She’s already been through enough,” the super strong reporter and crime-stopper shouted over the crowd around them.

Panicking over what to say, Lena decided to respond physically instead of verbally at first, such that she grabbed Kara and kissed her hard. Once they pulled apart and Kara’s dopey smile went on full display, Lena reassured her that everything was all right and that Alex had whatever was going on covered. Kara shot one more worried glance the Latina’s way, but was distracted by Lena standing behind her and pulling her close while rubbing her tummy and kissing her neck. Fortunately, Lena’s distraction worked, such that Kara stopped worrying and turned her attention back to the parade.

Although they caught a glimpse of the action from afar, Kara and Lena hadn’t heard Alex’s proposal to Maggie. Once the float got close enough to them, the auburn-haired alpha pointed it out to her love, held the brunette’s hand as the elephants danced, and mind-messaged all the words she’d carefully planned out (given they could barely hear the music, let alone each other, over the rambunctious crowd).

Maggie, I know we got off to a rocky start the first day we met and because of how awkward I was, but we’ve come so far since then as individuals and a couple. Much of that transition involved heartache, risk taking, and uncertainty for both of us, but we’ve also grown so close despite being physically and psychologically far from each other at times. I’m so grateful for everything I’ve learned from you, whether it’s happened in California, class, the hospital, or everyday conversation. I want to keep learning from and inventing for you, and I never want to stop having firsts with you. Our babies won’t be your first, but I’ll make sure they know about their angel siblings, if you want. I hope they have your eyes, strength, dimples, smarts, loyalty, patience, and cute butt. I love you so much that it hurts, honey. Marry me?

Maggie had been completely caught off guard by the float, but was pleasantly surprised Alex beat her to the proposal punch, especially in such an extravagant and thoughtful way. She vigorously nodded her head yes through her happy tears and offered the pale woman some Hershey’s kisses she’d brought for them (as kissing in public was still too dangerous, given Alex’s age and how they knew a lot of people in attendance). Alex cried some, too, and gladly unwrapped the drops from heaven for them.

Once they’d stopped crying and the float had long gone, Alex felt her phone buzz with a text and, after checking her phone, realized she’d missed five calls from Sam and two from Kate. Apparently, the Latina beta had gone into labor that morning, and she had texted a captioned version of their first selfie with the newborn.

Sam O Rama Fire Powah: Trinity Jade Kane, 6 lbs. even, 19 inches long, born 3:16 p.m., came feet first, omega who’s not dating until she’s 45. Get your godmother butt over here before my meds wear off and I burn this place to the ground. <3 ;) But really . . . :O *oww*

Alex started crying happy tears and bouncing on her heels, then showed the photo and text to Maggie (who tilted her head and made loving eyes at the dark-haired baby sucking her first). The alpha grabbed the omega’s hand and started leading her away from the parade in happiness, wanting to introduce her now-fiance to more members of her family. Maggie froze because she didn’t expect to be invited or want to impose, but Alex reassured her she’d receive a warm welcome. After all, Sam had tutored Kate when they went through school all those years ago (even though Help Center tutors weren’t supposed to date their clients); given that, her friendship with Alex, and the pain and fatigue from giving birth, the beta probably would say little to nothing while they were there.

----

Before heading up to Sam, Kate, Ruby, and Jade’s room, Alex and Maggie stopped by the hospital’s gift shop to buy a teddy bear and card for the growing little family (even though the alpha had made her goddaughter a boat-shaped bassinet months before and ordered the family food while en route). Maggie felt so honored to be included in the gift shopping, card signing, and visiting (given she hadn’t met these friends of Alex’s yet). She secretly hoped to hold the tiny miracle as well (given she’d never held a live baby yet), but didn’t want to ask because she knew the pressures of pregnancy and delivery far too well.

Alex couldn’t stop holding Maggie’s hand, bouncing up and down in excitement, or stealing glances at her while they were taking the elevator to the labor and delivery wing. She was so happy that the brunette accepted her proposal and hoped the next time they had to go to the hospital would be for their first ultrasound. She was also elated about introducing Maggie to her extended family as her fiance for the first time and hoped all would accept the Latina omega, too.

Finally, the couple made it to their destination and, after asking the nursing station attendants where the room was, knocked before heading in. Kate opened the door with a big grin and hugged Alex so hard that she picked the teen up off the floor and swung her around once. The leather-clad and cropped-haired alpha then bashfully introduced herself to Maggie, as she felt bad over not noticing she was near the door, too. Maggie thought Kate’s reaction was cute and instantly forgave her, as she had been standing behind Alex and knew the oversight was unintentional. Atoning completed, the avid motorcycle fan ushered the couple in, roused Sam and Ruby, and picked Jade up from her hospital baby bed cart.

“Well, well, well. Look who . . . finally . . . showed . . . up,” Sam said snarkily while strategically pausing, smirking, and putting her hand to her head to be dramatic.

“Mommy, don’t be mean to Auntie Alex. She bought us food,” Ruby pouted while defending her beloved godmother, thinking Sam was being serious rather than joking.

“It’s okay, honey. Mommy is just messing with Auntie Alex,” Kate said, trying to reassure their far-too-literal yet wise and sensitive daughter.

Ruby seemed satisfied with that response, then said while turning toward Alex and Maggie, “Okay, Mama. Hey, Alex! Do you and your wife want to hold Jade?”

Sam and Kate were hilariously mortified at Ruby’s label for Maggie and were about to apologize for the six-year-old’s well-intentioned assumption, but Alex cut them off and said while smiling wide, “My fiance, Maggie, and I would love to, if Mommy and Mama are okay with that.”

The Latina beta’s eyes grew wide like saucers and she looked at Kate to confirm she wasn’t so high on her meds that she’d misheard Alex. Then, holding out her needle- and child-free arm, she introduced herself to the omega Latina, happy yet unsure of how or why Alex kept such a great secret from them all.

Misunderstanding her godmother, Ruby said after her jaw dropped dramatically, “Auntie Alex, I didn’t know you were married to Beyonce. Hi, Queen B!”

All of the adults laughed so hard at the second mislabeling that they woke the baby up. While Alex took and started bouncing Jade around to soothe her, Maggie explained, “Honey, I’m just Alex’s fiance, meaning I have promised to become her wife one day. I can’t sing even close to what Beyonce can, but am honored by how you think I’m like her. My name is Maggie, by the way. Dr. Maggie Sawyer.”

Ruby had her classic processing face on while taking the information in, then responded, “So, you’re a beautiful and nice doctor who knows how to explain things to kids. What’s the holdup, then?”

Kate and Sam were mortified again at their daughter’s questioning, but Alex saved them from it while swaying back and forth with a now-calm Jade, saying, “Well, I just asked her to become my wife someday a few hours ago. I have loved her for a long time, but had to grow a lot and learn more about her before making the big leap. Everybody takes relationships at their own pace, and it’s okay to go slowly. Kind of like what The Tortoise and the Hair says.”

Ruby smiled and clapped her hands a few times in understanding, glad to know the brunette omega would indeed become apart of their family in the future. She also asked Maggie which Ninja Turtle was her favorite (given she still hadn’t grasped the differences between tortoises and turtles), and everybody laughed when the professor did an impression of the famous “I Like Turtles” meme instead of giving away her favorites (Leo and Donnie). Ruby was too young to understand the reference, but appreciated Maggie’s goofiness all the same. At various points in the hospital and the future, she’d refer to Maggie as “Mikey” (the funniest Ninja Turtle).

Turning their attention back to the baby when she sneezed, everyone was surprised to see her smiling for the first time. Kate took pictures of the moment with milliseconds to spare, and Sam cried a little while holding a beaming and awestruck Ruby (who couldn’t get enough of her tiny baby sister). The wispy-haired newborn then opened her eyes and, seeing Maggie first, reached for the Latina. Making a note to get more acquainted with Maggie one on one later, but show Alex she accepted their relationship, Sam granted the professor permission to hold the littlest omega in the room. Maggie was overwhelmed with emotions upon holding the baby and cried a little, happy to feel Jade gently palm and snuggle into her chest, yet sad she didn’t get to feel this with her babies and hoping ones sired by Alex would be in the little one’s classes someday. The warrior-academic handed the baby back after she fell asleep again and thanked Sam, Kate, Ruby, and Alex for including her. She would never forget their kindness and readily accepted Sam’s invitation to a double date (to be held around Christmas, given Sam needed time to heal and everybody needed to get adjusted to having Jade at home).

----

Given all the intense emotions from that day, Alex and Maggie decided to head back to the brunette’s house and take a nap before going out on the date Maggie had arranged. Not wanting to push her feelings down, Maggie explained why she’d cried earlier while holding Jade. Alex held her as she cried over mixed feelings again, understanding where she was coming from completely and without judgment. She was about to apologize for taking Maggie there without realizing she’d feel that way, but was cut off by a passionate and teary kiss. Maggie also thanked her for taking her to the hospital because holding Jade had been somewhat of a healing experience; however, she’d feel the most healed when holding their babies, ones she hoped they’d conceive during her next heat (pending Alex was available and willing).

The warrior-academic contemplated showering with Alex before their nap, but decided against it because she knew her self-control would go out the window upon seeing her love naked and she didn’t want to rush their first time. Thus, the two fell asleep after showering separately, cuddling, eating some more Hershey’s kisses, and downing the candy with soy milk. She was relieved when, right as they were closing their eyes, Alex put a hand up her shirt and, cupping olive belly while kissing behind olive ear, whispered, “Whenever you’re ready.” Both eventually drifted off to sleep, dreaming of children they hoped to have in the very near future.

Chapter 23: Chapter Twenty Three

Chapter Text

Alex showed exactly how much she appreciated Maggie’s date night idea by kissing the woman senselessly and fiercely while both were atop the teen’s green and black Kawasaki Ninja (which was now safely parked in the omega’s garage). Back at the planetarium, they had started off kissing lightly while lying under the projected stars and planets; however, they left a little earlier than planned because they knew they couldn’t control themselves much longer and didn’t want to be banned from the place over having sex there. Plus, Alex wanted to make love to Maggie in one of their beds, not the floor of a public building; she wanted Maggie to be surrounded by warmth, comfort, familiar smells, and the snacks she’d stashed away for times they didn’t want to leave their rooms.

Maggie was just as hungry for Alex’s love and weaved her olive fingers through her fiance’s already-tousled auburn mane, rocking against the leather-clad alpha as she held onto the top of the motorcycle’s seat for dear life. She could barely control her tears after swaying back and forth to the slow country song playing through her PowerPoint’s credits and whispering her proposal (which prompted them to start kissing in the first place).

Dancing with her forehead against the bridge of Alex’s nose, Maggie asked, “So, did you like the preview of all the firsts we’re going to have together?”

Alex smiled bashfully, scrunched her face in a cute way, hopped a few steps backwards, and pretended to headbang while pumping her fists in the air.

Amused by her love’s adorable antics, and hoping their children would be just as adorkable, Maggie said through fully-displayed dimples, “So, I’m guessing that means yes?”

Unable to form words, Alex sauntered back over to her love, took her fiance’s left hand, turned it palm up, and wrote “YEAH. :)” there, one symbol at a time.

Maggie was touched in more ways than one by the gesture and burrowed herself against the taller woman, then slid her freezing hands up under the teen’s Bare Naked Ladies shirt. Despite being pale, Alex was always so warm. Maggie missed that warmth when her love was gone for the day or night, but she’d never get used to it, either. She just accepted she’d always crave touching Alex, no matter where they were or how good the times were to them.

The auburn-haired inventor shuddered at how cold Maggie’s hands were against her, but welcomed them as well. She felt like she was burning up and likely to explode with want at any second; after all, her rut was likely just days away (if even that far off). Plus, she’d been waiting over a year and a half to be with Maggie, and not even the omega replica could satisfy her needs anymore. The most basic alpha instincts she had told her to stray, but her heart told her to stay; Maggie was worth every second of waiting. She’d never regret listening to her heart (at least when it came to Maggie).

Maggie’s next words broke Alex’s concentration on the cold from her love’s hands and the impossible heat from her feelings and needs.

“I love you, Alex Danvers. I’ve loved you for so, so long. How you were there for me when the twins died and after I got shot. How you were understanding of why I went AWOL in California. How you’re always checking in because you care, not because you’re the typical controlling alpha. How soft you are against me, with kids, and with the people you love. How you’ve grown into this amazing woman who’s not afraid to be herself anymore, and how you’ve helped me do the same. I, uh, just thought you should know. All of that. And . . . I wanted to . . . just,” Maggie whispered, struggling to fight her tears and handing Alex the Christmas sweater they’d exchanged multiple times since they’d first started talking.

Alex took the sweater in hand with happy tears in her eyes and turned it over without thinking, such that a small, galaxy-patterned ring box fell out of one of the pockets and onto the floor. Before she could bend down to pick it up, Maggie motioned for her to stay as she was and saw her unintentional mishap as an opportunity.

After getting down on one knee, scooping up the box, and gathering herself, Maggie continued and whispered, “. . . give you this ring as a symbol of the eternal, loving home I want to build with you. The entwined lines of red, yellow, blue, and green stone running around the middle of the band symbolize how we’ve been in very different places life-wise, but come together through moments like Christmas, watching Harry Potter, parenting class, California, and meeting your god children. The black onyx surrounding it is like the vast and endless space I want us and that love to grow into. There’s also room to add to the ring, and I hope to add something for each child and precious moment we have together. Maybe get you more than one ring. I have no idea, but will you marry me, too, Alex?”

Alex bounced on her heels while sobbing and nodding happily, scooped the smaller woman up off the floor, twirled her around as she squealed and laughed, and used her telekinesis to set up their small blanket out on the floor. The NCU senior slid in behind the professor as the big spoon, grabbed her fiance’s ring hand with her own, slid their hands up under the omega’s shirt, gently kissed olive skin from shoulder to behind-the-ear patch, and suckled an olive ear lobe. Then, after nudging the side of her betrothed’s neck with her nose, Alex said through her happy tears, “I wanna have them all with you. Our babies. Our firsts.”

Maggie craned her head toward and kissed Alex through the happy tears those words inspired. She knew they had to stop and go home, though, because she could feel how aroused she and Alex were getting at the slightest kisses and touches. Thankfully, she sat behind Alex during the ride back to what she hoped would become their house instead of just hers. Sitting against her love’s erection the whole way would have been delicious yet maddening torture, and she’d never willed her heat to start that hard.

----

After what felt like an eternity, and gasping for air as they attacked each others’ lips and necks, Alex and Maggie managed to make it out of the garage and into the master bedroom. Stumbling in through the door after deactivating the security system, they’d stripped and flung their clothes off piece by piece, not caring where their shirts, shoes, socks, and pants landed. Alex’s alpha screamed for her to just take her omega on any surface they’d pressed each other into along the way (mainly the walls, kitchen countertop, or living room floor). Anything to satisfy the long-quelled and ferocious hunger the brunette inspired in her.

However, Alex just barely managed to hang on as Maggie’s shirt came off. Right as they were about to enter the bedroom, she stopped and held the professor’s hands inside her own, then got on her knees and started kissing and sucking olive belly.

Smelling the intense wave of arousal coming off Maggie, and wanting to try something she’d read about during her summer human sexuality course, Alex lightly traced from olive belly button to black boyshorts separating her from Maggie’s sex, softly looked up at her love, and whispered, “I want to taste you.”

The raven-haired omega closed her eyes, whimpered with want as she stumbled back against the wall just outside the bedroom, and felt her arousal ruining the boyshorts as she looked down at Alex. She simply didn’t have the willpower to stop herself from squirting and feeling like jelly at the request. However, she needed to tell Alex something important before saying yes.

“Only if that’s what you really want; you don’t have to take the lead just because society tells alphas to be dominant in bed, or because you think you owe me for helping you masturbat* before. Just thought you should know,” she shuddered out, chest still heaving and sweating bullets with desire.

Alex got up from the floor, looked softly into the warrior-academic’s eyes, gently kissed the shorter woman’s nose, slowly leaned the bridge of her nose against soaked olive forehead, and whispered while weaving her fingers through raven hair, “Thank you for telling and thinking of me, honey. I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time, though. Please?”

Maggie opened her eyes to visually confirm Alex was sure and, after seeing the teen was searching her eyes for uncertainty or fear rather than conveying those emotions, nodded her head and mind-messaged the teen to pick her up. Then, leaning into Alex while lightly drawing circles on and tracing her flushed chest, the strong woman said, “Marry me right here and now, in front of all the gods. Marry and make love to me, Alex. My wife. My guardian angel.”

Crying while nodding vigorously, Alex tipped Maggie’s head back with her mind and kissed her passionately. She then propped the door open with her heel, gently laid the omega on the bed, knelt down on the carpet floor, and dragged the brunette's lower half forward. Before removing the drenched boyshorts, Alex lightly kissed and traced the top of each olive foot to each olive knee, enamored by how beautiful Maggie was and how she was getting to be this intimate with the mother of her future children for the first time.

Maggie was too preoccupied with unclipping and tossing her bra to notice Alex’s jaw dropping at what she found under the boyshorts. However, once her attention was back on her love, Maggie felt caught off guard by Alex’s expression and, feeling embarrassed and vulnerable all of a sudden, started closing her legs and scooting away. Internally, she started panicking over what Alex might have been thinking. Maybe she prefers completely shaved women. Maybe me being this wet this soon grosses her out. Maybe my cl*t is too big for her. Maybe she doesn’t want me or this anymore, and I’ve just ruined something perfectly good.

Due to their mind-mind connection, Alex could hear all of Maggie’s thoughts and, worried crease forming on her forehead, got up on the bed to hold and reassure her love.

“Maggie, I love you just the way you are and think you’re beautiful. I’m sorry for staring; all the books I’ve read just didn’t prepare me to see how beautiful and big you are down there. Whenever you’re ready, I can’t wait to feel your curls and cl*t against me. They are perfect to me, and I don’t want to be anywhere or with anybody else,” the alpha said, sniffling over Maggie’s insecurities, her fear about the omega asking her to leave, and the love she’d never stop feeling (regardless of what happened).

After hearing Alex’s thoughts and words, Maggie cried, snuggled into her wife, hugged her close, and whispered through her sniffles, “I could never ask you to go away. Please, stay. Stay and make love to me still. I want to love and be married to you forever, Alex Danvers.”

The auburn-haired woman kissed her wife’s fully exposed shoulder, nodded in consent, then resumed her position on the floor. However, before she could start exploring the treasure that was her wife’s sex, she felt a warm and slightly sweaty as well as tear-stained hand cup her cheek. Lifting Alex’s head to lay eyes on her while speaking, Maggie choked out, “Thank you for accepting and holding me, honey. You’re perfect and the only one for me, too.”

Wiping her now-happy tears away with the back of her hand, Alex asked with a smile, “Yeah?”

Dimpled and radiant as could be, the now-confident and smiling Maggie said with a head tilt, “Yeah.”

Alex turned her head, lightly kissed the lone hand’s knuckles, and opened the book that was her wife to one of the greatest chapters she’d ever read.

----

Maggie came five times that night under Alex’s ministrations, softly at first, hard the next three times, then softly again when she couldn’t handle being stimulated anymore. She felt bad about Alex never getting to fill her with seed, but the pale woman reassured her she would the next morning when they were rejuvenated by snacks and sleep. Before taking care of herself in the bathroom, Alex wiped Maggie down, shared her obsession with the brunette’s maple taste and baby carrot-sized cl*t, then stroked and tucked in her wife as her eyes drooped shut. She’d never get used to being the big spoon sleeping naked behind an equally naked Maggie. Never, ever, ever.

Chapter 24: Chapter Twenty Four

Chapter Text

Maggie awoke to her body feeling electrified, sweaty, and swollen in all the places she had hoped to be the previous night, but hadn’t been because her body and emotions weren’t in sync yet. She smiled and shivered at the realization that her heat was finally upon her, then scooted back to be closer to Alex’s lower half. She could feel the long expanse of morning wood rubbing against her as she started touching herself, wanting to gently awaken her sleeping wife by amplifying how much omega heat pheromone she was emitting. Soon after she started, her cl*t lengthened and throbbed again, but more than ever before; knowing how strong and persistent Alex’s seed was, she knew this would probably be their first and last mating for awhile.

Maggie stimulated herself until she squirted and came through restrained moans and sobs, but realized her gradual pheromone increase was currently not working as intended; her wife was clearly passed out, such that she was drooling a little on their pillow and sticking the tip of her tongue out to one side. Wanting to scream more release into existence before she exploded with want, yet respect her still-sleeping wife’s needs, Maggie decided to get a head start by getting off to the fantasies she’d had about Alex in each room of what she hoped would become their house.

About half an hour later, most of the house was saturated with the smell of Maggie’s numerous yet unfulfilled calls for Alex. Her sweat and pheromones had become so pungent that neighbors and strangers started approaching the house, concerned about the clearly-needy omega in some cases, but lustful and ill-intentioned in others.

Unaware of Maggie’s calls and the approaching neighbors, Alex awoke to the feeling of her penis swelling, throbbing, and being thrusted into cold air. Smiling at how her knot was already starting to form due to her rut starting, the scientist-cop began reaching for her wife to start their mating, not knowing she had already gotten up in more ways than one. However, her smile quickly faded at the sound of glass breaking loudly and the pungent smell of Maggie’s fear coming through the door.

Panicking too much to care she was still naked, Alex stumbled out of bed (given her unrelenting erection), hurriedly opened the door, ran through the hallway outside the bedroom, and started calling out her love’s name. By now, she could clearly tell Maggie was in heat, but desperately held her alpha back, knowing something about the situation was clearly wrong.

In what felt like slow motion, Alex found Maggie bent over on all fours on the living room floor, sweaty brunette locks and olive forehead melded to the floor. She wasn’t bleeding again like before and didn’t seem hurt; rather, judging by the fresh wave of omega heat pheromones, her vulnerability was due to her coming into her clearly-stuck hand again. The sound of glass breaking had come from one of the living room windows. Two unidentified male alphas and an unidentified female alpha had broken into Maggie’s home and had started fighting about who would satiate her heat, whether by force or with consent. Fists and swears were flying as the crazed alphas were attempting to stake their claim on Maggie, but Alex let the aggressive side of her alpha come to the forefront for once.

Pissed at how disgusting and disrespectful the other alphas were being toward her wife, Alex went through a very powerful and intimidating transformation. Once the irises of her eyes, hair, and purple penis tube turned a liquid silver color, her alpha used her telekinesis to lift all three intruders up off the ground and bring them face to face with her. In a trance-like state, Alex threatened them with death or worse if they ever stepped foot near Maggie or the house ever again. Then, she emitted a suffocating wave of alpha protective, angry, and rut pheromones, such that all three intruders were struggling to breathe and coughing as their eyes bulged in fear.

During the spectacle, the death grip hold Maggie’s sex had on her hand relaxed, and she regained her footing enough to stand up. Seeing her love’s alpha come across that strongly and beautifully made her squirt with want, yet fear what her love might do to the three intruders if she didn’t intervene.

Quickly, she started calling for Alex again using her pheromones, but paired them with soothing mind-messages this time (given her love was awake and nearby this time). Fortunately, she got Alex’s attention and calmed her down enough to get her to release the three from her teetering-on-lethal telekinetic hold. However, Maggie’s intentions were not completely pure; with Alex looking on, she kicked one in the shin, punched another in the face, and kneed another in the groin, wanting to make it clear she could take them all out by herself if needed and would have them jailed in space if they ever threatened her or her mate again. Then, she growled at them to get out.

Fortunately, the three intruders were astute enough to listen and ran away from the house after climbing out through the broken window. Plus, after watching their mad dash from the place and smelling Alex’s clear claim on Maggie, nobody else dared to step foot near or into the house.

Thankful they were alone and safe again, Maggie walked softly up to her mate, looped her hands over the back of the woman’s pale expanse of neck, and ran her fingers through silver locks as she let pale nose touch olive forehead. After breathing in a few times with Alex and moving olive hands down to rub circles on the exposed and pale yet flustered back, she softly kissed her wife on the mouth, looked into her silver eyes, and mind-messaged what she wanted.

Marry me again today, Alex. I want to be your wife. The one you wake up and go to sleep to. The one who carries your pups and puts your hands against them as they grow and kick. Your forever partner. Mate me. Mark me. Now. Please?

Alex couldn’t and didn’t want to say no to anything Maggie wanted in that moment. Tilting olive chin so chocolate-covered eyes were meeting her fading-back-to-brown ones, she kissed Maggie’s soft and inviting yet strong and hungry lips, eager to finally consummate their love in the way they’d wanted and needed to for ages.

Though Alex’s hair and eyes went back to normal as the kissing intensified, the silver on her penis stayed and spread to her whole member, then turned into intricate swirl and stripe patterns wrapping around her thighs. Lengthening with curiosity and want, the tube slowly and softly drew a path from Maggie’s belly button to where her throbbing and clearly erect cl*t was. The brunette broke away from her love’s slips and tongue for air, sobbing and panting her need against Alex’s neck as the tube wrapped around and started stroking the most hypersensitive part of her sex.

Maggie had wanted to make Alex’s first time penetrating her this way special and gentle. She’d bought and stowed candles, Hershey’s kisses, a new Christmas sweater dedicated to their first time, towels to clean up, and other things Alex might need (water and snacks included). However, as Alex’s penis was tenderly stroking and suckling her dripping and darkened sex, she couldn’t think about any of those things. In fact, she couldn’t think at all.

Like the times she’d helped Alex masturbat*, she gently guided the tips of her middle and index finger from the non-tube tip of Alex’s penis down to its base and swelled sperm keepers. However, her breath hitched more this time than before because Alex’s knot was there and promising her pups (assuming she could fit it all and keep Alex’s seed inside).

Catching her breath, she started kissing and suckling Alex’s collarbone and breasts, earning a hard yet unintentional smack from the clearly excited, sensitive, and needy penis. She cut off the apology Alex was about to whisper out with a heated kiss, gathered several handfuls of her wetness as their tongues collided, spread it from Alex’s non-tube tip to her base, and looked into her love’s hooded eyes before starting to slide her member in for the first time.

Maggie guessed Alex would go completely inside without trouble due to how ready both of them were. However, her guess was wrong; as she was being guided by Maggie’s gentle yet insistent and decisive hands, Alex’s penis had swelled even more, and her tube's branches were resisting how fast Maggie was trying to slide her inside. Not wanting to rush Alex despite feeling desperate and on the verge of coming again from touching and breathing in her love, Maggie waited for the tube to stop fighting her.

As she did, she started twirling its branches through her fingers, admiring how cool and soothing they felt against their sweaty and aching bodies. The tube started stroking her hand the way she’d stroked the rest of Alex’s penis, almost as if it longed for something or was sad. Maggie’s guess was right this time; she stroked the branches in the same way after kissing the tips of her fingers, but with love and acceptance. Feeling as wanted as the rest of Alex’s body, the tube stopped fighting and retracted for the most part, allowing Maggie and Alex to maneuver the mushroom head of the alpha’s penis through Maggie’s opening.

Stumbling back against the wall as they connected, Maggie wanted to whisper for Alex to take her back to the master bedroom. To any bedroom. Hell, even to the couch or living room floor. However, her omega screamed for Alex to take her hard, fast, and unrelentingly right there against the wall. Tired of fighting her needs and desires all this time, and despite her generally more dominant nature, the brunette mind-messaged her wife to pick her up and just f*ck her right then and there. Alpha triggered in all the right ways, Alex complied and slid deeper into her wife as she leaned harder into the wall.

Unlike the omega replicas, Maggie was warm, pulsing, and form-fitting against Alex’s heavy, proud, and strong penis (which wasn’t even halfway in yet, due to Maggie needing to adjust more than expected). Alex loved the feeling of splitting her wife open in that way and could have come right then and there from feeling so at home, but wanted to do everything possible to delay her release and (if possible) come with Maggie for the first time.

Maggie was gasping for air and leaning her sweat-soaked head back against the wall as her wife moved in, trying to hold off her org*sm until Alex was all the way inside. She knew there’d be no way she could hold on longer than that, given how she’d had a head start before all of this and Alex’s tube had stimulated her cl*t so much. Fortunately, she could feel the tube start reemerging inside her and widening her cervix, such that Alex was finally able to move all of herself into Maggie with a careful yet determined thrust.

As Maggie soaked Alex’s lower half with her pent up release and slumped against her wife for support, Alex managed to whisper something to her after lightly suckling her earlobe as well as kissing her temple and nose.

“Stay with me, Maggie. Rest if needed. Just don’t float away yet. I want you to tell me when it’s okay to fill and mark you. I’ve got you until then, though. Okay?”

Maggie nodded weakly, needing to wrap around her wife like a koala and let gentle hands draw circles on her back so she wouldn’t float away. Catching her breath, and making it past the post-org*sm haze she’d felt, she tilted Alex’s pale chin up so they could meet eyes again.

With soft, teary, and adoring eyes, Maggie leaned in so their foreheads would meet, closed her eyes, and whispered, “It’s time, honey. Make us moms to babies who will make it. I want to watch and help them grow with you. Please?”

Alex full-out cried at her beautiful, strong, smart, and caring wife wanting to share such intimate experiences and identities with her. Nodding her head vigorously while wiping her tears and sniffling some, she mind-messaged Maggie to get permission to start moving inside her. Consent given, the alpha softly traced the bottom of her wife’s lips with the tip of her tongue, then rejoined their lips before thrusting. She loved being inside Maggie as is and couldn’t wait to make babies who would share that home and many other homes with them. Forever.

Chapter 25: Chapter Twenty Five

Chapter Text

Feeling weak in the knees and out of breath, yet passionately kissing her wife like there was no tomorrow, Alex decided to move the joined pair to Maggie’s bedroom, leaving behind puddles of her wife’s release (which was smeared on the wall as well). Once they hit the mattress, Alex was on top and thrusting for a brief period of time; however, wanting to have a turn on top, Maggie moaned into their kiss and flipped her wife over using her combat practicum knowledge. Panting while sweating profusely due to their living room wall activities, she brought Alex’s hands against her olive hips as she moved against the alpha’s creamy and elegantly-marked thighs.

As Alex tossed her head back, cried out, and shuddered at the effects Maggie was having on her, the brunette was desperately trying to fit the auburn-haired scientist’s knot inside her. She tried to fit it in more slowly after realizing how much moving it against her opening burned, but to no avail. Frustrated, she stopped moving against Alex, covered her face with her shaking hands, and started crying.

Teetering on the edge of release, yet wanting to soothe Maggie, Alex used her telekinesis to gently move the shorter woman’s hands away from her tear-stained face and into her own outstretched, palm-up ones. She started rubbing circles on the top of each olive hand to stay connected with her clearly-upset love, then mind-messaged what she was thinking (as her voice was too far gone to work well enough).

Maggie, I love you. All of you. How you’re so tight and warm against me. How passionate and aggressive yet tender and caring you’ve been so far. How you’ve never given up on your dreams. You don’t have to fit my knot in all the way or at all if doing so is going to hurt you, though. I don’t want to make you tear or bruise inside. I could use my mind to get the sperm to stay inside you or flip us over so gravity can take care of that. Or, I could bite you first and see if that helps, if you want. I’m here, and you can ask me anything. I’ll do it for you.

Still crying, yet wanting to stay physically and emotionally connected as well, Maggie bent down and softly kissed Alex on her forehead while cupping her cheek, mind-messaged her to close her eyes, then gently kissed each porcelain eyelid. Leaning their foreheads together as she sniffled, breathed out brokenly, and nudged her wife with her nose, Maggie mind-messaged her request.

I want to bite you first, from where I am now. I want to take your hands and put them against my belly as you fill it with all the seed you’ll give me. I want you to watch and feel me becoming the mother of your pups, Alex. Please?

Eyes dilating impossibly more, and silver tint returning in them and her hair, Alex softly suckled her wife’s tongue and stroked the omega’s full lips, cheeks, ears, and hair. Craning her neck, and stilling all her movements, she offered Maggie plenty of room and safety to mark her. Maggie’s wants and needs mattered more to her than the voices of her inner alpha did; the woman was too precious to be treated the way those voices were suggesting, especially given it was their first mating and the omega was incredibly vulnerable.

After slowly tucking some strands of Alex’s new undercut behind her pale yet reddened ear, and not seeing any signs of fear or hesitation, Maggie licked from her wife’s earlobe all the way up to the shell of her ear. Alex’s penis responded with a violent twitch which jolted them both and made the teen moan with need, but Maggie persisted, kissed down from where she’d licked to, and started vigorously sucking and kissing where she was going to bite. Alex’s eyes were rolling into the back of her head from all the sensations she was feeling, but she felt like she died and went to heaven when Maggie bit down hard enough to break and slightly scar her porcelain skin. Her knot had just gone halfway up into Maggie, so the omega started moving against Alex again at a breakneck speed, trying to wiggle the knot in more and make her wife come.

Speeding toward her release and a blackout, Alex didn’t see the silver now outlining her wife’s eyes, hair, and opening or the equally intricate tiger stripe and flame patterns now emerging on her thighs. However, she could feel something was different as her wife’s hands reached for hers and placed them on her belly again. Unable to control herself anymore or open her eyes (despite Maggie’s earlier wishes), she started shooting her load of fiery seed into her love’s belly, silently screaming her release as her wife threw her head back and cried out her love’s name. Then, with energy she didn’t realize she had, the alpha flipped them both over aggressively, bit her wife hard enough to leave a deep and bloody mark, and started coming more strongly. Her knot popped in all the way as she passed out, and Maggie came hard enough to trap the knot and seed inside her. On the verge of passing out as well, Maggie held her still-coming and shaking wife, not knowing she was out cold.

No human would have survived what Maggie just had; however, as the couple would learn later on, she stopped being human after biting Alex and completed her transformation just before being bitten in return. The senior’s alien DNA had changed the professor’s in the blink of an eye, such that she would only carry alien babies from that point on and discover some interesting perks of being more like her wife.

----

The morning after they mated, Alex was the first to awaken to soft beams of sunlight shining on the couple through the master bedroom’s window. Feeling bad about how hard she bit her love the night before, she leaned in and gently started licking the wound clean (given their impossibly hard, persistent, and tight tie prevented her from reaching over for the towels and lotion she’d bought for Maggie). Once the wound was free of dried blood, she traced the outline of her silver-lined bite mark, earning a shiver from the still-sleeping omega.

Alex couldn’t help but lean against Maggie’s forehead, twirl her brunette and silver locks around her fingers, and breathe with her as she slept. Nor could she help moving her hands down to hold Maggie’s olive belly (which was swollen so much she looked and felt about four months pregnant). She swore Maggie smelled different after leaning in to check her pheromone glands, but didn’t want to say anything about the possibility she was pregnant just yet. She couldn’t bear to pressure or jump the gun on Maggie, given everything the woman had gone through with her past pregnancies.

Alex jumped a little as she felt Maggie’s olive hands move over hers, such that they were both resting atop her seed-filled belly.

“I’m sorry,” Maggie rasped out after realizing she’d scared her wife a little.

Looking up into her wife’s sliver-tinged eyes with amazement, Alex leaned in, kissed her tenderly, closed her eyes, and leaned her forehead against Maggie’s.

“Good morning, Sorry. I love you. Hope you forgive me for biting you so hard and marry me again today,” Alex whispered with a mix of playfulness and seriousness, pecking the center of the bite mark with her lips afterwards.

Maggie smiled with full dimples on display at Alex’s words and antics. The contrast between her wife’s silver-tinged features and the golden rays of sunshine mesmerized her, but she willed herself to reach out and lovingly cup Alex’s face. She would never get used to waking up to such a precious, beautiful, and thoughtful creature; however, she could certainly try.

Drawing one of Alex’s hands down and tracing the silver-tinged outline of where their sexes met and bulged out, she whispered, “Shh. It’s okay. I’m glad everyone will know we belong together. Not a single drop made it past your knot, so I’m glad you did whatever it took to get us there.”

Alex’s alpha was extremely proud to hear what her wife said about her knot, but the scientist-cop was even more relieved to hear the omega accepted rather than felt angry or ashamed about the bite.

Making heart eyes while stroking her wife’s cheeks with the tops of her fingers, Maggie whispered, “I don’t know how pregnant we are, but they’ll be here by your birthday at the earliest or mine at the latest if this time worked. Can you imagine what that would be like? You being done with school, and us having the summer off with our little family?”

Alex beamed as well, thankful Maggie was the first to bring up the possibility they had just become parents. She was also pleased at the thought of Maggie being round with and delivering their litter by the following summer.

“If they’re in there, we can celebrate our first Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, and Valentine’s Day together! Oh, and St. Patty’s Day, for green pancakes, eggs, and vegan ham. I hope we can still . . . you know . . . make love . . . on those days. And be together other times and ways, if you still want or need me,” the inventor said, daydreaming of all the little moments their family could spend together as well as all the beautiful pregnant sex they could have.

The professor was happy to hear Alex’s future plans for their family, but a little saddened by the implications of her last words.

“I’m always going to want and need you, Alex. You know I didn’t choose you just for sex and siring the babies, right? If not, I’m sorry for making you think I did. Maybe I should have . . .”

Alex cut her wife off with a sincere and reassuring kiss which took her breath away, then replied, “Shh. You didn’t do anything wrong. I wanna hold you and our maybe babies. Please?”

Maggie tilted her head and shed a few happy tears, then snuggled against and drew an infinity sign on her wife’s chest.

“Yes times three,” she rasped out lovingly.

Confused a little, Alex asked, “Times three?”

Chuckling while headbanging like Alex had the night she proposed, Maggie replied, “Yeah, silly butt. Yes to you cuddling me, yes to you cuddling our possible critter litter, and yes to marrying you again today.”

Alex squealed in happiness at Maggie’s response, then started tickling her wife between playful kisses and raspberry blowing (which Maggie fought off and returned in an equally playful way).

Nearly out of breath from laughing and squealing so hard, Maggie asked, “Oh, and Alex?”

Alex squished her features in a humorous way, then burrowed against her wife’s neck and replied, “Hmm?”

“I love you, too, but we have got to get out of this bed eventually,” the brunette said with a mix of softness and sassiness.

Squeezing and nudging her wife with affection, Alex started fake coughing and replied, “Not while we’re tied and I’ve got the black lung!”

After bursting out laughing, the professor replied incredulously, “The black lung?!”

Peering up from her hiding spot, Alex quickly moved in to peck her wife and lovingly whispered, “Yeah, and you’ve got my germs now, so you’ll have to stay in bed, too.”

To teach her wife a lesson about faking illness, Maggie flipped them both over and started tickling her wife from above. Even though their tie would end an hour later, the connection she felt to Alex was eternal. She couldn’t wait to spend forever together and hoped they would have pups to add to that forever soon.

Chapter 26: Chapter Twenty Six

Chapter Text

Maggie and Alex’s post-mating cleanup was rendered useless by all of the aggressive and soft shower, wall, and living room floor sex they’d had afterwards.

While taking breaks and basking in the afterglow of all the knotting they’d accomplished, the power couple had a lot of great pillow talk on various subjects.

For one, both were relieved National City’s colder months were upon them because they could hide their bites with less suspicion until ready to make their relationship public (outside of Sam, Kate, Ruby, and Jade, of course). Maggie confessed she’d never let anyone else bite her because the action didn’t feel right and her past partners felt the same way; oppositely, Alex confessed she’d never been bitten or bitten anyone else because, even though her alpha urged her to bite anything that moved at times, Maggie was her first and only love. That confession led to another heated makeout session, Alex knotting Maggie from behind against the kitchen sink, and a discussion about the silver tints and beautiful markings appearing on both women. Alex had never inquired into where she came from out of loyalty to her adoptive family, but vowed to discuss the alien markings and new coloring with Kara (likely after an extensive library search and creation of a cover story). She also vowed to teach Maggie how to use her newfound powers after she accidentally blew up the kitchen faucet mid-org*sm.

The warrior-academics loved learning more about each other’s minds, bodies, and spirits as they explored new types of touch, kissing, and sex. Maggie got to taste Alex multiple times and was surprised to find new flavors at different points (depending on how aggressive or soft their lovemaking had been). Alex was equally surprised to learn that Maggie’s cl*t could grow in size, elongate, and harden into a silvery member which looked and functioned like her penis in several ways; she loved helping the brunette come with it for the first time and was filled with soul-deep want for the now-endowed omega to try to knot her, too. However, the two agreed Maggie should not come inside the silver-lined, vagin*-like slit which had appeared behind Alex’s package just yet. The Latina was most likely pregnant with a large litter and was in a better position to be openly pregnant once showing, and Alex had to finish school as well as solidify her post-grad plans. They agreed to have Maggie’s ejacul*te go through fertility testing the following week, but were sad to see both of their new features disappear midday. Alex agreed to get tested as well if her slit ever came back, given she’d gone all of these years not knowing she might have an extra set of reproductive organs hidden away deep inside.

After cleaning up again, dancing to slow music, and breathing each other in a few more times, the women lovingly sent each other off with Hershey’s kisses and orange juice for the rest of the weekend. The senior had studying as well as meetings with friends and local entrepreneurs to run off to, and the professor had grading, Help Center, and book club tasks to get done over the next two days.

Although sad to see her love go, Maggie knew they both deserved some quality time with other people in their lives and couldn’t wait for the rest of the weekend up ahead. She was particularly excited to be meeting with some potential Department of Criminal Justice donors she’d presented to while touring with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, yet not kept in touch with as much recently. She was also excited to be attended a Women Loving Women’s mystery book club, as several good friends she’d made while flying around the country (especially Waverly Earp, Nicole Haught, Ava Sharpe, and Sara Lance) had flown in and were going to the in-person version that night. When not grading midterm projects and exams as well as reviewing students’ combat practicum videos, she would be spending time showing them around the city. She wanted to share she’d found someone with them, but keep Alex’s identity a secret until the teen was ready to meet all of them. She worried about Ava and Nicole’s reactions in particular (due to their tendency to stick to rules above all else at times), but hoped Waverly and Sara could help them come around (perhaps in more ways than one).

Alex was also a little sad to part from Maggie, but happy to be reconnecting with her friends, family, books, and pet projects. She’d secretly left a smiley face thank you card and dog tag engraved with Saint Michael on her wife’s pillow as a parting gift, vowing to return a better person, wife, protector, and mate as far as possible. Before departing, she’d also bent down, lifted up Maggie’s Bare Naked Ladies t-shirt, and gently kissed olive belly, hoping there were healthy pups inside and wishing them a great first weekend if they were. Promising she’d see her love in class again on Monday, the auburn-haired polymath slowly closed the front door and pumped her fists in the air after jumping up and down with excitement. She felt so alive and happy today that she didn’t care about all of the neighbors’ and onlookers’ stares.

----

Although Alex’s bite mark, hickies, bruises, and scratch marks were hidden under a long-necked and long-sleeved NCU athletics shirt, Kara and their mutual friends definitely noticed something was different about the teen when she showed up for their late lunch and trivia session. Kara had to wave her hands in front of her sister’s face multiple times during their mid-meal conversations and games, as she zoned out so much thinking of Maggie and their proposals, quiet yet meaningful marriage before the gods, and possible babies that she couldn’t think straight. She was, as the cult classic Mean Girls put it, too gay to function.

Snapping her fingers now to get her sister’s attention, Kara said with a mix of concern and humor, “Alex, what’s going on with you today? Normally, you’re the most focused person ever during trivia, and you’ve hardly touched your food. Are you stressing about your midterm grades again? If so, I’ll bet all of the pizza and potstickers we have left that you did amazingly on everything. But, if you messed up, at least we know you’re more human than we knew.”

With a mix of playfulness and seriousness, Lucy shoved Kara in Alex’s defense and said, “Relax, Little Danvers. Your sister probably just got shot by a love ray. James looked the same way after we made out and had sex the first time.”

Kara was so grossed out by the senior ROTC officer’s last sentence that she forgot everything she’d said before it, contorted her face in horror, and would have run away to bleach her ears out if Lena hadn’t held her back. James was also somewhat embarrassed by what his fiance said, but Lucy, Winn, Lena, and Lyra laughed at how much he was blushing and attempting to hide behind a pillow from the Danvers’ couch. Thankfully, nobody noticed Alex choking on her soda a little (given how Lucy had been spot on, but she didn’t want anyone else knowing the truth).

Wanting to smooth the situation over and show respect for her future sister-in-law’s privacy, Lena thoughtfully said, “Whatever Alex is glowing about, I’m happy for her. I just hope she knows we’re here for her if she wants to talk about it. We’ve probably bugged her to death about our wedding plans, so if she starts bugging us about hers in the future, we brought it on ourselves.”

The pale omega’s strategy worked; after Alex started smiling again, the group (led by Winn) gleefully toasted to her happiness and patience regarding their endless wedding plan gab. Alex mouthed a thank you to Lena, and the budding businesswoman-scientist subtly winked and smiled in return.

After the meal and final round of trivia ended, Alex and Lena departed for the entrepreneurship meeting, and everyone else stayed behind to study and play video games before calling it a night. The auburn-haired teen was grateful to spend time with everyone, yet thankful to no longer be under the gun about why she was so happy. She knew Lena would never push her to talk; instead, she would bring up topics which would take her mind off her fleeting yet noticeable embarrassment. Both women had struggled to market some new products they’d made lately and brainstormed ideas about how to change their business strategies while en route to the meeting, but hoped they could connect with others who could relate and help them break free from their chains. Lena in particular wanted to break away from her family’s dark public image and launch a biotechnology product which could help people with bone degeneration avoid falling and hurting themselves. Alex squealed in happiness for her future sister-in-law and hugged her tightly, then said she was proud of the divergent teen. Lena cried a few happy tears and hugged Alex back, thankful she had a great chosen family (especially the well-rounded Danvers sisters).

----

Maggie had a great time talking with Waverly, Nicole, Ava, and Sara during the mystery book club session. Once the event was over, the women all headed to a local LGBTQ+ bar and grill to have some fun and share updates about their lives. The Latina couldn’t believe her eyes when everyone refused to order alcohol with their food, especially Sara (who was the most likely of them all to get drunk on a night like this). However, she was very pleased to hear Sara and Waverly were pregnant and that their partners had promised not to drink in solidarity. She was also amused at how Ava was fussing over Sara’s recklessness at work and how Waverly and Nicole jointly said they wished Ava could help them wrangle Wynonna in the same way. Maggie hoped she’d be able to proudly whip out her sonogram pictures at some point, too.

Noticing how Maggie started looking distant, Nicole asked, “Hey Maggie, is everything okay? Sorry if our announcements triggered you or something. We were so happy that we just . . . I don’t know . . . we . . . I . . . Aphrodite made me do it! A little help here, Waves?”

Understanding her partner’s sweet and sensitive intentions, Waverly said, “I think my wife is trying to say we know how hard your parenthood journey has been and don’t want to make it worse by oversharing about ours. We just wanted to tell you we’re pregnant because we love you as our friend, and we hope the babies you’ll have one day will be friends with ours.”

Ava and Sara nodded in agreement, casting worried looks at Maggie as well.

To reassure her friends they hadn’t hurt her feelings, Maggie replied, “No, no; you all didn’t do anything wrong. I’m really happy for you and hope our kids can all be friends, too. I just . . . it’s just . . . I met someone. Married her in secret, actually. I have loved her for a long time and hope we’re pregnant, too.”

Shocked, yet happy for Maggie, the squad started congratulating her on her recent marriage and maybe babies, hoping the Latina was indeed pregnant (especially due to her past miscarriages and long wait). Not as inhibited as the rest, Sara also asked who Maggie’s baby mama or daddy was. Ava swatted her wife swiftly as Maggie blushed from head to toe, then apologized for her wife’s innocent yet clearly too-soon question. Waverly and Nicole tried to control their giggling at the polar opposite women’s behavior, but failed miserably toward the end.

“It’s okay, Ava. I was actually hoping to introduce you all to my wife at some point, but she has a lot going on, and I’m not sure she can take meeting a lot of other people right now. She’s got a huge family and friend group to take care of on top of a business to run, post-grad decisions to make, and a packed senior year course load,” Maggie responded, not realizing she’d slipped up a little until it was too late.

Everyone was shocked at that last detail, but Sara broke the tension and silence by replying, “Oh, so your baby mama is in undergrad? Oh my god. That’s hot. Whoever knew you had it in you to break rules and become a cougar, Sawyer?”

Ava swatted her wife again while Waverly caringly responded, “I’m sure there’s a good reason they’re breaking rules to be together. I’m not one to judge; my dad was an angel who technically had an affair with my human mom. Wynonna’s dad was abusive and otherwise horrible to all of us at times, but my mom could have broken away and made things with Charlie official before he returned to Heaven. Plus, we know Maggie’s a good person who’d never hurt anyone intentionally unless defending herself or someone else. Is she your best baby?”

Maggie felt a weight come off her back as she felt supported, especially as Ava and Nicole nodded at Waverly’s last sentence and gave the Latina hopeful looks while awaiting her response.

Dimples fully out, Maggie nodded a vigorous yes and showed everyone her ring while describing the double proposal they’d had just days ago. In a mad dash to leave and go with Maggie to get some pregnancy tests, the five women hurriedly finished what they could from their food and stowed the rest in takeout boxes. Sara also got a third swat from Ava for secretly trying to order the least potent beer available on the menu as she was retrieving their cards and signed receipts from the register. The other women looked on while full-out belly laughing at the blondes’ antics.

Maggie could get used to feeling this happy and was anxious to see what her tests revealed, hoping the shift to alien meant she’d know if she was pregnant more quickly. Regardless, she was grateful to have been welcomed into such a strong, caring group of women. She hoped to raise ones very much like them one day (perhaps minus Sara’s unabashed bluntness).

Chapter 27: Chapter Twenty Seven

Chapter Text

Maggie and her friends were disappointed to learn the fastest-responding pregnancy test they could find wouldn’t be able to show the professor’s preliminary results until ten to fifteen days after she and Alex first mated. Sara swore Maggie smelled pregnant while they were waiting in line to buy the tests, but Waverly, Nicole, and Ava could only cross their fingers and share their hope out loud (as they agreed with the Captain, but didn’t want to get the brunette’s hopes up unnecessarily). After they spent some time visiting and exploring Maggie’s house (which was clean aside from the taped-up window and faucet needing repair), the two couples departed for the night, but made Maggie swear they’d be some of the first people to hear about her results and be invited to whatever wedding celebration she and Alex would have with their loved ones. Dimples and happy tears on full display, Maggie hugged each and agreed to both things, then waved goodbye as they departed via the Waverider and a rented minivan.

After closing her front door, Maggie leaned against it and slowly as well as softly caressed her mating mark in thought, then went off to take a hot shower. She also traced and admired the new silver patterns on her naked thighs (which, unlike her tinted hair and eyes, stayed post-mating and were shining brightly in her bathroom mirror). Wishing she could know whether and how much she was pregnant with the same clarity, she accidentally made a pregnancy test fall out of one of the dozen boxes, zoom up, and whack her in the nose via her untrained telekinesis. After dabbing off her slightly bloody nose and looking in a smaller handheld mirror to see if she’d stopped the bleeding, she noticed the small of her back had what looked like a black flower petal on one side and close to her spine. The new marking scared Maggie a little at first, but thankfully didn’t look or feel like skin cancer. Against her better judgment, she decided to take just one pregnancy test before she showered, hoping she could scrub off what she thought might be dirt from the restaurant and get an ever-elusive plus sign.

The brunette was unsuccessful at scrubbing the petal off; however, she made a note to have it and her hopefully pregnant belly checked out at her next checkups. Shaking from nervous excitement as she stepped out of the shower, Maggie went over to her bed to sit and read the test (which was cradled by a dry towel). She cried and started caressing her olive belly after seeing a very faint plus sign, hoping the test triaged with Sara’s smell detection skills and the black petal all meant the same thing. However, she decided to wait to tell Alex, J’onn, Eliza, and and their friends until absolutely sure. Until the tenth to fifteenth days post-mating, she vowed to fill her schedule with tasks which would distract her from obsessing about the maybe babies and allow her to serve others. She couldn’t guarantee she’d be sane by the end of it all, but would certainly try for Alex and their little family.

----

The ten days passed by slowly for Maggie yet quickly for an unaware yet scared-to-ask Alex. Both had accomplished a lot at school and home during those days, but were secretly up all night thinking about each other and their maybe babies (especially when apart).

Other than during class, Maggie didn’t have much time to see and speak with Alex. Her wife had been knee-deep in turning around the sales of the product she’d discussed with Lena, research on her origins (which revealed she was from a lost planet entirely populated by alpha, omega, beta, and status-fluid women), and talking with Kara about the silver marks which had appeared (sans mentions of Maggie or the bite). After coming to terms with how she’d basically been designed a lesbian from the start and grieving the likely deaths of her biological moms, she’d received some early acceptance letters from two PhD in criminal psychology programs and three MD programs which had aggressively attempted to recruit her. Though happy about the multiple acceptances, she was still struggling to decide between the programs (especially because she’d married and possibly impregnated Maggie all within a span of a few days, even though they’d officially been in a relationship for a few months).

Alex was terrified of making the wrong decision for her growing family and herself, but got comfort from Lena, Kara, and the eldest Danvers (who remembered how hard her medical school decision had been) during that Friday family night. She made a note to discuss her predicament with her wife as well, but needed time to figure out exactly what to say (as she couldn’t bear to hurt or lose the warrior-academic).

While away from her love, Maggie had her faucet and window repaired, finished all of her grading right as a new pile of assignments was submitted, finished renovating the Help Center, and found out one of her tutors was going to go undercover while interning the next semester. She supported his dreams in full and was happy to have an open tutor spot for the following spring (as she hoped her wife would apply for it and use part of it to see her, given they wouldn’t have any other classes together). However, she vowed to hand off the decision on that hiring decision to J’onn and Cat Grant (who could be more objective compared to her, despite their clear affections for the young polymath). After all, she wanted to stick by the words she always shared at fall orientations; no criminal justice student should be given preference in anything at school based on family, rich or not.

After posting the tutoring job description to her department’s online and physical bulletin boards, Maggie headed home for the evening, relieved she’d finished another hectic week and completed her afternoon office hours. She loved having so many bright and enthusiastic upperclassmen, but hearing them confide in her about their post-grad plans, school stress, and personal issues sometimes felt too much for her introverted soul to bear. She wasn’t sure how she’d balance their needs with hers if pregnant, but vowed to meet up with a therapist and (if she would go) Alex so they could start creating boundaries to keep the babies and themselves healthy. Given her past miscarriages, she was especially nervous about keeping them all safe and was clueless about staying pregnant and sexually active past the fifth month of gestation.

Opening the door to her bedroom after getting home, the omega was so tired that she showered, changed into her pajamas, and went right to bed. She couldn’t tell whether her body was sore due to the week’s stress, her possible pregnancy, or both; however, she was too tired to think about it too much. Burying her nose in the Christmas sweater she and Alex had been trading off all this time, she passed out between her new sheets and didn’t even hear Alex texting her about coming over that Sunday until she woke up mid-afternoon the next day. Although desperate to see her wife, she thought about turning down the request due to her fatigue and inability to talk through another person’s post-grad plans without losing her mind. However, she remembered they hadn’t seen each other socially since the previous weekend and chose to accept her wife’s request to show up.

Alex was relieved as well as worried to see what Maggie texted back.

The New Mrs. Danvers/Sawyer: I’m okay with you coming over. Can we just cuddle, eat, and sleep next to each other, though? Not feeling so good right now. Extroverted too hard this week and am paying for it today. Be my knight in shining armor by bringing me takeout tomorrow? The Grubhub delivery people aren’t as cute as you. <3

Seeing she clearly needed to keep things light-hearted with Maggie until she felt better, Alex texted back some reassurance and comfort.

Maggie had fallen asleep again after texting Alex back, but was roused by her wife’s follow-up text this time (given her eyes had closed just minutes before).

My Forever Love and Best Baby: Cuddling, food, and sleep all sound great. Exhausted, too, and can’t wait to escape it all with you. Promise I’ll leave all my armor at home so your neighbors won’t be scared again and I can sleep next to you without poking you with my sword. Unless we’re making you vegan kabobs with it, of course. ;) <3

Maggie’s heart eyes were shining brightly, then turned into tear-streaked ones. She figured she must be so drained that controlling her emotions was a struggle, but returned the auburn-haired goofball’s text to not alarm her.

The New Mrs. Danvers/Sawyer: No poking, just protecting. And So Delicious ice cream as well as vegetarian lo mein from our favorite corner Chinese place. Pretty please? XOXO

Alex texted back a sweet confirmation, then took a break from all of her work and family obligations to lay out her clothes for the next day. Eliza, Kara, and Lena were all aware of how often she went to talk to Maggie, so none of them made a fuss when she announced she would be heading over to her place to bring the sick woman some food. The eldest Danvers was especially concerned about the professor and told Alex to let her know if she or Maggie needed any other forms of assistance. Kara and Lena also offered to help because they knew how kind Maggie was as a professor and person, but Lena’s concern also came from a place of knowing Maggie was Alex’s mate. The teen had been rubbing the same place on her neck throughout their entrepreneurship meeting, but the raven-haired businesswoman hadn’t said anything (given she’d just reassured her future sister-in-law she’d be there to talk if asked).

Alex thanked and hugged all three, then showered and read a science fiction book to unwind and quiet her ever-hungry mind before going to bed. While deeply and appreciatively breathing in the calming steam, she couldn’t help but look down at her penis and wonder if her seed was to blame for any part of Maggie’s suffering. She sincerely hoped not, but vowed to make up for it if so.

Kissing her multi-colored engagement ring before returning it to its equally stunning galaxy box (which she hid in the safe under her bed), Alex prayed that the gods and her dad would keep all of their loved ones (especially Maggie and their maybe babies) safe from harm and in their thoughts. Dreams of a calm, smiling, and round Maggie dancing in a flower-filled meadow drifted into her mind as closing pale eyelids made her world go black.

----

After eating a small breakfast, finishing up some studying, and rehearsing a drum solo for Pieces of Ace’s appearance at Punksgiving (which was just weeks away), Alex picked up the Chinese food she’d ordered for Maggie, their maybe babies, and herself after picking up some rainbow daisies, four cartons of vegan ice cream, and a giant panda bear for wife to cuddle after she had to return to her dorm for the upcoming week.

She quietly let herself in with a spare key from Maggie and was about to announce her presence, but noticed her wife was face down and asleep again (this time on her oversized couch). Worried crease forming on her forehead, the warrior-academic put the ice cream in the freezer, went over to her wife, crawled onto the couch after taking her shoes and socks off, and held the smaller woman against her. Maggie turned toward and nosed Alex’s scent gland in her sleep, so the alpha was relieved to know her wife was alive (despite being clearly drained). Hungry, she quietly ate her portion of the Chinese food while staring at and caressing her sleeping love, hoping she’d awaken and eat something soon.

Fortunately, Alex didn’t have to wait long; Maggie stirred and woke up as the teen was finishing a small box of vegetarian lo mein. The omega groggily asked to have some, too, and was thankful her wife was willing to feed two whole boxes to her (with chopsticks, no less). Starving, she also asked Alex to bring over all four cartons of ice cream as she started on her third box of lo mein. She’d intended to leave Alex some of the noodles and mixed veggies, but found she’d accidentally eaten all of them. Her wife interrupted her apology with an understanding and tender peck on the lips, then handed her one of the ice cream cartons.

The two started eating the ice creams in appreciative silence, but Alex eventually found herself singing the ukelele version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” as well as “Two is Better than One” by Boys Like Girls while leaning against her love. Maggie teared up over how beautiful Alex’s singing was, then full-out sobbed into her cupped hands (such that she had to put down her second carton of ice cream). Concerned, Alex held her wife and rubbed her back as she cried, hoping she didn’t make a bad situation worse by mistake.

“Sorry,” Maggie choked out, face planted against her wife’s chest.

After kissing raven locks and tilting the shorter woman’s chin up, the teen replied, “No, no. Don’t be. I’m here for you, Maggie. You don’t have to be guarded or sorry with me. Did I ruin our moment by singing? I’ll shut up the rest of the afternoon if so, or I can go home if you don’t want company.”

Maggie put her wife in a vice grip over those last words; she needed her wife there and felt that need so strongly that she couldn’t put it into words besides, “Please don’t leave me.”

True to her word, Alex reassured the brunette she’d never leave her, especially like that. She offered to stay over that night if needed, and Maggie vigorously nodded yes in response. Alex helped her wife shower, made her lunch and breakfast packs for the next day, and set out her clothes for the next day to decrease her stress. The senior had several spare items of clothing over at the professor’s place due to how much time they’d spent together, so she cobbled together a clean outfit of her own while her wife was in the bathroom.

Without Alex realizing it, Maggie was taking another pregnancy test just feet away from her. Fortunately, after a few minutes of cleaning up the bathroom, and despite being calculated at nine days post-mating, the results of her test came back more prominently and detailed than before.

+ Pregnant, Multiples

Sobbing and shaking with happiness, relief, and fatigue, Maggie vowed to schedule an appointment with her OB/GYN to confirm the pregnancy, then create a cute way to tell Alex. Something told her that putting the pregnancy test in a hollowed out pumpkin and underneath a lot of other clues (e.g., tinier pumpkins with the due date month, day, and year on them as well as a “World’s Greatest Sire” mug) for Halloween sounded like a great start.

Not realizing why her wife was crying again, Alex toweled off her hair, helped her change for bed, and protectively draped her leg over Maggie’s side after scent marking the hell out of the rest of the house (lest anyone think about disturbing their slumber and peace). She’d gotten a small glimpse of the black petal when caring for her wife and wondered if the universe was biting her in the ass for that black lung joke, but didn’t want to bring either subject up (given the woman’s poor state and high need for comfort). Praying her wife would feel better, Alex clapped so the lights would turn off, kissed the tips of her fingers, and lovingly placed them against Maggie’s fire-hot and internally blooming belly.

Chapter 28: Chapter Twenty Eight

Chapter Text

While awaiting her Friday doctor’s appointment to confirm the pregnancy, Maggie started feeling a little better (especially after Alex massaged her neck and Sara, Ava, Waverly, and Nicole sent her some of their natural remedies for the fatigue and excess crying she’d experienced since that fateful first mating). She felt good enough to start powers training with Alex, so she did that to take her mind off the appointment and decompress from her rigorous grading and Help Center duties. She did not hear whether Alex had applied for the center’s open tutoring spot, but decided to let the subject go for now (given they already had a lot to work through that week).

To take breaks from training and reward Maggie’s progress (which included purposefully and precisely moving small objects around the house Tuesday night, then removing Alex’s pants and making her come with just her mind instead of finishing the dishes Thursday night), the couple watched some Halloween movie classics. She’d never been more thankful for the distraction; her morning appointment couldn’t come any sooner, but she could watch her children’s sire goofily sing along with and dramatically mouth the lines of Hocus Pocus, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

The brunette missed her wife every time she returned to the Danvers' house for family nights or to her dorm for school and wished they could just move in together. However, she didn’t want to pressure Alex or put a damper on whatever her post-graduate plans were. She also didn’t want to run the risk of their relationship being publicly outed yet, given Alex wouldn’t turn 18 until the following May and she wasn’t sure if she’d be able to get Eliza’s permission for their marriage to be legally recognized. Maggie hoped they could solidify their future plans by Christmas because the babies were going to be here sooner than either woman knew it, but decided to just stick with the happy news of them becoming parents for now and see where that announcement led them.

Maggie went alone to her Friday morning appointment partly because she wanted to surprise Alex if the pregnancy tests and her friends were right. However, she also went alone to shield Alex from being disappointed if the tests and her friends’ guesses were wrong or her body had rejected the barely-there babies, given her history with false positives and miscarriages. She couldn’t process anything else after Dr. Griffin (an OB/GYN who had moved to National City just recently and wanted to help more LGBTQIA+ persons become parents) gave her the results of the in-house pregnancy test. Given she and her wife (Lexa, an alpha who knew Sam and Kate due to them all being in the securities industry) had issues with conceiving and carrying to term as well, she viscerally understood why Maggie was crying so hard. The only thing tethering the professor to the earth in that moment was the blonde’s hug.

Once Maggie was okay enough to go home, Dr. Griffin gave her a pamphlet of options she and Alex would need to talk through and follow up on. Then, hoping the brunette would be okay, Dr. Griffin had no choice but to let her go and remind her to set up another appointment at the register. For some reason, the OB/GYN felt a desire for this pregnancy to work out more than any other she’d worked with thus far. Little did she know that her children with Lexa would closely befriend Alex and Maggie’s little ones over time, such that a Woods would pop the question to a Danvers decades later and all the siblings would help plan that wedding.

----

Maggie wasn’t going to be able to share the great news with Alex later that night because it was the Danvers’ regular family night. She’d been invited to those nights more recently, but offered to have lunches with Kara and Eliza in lieu of accepting the invitations because she wanted Alex to have alone time with her family and wait until they could make their relationship public to attend. However, her open evening schedule left her plenty of time to run over to the nearest pumpkin patch and store to pick out everything she wanted to surprise her wife with.

While at the pumpkin patch, Maggie heard her name being called out and was surprised to find Kate there with Ruby and Jade. Excited to see her Aunt “Mikey” again, Ruby tugged on her sire’s hand, willing the three of them to head Maggie’s way and say hello. Maggie was also pleasantly surprised by how Ruby hugged her legs hard and how Kate let Maggie tote Jade around in the chest carrier she’d been wearing.

As she walked around the pumpkin patch with the little family, Maggie thoughtfully asked, “How have you all been? Is Sam okay? I haven’t seen her around the patch, but Alex said she had some more healing to do because Jade was breech.”

Grateful to see Maggie and have the chance to talk with her on Sam’s behalf, Kate said, “Sam has actually been healing up pretty well this week. She’s been able to leave the house some, but I wanted to let her sleep some more and take the kids out for their first Halloween pumpkin patch visit together. Sam’s actually been on Facetime to listen in on and watch the experience, but she hung up right as Ruby saw you. We had a little fight because I forgot to pick up Ruby from school early, but we’re working through it. Having two kids has been a bit harder than I imagined because Jade has been colicky, but we’re doing the best we can.”

Feeling bad for the couple, but happy they were patching things up (no pun intended), Maggie nodded in acceptance and said, “I know Alex has been busier than usual and unable to come over this week, but I’m willing to be there for you all if you need another set of hands. After I prepare a little surprise for Alex, I’ll actually be free tonight. How about I babysit the kids at your place or mine so you can take Sam out and talk things through?”

With a mix of gratitude and sassiness, Kate whispered, “Are you just offering to do that because you’re wanting to test drive your parenting skills on our little ones before yours are born, or are you just happy to see us?”

Maggie full out stopped in her tracks at Kate’s last words, such that Jade was a little startled by how she was no longer bouncing in time to the professor’s steps and Ruby (who was holding her aunty’s hand) tripped forward. After soothing and apologizing to both little girls, Maggie turned to Kate as they were walking again and asked, “How did you know I am pregnant? I haven’t even told Alex yet, hence me creating a surprise gift set for her tonight.”

Amused about the omega’s temporary lack of self- and other-awareness, Kate replied, “Relax, Sawyer. Your secret is safe with me. Haven’t you noticed all the creepy people who’ve been looking at and following you since we started walking around? I know you can handle yourself, but it’s a good thing you have backup in case someone decides to throw a cheap shot. Your pheromones are really, really strong. Kinda hard to miss, actually, despite the fall wind we’re having today.”

Maggie was grateful Kate could keep a secret and her back in times of need. She also clarified that she really just wanted to help for Kate and Sam’s sake, not because of anything to do with her pregnancy. She admitted to needing more training with children, though, given she’d been so focused on the conception and birth parts of parenting that she’d neglected a lot of the training needed to take care of the babies once they actually got there. With Sam’s blessing through text, Maggie and Kate agreed to the date night arrangement and have Maggie over at their place (given Jade’s immune system was still developing and they wouldn’t have to drop off everything she needed for the night). Maggie also offered to make the arrangement long-term, pending everything went as well as expected the first night and they were patient with her as she learned from them.

----

After finishing up Alex’s gift, and before heading over to Sam and Kate’s place, Maggie started responding to the barrage of post-appointment group texts from her friends.

Captain Sara Lance’s Pants: SOOOOOOO . . . . are you knocked up yet or what?! The world needs to know. Okay, mostly me.

Srsly Ava Scharpe: OMG, Sara! *digital swat* Stop asking that. She’ll tell us when she’s ready. How are you feeling, Maggie? Have the remedies we sent been working for you?

Nicole Hotpants Haught: Lol, you two. Better not need to come over from Purgatory and arrest you two for disturbing the peace. How are you, though, Maggie?

Ride the Cowgirls and Waves Earp: You’re one to talk, babe, considering how much you disturbed Wynonna’s peace when you came early this morning. Hope all is well, Maggie!

Nicole Hotpants Haught: Oh, god. **dies of embarrassment** / Nicole has left group chat/

Captain Sara Lance’s Pants: LOL! Nice one, Waverly. If she comes back from the dead any time soon, let her know that we all need to get together for zombie laser tag this Halloween. Mags, are you in?

Srsly Ava Scharpe: Blarrghhhh, Sara. I say it’s alphas versus omegas so I won’t have to be on the same team as your mortifying self. Are you in, Maggie?

Captain Sara Lance’s Pants: We pregnant ladies look forward to kicking your alpha baby daddy asses. Sorry, Nicole and Alex. Collateral damage while I seek revenge against my wife. :P XD :D

Srsly Ava Scharpe: Oh, you are so on! Let’s do this, Waves and Mags.

/Nicole has been invited to group chat/

Ride the Cowgirls and Waves Earp: I’m all in! Would invite Wynonna, but she, Doc, and Dolls made a three-way date night at puss* Willows. I want to shield your eyes and ears from whatever happens with them after that.

Nicole Hotpants Haught: She’s top shelf, man. ;) Also am down for laser tag, zombie self and all. Let’s all promise to wear bullet proof vests in case we encounter some jackasses in the arcade, though. <3

Maggie enjoyed reading her friends’ ridiculous texts, let them know she felt better, and opted in on the laser tag (pending Alex would go). She also promised to tell them whether she was pregnant by Sunday (given she didn’t know what announcing it to Alex that Saturday night would lead to). Then, she got ready for babysitting and drove out for the night.

----

The next day, Maggie woke up feeling more happy and alive than she had in two weeks (minus the nights she’s spent talking with Alex and her friends). Babysitting Jade and Ruby wasn’t perfect by any means (given she’d been spit up on a few times and burned one of Ruby’s meals by accident), but she’d learned a lot the previous night and felt more confident she could be a good mom. Specifically, she enjoyed listening to and implementing the six year old’s advice on how to properly read a bedtime story, feed and change Jade, and console a kid when they felt bad about something. She was also pleased that the kids responded well to her and that both seemed to want her back for more. To Maggie, it felt like winning a part on Glee after she’d tried out and been rejected for it for years.

Kate and Sam came back from their date night with a bang; Maggie heard a loud thud against the front door and was ready to take out anyone willing to hurt those precious children, but was relieved to see it was just the couple getting rough while making out. If Sam hadn't been banned from having sex for another month due to the birth, Maggie was sure she would have caught them having hot makeup sex against the door and never have been able to return. Thankfully, the couple expressed their gratitude for her coming over on such short notice and offered to mentor her in parenting in exchange for her babysitting one to two times a week. Maggie was elated, but said the two needed to keep their more heated activities for their bedroom (hopefully while the kids were asleep or gone). Blushing sheepishly from head to toe, both women laughed with Maggie about the awkwardness of their situation and agreed to her terms. As they stood on their stoop, Sam also congratulated Maggie on being pregnant; just like her spouse, she could easily pick up on the omega’s strong pheromones.

When Alex came over for early pumpkin carving (the Trojan Horse of sorts for the pregnancy announcement), she could also tell Maggie smelled different and was wondering whether her suspicions had been correct. She cried profusely after putting all the clues in her pre-gutted pumpkin (the mini pumpkins with the babies’ birth date, month, and year as well as the pregnancy test and “Best Sire” cup) together. Not quite believing they’d be parents in just a few months, she swept her wife up, placed her on their bed, rolled up her shirt, and placed light kisses and strokes across her olive belly. She prayed out loud that the babies would stay inside and give them a chance as parents; they may not be a hundred percent ready, but they would love and fight for their girls endlessly.

More than anything, Alex wished she could see the babies to get another confirmation of the news. Despite how they were a few weeks shy of an ultrasound, she got her wish by accident; after running their toxin detection probe over herself to make sure they could safely have celebration sex, she pulled Maggie forward and brushed her fingers against the black petal without thinking twice. Alex felt like she’d been pulled into another universe mid-touch; she could see the little globes which were their babies safely nestled inside of Maggie’s uterus. Maggie saw what Alex did due to their mind-mind connection, and the women swore there must have been at least three or four babies in there. Regardless, they were just happy about becoming parents.

The couple found out something else surprising while having sex: Alex’s penis tube could tell Maggie was pregnant. Instead of attacking her cl*t and filling her with seed like before, it caressed olive belly in wonder and sent waves of energizing light through Maggie’s body when Alex came inside her. The Latina was grateful for the boost and, during their pillow talk, joked about how it was Alex’s body’s way of saying sorry she couldn’t have any caffeinated coffee or tea until after delivery. Taking the joke well, the young scientist-cop was just grateful she could start reversing the negative side effects Maggie had been experiencing lately. Nothing meant more to her than the health and safety of all of her girls in that moment.

Chapter 29: Chapter Twenty Nine

Chapter Text

While the moon was still out and the stars were shining through her master bedroom window, Maggie awoke to the feeling of Alex still deeply inside her, but not in an uncomfortable way. She loved being held so close to her wife’s toasty chest and could feel smaller waves of calm, warm, and reassuring energy being emitted from her wife’s penis. She still couldn’t believe that Alex was hers, her wife, and the mother of their barely-there babies; however, gently tucking Alex’s auburn hair behind her ears and stroking her cheeks with olive thumbs seemed to help make everything feel less like a dream. Or, maybe, more like a dream; a sweet-after-sour dream she was fortunate enough to live out every day, perfection be damned.

The brunette loved watching the sun come up and shine on her love’s pale, still asleep face. She looked away for a split second while thinking about what their future together could look like.

On one hand, she envisioned a dog running around outside and playing with as well as watching over their little ones once they were born. She could see herself celebrating anniversaries, birthdays, holidays, and other milestones with Alex as well as their growing family. She could get used to that kind of happiness.

On the other, she felt a little overwhelmed by how much they had to do to get ready and started tearing up as well as hyperventilating in panic; checklist after checklist of everything they would need for the babies’ different needs and phases of life started piling up in her mind like pop-ups on a computer. She felt a little like a failure because she hadn’t even told Alex when their first appointment with Dr. Griffin would be, and she couldn’t handle the idea of Alex not being able or willing to go just then.

Fortunately, Alex woke up in time to comfort her distraught wife by rubbing soft circles on her back and singing the lullaby she’d picked for the professor (“Sail Away With Me” by David Gray). After the tears subsided some, Maggie choked out one of her deepest and darkest confessions: although she was scared the babies might not make it before, her biggest fear now was carrying to term successfully. She wanted to be a great mom and make her daughters’ lives better, especially given her struggles with accepting her omega status and how horrible her family had been when she came out as gay. She also wanted to be the kind of partner Alex needed and deserved, in good times and bad. You could say imposter syndrome was coming at her harder than any train could.

After listening closely, Alex validated Maggie’s feelings and shared all of the top reasons she knew Maggie was going to be successful at handling that fear over time.

One, she was a fighter who never gave up; even after being stabbed and poisoned, losing multiple loved ones, and facing racist as well as sexist and anti-omega people, she never stopped trying to become the best professor, advocate, director, wife, friend, and mentor she could be. She designed the Help Center and Criminal Justice Department to foster healthy yet calculated risk taking in majors, minors, and general education students alike, such that she frequently posted the stories of students who’d struggled and made it big later on to show students their time to shine was still coming. They just had to find a reason to stay alive one more day or try again one more time until they passed from dark times into the light. After all, the first story everyone read was Maggie’s; she’d flunked her first college exam because she’d stayed awake all night before at a job which didn’t respect her shift requests but kept her in school. Long story short, after seeing her collapse in his office from exhaustion and stress that morning, a kind and understanding professor drove her to the hospital and allowed her to take the exam at another time. That professor was J’onn (who wound up mentoring Maggie all those years ago before transferring to National City University).

Two, she was braver and more loyal than almost anyone Alex knew; true to her Hufflepuff and Gryffindor sorting results, she had stayed in contact with Alex regardless of where they were in the world, accepted the teen for all she was and could become, and tackled power players like human traffickers and the Edges head on (even though she had everything to lose). She’d gone under cover into dangerous situations head first and having no idea whether she’d make it out alive, all to protect a country which often showed hatred toward people like her.

Three, she was a great learner and teacher; Maggie frequently read books, interviewed experts, and attended speaking events on all of the subjects she liked (including psychology, martial arts, criminal justice research, and parenting). However, she never considered herself above listening to others’ perspectives and insights, even if she needed to gently correct them or ask them to revisit the debate at hand after cooling off and/or reviewing the most up-to-date research.

Four, she had a network of wonderful, caring, and understanding parents and non-parents around her who could come to her aid when she needed them. Alex could not wait for them to come clean about their relationship to everyone, but was sure about one thing aside from her feelings for the Latina: her family and other friends would accept Maggie, their marriage, and the babies (even if they needed to process the news for a time). Given what little she knew about Sara, Ava, Waverly, and Nicole, it seemed like she had her own little band of other equally thoughtful, open, sincere, and generous women who could empathize with the struggles she might face in the coming months.

Maggie smiled through her tears as Alex went on and felt so grateful she’d ended up with someone who cherished and saw her entire being. To kiss the girl she wanted to kiss. To know she wasn’t going to be alone in this and that, even if her fear didn’t go away, she could conquer it through her own actions and resources as well as everything they had around them. She was more powerful than her fears, and she made the commitment to fight them side by side with their army of supporters.

Then, she lightly pecked Alex on the lips and asked with a mix of sassiness and sweetness as well as leftover insecurity, “Are you just saying all of those nice things because you’re still inside me, or do you really mean them?”

Concerned frown and forehead crease on full display, Alex lightly took her wife’s olive hands in hers, placed them over where her heart was, and lovingly whispered, “I’m saying them because you’re always inside me, and I hope you’ll let your heart be my home, too, no matter how long it takes for you to fully open your doors to me. I’ll stand outside them, rain, snow, or shine.”

Maggie teared up over how soft yet vulnerable her wife was being. Without thinking twice, or really at all, she dove in for a kiss which was emotionally raw in more ways than one. Then, she flipped Alex on her back to start a tender, slow, and grateful round of morning love making.

----

After some pillow talk about Alex’s post-grad plans (which involved her taking a year off between graduation and her PhD/MD degree to pursue further biomedical product marketing as well as being there for Maggie more and parenting), Maggie shared her hopes they would get a dog and move in together by May. After opening the side table closest to her, she retrieved a new spare key for Alex which was hidden behind yet looped on the same necklace as three dog tags: one of Saint Michael (one of the most protective angels), one of a panda, and one of a smiley face. The professor had the necklace custom made to commemorate the gifts Alex had bought her, but she’d bever truly thanked her for all those days ago. Alex squeaked out her acceptance of Maggie’s impromptu proposal, twirled around naked in their room in happiness, and promised they would get a dog. As long as they named her Gertrude, of course.

Maggie lovingly laughed and rolled her eyes at the old-fashioned name, but came to an agreement with her wife: the dog’s nickname would be Gertie. Unsure of whether she was pushing her luck, the omega also expressed a hope to take Alex’s last name or just add it on to hers when their marriage was made legal. Alex’s happy tears were so strong that Maggie was now the one getting up to rub back circles and hum a lullaby (this time, “I Won’t Give Up” by Jason Mraz).

“We’ll still have to use Sawyer while working at the tutoring center together to keep you safe and make sure nobody gets confused,” Alex choked out while giggling a little at the thought of another hospital-like mix-up occurring.

So happy her dimples felt miles deep, Maggie swept her wife in a hug, twirled them around using her telekinesis, and got them some clothes to wear for an impromptu photo shoot. They lined up the three mini pumpkins, pregnancy test, and “Best Sire” mug while giving thumbs up to the camera as it snapped a timed selfie of them. Maggie kissed Alex’s cheek at the last second before the camera clicked, leading the selfie to contain evidence of how cute her scrunched up yet surprised face looked. As promised, the over the moon couple sent that selfie to Sara, Ava, Waverly, and Nicole. A barrage of happy texts followed next.

Captain Sara Lance’s Pants: FINALLY! Been dying to see this all day. Also, your wife is smoking hot. Just like my gun will be after my team pummels her and the other alphas during laser tag. **pew pew pew** #canigetahellyeah

Srsly Ava Scharpe: First of all, stop commenting on a taken woman while I’m sitting on the other side of the bed! Second, yes, she’s gorgeous. Congrats to you both! So happy all of our kids will grow up together. Bring Alex to laser tag, but I’m not going to let any of us cinnamon rolls die. Tropes suck. :) <3

Captain Sara Lance’s Pants: Harder than you sucked on me last night? ;) :D

Srsly Ava Scharpe: Jesus Christ! Still right here, but maybe not for long. :O

Ride the Cowgirls and Waves Earp: Oh my goodness! That’s so great, you two. Welcome to the family, little ones and Alex. Can’t wait to meet you all (pending we all survive laser tag and our friends’ fighting long enough to really get to know each other). ;) <3

Nicole Hotpants Haught: Aww! Such a cute picture. Treat our Maggie and the babies well or else, Alex! Okay, no more shovel talk. Can’t wait for laser tag! Let’s all wear our costumes to make it fun. What are you all going as?

Before going out for a celebratory breakfast, Maggie and Alex quickly responded with thank yous and how Maggie was going as a pea pod while Alex was going as a carrot. While en route to the diner, Alex promised to take Maggie to meet and get her hair done by Zell, given the alien’s bamboo story had greatly transformed their relationship. They also started a conversation on making the babies’ room theme a mix of bonzai and bamboo trees as well as Kung Fu animals.

Sara almost made a sex joke about Maggie and Alex’s costume choices, but nobody but Ava ever heard it; the taller blonde stole her wife’s phone to stop her from texting and hopped into another time period to play keep away with it. They ended up having sex in the Cretaceous period, but got scared back into their bedroom by stampeding dinosaurs.

Meanwhile, Nicole and Waverly were eating breakfast with Wynonna, Doc, Dolls, Mama Earp, and Alice while wearing dinosaur onesies. After they shared the news of their friends’ pregnancy, Wynonna asked whether they’d practiced those googly eyes or had them per natural talent. Alice gleefully flung her food, and everyone else congratulated the couple while diving to pick up the toddler’s mess.

Life was finally calm and good to all involved. Even though they would be facing some challenges ahead, Alex was right; they had each other, and that was enough.

Chapter 30: Chapter Thirty

Chapter Text

When not in class, babysitting mode, the office, and/or one of National City University’s libraries the following week, Alex and Maggie took time to practice using their combat practicum skills and powers together (which often led to heated, hormone- and adrenaline-fueled makeout sessions, then even hotter and fiercer sex).

Much to their surprise, Maggie’s silver penis and Alex’s silver slit made appearances during a particularly difficult round of ground fighting. Alex begged her wife to take her from behind like an alpha would, still wishing they could be pregnant together (despite the irrationality of it all). Maggie agreed to pulling down Alex’s training pants and penetrating the silver slit during the pin she held on the pale warrior-academic, but not come inside her. However, knowing her wife was disappointed and felt somewhat left out of the pregnancy experience, she promised to impregnate the near-graduate next (pending they were both fertile in that way and survived their first critter litter). If Maggie hadn’t withdrawn right before both of Alex’s parts came hard at that promise, the auburn-haired inventor very well could have gotten her wish.

Although she couldn’t please her wife or temporary penis tube in the ways they wanted, the professor made many of the senior’s other wishes come true that week.

The brunette shared when her next doctor’s appointment was going to be and invited Alex to go with her and meet Dr. Griffin. Alex was thrilled to be included and meet yet another strong, caring woman, but was even more delighted by the green apple Ring Pop Maggie surprised her with when asking her to marry her again and go to the Friday morning appointment. She couldn’t wait to find out more about their babies and hoped Dr. Griffin could give her more tips on how to support Maggie during her pregnancy (given she’d never worked with someone from her species who was pregnant). She made a note to ask Eliza as much as she could about her early childhood, given any What to Expect When You’re Expecting equivalent was likely destroyed when her birth planet exploded all those years ago. She was honored yet scared to be the only survivor who could, with Maggie’s help, bring the species back.

A couple days later, Maggie also threw small rocks at Alex’s dorm room window to creatively get her attention when it was raining outside. After Alex rushed down to bring her in out of the rain and toweled her off as they sat on the Detective Pikachu comforter, Maggie leaned against her shoulder and said she was ready to open her doors to Alex, too. For the first time, Maggie slept over in Alex’s room; however, they were more than fine with cuddling, singing to their babies, breathing each other in, and tracing each other’s features after taking a quick yet soft and appreciative shower together.

After listening to her wife croon and strum a few songs (including “Rain” by Breaking Benjamin and “I Will Wait for You” by Us the Duo), Maggie confessed she was scared about what being pregnant as an alien and with that many babies would do to her body. Although they were very early into the pregnancy by human standards, they both could figure their girls would develop much more rapidly than most babies, given their mothers’ faster-than-average intellectual maturity and Maggie’s already noticeable swelling. However, after Alex said she’d love whatever stretch marks Maggie got on her belly, thighs, and ass with a mix of seriousness and playfulness, Maggie had an equally serious yet playful comeback.

“You’d better, because I’m going to impregnate you so hard when it’s your turn that you’ll be lucky if you can waddle anywhere when all’s said and done.”

A few hours later, Alex had to reassure her concerned floormates that the screams they’d heard were her getting frustrated over which PhD/MD program to choose. She wasn’t entirely wrong; instead of stressing Maggie out more, she channeled all her good and bad feelings into making her beloved come so hard and so many times she ruined the bright yellow Pokemon sheets.

Once the floormates finished talking with Alex through her barely-cracked door, she silently promised herself to open up more to Maggie that weekend. She was down to two PhD/MD-granting universities (Stanford and the University of Florida), but wanted Maggie’s input on which to choose (given both were offering full rides, would allow her to take classes from a distance, and offered to let her complete clinicals and exams at National City and Women’s Hospital or other local hospitals). Her friends and family were of little help; some of her friends jokingly wanted her to pick one school over the other due to ridiculous factors like their mascots while everyone else was just supportive either way or encouraging her to not tie herself down to National City. Regardless, Alex didn’t want to sign anything without Maggie knowing. She’d even drop the idea of going to grad school if that path meant she couldn’t be the wife and mom she wanted to be.

However, not wanting to wake her wife with the trainwreck that currently was her mind, Alex meditated a few minutes before returning to her facedown and blacked out love.

----

To celebrate how well Friday’s appointment with Dr. Griffin went, and partly to get her mind off the Stanford versus UF decision, Alex started making one of her wife’s spare rooms into the bonzai, animal, and bamboo jungle nursery they’d discussed. She hoped to surprise the mom to be with the finished jungle mural when she came back from meeting with some Criminal Justice Department and Help Center donors. However, a well-intentioned Alex didn’t quite get the dimples she’d anticipated after uncovering her wife’s eyes.

Instead, Maggie’s eyes looked a little fearful, and she bit her lip with nerves over what to say. She truly wanted to believe the babies would make it all the way to birth because of Alex’s excellent sperm statistics, Dr. Griffin’s reassuring examination findings, and her newly PCOS- and scar-free womb. However, she held back hope because strong hope meant stronger hurt throughout her life (at least in that department). She was internally grateful for the hard and precise work her wife put into the colorful and whimsical as well as personally meaningful mural, but Alex took her body language and silence as something negative.

“You’re not . . . happy,” Alex nervously said while putting her hands in her pockets in shame, thinking her wife hated the mural but didn’t want to say so.

Maggie turned around, took Alex’s hands in her own, started massaging the backs of them while looking at the ground, then gave her wife a soft, vulnerable look. The same one she’d given her when they were clasping hands over her fake belly during the last parenting class from all those weeks ago. The same one conveying Maggie completely loved and trusted Alex. The senior didn’t quite know what to do with that look, but Maggie’s next words helped her figure it out.

“Alex, I love every inch of this mural. The curvy trunks and cloud-shaped greenery of the bonzai trees. The life-like ridges and leaves of every bamboo tree. The cute yet fierce tigers, cranes, dragons, snakes, and leopards from all the Kung Fu we’ve learned. I want to sit in here and rock, burp, feed, change, and just be with our babies. And be with you while caring for our girls. I’m just . . . scared . . . and . . . not used to getting to the finish line in this area of my life. Seeing this mural . . . I don’t know . . . just . . . I . . . I want to get to that finish line with you. More than anyone else I’ve ever met. I want to get over the fear of tripping and falling on the track, but need some time to believe I can be a winner in this way. You didn't do anything wrong, though.”

Alex was relieved Maggie wasn’t mad or sad about anything to do with her, but sad to hear the brunette was so scared about failing to carry to term again that she couldn’t let herself be completely at ease with the in-progress nursery. However, she knew what she had to say next.

“I’m so sorry you’ve been through so much pain in the road to becoming a mom, honey. I hear you and want you to know that, no matter what, I’ll be right here with you as often as possible, fighting for our girls to be safe and make it. When I can’t be, I’ll send whatever you need through friends, family, GrubHub delivery people, or my telekinesis. I’m not going to leave you if something happens to you or the pregnancy, though. No matter how long it takes, I want to see the dream I had about us delivering your angel babies’ siblings become as real as possible. You were so beautiful when having and holding them for the first time.”

Partly due to grief, and partly due to all the hormones a three-girl pregnancy was pumping into her body, Maggie lost it at Alex’s kind words and gentle belly cupping. Then, she started crying into her wife’s chest, such that the auburn-haired alien held her wife and stroked her hair as she let it all out.

Once she was able to speak again, Maggie quietly whispered into Alex’s chest, “Can you tell me more about the dream you had as we check on the babies?”

Alex gently stroked Maggie’s dark hair one last time, tilted her tear-streaked face up to meet hers, and touched her pale forehead to her wife’s olive one. After she slid her hand up to the black petal marking Maggie’s back, they could see their pea-sized triplets forming inside, healthy as could be and growing twice as quickly as the average human baby. Unless their growth slowed down dramatically, they’d likely be born in February or March instead of June or July.

After Maggie’s breathing leveled out, she took her wife’s hand off the petal and into her own, and Alex mindmovied exactly what her dream had been. Maggie felt so much better after seeing a happy and calm version of herself standing with Alex in their kitchen and being cute with the dish bubbles, but rubbed her fingers together in disbelief when she could feel the peach-like fuzziness of their dream baby’s head against her digits in real life. She and Alex had used the touch simulation part of their telekinesis to make each other come and feel hugged from far away, but she had never known it could be used to make her feel something (or, in this case, someone) from the future. She cried at the births of their dream babies, the California trip-based blankets they were wrapped in, and their class reveals (two happy little omegas and a scared then happy big alpha). Seeing and feeling what Alex saw and felt inspired a new determination in her; she knew their dream was possible to achieve, so she made the decision to start hoping for the best rather than preparing for the worst.

----

After talking about Alex’s baby dream and grad school decision fears, Maggie turned around in the shower slowly, ran her hands through her wife’s shampooed auburn locks, and shaped her mane into a spiky mohawk (which drooped as neither of them focused their telekinesis on keeping it standing). Laughing hysterically at how silly her wife was being, Alex grabbed and kissed every ounce of hope and promise imaginable into the Latina. For once, Maggie started embracing the idea that everything was going to turn out okay. That they and the babies would be okay.

Time would tell that the biggest pregnancy shock would not be something bad. Rather, it would be something good: something Alex’s dream left out and Dr. Griffin’s examinations kept missing.

Chapter 31: Chapter Thirty One

Chapter Text

Although the following week was also incredibly packed for Alex and Maggie, their loads felt lighter because they’d been so open with each other over the weekend and they had laser tag with Ava, Sara, Nicole, and Waverly to look forward to that Saturday. Maggie also couldn’t wait to meet Zell and watch her create Alex’s carrot-themed do and her own pea-themed one, but both pushed back their appointment because Eliza insisted on seeing Maggie in person and over lunch. The blonde had been worried about her third adopted child and wanted to make sure she was okay (given she’d skipped out on all of their Danvers family nights and basically made herself scarce for two weeks).

Happy to see Maggie and Alex making it through the door into Pieology (one of National City’s best pizza places for vegans and non-vegans alike), Eliza enthusiastically waved them over to where she was sitting with their freshly made pizzas. The doctor wanted to get their orders in advance and have them ready so they could focus more on catching up than waiting for their food. Maggie and Alex were appreciative of her thoughtfulness; both women were starving for something other than each other and immediately began delving into their pizzas after hugging the eldest Danvers.

Eliza had seen Alex eat that way before at home, but was especially concerned about Maggie’s order (double what she’d normally get). She was thrilled to smell the professor’s strong pregnancy hormones and hoped she was getting enough nutrition down (given she hadn’t had the easiest time with her past pregnancies). She didn’t want to say anything about the third pregnancy yet to be considerate and respectful, but the dark circles around Maggie’s eyes and her somewhat gaunt look (which were really due to her staying up late to masturbat* while Alex was away) pushed her to at least offer support.

“Maggie, are you okay? I hate to be that mom to you, but just want to make sure you’re getting enough rest and nutrition, especially because you’re going to be the first to give me grandkids.”

Forgetting how strong and easy to detect her hormones were, the Latina choked on her food in surprise at Eliza’s comment, such that Alex had to pat her back hard enough to dislodge the nearly breathed-in pizza. Dr. Danvers was incredibly apologetic about startling Maggie, but the Latina graciously waved it off after catching her breath.

“No, no, please, Eliza. You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m grateful you asked. Being pregnant this time and with this many babies has just made me so much . . . needier . . . than usual. It’s hard to sleep some nights and I’m more emotional than usual, but at least there’s been no morning sickness yet. After talking with my wife and doctor, I think everything’s going to be okay this time. This pregnancy just feels . . . different. In a good kind of way.”

While Alex was trying to figure out what Maggie meant about not being able to sleep, Maggie was internally freaking out about her use of “wife” in front of Eliza. However, she could have never anticipated what Eliza was going to say next.

“I wish I could have been there for the wedding or helped you plan it. When you and Alex are ready, would you mind if I threw a wedding and baby shower for you both? This has been the best lunch ever, minus me making you choke.”

Alex and Maggie alike were stunned at how accepting and calm Eliza was being about their now not-so-secret relationship and pregnancy. Thankfully, she answered the questions their minds were too caught up to ask.

“I know you’ve wanted to keep your love for each other a secret, but secrets don’t agree with you, sweeties. I knew something was different about Maggie when she came over for Christmas and Alex’s rut went full force all those months ago. She’d never been like that around anyone else, so I knew it had to be because of our newest family member. That, and Alex has left a colorful ring I hadn’t seen before in her pants pockets a few times. I put it back on her desk without saying anything because, if it was from Maggie, I didn’t want to pressure you two into saying anything before you were ready. Glad my subtle attempts to get you two together worked, though.”

Maggie was the first to speak after taking Alex by the hand under the table.

“So . . . you’re not mad at me? Mad at us? Wanting to come at me with a pitchfork because Alex is 17, or wanting me fired from NCU for dating a student?”

Maggie took her eldest two daughters by their free hands and gently spoke her mind.

“I know your love for each other is unconventional by our country’s and schools’ standards, but Alex was never meant to be normal. She was always meant to be extraordinary. So much so that, when Jeremiah and I found her when we were out camping, the doctors we went to couldn’t confirm her true biological age. Her mind was lightyears ahead development-wise because the ship her parents sent her on must have taught her to hone her telepathy and reasoning, but she was a little behind in terms of social etiquette, moving her body, and controlling her powers around other people. Plus, we had no way of knowing what her culture would have expected from her. Given she was the only survivor from her planet, we figured she must have been carefully chosen to be sent away. Maybe royalty, if such a system existed on her planet. Regardless, it’s not every day that people look at each other like you two do. You’ve taught each other so much over the years that it’s hard to look at either of you as solely a teacher or student. I know you’d never do anything to intentionally control or hurt each other.”

Although still stunned, Alex spoke next while nervously gesticulating with her hands.

“So, you’re saying you’re okay with us? And the babies? That’s . . . what I got . . . from all of that.”

Eliza squeezed her adoptive daughters’ hands and smiled while nodding and crying at how happy she was for them and their family.

“Well, I did say she was a Danvers months ago. So, really, it’s more a relief you’re willing to acknowledge she’s one, too. Even if she wants to keep her last name.”

Maggie let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding in and leaned against her wife while crying happy tears. After mouthing a thank you to Eliza, Alex spoke again.

“Wait, so, if you knew, does Kara? Will she be mad at me if she’s the last to know?”

Someone else who wasn’t involved in the conversation at hand spoke next, surprising the trio as she came in hand and hand with someone.

“I may have found out by threatening to withhold some things from my fiance if she didn’t fess up about the during and after Pride dynamics between you two,” Kara said while striding over with Lena in tow.

Eliza rolled her eyes at how two of her four kids flung napkins and plastic dinnerware at the other two over what her youngest was implying, but was grateful the cat was out of the bag in their family. She could openly acknowledge how happy she was to see all her girls so happy.

Kara and Lena had supposedly been in the neighborhood because they were out buying baby gifts for Alex and Maggie (given they’d picked up Maggie’s potent smell during combat practicum). However, Alex swore her sister was lovingly spying on them via her super hearing. Regardless, seeing Lena and Kara squeal over their upcoming aunt statuses and chance to help plan some wedding things for Alex and Maggie was adorable. Alex cried tears of joy when her wife let Eliza, Kara, and Lena touch her belly and say hi to the triplets for the first time. The moments almost felt too perfect to be real.

----

Alex and Maggie were relieved that lunch went so well and were glad to take a break from school, work, and (in Alex’s case) grad school admissions and band practice tasks. Both were also looking forward to taking a break from Help Center work (as Alex was going through some orientation for her spring role, per Maggie’s requirements of all tutors).

Getting their hair done by Zel was the start of that great break. The green-haired alien was so kind to Maggie and delighted to know the two love birds were married as well as expecting. She was a little shocked to know Maggie was a professor at NCU, but had heard so many good things about her through Alex and other students coming in for hairstyling that she was quick to let it go. She even sang Alex and Maggie an old school wedding song from her home planet as she was making Alex’s hair a spiky green top (for her carrot costume) and Maggie’s a green-tipped, wavy vine (for her costume and to prevent the babies from being exposed to the dye’s chemicals). Even though it was in a language nobody else understood, Maggie couldn’t help but cry at the tune. The wives hugged Zell on their way out and promised she’d be the one to give their babies their first haircuts. Delighted, Zell took them up on their promise and made them promise to let her know how they and the babies were doing.

Saturday night laser tag with Maggie’s friends was also great, but something else entirely. Alex was delighted to meet Waverly, Nicole, Ava, and Sara, but just as flustered by the blonde omega as everyone else tended to be. The Waverider’s captain had high fived Alex and loudly congratulated her about knocking Maggie up with the biggest litter of the bunch, such that Alex choked on her arcade soda and salad a little. Feeling bad for her, everyone else reassured her that was just Sara’s personality and that she had other redeeming qualities. Sometimes, anyway.

Before going in for laser tag, they all shared updates about their lives, such that Nicole shared she and Waverly were expecting twins, Ava said she had held back and given Sara one pup to see if she could survive another Lance, and Maggie and Alex shared their girls might be born in February or March instead (interestingly, right around when their friends were also due). Alex couldn’t help but see parallels between Maggie’s friends and her friends and family, such that she saw a lot of Lucy in Sara, some Winn and Lena in Waverly, some Kara in Nicole and Ava, and even a little James and Lyra at times. They were in for a great night.

----

Sara never got the chance to see whether she’d win the alpha versus omega bet because she’d been caught having a quickie with Ava and gotten the group kicked out of the laser tag for the night. However, before then, everyone had a great time running around, sneaking up on their partners, and even shooting at their own teammates at times for fun and the pleasing of their partners. Taking pictures and running around in their costumes had also been fun, given Waverly dressed up as Hermione Granger, Nicole was Ron Weasley, Sara was the Wicked Witch of the West, and Ava was the Good Witch from The Wizard of Oz.

When walking out to their cars, the six ladies loved dancing and singing along to Todrick Hall’s “Freaks Like Me” and “We’re Family” from James and the Giant Peach. They were officially that friend group, but wouldn’t have it any other way . . . including Sara’s pouty lip and not so subtle suggestion that they should all have a six-way at some point (which prompted all the ladies to fling their leftover fries at her).

Wynonna would be so proud of and happy for them all, but Waverly had been right; she was too drunk and busy with Doc and Doll to think of much else. Fortunately, little Alice was off trick or treating with Mama Earp and going to stay with her for the weekend.

Alex had never been so thankful to call so many good people family, but hoped to get to the bottom of Maggie’s sleeping problem when they were all gone. When she found out Maggie was losing sleep over her pretty much insatiable need for her wife, Alex worked out a fun set of rules they could both abide by while waiting to make love with each other again. For the meantime, Maggie was just basking in how well the introductions had gone and hoping to shower with her wife before she went back to her dorm to study.

However, she was able to convince her wife to set aside the rules and books for the night after their trip to the shower proved too frisky to let go of. That, and something had changed about Maggie’s back: there was now another black petal touching the first one, prompting Alex to stay over for the night. For science only, of course.

Chapter 32: Chapter Thirty Two

Chapter Text

The beginning of November was marked by a series of vivid dreams making their way into Alex’s (and, per their strong mind connection, Maggie’s) minds.

After showering off all their Halloween hair dye and making love several times, the two peacefully fell asleep, such that Alex was hugging Maggie from behind and nuzzling into her neck as she subconsciously traced the omega’s second black petal. The newest change to Maggie’s skin seemed to have a completely different purpose compared to the first because, when touched, it did not give the couple a new way of checking on their babies or lead to other immediate effects. Rather, as they would learn hours later, it would show them film-like dreams of their childhoods (which were more connected than anyone realized).

A tall and pale woman with short, jet black hair withdrew her hand from a dark blue, velvet-like bag and placed a clear, palm-sized orb from it down on top of what looked like a movie projector. Then, she stepped back to stand next to a sitting woman who looked heavily pregnant and had long, dark red, and wavy hair. The two clasped hands, clearly nervous yet excited about watching the now-glowing orb reflecting onto a screen mounted on their wall.

“I can’t wait to see what our babies’ prophesies are! I wonder which ones will have meenas or coppas,” said the brunette.

The red-haired mother of the brunette’s unborn babies smiled, then nuzzled into her equally naked partner’s hip. The omega then rolled toward her wife slightly, gently guided the alpha’s heavy penis toward her, gently kissed and stroked its tip, then said, “No matter if they have meenas like mine or coppas like yours, I just hope we get to see them born before the Queen finds out we’re expecting. I have faith in you and the rest of the Resistance, but she’s killed off so many of our people, especially firstborns and those with meenacoppas. I’m scared of our girls having meenacoppas. They might not make it past their first year, if the Queen finds out about them.”

Saddened at how worried yet right her wife was, the brunette bent down, kissed the top of the glorious red hair she found, and said, “I know we cannot know what tomorrow will bring, but my concealer jacket has kept you and the babies safe all of this time when we’ve been outside. The Queen will not be able to know because we’d never tell her and nobody in the Resistance knows enough to tell her, either. I’ll die so our daughters can live out their prophesies, if that’s what it takes. You’re safe here, Kichaya. I love you.”

Burrowing into her wife’s side, the redhead whispered, “I love and will defend you, too, Tamris. Let’s make the most of whatever time we have left and see what the universe has in store for our kindraa.”

Smiling slightly, the alpha turned back to the movie-like prophesy being emitted by the orb (which, per the prophets, was intended for their first kindraa).

Images from a planet called Earth began moving across the screen, such that the narrator said their firstborn would leave their world, settle on the faraway planet, and marry someone who lived in a territory called the United States. The mothers in waiting were shocked yet intrigued to hear how different their first kindraa’s life would be from their own, especially given Earth was far less accepting of women who loved women at the time. However, pretty much anything was better than their planet at this point; the Queen would never be able to hurt their first kindraa if she got sent far away.

As the narrator started focusing more on a smiling young girl who was playing in some contraption called a cornfield, the red haired mom felt her large belly stirring, such that one of their kindraa was enthusiastically kicking and rolling around inside. Per their mind-mind connection, the baby could clearly see and respond to what the orb was projecting. Such a clear response was not all that unusual where the growing family currently lived (Kivaa) because, unlike most Earthlings, Kivaas were born with more advanced cognitive, emotional, and physical capabilities.

However, what happened next was very much unusual, even for children as advanced as those from Kivaa.

When the little girl on the screen smiled directly at the growing family and happily twirled around in the sunlit cornfield, Kichaya heard a pop and felt an extremely high amount of pressure quickly building inside of her opening. Before she had the chance to breathe normally again, she and her partner were shocked to see their first kindraa mindbending her way out of the birth canal, such that she slipped onto the floor and against the footrest Kichaya had been using in what felt like seconds. Such an act was extraordinary because the little kindraa and her four sisters were not due for several more weeks, meaning the little floor dweller was very much ahead of her growth schedule (at least cognitively).

After getting past the shock of what they’d just seen, Tamris immediately bent down to see if their daughter (who’d taken refuge behind a pillow) was okay. Understandably, the little one was scared of her new and colder surroundings, such that she used her telepathy to protect herself from every one of her sire’s attempted touches.

Sobbing from a mix of pain, fear, surprise, and joy at their daughter’s sudden entrance into the world, Kichaya sniffled and said, “Maybe if you sing to her, she’ll calm down and know it’s just us.”

Nodding in response, Tamris started singing to the baby (who had skin which was pale like her sire’s and hair which was dark red like her dam’s). The baby calmed down enough to poke her little head over the top of the pillow and stare up at her sire with dark brown eyes, but was still wary of her not-womb surroundings.

Cautiously and gently, the proud alpha and new mother said, “Hello there, first kindraa. I’m your sire, Tamris. You just fell out of your dam, Kichaya. May I check to see if you’re okay and whether you have a coppa or a meena?”

The baby could understand everything Tamris was saying, but kept her pillow with her as she mindbended herself on top of the footrest, eyeing both women with uncertainty as they lovingly looked at their firstborn.

Although still hazy from the pain of the too-quick birth, Kichaya managed to seal her hole to keep the rest of their still-developing kindraa inside and get a clean blanket to fly into her hand so they could swaddle their firstborn. Impressed by the blanket flying across the room, their daughter started smiling and clapping her tiny hands, such that she pushed the pillow to where it just barely covered her lap.

“Do you like it when mommy makes blankets move with her mind? Watch this,” Kichaya said sweetly and playfully to their steadily opening up daughter. The red head started making the blanket spin in slow circles, the twirled it with her mind faster and made it into a talking puppet. Their daughter couldn’t get enough of the spectacle, so she playfully stole the blanket using her mind, let it fall on top of her, and started acting like the puppet Kichaya had thought of just for her (mostly through gurgling and squealing). Thankfully, per Tamris’ great engineering skills, their walls were soundproof, meaning their neighbors were clueless about the newborn and her prophesy.

Seeing her moment come, Tamris scooped up their blanket-covered daughter, playfully spun her around, kissed her cheek after moving the blanket off her head and licking her clean, and blew raspberries onto the little one’s reddening cheeks. She was relieved to see their first kindraa smiling at and reaching for her for the first time, especially when the tiny redhead caught hold of a pale index finger and almost put it in her mouth.

“Not a good idea right now, honey. Right before your prophesy was delivered, your mommy and I were making love with that hand. Maybe later, though,” the alpha said, wanting to protect yet encourage her advanced yet vulnerable daughter.

The baby smiled up at her sire with a toothless grin, then shifted her attention back to the reason she’d made her way into the world so quickly. Reaching for the faraway screen, she nearly pulled it off the wall with her mind; however, Tamris was quick to act and walked her daughter over to touch the screen, wanting both to get a better look at the youth who would clearly become her daughter’s mate. That distraction gave Kichaya time to clean herself and the space up without frightening the baby more, but she also loved watching her wife and daughter bonding over something for the first time from afar.

While staring at the screen, the baby moved the blanket so everything below her belly was exposed. Her sire eventually noticed after getting lost in thought, such that she saw her daughter’s generous endowment and started mind-messaging her wife about it.

“Kichaya! Our daughter has a coppa . . . meena?”

Their little daughter’s penis had been responding some to the images of her mate moving across the screen, but she’d also revealed there was an opening behind it by touching both her parts and patting the screen (signaling she was dedicating them to her mate).

Kichaya stopped everything she was doing, and the parents’ worlds seemed to come to a crashing halt.

That’s why their daughter was going to Earth. They were going to have to send their baby away to protect her from the Queen. All because she was born with different parts.

----

As Maggie and Alex slept, there was a time jump in the dream they were seeing, leading them on to a second part.

Within days of the birth, Tamris created a ship which would take her and the baby to Earth so they could meet the young girl on the screen. Kichaya insisted that she stay behind because her soldier skills were more than enough to protect the growing family and she didn’t want to risk giving birth mid-flight. However, Tamris insisted that she come to Earth so they could all just get away and leave Kivaa behind. So all of their daughters would have a chance.

Kichaya turned the trip down, citing how she wanted to return the rest of the prophesy orbs. None of them were working as intended, but she needed to know whether it was because their firstborn’s prophesy had fried their reader or something about the orbs was off. Unwillingly, Tamris agreed to her wife’s decision, making her promise to mind-message her if she and their unborn daughters needed anything. The couple kissed right before Tamris and their still-nameless daughter left, joking about how they needed to come up with a name more fitting of a rebel than “kindraa” or “baby” at some point.

The baby loved the flight over to Earth, especially all the stars, planets, and asteroids they passed as they moved steadily yet quickly toward their destination. Kissing her baby’s red fuzz, Tamris promised to teach her how to fight, shoot, and explore the galaxy once she was old enough to join the Resistance. She hoped none of that would prove necessary, though; hopefully, she’d be able to get a job on Earth while there and prepare the way for her family to leave Kivaa and start over. To live without the same fear of random as well as targeted persecutions.

Through some intergalactic refugee work and Resistance contacts, Tamris was able to secure housing and an engineering job in Blue Springs, Nebraska. The town was very much anti-alien, but Tamris was more than capable of standing up for herself and was one hell of an engineer, meaning the people there had little choice but to include her in their community (at least on the surface).

Wanting to come across as normal as possible, she slowly networked her way into finding her daughter’s future mate (Maggie Sawyer, from what she learned). She was happy to learn the girl’s family was into farming and in need of several complex, expert-level equipment repairs. Despite the senior Sawyers’ clearly anti-alien attitudes, she accepted the assignment, wanting to get to know Maggie and start teaching her baby one of her family’s trades.

After Tamris was left alone in the family’s barn to do the repairs, the very person she was hoping to find popped out from behind several bales of hay. Wanting to be friendly, she waved at the shorter brunette and said, “Hello! You must be Maggie. My name is Tamris, and this is my daughter. Are you okay?”

Shaking herself off, the young girl shyly waved back, then walked closer, sat down, and watched Tamris as she worked. Not wanting to interrupt the engineer, but too curious to keep quiet, Maggie asked, “What’s your daughter’s name?”

Smiling bashfully, Tamris replied, “Unfortunately, my wife and I haven’t agreed on a name yet. She’s just a week old, though, so we have some time to decide.”

Maggie started giggling at the engineer’s words, thinking it was cute how the baby was currently nameless and her mom was embarrassed about it.

“I learned about a warrior named Alexander the Great through a book my teacher gave me. Nobody else in my classes likes to read except when told to, but I love reading about Alex. He was smart, strong, brave, a good leader, and kind whenever possible. I hope I can be like that someday, despite being a girl who’s brown and omega. Maybe you should name your daughter after someone like him,” the young Latina thoughtfully said.

Concerned over the clearly awful gender, race, and class stereotypes the girl had been exposed to, Tamris stopped what she was doing, walked over to the girl, sat down, and gently put her hand against the girl’s plaid-clad back. Then, she shared what she hoped would be encouraging words with the girl.

“Maggie, you can be anything or anyone you want to be, even if nobody else reads, looks, or thinks like you do. The universe is so, so big. You’ll find the right kinds of people who will help you become exactly like Alex, and they’ll love how you’re a smart, strong, brave, kind brown woman. If you keep fighting for what you want and who you love, you’ll go anywhere in the galaxy. My wife is a half-brown omega who became a soldier despite our planet’s customs. She’s one of the strongest women I know; after all, she had our daughter on top of a chair and without any pain medication, despite feeling torn apart in under a minute.”

Maggie was amazed by Tamris’ story and kindness; aside from her teacher, nobody else had mentioned she had possibilities besides becoming a wife to a man (who, given her secret feelings for girls, she could never hope to love). She was relieved to hear there were other brown women doing amazing things in the world, especially having the courage to fight in wars and marry other women.

Feeling more at ease around the stranger, Maggie asked, “Do you think I’ll find a wife and be a warrior someday, too? People like you, your wife, and me aren’t really accepted around here, but I don’t like boys at all. Don’t know why, but I just . . . can’t.”

Smiling in understanding (given she’d not been from the all-women Kivaa originally), Tamris said sweetly, “I know you will. My home planet was a lot like Blue Springs as far as boys marrying girls goes, but I left that all behind and moved to a planet filled with women like us. Everyone there is . . . how do you Earthlings say it . . . gay, bisexual, pansexual, or otherwise out of the closet.”

Maggie had heard about those labels by reading at school and when her parents weren’t around, but was amused to hear someone say them out loud for the first time. Giggling, she asked if she could hold the baby as Tamris worked. She couldn’t stop looking at the little one’s big brown eyes or running her hands through the fuzzy layer of red hair on her head. The week-old infant couldn’t stop blushing or sharing mind-messages with the youth, either; touching her little pale forehead to the Latina’s bigger olive one, she replayed the prophesy for Maggie, who was relieved to learn the engineer was there for so much more than fixing their corn planters.

“Your family is made up of aliens. Will I become an alien after marrying Alex, too?”

Thankful she didn’t alter the prophesy’s timeline in any noticeable way, Tamris smiled and replied, “That’ll be for you and my daughter . . . Alex . . . to decide whenever you’re both older and ready.”

Maggie smiled at how cool it would be to mind-message and make things levitate like baby Alex could. Then, curiosity getting the better of her again, she asked, “Hey, Tamris. What do the words coppa and meena mean where you are from? Alex keeps mind-messaging how she’s going to give me hers one day.”

Blushing at having to explain her daughter’s mind-messages, Tamris cleared her throat and started explaining the different class types; some women on her planet had what Earthlings called penises, some had vagin*s, and a smaller minority (Alex included) had both. However, she asked Maggie to keep Alex’s meenacoppa a secret; back on their home planet, people and babies like her were being hurt and killed because their Queen felt threatened by them for some reason.

During the time depicted in the second part of the dream, nobody on Earth or Kivaa knew the reason for the Queen’s behavior was that someone with a meenacoppa was prophesied to kill her and start a more welcoming era on Kivaa. However, the timeline for that prophesy would never come to pass; overcome with madness to kill her unknown competitor, the Queen blew up the planet using all of her army’s bomb stores. Ironically, the prophesied one with the meenacoppa was the only survivor.

The third part of the dream series would reveal exactly why Alex was that sole survivor, reveal why Maggie didn’t remember meeting her as an infant, and lead Maggie to go back on one of the biggest promises she’d made Alex that year.

Chapter 33: Chapter Thirty Three

Chapter Text

Right as dawn was breaking, and right before they woke up crying in each other’s arms, Maggie and Alex saw the third part of the dream unfold in their destiny-joined minds.

After a couple more weeks of being on Earth, Alex’s sire (Tamris) received an urgent message from her wife (Kichaya): the Queen was plotting to destroy their daughter’s birthplace (Kivaa) once and for all unless her unknown competitor was found and given up immediately, so the Resistance was gathering to fight her and her army off. Kichaya pleaded with her wife to stay on Earth and let someone from the Resistance take her there, but Tamris didn’t want to risk her wife being outed as heavily pregnant or miss the births of their other four kindraa (who, based on Kichaya’s increasing discomfort and pain, were due at any moment). Kichaya only agreed to her wife returning to Kivaa if she left Alex with someone they could count on.

Reluctantly, Tamris left their daughter with Maggie as well as her brothers and parents (who, although anti-alien, had slowly grown fond of having another baby around the house). The pale brunette promised Maggie she’d be back with the rest of their family as soon as possible and asked her to keep her future partnership with Alex a secret so both young girls would be safe. Maggie nodded and hugged the alien tightly, hoping the only role model she had at home would come back to her and her future wife safely with family in tow. The little Latina started crying when she saw the alien’s ship disappear, not having a very good feeling about the situation in her stomach.

Unfortunately, Tamris, Kichaya, and their other four kindraa would never make it away from Kivaa and back to Alex and Maggie.

Right as the red head was giving birth to their four other girls, the Queen and her guard burst into their family home and, using technology which the omega had never seen before, deflected her mindbending and froze the birth in time. The Queen ordered her guards to take the still-bleeding and throbbing Kichaya to her palace; a new prophecy had identified her unknown competitor’s parent was a former soldier of the royal guard who was married to a former Royal Inventor’s Guild member. Such a pairing was so unusual in the kingdom that Queen immediately knew who the prophecy was referring to, leading her to abduct Kichaya.

Unaware of why her wife was no longer responding to her mind-messaging, Tamris returned home to an empty yet bloody nest which clearly showed signs of a struggle. Her hands turned to ice and her alpha turned to flame as she read the terrible note the Queen left her.

Come to the palace to watch your family die by my hands.

Thankfully, Tamris and Kichaya had discussed and prepared for what they would do in a situation such as this right after the girls were conceived and the kingdom started falling. Tamris immediately contacted all of her Resistance followers and ordered them to surround the palace, such that they would be ready to implement the takeover plans they had all agreed to. Nobody’s wife and children (especially hers) deserved to suffer anymore, especially by such greedy hands.

The pale alpha was surprised at how easy getting into the palace had been for her and the Resistance. Although very intelligent and capable, she had no way of knowing what trap was in store for them: the Queen had purchased a store of bombs which, like her guard’s weaponry, deflected mindbending abilities and would detonate if anything happened to her. In a mad quest to keep her power, she had hidden the bombs all over their planet, such that she was able to manipulate people into sharing information with her by threatening them with instant detonation; however, she had been too much of a control freak to place more than half of her stores outside the palace. Tamris and her team of rebels truly were walking into a deathtrap.

Tamris and her team’s weapons were ripped from their hands via the Queen’s strange new technology, and the captured alpha was forced to watch her naked, shaking, and bleeding wife give birth to the rest of their litter on the floor as the Queen earnestly watched from her throne. The engineer cried a mix of happy and terrified tears as a kind yet coerced high priestess delivered each baby, wishing she could hold and kiss her wife while cradling their four other girls. The Queen became irritated and erratic as she learned the firstborn only had a meena, but completely lost it after another with a meena and two with coppas followed.

“What is this trickery?! My prophecy said you two would have a meenacoppa who would kill me, and you only produced two omegas and two alphas! What have you done with the true firstborn? Where is the little meenacoppa bastard who dared be born to challenge me?”

Well beyond pissed at the Queen, and despite being thoroughly exhausted, Kichaya heaved out as she was delivering the terrified babies’ placentas, “You . . . will never . . . find her. She’s safe now . . . and you will fall . . . with or without her here!”

Right as the Queen was getting out of her chair to torture Kichaya into telling her, a Resistance ally ship from another planet came crashing through the high windows of the Queen’s throne room, littering the floor with glass and stone as it flew in. Distracted, the guards dropped their hold on Tamris, who went running to her wife’s side. Everyone in the Resistance tried to change the ship’s course from killing the Queen to just capturing her until all of the bombs could be found and diffused, but their pleas fell on deaf ears and minds. Thinking everyone in the room had been manipulated into protecting the Queen, the ship’s crew stayed true to their original plan and shot at her with everything it had. Tamris only had time to hold and kiss her wife before they, their daughters, and everyone involved died.

Meanwhile, back on Earth, Maggie and Alex’s lives were about to end in a different sort of way. A hom*ophobic and anti-alien girl in the Latina’s class caught Maggie doodling a picture of her future life with Alex and, instead of bullying the brunette to her face and leaving it at that, decided to do something more sinister. She told her parents, and her parents told Maggie’s parents. Maggie’s mother and father did not handle the news well, such that they agreed former detective Sawyer would drive both little girls out to California, pretend to take them on a special camping trip, and (in reality) abandon them in the woods there.

Maggie was devastated to wake up and, after searching the campsite for hours, realize her Papa was not going to come back for her and Alex. Scared, and unsure of what to do, she applied what little she had learned from Girl Scouts to keep herself and Alex warm and alive. Her approaches worked surprisingly well, but working so hard to find all of that food, keep up their campsite, and care for Alex proved too much within a week. She slept so hard one night that she didn’t realize a very curious little Alex had crawled away from the campsite and wandered far away. Eliza and Jeremiah Danvers would find Alex down in a ravine and unhurt, but were too far away to even see Maggie’s campsite.

Maggie completely broke down when awakening to how she’d somehow lost her future mate, too. Part of her wanted to just down some poisonous berries she’d seen as her Papa had driven them there, but part of her wanted to honor what Tamris had told her: to not give up. After crying and brushing off her aching body, she built a fire large enough to produce so much smoke that a helicopter flying over the area alerted the local police and firefighters there was a potential forest fire.

Fortunately, the fire wasn’t too difficult for professionals to put out and save Maggie from. However, Maggie had been so traumatized by the loss of Alex that Children’s Protective Services decided to have some alien staff members wipe her mind of the baby’s existence. They thought that action would help the girl heal and get adopted, but she remained in the foster care system until turning 18, given that particular part of California was not very accepting of gay children. The only thing which gave Maggie hope was the group of cops who visited her frequently, included her in its holiday get togethers, and started a college fund for her. They were the closest thing to a family she’d have for quite some time, and she vowed to be a different sort of cop than her dad was.

One who fought to protect all people, no matter if they were aliens, LGBTQ+, or something she couldn’t hope to understand or relate to.

----

After seeing all they’d seen, and knowing it was all true without a shadow of a doubt, Alex and Maggie spent much of that morning sobbing in each other’s arms and holding onto each other, never wanting to let go. They cried for Alex’s valiant yet tragically lost family. How horrible Maggie’s parents had been to leave the two of them in an equally hom*ophobic part of an unfamiliar place. How much Maggie had suffered to keep them both alive, and how the universe had repaid her resilience by sticking her in a foster care system which had hurt her more than helped her in many ways. How, despite everything they’d been through, they found each other and wound up surrounded by kind and accepting people.

Running out of tears to cry, Maggie lifted her wife’s chin so their bloodshot eyes would meet, then softly kissed the quivering and tear-stained lips awaiting hers. Sniffling and shuddering, Alex softly returned the kiss, then escalated it as time passed, desperately needing something she couldn’t name or place from Maggie. The brunette warrior-academic felt the same way, especially as she saw her wife’s silver mating mark start shining brightly in the morning light.

As soft nips and slow licks of the mark turned into hot and needy suckles, Maggie could feel her silver penis returning, growing, and responding, especially as her wife counterattacked her mating mark, breasts, shoulders, and lips with all the love she could. She all but came when Alex quickly flipped her on her back, such that the auburn-haired survivor was on top and gently pinning the brunette survivor’s hands over her head with one arm. Alex slowly and lightly leaned against her wife’s forehead with her own, made a trail of kisses from the tip of her nose up to her temple, licked a trail up the shell of her wife’s ear, then started slowly sucking on its lobe as she moved the heavy silver coppa into her drenched and clenching meena.

Maggie let her wife have a few thrusts down onto her coppa, but placed a hand against her pale and red-blotched belly to stop her midway through a fourth. The lone Kivaan was understanding of why her wife wanted to stop and therefore not surprised when she switched their positions. However, she was surprised by how Maggie then flipped her belly down via telekinesis, rubbed some of the slick from her openings onto Alex’s meena, got ready to push into her from behind, then brought her wife’s hand back to feel why.

For the first time, a knot had formed on the Latina’s penis.

Maggie didn’t have to wait long for Alex’s consent, though; the young inventor brushed her auburn hair aside, showed her submission by exposing her bite to her warrior-academic equal more, and whispered, “Stay inside. Please?”

The brunette slowly pushed in all the way up to her knot, enjoying how tight and warm her wife felt when taking her length. Before going any further, though, Maggie replied while bringing her wife’s hand against her belly and putting her hand against her wife’s, “Yes, mother of all the kindraa she and I can carry.”

She’d promised to let Alex carry their next babies after graduating so many times she’d forgotten. From all logical standpoints, waiting until her wife was out of school and they had adjusted to the babies Maggie was carrying had seemed like the right thing to do. However, the dreams and the presence of the knot changed her mind about what was right; she didn’t have the heart to deny Alex’s wishes any longer. Didn’t have the strength to resist such an intimate form of connection anymore.

So, she didn’t.

They would wake up again hours later, Alex swollen incredibly large with as much seed as she could take and leaking what she couldn’t around Maggie’s swelling.

And neither regretted a thing about it.

Chapter 34: Chapter Thirty Four

Chapter Text

The following week’s appointment with Dr. Griffin proved to be a mixed bag for Alex and Maggie, but brought them closer together in the end.

On the positive side of things, each of the babies growing inside Maggie was healthy and nearing the size of a strawberry. Alex got to hold Maggie’s hand as they both got to listen to the babies’ heartbeats for the first time, and all three women cried happy tears at the loud whooshing sounds and three clear images coming across the monitor. Given the brunette hadn’t experienced any more negative symptoms that week (other than crying a lot more about the dreams she and her wife had shared in and outside of class), Clarke’s only recommendation was that she keep up with her diet, prenatal vitamins, and exercise, but call if anything changed.

Samples of Maggie’s sem*n also came back as highly potent. Specifically, Dr. Griffin’s lab tests revealed that, like her wife, the professor was capable of producing healthy and numerous babies when and if the silver penis returned. Alex’s coaching with the omega replica and masturbation-encouraging attitude had helped Maggie get to that point, so she pecked her wife on the cheek and leaned against her chest, hoping Dr. Griffin’s next news would be good, too.

However, that news was more complex than they’d expected.

Despite their unprotected and sentimental rounds of post-Halloween love making, the young inventor was not pregnant. In fact, despite having a meena, she wouldn’t be able to get pregnant for at least three or four years (if their OB/GYN’s calculations were correct). Dr. Griffin’s tests showed that Alex’s meena, the womb attached to it, and all the eggs inside her had been very slow to develop, hence the silver slit not becoming visible until she’d gotten with Maggie. Reasons all three were taking longer to develop were unclear, but the blonde suspected the future doctor’s body may have come into contact with a substance which had slowed her growth down (at least in that department). Alternatively, just like the purple tube which had taken years to emerge, Alex’s meena and its womb may have been sentient enough to hide themselves.

Dr. Griffin put a reassuring hand on Alex’s shoulder, apologized about the news, and said she’d be there for her and her wife if they needed anything before their next appointment. Then, she left them alone to talk as she went to get some informational pamphlets on second trimester development for them (given the babies would likely be that big before their next appointment).

As the OB/GYN stepped out, Maggie and Alex talked about all of the news they’d received during those thirty minutes. Maggie wasn’t sure whether she should show too much excitement about their first litter because she didn’t want to cause Alex pain, but the auburn-haired teen’s words put her at ease.

“You know, although it’s sad we can’t be pregnant together this time, I’m actually a little relieved in some ways.”

“Really? Are you sure? You don’t have to say that just for me, if you are. It’s okay to cry about this, honey. I’m here, and you can tell me anything,” Maggie said softly before reverently cupping her wife’s chin, not sure whether Alex was being honest or trying to be strong for them both.

“No, really. I mean it. Being pregnant during my senior year could have seriously pushed back my progress with finishing school, and I want to make sure you and all of our girls get enough attention and care when they’re born. Could you imagine us taking care of six kids or more at once, especially new babies who could just fly out of the womb or nearly rip things off the wall like I did? I know we have a ton of family and friends who’d be willing to help us out, but still, I have no idea how my moms were planning on taking care of my four sisters and me at once,” the lone Kivaan said, her head not as clouded by all the complex emotions those dreams first produced.

Leaning into her taller wife’s embrace, and swaying them in time to music playing in her mind, Maggie mind-messaged the soothing music (“Wanted” by Hunter Hayes) over to show how much she cared. Then, she whispered, “Your moms were so strong, caring, thoughtful, and brave. I’m sure they would have done anything to keep you and your sisters well taken care of. The attack wasn’t their fault, and they did everything they could to save Kivaa and you. I don’t know who or what I’d be without their sacrifice.”

Alex shed a tear over her lost family, then started full out crying in Maggie’s gentle yet snug embrace. After letting her feelings out, she sniffled, bent down to her wife’s growing bump, undid her plaid shirt’s bottom buttons, and lightly kissed the expanse of smooth olive skin she found there. The Latina couldn’t help but let her head fall back at how good her mate’s unfettered and tender affection felt, savoring every second of and trying not to moan through it. After all, Dr. Griffin could come back at any moment. Or, other people could hear her.

Alex’s ministrations picked up, such that she started sucking and nipping at her wife’s new outie belly button. Maggie was slowly starting to lose control of her mind and more sensitive body, so she unceremoniously blurted out, “Can we name our daughters after your moms and dad?”

The pale teen’s ministrations stopped immediately as her hands grew tense around her wife’s hips, leading Maggie to start apologizing for going too far, especially that soon. However, Alex cut her off with a heartfelt and deep kiss, then touched pale forehead to olive one while smiling through her tears and saying, “I’ve been wanting to do that.”

Right before Dr. Griffin came back, the couple solidified their daughters’ names. Contrary to Alex’s dream about the triplets’ birth, the girls were going to be named Eliah (after Jeremiah and Eliza as well as all the gods Maggie and Alex wed before), Kaya (after Kichaya, Kara, and the kayaks the couple had competed on months before), and Mara (after Tamris and the California coast the lovers had fallen more in love on). Squealing while twirling them both around, Alex made notes to add the letters E, K, and M to their in-progress nursery.

Although they didn’t get everything they wanted that day, they sure got what they needed: each other, and hope for a promising future with their three little strawberries.

----

Outside of grading, having wonderful and wild pregnancy sex, studying, babysitting, hanging out with their respective friends, going to Danvers family nights, and completing Help Center prep work for the next semester, Maggie and Alex went on dates to just spend time together as a couple.

In particular, Maggie enjoyed sipping hot cocoa by the fire she and Alex built at their weekend campsite (a quiet ledge which allowed them to see the stars more clearly and overlooked the amazing, twinkling city skyline). She loved the sound of Alex’s voice narrating a baby book about the history of Kivaa she’d written for their girls as a surprise, and she loved snuggling with her wife and breathing in the smell of charcoal and spiced wood hitting crisp November air. The warrior-academic would never be able to get over how comforting being held by and waking up next to her wife felt.

Maggie also encouraged her wife to think about getting the children’s book published. The way she saw it, every child deserved to hear more stories about strong LGBTQ+ people like Tamris, Kichaya, and the other Resistance members. Alex promised to think about it, but was just content with dancing with her wife to slow country music (especially “Then” by Brad Paisley) and tuning out everything to do with their work as the sun went down.

Before the sun went down on their last night out that week, Maggie decided to bathe in the river flowing beneath and to the right hand side of the ledge they were camping on. Then, after the toxin detector let her know the water was safe for her and the babies, she stripped and waded in, waiting for Alex to see her from afar and join in.

Once the vegan barbeque and corn she was slowly grilling got done enough to be served, Alex turned around and saw her naked love bathing in the sunset. She couldn’t get over how dazzling and radiant Maggie looked from the sunset shining down on her naturally tan and pregnancy-kissed skin. The future doctor couldn’t help but think as she looked on.

This is how they should have been for her all along. Pregnancy. Marriage. Life. None of those things should have been so hard for such a loving, kind, and strong woman. I hope we have more days like this up ahead.

She placed all of their food in tinfoil to keep it hot, fresh, and protected from potential animals running around in the distance, then stripped after getting them some towels to dry off with. Right before heading down, she also decided to bring their 90s-style radio along so they could listen to music as they bathed. She hoped they could dance one last time before heading back to the city early in the morning.

Alex’s hopes would come true, but only long after she and Maggie had a water fight and made out against the riverbank. Maggie could feel her wife’s proud and strong penis rubbing against her blossoming belly as they took turns pinning each other against the damp yet warm and inviting bank. Consistent with a “no sex until Thanksgiving” challenge they’d just entered into with her friends (mostly Sara, in all honesty), Maggie refused to let Alex penetrate her or touch her cl*t; however, she quickly thought of something to make it up to her wife. Something she’d never imagined doing for someone. Something she’d associated with shame, but become open to doing for just one woman in the world.

The pale scientist was surprised to see her wife suddenly push down, then off on her to get up and out of the water. Maggie picked up all of her clothes and the radio in a hurry, then hid behind a large, reddish-brown rock which stood tall next to the river. Concerned she’d pushed too far or that something was wrong with the babies, Alex tried mind-messaging her wife to find out what was happening. Maggie sent a breathless-sounding mind-message back which relieved yet perplexed Alex.

It’s okay. We’re okay. Just go to the flat rock to the left of where my rock is, and put a towel on your lap. Please?

Alex immediately did as asked, having no idea of what her wife was doing and panicking a little. However, once she heard the extended version of another of their favorite songs (“Perfect Storm” by Brad Paisley) come on, she relaxed a little. She felt even better after seeing her wife’s outstretched and radio-bearing arm come out from behind the reddish-brown, sky-reaching rock.

In time with each heavy intro beat, Maggie began walking toward her slowly and sensuously in the sunset, slowly bent over to put their radio near the front side of the tall rock, rolled her jean shorts down until they were completely off, carefully undid the bottom buttons of her red and black plaid blouse, then climbed onto a stunned Alex's lap. The brunette ground down against her wife in time with the beats and lyrics filling the air and brought a pale palm to cup her sex over black and dampening boyshorts, causing Alex to start panting, pulsing, and quaking with want. Then, Maggie slowly started licking a trail from Alex’s mating bite to the lobe of her ear, sucking on where she stopped until she could feel her wife’s penis moving the towel with every involuntary thrust her wife made.

However, right as she sensed Alex was about to come, Maggie got off her wife’s lap quickly and without warning, started doing a martial arts-inspired dance to the country song, undid the rest of her buttons in time with the song, and got back on her wife’s lap again, grinding down in time with each heavy drum beat as the song played on. Alex was about to share her confusion with her wife, but what was happening finally dawned on her.

My wife is stripping for me. On a rock. In public. Oh my god!

Alex couldn’t really think for long, though; Maggie went in for a sloppy and heated kiss as she ground down on her wife in time with the song, roughly kneading auburn and silver-streaked hair through her hands as she did.

However, once again, Maggie nimbly and unexpectedly got off her wife’s lap before the reddening meenacoppa came. She kept dancing in time with the song and, back turned to her wife and the setting sun, slowly let her unbuttoned shirt drop to the ground.

Unable to form words, Alex just looked on with her mouth hanging open, not sure what had gotten into her wife, but thankful for and in awe of it.

Still keeping in time with the song, Maggie walked back to her wife, straddled the scientist, and started grinding on her lap again (this time more aggressively). She moved both bra straps down slowly with her fingers, then undid the clasps in the back with her mind, capturing her wife’s loose lips in another heated and passionate kiss as she did. As they moved together, she placed both of Alex’s pale palms against her swollen and sunkissed breasts, loving the feeling of giving and receiving such intense responses. Not able to help herself, Alex mind-messaged Maggie images of herself sucking and planting kisses on Maggie’s chest. However, as enticing as those images were, the warrior-academic had a plan, and she wanted to see it to the end.

As the song was drawing to a close, Maggie got up one last time, slowly rolled her ruined boyshorts down, slowly twirled them on her fingers once, and let them fall to the ground. Then, she climbed back on her wife once more, started grinding down, mind-messaged her wife an image of how pregnant she was going to get her when the time was right, and bit down hard on her mating mark.

Alex came against the towel so hard that she saturated it with her seed and even got some on Maggie’s opening. The Latina came right after feeling and seeing her wife do so, slumping against her as the song ended.

Breathing out shakily as they recovered, they could hear crickets starting to chirp and see fireflies starting to fill the dark night’s sky. They gently cleaned each other off in the river, then slowly walked up to their tent, hand in hand and not letting go except when eating, brushing their teeth, and sleeping in their tent.

None of it felt real, but it sure felt right for both resilient, worthy women.

Chapter 35: Chapter Thirty Five

Chapter Text

The next weeks in November seemed to fly by for Maggie, Alex, and all they knew.

Students (Alex, her sister, Lena, and their friends included) were knee-deep in studying for finals and completing their end-of-semester projects. Many couldn’t be more grateful for the Thanksgiving break coming up, given it would allow them time to recharge and unwind from the stress of everything going on. Most of Alex’s friends weren’t as stressed because they had jobs and internships lined up for after graduation, but many students were still interviewing and planning out their lives on top of studying and doing everything else associated with being college juniors and seniors.

Oppositely, professors were prepping for the next semester while wrapping up pre-finals grading and lectures. Maggie met with more Help Center donors when not doing those things and was thankful to hear the department would be getting about a million dollars’ worth of new training equipment which J’onn had written a grant for. The courageous Latina finally plucked up the courage to tell him he was going to be a space grandpa for real this time, and he couldn’t be happier that the babies had grown from the size of plums to the size of avocados just that month. Not able to help himself, he ordered three avocado-themed baby onesies for his space granddaughters and left them as well as a vegetable-themed card in Maggie’s inbox. She couldn’t help but smile and hug the man for the thoughtful gestures, secretly hoping he’d eventually feel the same way about who the babies’ sire was.

Other than working on her inventions, studying, babysitting, finalizing the nursery, hanging out with friends and family, and going to more OB/GYN appointments, Alex spent time taking Maggie on more dates and going to parenting classes with her. The entrepreneur was happy yet nervous about becoming a mom in just a few months, but the classes helped her cope and feel more prepared to help Maggie during the delivery and recovery (which they agreed to have at home, pending they didn’t need an emergency C-section or other forms of doctors’ intervention).

Maggie felt the same way about parenthood, but for different reasons; during more recent classes and appointments, she shared she was nervous about her opening tearing during delivery and, in moments of insecurity, was worried about whether Alex would still find her attractive if that happened. Therefore, the two started doing exercises which would minimize the chances of Maggie tearing, went to a couple’s therapist to talk through how they’d handle the transition to being postpartum partners, and spoke with Dr. Griffin about their options if Maggie did tear. Alex was more than qualified to stitch Maggie up if the tears were minor, but Dr. Griffin or another physician would have to take care of more advanced tears. Regardless, Alex affirmed her love for and loyalty to her wife, vagin*l tears from the babies or not.

Blowing off steam with Pieces of Ace also helped the auburn-haired teen get the stress of impending parenthood and whether she was doing enough to support Maggie off her mind, given the band’s Punksgiving performance was coming up. Depending on what all happened with the babies and Maggie’s recovery, it might be one of the last times she’d be able to play with the band until the following fall (unless, of course, the babies held off coming until after Valentine’s Day). For that reason, and because Maggie was coming to a show of hers for the first time, the senior put as much energy into drumming, guitar, and vocals work as she could.

Little did she know that hard work would attract some serious trouble down the road, though.

----

Due to her work in criminal justice, medicine, and LGBTQ+ music performance, Alex was very much used to coming into contact with haters and hecklers. She was generally able to tune them out by focusing on her band members and their respective parts in their songs as well as the crowd members who were good to them (especially their serial groupies).

However, a smirking and sleazy blonde guy was going to be an exception to that rule.

After Alex sweetly pecked Maggie on the lips before getting on the bar’s main stage, the man skulked up to the glowing professor and started flirting with her. Naturally, Maggie turned the man down, noting she was gay, mated, and married to the love of her life. The man kept going, though, and became more aggressive, saying maybe she’d feel differently if she wasn’t “so pregnant with a dyke alien’s kids” and that he could “take care of that little problem” backstage. Fearing for her safety and that of the babies, Maggie started disengaging by walking away, only for the man to grab her arm, swing her around into a pin against the bar station’s ledge, and try to force her into a kiss. Maggie swung hard at the man and broke his nose, such that a bouncer knew to intervene, apprehend the man, and start dragging him out.

However, wanting to do as much damage as he could before being thrown out, the man screamed at Maggie and lunged for her, calling Alex a “lying and cheating excuse of a wife” and saying that, if he couldn’t have the lead vocalist, nobody could.

Because the band’s pace and noise levels were winding down, everyone at the performance heard the man’s ridiculous outburst. Although most fans knew how good of a person Alex was and knew she’d never do the things he said (given most had also been turned down by the talented teen), she still felt her neck and tears grow hot with embarrassment. Panicking, and not thinking clearly enough to run to her wife, she tossed her guitar aside and ran up into the bar’s costume room. Her band members were about to run after and console her, but Maggie mind-messaged them that she’d get Alex while they wrapped up and handled the PR side of the event. They acquiesced, reiterating how Alex was very loyal to her wife and excited their babies were going to be born in a few months. Most of the crowd clapped for the band and Alex’s exciting news, not wanting to let the stranger’s terrible and mean-spirited words dampen the event’s focus on charity. In fact, many gave more money to the Punksgiving charity fund than they had earlier, wanting to show how love trumped hate.

Meanwhile, upstairs in the costume room, Maggie was holding a crying and shaking Alex, waiting to say anything until the teen was ready to hear it.

After about ten minutes, Alex’s tears dried up, and she stopped shaking as hard in her wife’s understanding and loving arms. Then, she said while trembling some in between sniffles, “I felt so . . . humiliated . . . out there. I could never cheat on you, Maggie. You’re it for me, and the idea that someone could say anything else . . . just . . . kills me inside. I love you and our girls . . . so . . . much. I should have protected you instead of running away, though. I’m sorry.”

Feeling bad for her wife and angry about the man’s cruelty, Maggie lovingly whispered, “I know how much we mean to you, honey, and I know you’d never do anything to hurt us on purpose. That man clearly doesn’t know or deserve to know you. You’re too good for this world, and it’s okay; I protected the girls and me. We’ll all be okay. I just . . . know it.”

After those words, Maggie guided her wife from the large ottoman they had been sitting and rocking on to a large and comfy couch. Her intent was for them to lie down and just be for a bit, but Alex was in for a bit of a surprise when they did.

As the musician was serving as the big spoon and burrowing into her wife’s neck, she noticed Maggie’s white tank top and black leather jacket had ridden up a bit, such that the olive skin on her lower back was showing a little. Alex noticed a third black petal had formed on the expanse of skin, such that she told Maggie about it and, after getting permission to touch it, could see a future in which she, Maggie, and their little ones were much more than okay. They were happy and, despite their struggles, they had each other and plenty of help in overcoming those struggles.

Visions of them enjoying their upcoming Thanksgiving meal with J’onn, M’Gann, the Danvers, Lena, Wynn, Lyra, James, Lucy, Zell, Sam, Kate, Ruby, Jade, and Maggie’s friends and their families also flooded the couple’s minds. That and visions of the now not-so-surprise baby shower their family and friends were planning made both women smile again.

Despite everything the man had done, they were all going to be okay. Better, maybe. Thus, Alex sat up, bent down on the floor, rolled her wife’s shirt up, and pecked her belly, saying “Holy . . . guaca . . . mole!” when giving a peck to each of their little avocados. Maggie scrunched her nose and squeaked in a cute way, then pecked her wife on the nose and gently kissed her on the lips. Afterwards, both walked out of there hand in hand, drove home, and took turns reading and singing to the babies.

Those visions would prove a hundred percent true, even though the crazy man was far from leaving Alex alone.

Chapter 36: Chapter Thirty Six

Chapter Text

Minus some awkward staring at Maggie’s baby bump from Alex’s friends (who hadn’t seen it before due to the layers of clothing she’d been wearing at school) and an overly personal follow-up question, Thanksgiving was wonderful for the Danvers family and their large circle of friends.

The couple courteously feigned surprise at how all who knew the due date and sire’s identity had tacked on a surprise baby shower to the occasion. However, the timing of the shower made Alex and Maggie nervous underneath their smiles. Given J’onn was there and he as well as Alex’s friends knew nothing about her secret marriage, wife, and sirehood, the two women were sweating at how the holiday might be ruined at the drop of a hat if someone (especially Sara, Kara, or Wynonna) unintentionally spilled the beans.

Thankfully, Ava, Lena, Doc, and Dolls had worked with each other and their respective partners to make sure they all used the same code words when discussing who the sire was in their cards, gifts, and conversations. Everybody snapped into professional crime fighter mode to carry out the mission (Operation Condom, per Wynonna), given they didn’t want to hurt their new friends and chosen family members. Thus, nobody outed Alex (who was sitting farther away and across from her wife to avoid suspicion) or Maggie (who was sitting between J’onn and Eliza) in any way as gifts were passed around.

As all present, past, and future parents discussed the ups and downs of pregnancy, Alex’s non-parent friends felt a little lost as to how to engage (given they had no real experience in talking through that phase of life). Partly due to her lack of competence in how to handle the situation, and partly due to her generally brazen personality, Lucy asked a well-intentioned yet invasive question which everyone in her position was thinking, but unwilling to voice.

While Eliza and J’onn were seeing if they could feel the babies kick yet, the conversations around them eventually trailed off so everyone could see what was happening. Ava, Sara, Waverly, and Nicole were particularly intrigued by the spectacle and wanted to feel next if the babies did make contact (given their babies weren’t developing at the pace Maggie and Alex’s were, but they wanted a sneak peek into what they would be feeling in a month or two). The eldest mom and sire were not surprised to find it was too soon to feel anything the babies did, but they and everyone else were surprised by Lucy’s question.

“So, how did you find the right sperm donor?”

Faces of the people around Lucy (even Sara and Wynonna) went red, darker brown, or white with embarrassment. Alex in particular was uncomfortable with the question because all of the answers to similar questions she and Maggie not talked through had gone out of her head, given her closest friends, mentors, and family (who really didn’t need to know the details of her love and sex lives) were all around her. Lucy eventually looked down and away, the embarrassment of asking a teacher she’d put down as a job reference and hoped to stay in touch with after graduation dawning on her.

Fortunately, Maggie had had years of dealing with similarly invasive questions about herself and parenthood, particularly those from colleagues and acquaintances she’d met through her fertility and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children adventures. She recovered from the shock very quickly, then gave the most honest yet discrete answer she could whip up.

“It’s okay, Lucy. I know you didn’t mean any harm by your question, so all’s forgiven. There’s actually no donor; a couple of years ago, a woman helped me through the attack my fiance, our babies, and I faced. I didn’t really know much about her at the time, but she stayed in touch after the babies died and my ex moved away, even when I was overseas and in some very dangerous situations. I fell for her very slowly because the nature of one of my jobs . . . all of them, really . . . prevented us from being more than friends. I didn’t even know if she felt the same way, but we kept talking and there was just . . . this . . . spark. I couldn’t get her out of my mind. My third baby was sired by a donor, but I asked the donor to shape shift into the woman I fell in love with so the process would be less . . . scary. After I lost that baby, I knew I couldn’t go through another pregnancy without the one I loved being directly involved. Fortunately, a medical crisis really brought us clarity, and I’ve been seeing her since then. We got married in secret partly on a whim and partly because that’s what we wanted. I chose her to be my wife and the sire of our little artichokes because she’s creative, smart, loyal, funny, kind, thoughtful, brave, and strong in every way imaginable. I’m actually glad the babies haven’t kicked yet because I hope she’ll be the first to feel them.”

Jet lagged, and a little hormonal, Waverly teared up at how beautiful Maggie’s story was. Everyone else smiled and nodded in approval, glad Maggie had found the right partner and parent for their little ones. Ruby nearly gave Alex and Maggie’s secret away by accident amid all of the happiness, but a quick-thinking Sam started a distracting tickle fight with her eldest while Kate looked on, rolling her eyes, giving her classic lopsided grin, and bouncing a smiling Jade on her lap.

As everyone was starting up new conversations to lighten the mood, Alex blushed at how kind her wife’s words were and reciprocated them via their mind-mind connection, asking Maggie to marry her again in front of everyone they loved the day after the Latina’s birthday. Those gestures made the omega queen tear up a little in happiness, such that she wrapped the Christmas sweater from all of that time ago around herself and the babies, then tied it to replicate Alex hugging them from behind. Forgetting where she was, she began singing one of Alex’s lullabies (“You’ll Be In My Heart” from Disney’s Tarzan) to the babies, rubbing her belly and swaying in time. Alex, in turn, teared up at both gestures and how Maggie was replaying the memories of Tamris and Kichaya as she sang, wishing Alex’s biological family could be with them to celebrate.

The only thing which broke Alex and Maggie’s concentration on their surreptitious and touching little moment was how the sweater suddenly flew from one’s belly and waist to the other side of the circle they all sat in, such that it hit the other in the face. Both telekinetics and their friends looked around, thinking one of them or someone outside the Danvers house made the sweater fly up. However, after checking around and finding no security threats, everyone had the same suspicion: the babies had telekinesis, too, and had made their powers known for the first time.

Fortunately, as if they were playing a “pin the tail on the donkey” knockoff, everybody got caught up in the fun of seeing which objects the babies would move and where they would be moved. However, all were disappointed to learn that the babies only flung the sweater, and only if Maggie was the one putting it atop her belly while singing one of Alex’s songs to them. When she wasn’t singing, Maggie could feel little hands and feet pressing out into the sweater; however, she kept that detail to herself, wanting to surprise Alex with it later.

----

After getting back to her house from Thanksgiving, Maggie couldn’t be any more thankful to have such a loving, accepting group of family members, mentors, and friends surrounding them that evening. Thoughts of the Christmas sweater game and why she wanted to be with Alex all of this time flooded her mind, such that she couldn’t help but smile, cry, and slip into something she’d bought just for them to enjoy.

Meanwhile, Alex (who felt the same way) was finishing up the dishes, hugging everyone goodbye, and loading leftovers as well as the gifts Maggie couldn’t fit into her lime green Jeep. She hoped that, at some point, she would be able to come clean about Maggie and their babies to everyone who didn’t know yet. After all, given how strong, capable, and feisty their daughters already were, both would need all of the support they could get.

Both were also eager to be company-free, though. Specifically, they wanted alone time with their babies and to finally put an end to the sex-free challenge their friends had waged (and, surprisingly, honored) weeks before.

Right after the couple finished putting the leftovers away, Alex picked up her wife, swung them around, and pinned her against the fridge, attacking her mating mark with abandon while thrusting against her cutoff jean maternity shorts passionately. Maggie’s need had grown strong enough to be noticed by those sitting next to her as the evening progressed, so she went home early after mind-messaging Alex about what was going on, saying she needed to lie down. Thankfully, J’onn and Eliza understood and didn’t question what she meant at all (given they’d been through similar situations when trying to conceive their respective children all those years ago).

Alex was confused to find how stiff Maggie had gotten during their fleeting time against the fridge. Thinking she was doing something wrong, or that Maggie had changed her mind about them having sex (especially without using the toxin detector for the first time), she said with a quivering lip and tears forming in her eyes, “You have to say it. Out loud. That you don’t want me like this.”

Crying at how prepared for rejection Alex looked, and so wet for her wife that she could feel it pooling in her shorts, Maggie said right before diving in for a passionate and needy kiss, “I can’t tell you that.”

Nearly mauling Alex’s face with how ready and desperate she was, the warrior-academic undid the buttons and zipper on her shorts with her mind, grabbed her wife’s trembling and pale left hand, slid it past the stretchy waistband, and made it cup her sex. Once Alex came up for air and nearly in her pants at how needy her wife was, she waffled out while gasping, “What . . . can . . . you tell me?”

After withdrawing her wife’s hand and vigorously sucking on her fingers while giving her a new look neither had exchanged before, Maggie gripped her wife tighter using her legs, moved both pale hands under her white tank top, and asked with more vulnerability than her wife had ever seen, “Just protect them as much as I do, okay?”

The young inventor cried hard at her wife’s question and their babies moving against her hands, then smiled in happiness and giggled in disbelief at what she was feeling. Maggie smiled with dimples on full display, too. Then, she kissed her wife more gently as she moved pale hands to cup very swollen and sensitive olive breasts (another discovery the Latina had made that day, but covered up through her thicker indoor clothing).

Forgetting she was pinned against the fridge, Maggie accidentally bonked her head against the stainless steel when letting herself relax under Alex’s ministrations. Although Alex was concerned at first, the couple learned to laugh the incident off, then make love on less hard surfaces throughout the night.

The only things which burst their little bubble were when Maggie’s fiery thigh patterns lit up as the babies kicked and how the babies started a poking game with Alex right before they went to bed. Maggie’s face hurt from all of the kissing and suckling, but mostly from smiling at how her wife goofily kissed everywhere the babies prodded with their feet and hands. She’d never get tired of stroking her forever silly head’s auburn hair, but she was getting tired from all of the day’s activities. Fortunately, the babies settled down and pressed as deeply into Alex’s back as they could when Maggie was serving as the bigger spoon.

The five family members slept soundly and dreamed of the happy day they’d all had, stirring only to roll over as needed.

Chapter 37: Chapter Thirty Seven

Chapter Text

December started off very well for Alex, Maggie, and all they knew.

The triplets had grown to be the size of bananas by the second week, so Alex bought them some “Despicable Me” minion and banana onesies for when they arrived. Maggie loved the soft yellow and blue outfits just as much as she loved sipping hot chocolate through a peppermint straw while holding Alex’s hand as they walked in the snow. That, and snuggling with their family and friends under toasty covers.

By the time the month was halfway over and the semester was coming to a close, the couple also learned which Christmas and other holiday songs each baby loved. One baby clearly loved more traditional music, including the piano and acoustic guitar versions of “Silent Night.” Another loved the hard rock ‘n’ roll version of “Canon in D” and the third really, really loved the more country-like version of “I Have a Little Dreidel.” Alex, Maggie, and their friends and family couldn’t get enough of how the girls kicked, poked, and rolled around when different songs would play. The only times Maggie felt uncomfortable were when one or more babies started moving up under her ribcage when a song they liked or disliked came on (as them doing that made breathing harder).

Other than Christmas and the school year being over, the little family had a lot to look forward to. Alex’s children’s book had been accepted for publication by a reputable yet down to earth and supportive book company, and she decided to put all of the royalties from it into college savings accounts for the babies as well as a surprise babymoon Spring Break trip with Maggie. The Latina’s earnings had also gone up a considerable amount because, due to her high profile work with criminal justice and children’s rights advocacy, she’d secured a couple long-term consulting contracts and a lot more funding for National City University. The couple was relieved to see those increases arise because Maggie’s more stable income paired with Alex’s high yet more sporadic income would give them and however many daughters they had a bright financial future. Alex was not able to get pregnant with their next babies yet, but Maggie sure loved practicing her part for the occasion (especially as her belly grew too large for them to do several things they’d used to during sex).

Not able to help herself, Alex went and bought a surprise early Christmas present for Maggie: a German Shepherd puppy they would name Gertrude (Gerty or “Ger Ger” for short, as the babies would not be able to say the dog’s full name until around the same time the following year). The mom to be would have adopted a puppy from a shelter instead, but was trying to help a recently retired and disabled police officer’s family out financially. Several of her classmates and police internship connections bought puppies from that officer’s litters through her referrals, so the family had just enough money to tide it over for a few months.

Understanding how difficult the family’s time had been, and given how well some of her inventions were selling, Alex also left a note and a check for $20,000 for the family before leaving. They would stay in touch over time, such that Alex would learn the family was eventually able to go into humane and responsible guard dog breeding full-time (as it was selected for large-scale contracts by National City, the FBI, the CIA, and several other prestigious police forces over time).

Once the puppy was safely secured in the crate inside her motorcycle’s removable sidecar, Alex started driving home slowly. She wanted to make it back to her family safely and not awaken the pup (who’d fallen asleep in her arms during a long and heartfelt conversation with her previous owner). As she drove, the auburn-haired teen couldn’t help but think about how her daughters would grow up with a furry and friendly yet fierce protector by their sides. She’d never tell Maggie this, but having a dog around would also help her feel less bad when she would leave her wife and daughters behind to make sales pitches, run errands, and otherwise get out of the house some. Fortunately, she’d never have to say anything; Maggie could tell and felt the same way.

However, the young inventor’s daydreams were rudely, suddenly, and cruelly interrupted when a large, black pickup truck pulled a hit and run from behind an even larger, snowed-over hill. The puppy would be fine because it wasn’t directly hit, but Alex wouldn’t wake up from the incident until she was in the same hospital where she first kissed her wife.

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Maggie had been cooking a vegan pasta dinner and dancing around in her gingerbread apron when she got the call from Eliza: Alex was stable, but hurt and in the hospital. Although her hearing started going in and out due to the shock of the news, she picked up on how Kara and Lena were going to pick her up on the way to the hospital in about fifteen minutes. The babies could tell something was wrong, so they mindbended their mom’s trembling hands toward her growing belly and rubbed against them as she cried and slipped on her shoes and coat. She was angry and scared to hear someone had apparently snuck up behind and rammed her wife like that. There was just no reason for it. She hated people bullying those she loved.

Fortunately, Lena and Kara turned off the stove Maggie almost left on by accident and hugged their sister in law while calming the babies down with soothing belly circles. Kara sat in the back seat with Maggie to shield her in case she might be the next target, and Lena turned on the car’s more sensitive security system (which she, Sam, and Kate had recently collaborated on as well as patented). Angry for Alex, and worried about Maggie and the babies coping with the stress of what just happened, the couple wanted to be absolutely sure the little family made it back together.

Lena never said anything out loud to avoid making Maggie panic more, but the same black truck had started weaving out of different side roads and following them for short stints as they made their way to the hospital. Fortunately, she, Sam, and Kate had created nanobots which could be dispelled from the car via discreetly placed button and used to hack into cars demonstrating suspicious behaviors like those. Once the truck was forced to pull into a vacant parking lot, the nanobots collected information on its make, model, and plates, then sent that information to local, state, and even federal police groups. Nobody in her car would be around to see it, but police camped out just a couple blocks down were alerted about the truck and able to place the fleeing driver under arrest. However, because they wouldn’t be able to use their phones while visiting Alex, nobody would learn it was the man who’d harassed Maggie and Alex during Punksgiving until hours after the arrest.

Though sniffling and shaking, the professor was relieved to see her wife (who’d suffered a moderately severe concussion, some badly bruised ribs, a badly bruised hip, and various bruises and cuts on her left leg). She swore the babies helped her put one foot in front of the other all the way to her sleeping love’s bed, but, several private talks later, everyone would also give her credit for being so strong and resilient during the crisis.

“Hey, you,” the warrior-academic heard after what felt like a lifetime of waiting for Alex to awaken.

Crying happy tears this time, Maggie kissed her wife gently on the forehead and raggedly breathed out, “Hi, honey. We were so scared and worried about you.”

Kara squeezed Alex’s other hand while Lena gently rubbed that arm’s bicep, conveying they were there for the survivor, too.

“Lena . . . Kara . . . thank . . . oww . . . you . . . mmmphfff . . . for . . .” Alex wheezed out brokenly, her rib cage bruises making longer things more difficult to say.

Seeing how much her sister was struggling, Kara soothingly said, “Shh, shh, shh. It’s okay. You’re going to be okay, and we’ll always have your back, Maggie’s back, and the babies’ backs. Try not to talk or move too much so you’ll heal faster, okay?”

Alex started to nod, then just resigned to lying back after realizing how much her head hurt from the brief up and down movements.

Lena reassured everyone there that the person who’d hurt Alex was going to be caught promptly, if they weren’t already under arrest. Alex couldn’t be any more grateful for her family and friends’ support, but was glad when the couple went out into the waiting room to share the good news with everybody arriving on scene (including Dr. Danvers, who had been called away for another emergency and had called Lena and Kara to have Alex’s room covered in her absence). Their absence gave her some much-needed alone time for snuggles with her wife and their babies.

As the Latina and their banana babies snuggled into her good side, Alex mind-messaged Maggie.

I hope you’re not mad at me, honey.

Confused about what her wife meant, the director mind-messaged her back.

No, honey. The accident wasn’t your fault. Apparently, another driver hit you from behind and in your motorcycle’s blind spot. It was a cheap shot, and I hope the bastard gets put away before I put them in the ground. I won’t lose you, not for a very long time. And neither will the girls.

Not wanting to think of her love and children being forced to live without her, and wanting to clarify what she meant, she mind-messaged the brunette again while gingerly leaning the uninjured side of her head against the familiar wavy locks.

You won’t lose me like this, but you’re starting to sound less like yourself and more like a Slytherin with that death threat. Hank Voight would definitely say that on an episode of Chicago P.D. or a crossover. I hope Gerty will watch the show with us and bury some dog bones in the backyard, though. She’s okay, right?

Still confused, and wondering if her wife’s concussion was worse than she’d been told, Maggie kept the conversation going (even though she was scared about where it might lead).

Love, we haven’t even gotten Gerty yet. Did the future-oriented petal of mine rub up against you by accident? If so, sorry. Didn’t even realize that part of my back touched you.

Maggie had just finished her thoughts when a small and sharp yelp suddenly came from the corner of the room. She hadn’t even noticed the partially covered crate due to her understandably strong focus on her wife’s well-being, but she smiled for the first time in hours while looking back at her wife and mind-messaging her disbelief.

No! You didn’t. Is that . . . is this a prank?

Alex just smiled and used her telekinesis to move the rest of the cover aside, such that Maggie could clearly see the now-awake puppy wagging her tail with excitement and trying to gnaw her way out of the crate. The poor thing had to pee so badly, but she was patient enough to hold it while Maggie picked her up and all of them cuddled in Alex’s bed for a few minutes. Maggie had to wrap Gerty in a towel and hide the ball of fluff in her coat before leaving the room with her because she technically wasn’t allowed in the hospital until a full-grown service dog, but both had a positive experience with the pup’s first potty break.

Alex kept mind-messaging about all of the firsts they’d have when they got another minute alone. They, the babies, and little Gerty fell asleep to those shared daydreams. Eliza eventually found out about the pup’s presence when walking in on the sleeping group, but put more covers on them and kissed each on the head on her way back into the lobby.

Life wasn’t fair or perfect, but it was full of all the love and support the little family could dream of.

Chapter 38: Chapter Thirty Eight

Chapter Text

Through Gerty’s beginner-level service dog training, Maggie and the babies’ healing touches (which would become much more powerful in months to come), love from family and friends, and a great physical therapy team, Alex was able to heal from her accident pretty quickly. In fact, by the time the family of six’s first Christmas was upon them, Alex’s concussion had healed in full and her bruises had changed from dark blue, purple, and black to deep red. She also needed lower doses of pain medication as more snow fell around them, but Maggie insisted that she stay in her wheelchair until New Year’s at the minimum to prevent any kind of reinjury.

The only time the protective professor relented was when Kara, Lena, Eliza, Sam, Ruby, Kate, and Jade came over to make snow angels with them. Despite their ability to lift themselves and each other onto the new beds of snow via their telekinesis, neither new wife and mom wanted to risk getting hurt in new ways and (in Maggie’s case) doing something to force a premature labor and delivery. After all, despite being strong and healthy beyond their time, the babies had just changed from being the size of coconuts to the size of cantaloupes. They still had a lot of growing to do, even if they were destined to be born as early as Alex was.

More than anything, Alex wanted to show how grateful she was for all of the wonderful people in their lives and come completely clean about their relationship. Thus, with a mix of support and nervousness from Maggie, the couple announced that year’s Christmas plans had changed: whether they celebrated Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Festivus, Winter Solstice, another holiday, or just the year nearly ending, all of their family and friends were invited over to Maggie’s home for their holiday get together.

Waverly, Nicole, and their family nearly declined due to Waverly being so far along with the twins, but changed their minds after Ava and Sara offered to pick them all up via the Waverider. The blondes’ only condition was that Wynonna couldn’t touch anything without being supervised, especially if she wanted to explore the co*ckpit. The most rebellious Earp grumbled and rolled her eyes, but ultimately agreed. After all, the Captain and her wife had their little one and respective teams to look after; they couldn’t risk anything happening to their ship, each other, or the time barriers they watched over.

Once everyone agreed on a time to come over, Maggie and Alex had them draw digital straws for who would cook or buy each dinner item. Eliza got turkey and Impossible Meat entree options, Kara and Lena got vegan and non-vegan cookies (much to Kara’s delight and Lena’s amusem*nt), Sam’s family got vegetable and fruit tray choices, and Wynnonna’s family got alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks (much to Doc’s liking and Dolls' chagrin). Alex’s friends got their choices in side dishes (including mashed potatoes with gravy, latkes with applesauce, green beans, and sweet corn), and J’onn and M’gann got crescent rolls as well as cranberry sauce. Wanting to be different, Ava and Sara offered to lead the games and music selections while Zell chose to do face painting and gingerbread house making.

Given their telekinesis and handling of all the cleanup, Maggie and Alex were just asked to hang up holiday lights, wall and stair decorations, and the various ornaments on their trees. Gerty would try to help with cleanup as much as she could, but her moms didn’t want her getting sick due to eating too many scraps.

Regardless, the women just hoped J’onn, M’gann, and Alex’s friends would accept their relationship and how the babies were Alex’s.

----

After talking about ways to handle the potential fallout from what they were going to do and stuffing the areas underneath and around their rainbow, white, and green Christmas trees with a few more presents, Alex and Maggie got to work on the decorations.

While singing, lip syncing, and dancing to classics like “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” and “Last Christmas,” the couple hung up wreaths, garlands, fairy lights in all colors, a “Jingle All the Gay” sign, and some paper snowflakes. They were so happy to be celebrating the holiday with their babies and puppy for the first time that they made ornaments for each: a bedazzled bone for Gerty (which played “Bad to the Bone” when pressed) and three rainbows for Mara, Kaya, and Eliah (which all played “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” when pressed). They also made love a bunch of times, unable to hold back after kissing under the mistletoe they’d also hung. Throughout that night, they were looking at each other with more love than most of the world could ever hope to understand, thankful others gave their lives just so they could.

Unsure of whether to show her wife the three angel ornaments she secretly made, Alex was a lot more quiet than usual once their soft and gentle as well as heated and hungry rounds were over. However, the Latina couldn’t tell; she was fast asleep against her wife’s chest, given how being that pregnant with three babies quickly drained the light and food Alex lovingly gave her. The babies could certainly tell something was on their sire’s mind, though, so they mindbent her left ring finger (and, thus, whole hand) against them to comfort her. Looking down at all the greatest gifts she’d received that year (minus Gerty, who was asleep in the living room), Alex couldn’t help but cry at the idea that, just two months earlier, she’d gotten to marry the love of her life, mate her, and help her create new life all on the same day. She’d never forget what that colorful ring or the box it came in meant to her, even in her dream-filled sleep.

Although she made up her mind, the auburn-haired teen fell asleep before coming up with a creative way to share the three angel ornaments with her love. However, their litter helped out by lining the three angels up against the belly housing them, waking their mommy up the next morning while doing so. At first, Maggie was naturally a little spooked by the feeling of foreign objects on her; however, she cried after their girls nudged the shimmery and wispy-haired little ornaments into her chest while mind-messaging their first words.

Mama loves you and our angel sisters.

And Gerty.

Keep them close?

Nodding vigorously while tears streamed down her face, Maggie mind-messaged their babies while covering Alex’s left hand with hers.

Yes, my darling girls. Yes to all of that. We love you so much, and I love your mama. She really is the greatest.

As the babies soothed Maggie, the sniffling warrior-academic lovingly looked over at her sleeping wife, gently tucked her auburn locks behind one ear, kissed her pale eyelids and forehead, and whispered, “I love you, too, Alex Danvers. Thank you for never forgetting about anyone.”

The kind gestures from her wife made Maggie feel free to leave her own secret ornaments on her pillow after getting up to make them and Gerty breakfast: those depicting Jeremiah, Kichaya, Tamris, and Alex’s four lost sisters. After Alex wordlessly hugged her from behind in their kitchen and swayed them side to side in time with music which wasn’t playing out loud, Maggie knew that, opinions of others be damned, she’d found the right person to be with. After all this time. Across the universe.

Everything and everyone else was powerless to stop their love, and would be for all of time.

Chapter 39: Chapter Thirty Nine

Chapter Text

After finishing their peppermint swirl vegan pancakes, sides of oatmeal with walnuts, and chocolate soy milk, Maggie and Alex made final preparations for their friends and family to come over. Essentially, all they had to do was clean up what they’d knocked over or touched while making love the previous night, then take Gerty out for a morning walk and potty break. The puppy’s food would stay the same to keep her strong and fit, but the couple did give her an extra treat and a new toy to start celebrating the holiday.

To calm their nerves and do something fun while waiting for everyone to arrive, the couple focused on teaching Gerty some new commands. She grasped all of them quickly at the mental level, but struggled with them at the physical level due to how she had to wear snow boots and be more careful when encountering patches of ice. Maggie and Alex rewarded her for her effort, though, given the weather outside also made it harder for them to walk and roll, respectively.

Eliza, Kara, and Lena were the first guests to arrive post-training and hug the couple as well as their fur and alien babies. The eldest Danvers wanted to arrive as early as possible to place the entrees and cookies in Alex and Maggie’s oven before an overly excited Kara accidentally lasered them into ash. Once their food was safely stowed, the trio quickly moved on to adding their presents under the trees and arranging the living room so everyone would be sitting in a circle, beckoning the hosts to join them.

However, Maggie hung back in the kitchen, caught up in thought. She nervously bit her lip, leaned against the kitchen window, and looked out onto the front lawn. Unable to ignore her wife’s stress (which was filling in her mind while across the room), Alex excused herself from the festivities, rolled her wheelchair back into the kitchen, parked in beside her wife, and leaned into her sweater-covered hip.

“I’ve received a full-time offer from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to work remotely as its director of communications. The President has also extended several full-time job offers, as have some criminal justice book publishers. I know we’ll be okay if I lose my job because I couldn’t wait for you to graduate, but I’d hate for my reputation at school to follow our girls around for the rest of their lives. I don’t regret loving you and making them for a second, but I know J’onn. He’s even more of a stickler for rules than Ava and Nicole are, but he’s also the only real dad I’ve ever had. Part of me doesn’t care what others think about us, but another is terrified he’ll no longer want us in the department or his life. The rules of this country just don’t make sense for us, given we should have never been separated as kids in the first place,” Maggie said softly while gently pressing Alex’s head against her hip and running a hand over her auburn undercut, not wanting their conversation to be overheard.

Unsure of how to respond at first, Alex turned her head so she could kiss her wife’s hand before it could come up to stroke her hair again. Then, she mind-messaged exactly what she felt.

I’ll be here for you, no matter what you choose or what happens. We deserve to be together . . . to have a great life together with Gerty, our girls, and anyone else who wants to be in it. Wherever you go, that’s where we’ll be.

Wanting to stop herself from crying at how soft her wife was being, Maggie mind-messaged her back something which was a mix of light-hearted and insecure.

Are you saying all of those things because you’re leaning against my great ass?

A mix of appalled by, understanding of, and tickled by that deflection tactic, Alex quickly mind-messaged her wife again.

Shh! No swearing; the babies might be listening. Besides, I love all of you, not just your cute wife butt. I’ll show you every day you’ll be with me . . . us, now. Forever.

Before she started crying all out, their sentimental conversation was interrupted by the babies starting up a game with the olive hand not cradling Alex’s head. As they moved it back and forth over Maggie’s blooming belly, the girls started mimicking the seagulls from Finding Nemo to get their moms to smile again.

Mine!

Mine, mine, mine, mine!

Mine?

Unable to contain their amusem*nt, the couple started laughing uncontrollably, such that they made their startled family members lovingly roll their eyes and missed hearing Sam, Kate, Ruby, and Jade’s collective knock. The hosts would eventually get the door and, when their girls turned eight, hang the sweater from the couple’s very first Christmas in a frame to protect it from fading and developing more holes than it already had. However, come what may, the love they felt for the people and animals there, coming over, and gone would never fade.

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For the most part, Christmas Day’s party was a wonderful celebration for Alex, Maggie, their friends, and their family.

Zell’s facepainting and gingerbread house making left everyone with a mix of cute- and fierce-looking noses, cheeks, foreheads, and gingerbread scenes. In particular, a tiger-faced Sara insisted her gingerbread people needed more fire pits in their camping in the woods scene; in reality, she was a huge fan of the spicy Twizzler sticks needed to make the fires, and Wynonna was more than happy to sneak her some under the table (much to Ava’s amusem*nt).

Everybody also enjoyed the mischievous Captain and temporarily carefree Time Bureau director’s game and music choices. They decided to have the Waverider create a tobogganing hill in Maggie and Alex’s backyard and played music as everyone got a chance to go down the hill. The two chose songs specific to each person tobogganing, such that Alex and Maggie’s song was “There She Goes,” and everyone else’s songs were tailored to their personalities and interests. Nobody was shocked when Wynnona got “Gun In My Hand” or when Nicole got “She Likes Girls,” but some of the choices (including Wynn’s “High Hopes,” Sam’s “Freaks Like Me,” and Zell’s “Sissy That Walk”) were more surprising, given some attendees did not not know how the couple knew them so well. Little did they know that the couple had gone into the past and future to sneak into everyone’s playlists.

Present unwrapping proved to be one of the most interesting parts due to the white elephant game part. Ava, Nicole, James, Sam, and Dolls were especially baffled by how Sara, Kate, Doc, Wynonna, Lucy, and even Zell got wilder as time went on and kept stealing each other’s gifts. Alex was pretty competitive by nature as well, but opted to keep the stuffed teddy bear she got instead of stealing a gift and gave it to Maggie (earning “awws” from everyone). Fortunately, Alex was the last to go, so everyone had to keep what they ultimately ended up with.

However, the second half of gift giving proved the most nerve wracking part, given Alex and Maggie outed themselves in their gifts to J’onn, M’gann, Wynn, Lyra, James, and Lucy. Along with everyone else in attendance, each person who didn’t know about them being a couple received a handcrafted ornament: a unique imprint of the three babies’ feet with a message engraved in each person’s favorite color.

Hoping to see and hear from you every Christmas. Love you from our heads to our toes!

XOXO,

Alex, Maggie, Eliah, Kaya, and Mara Danvers

Understandably, Alex’s friends, J’onn, and M’gann were all shocked by the news. After reflecting on Maggie’s heartfelt Thanksgiving speech and how much time she spent with Alex outside of school, though, the teen’s friends started coming around, such that they were in disbelief about how they didn’t realize the truth on their own. Lucy had suspected something was different about the connection between Maggie and Alex since that first day in Beghe Hall, but hadn’t quite put it all together. After all, Alex had disclosed multiple LGBTQ+ identities (asexual, demiromantic, lesbian, gay, and interclass) to her inner circle since they’d first met each other and their professor.

M’gann also came around, such that she hugged Maggie and Alex while congratulating them and giving them a sincere smile.

However, J’onn stood by one of the Christmas trees and kept staring out the window, unsure of what to say. Everybody was about to leave to give him time and space to talk with Maggie and Alex, but the sound of bone china food dish shattering on the floor between the kitchen and the living room gave them all a reason to stay.

When everyone looked around to see what happened, they saw a doubled over and shaking Sara clutching the wall, her knuckles a brighter white than they’d ever seen. Her camo maternity pants were stained back with a growing patch of blood, and the only things keeping her from collapsing on the ground were her friends’ powers.

----

As they discovered while frantically piling on the Waverider and flying Sara to the hospital to see what was happening, baby Lance was also in distress and arriving eight weeks early. While en route, Eliza and Alex briefed a team of doctors on the ground so they could prep the OR to stop Sara’s potentially life-threatening bleeding (which was apparently caused by a condition called placental abruption). Ava cried and grew afraid despite trying to keep it together for her wife and baby, but everyone from the party stayed in the maternity ward's waiting room, ready to support her and (if they made it) Sara and their baby if called upon.

Wynonna felt especially bad about the whole situation, given she’d dipped the tips of two of Sara’s spicy licorice sticks into a shot glass of fire whisky (with the feisty and rebellious blonde’s consent). The group would eventually learn the abruption was probably unrelated to what Sara had eaten and drunk earlier that day, but only a well-timed kiss on the cheek from Alice made the Peacemaker’s wielder feel better in the moment.

As they waited to hear more news, everyone started small side conversations, read, or tried to play with the kids, trying to maintain a sense of calm as they did. J’onn finally broke his silence after cautiously approaching Maggie (who had been relieved of entertaining the kids by her wife and was staring out the waiting room’s windows). Fearing the worst, but wanting to hear him out, she listened as he spoke, surprised to hear what all came out.

“Did you know my dad was the reason I got into law enforcement? When we first came to Earth, he was a social worker whose first case involved a little girl who’d been abandoned and found in a fire. The government decided her mind needed to be wiped of some recent trauma she’d been through, so he was brought in to help her. To give her a new lease on life. Some of the people he worked for also wanted her to forget she was gay so she’d be even more adoptable. He stood up to those people and refused to do that to her, though. My dad attempted to adopt her, but was turned down and eventually fired for standing up for her as well as children like her. He and our family paid dearly for his bravery because the working world was far more anti-alien back then, but he ultimately found another job and sent some money so she’d get presents every Christmas, birthday, Valentine’s Day, St. Patty’s Day, and New Year’s. I used to get jealous of how he’d shower a total stranger with so much affection, but understood it all after he compared pictures of her face when she was first found to those of when she was surrounded by a loving group of cops who gave her the presents. We have to look out for one another as far as possible, blood or not.”

Maggie nodded her head in understanding, then froze a little after processing J’onn’s words more fully and seeing the pictures he pulled out of his wallet.

The girl in his story. In the pictures. There’s no way. Does he know? Is the world really that small?

“Right before he died, my dad said he found out the little girl had grown up to be a highly gifted forensic psychologist. He asked me to watch over her if she ever came into our lives again. But she . . . fell in love. With one of our underage students. Have I failed her? And him?”

Crying over how connected they’d been without her ever knowing, Maggie hugged J’onn from the side and buried her face into his chest. Alex could see and sense how distraught her wife was from across the room, so she excused herself to be by her side. Sam and Kate gladly took over playing with the kids, hoping all would be well with Alex, Maggie, and J’onn in the end.

Once Alex saw the pictures of a broken versus more healed young Maggie, she couldn’t help but ask J’onn a difficult question.

“Did you know that I was the reason the government wanted her mind wiped?”

Feeling a mix of shock and confusion, J’onn gave her a look which clearly indicated he did not know, but wanted to hear more.

“We were abandoned together as children, but separated by accident. Maggie couldn’t get over the guilt of me wandering away as a baby while she was passed out from the exhaustion of keeping us alive; my home planet’s prophecy said we were destined to be mates, and that’s how my biological moms found out I needed to be sent to Earth. They died so we could be together, so I just don’t . . . feel beholden. To the school’s rules . . . our country’s rules . . . about who and what we should be. Are we going to be punished for being who we are?”

Wanting to reassure his space daughters while being transparent, J’onn replied, “As an administrator, I honestly don’t know how to handle a situation like yours . . . a predestined, intergalactic, teacher-student relationship. I’ll need to do some research on our department’s policies, but I do support you both being together, even if the school ultimately doesn’t. We’ll talk more about this later, but Maggie hasn’t been found guilty of anything yet as far as I’m concerned. She’ll keep her job with NCU if she wants it, but we can plan a graceful exit if she doesn’t. You both have been through enough pain in this lifetime.”

His words were plenty of reassurance for Maggie and Alex, as were the doctors’ words about Sara and baby Lance (which Ava gave them permission to share). The sleeping Captain was going to make a full recovery after the emergency C-section and a blood transfusion, and a tiny Adira was clutching a nurse’s thumb in the NICU.

Little did everyone know that the nurse was actually an older Adira from the future going back in time to get some motivation to keep fighting. Decades later, and by virtue of being a Lance, she’d be involved in many (and, often times, more difficult) battles.

Chapter 40: Chapter Forty

Chapter Text

Fortunately, Sara and little Adira were deemed well enough to be sent home from the hospital by New Year’s Eve. The baby’s immune system was still sensitive, though, and the Captain as well as her wife were recovering from the shock of everything which happened between Christmas and their release from the hospital. The fact that they were moms to a newborn was surreal to them, as was the C-section scar the blonde omega would need several weeks to fully heal from.

To help the little family out, Alex, Maggie, and their friends and family made, gave, or ordered enough food to last the three blondes a few weeks. Sara had decided not to breastfeed because her milk wasn’t coming in enough and Adira wasn’t responding well to what little she did produce, but Sam and Kate had several formulas left over for the couple to try with the littlest omega to join the group. People who didn’t have the money to order food dropped it by, and those who didn’t have the time to drop off food coordinated with those who could buy or give some.

Ava and Sara were truly grateful for all of those donations, but were especially surprised to receive one from the NICU nurse (who, for some reason, had quit just after sending it over and skipped town). The two hoped they would get the chance to thank her in person and would eventually try to by going back in time to find her, only to discover it was their preemie all grown up. They were proud of the smart, strong, brave, beautiful, and slightly rebellious person their daughter had become and hoped they wouldn’t have to wait twenty years to see that version of her again. However, the couple understood if they couldn’t because of all the timelines the three had to protect.

In lieu of going to Eliza’s New Year’s party, the two blondes FaceTimed into the party for awhile, eager to show a sleeping Adira to everyone and get tips on how to survive their lack of sleep (other than getting future versions of themselves to come in and help by tempting them with old school waffles). Maggie, Alex, Waverly, and Nicole eagerly listened to the tips as well, given they were likely going to be in similar situations in the months to come. However, after mind-asking what sleep was, Mara, Kaya, and Eliah promised their moms they’d get plenty of it after the cabbage-sized beans were born; in fact, the trio’s sleep patterns were already so different from those of Earth babies that they couldn’t understand why their moms would miss out on resting, too. Their promise was confirmed by Eliza’s motherhood stories; apparently, baby Alex had been a handful when it came to helping her control different powers, but slept more soundly than the human babies the Danvers had prepared to adopt (as long as the sun wasn’t directly shining on her face).

Adira doing well, the triplets’ reassurance, and the crazy bar guy’s trial being scheduled for later in January lifted the warrior-academics’ spirits. Alex and Maggie also felt relieved when J’onn’s research on school policy revealed that, about fifty years before his time at the school, a fine print exemption regarding a predestined teacher-student relationship was written in the department’s student and faculty handbooks. The rule had largely been forgotten about, though, given it was only used once and all the faculty who wrote it had departed. However, for the sake of safety and professionalism, J’onn just requested that Maggie and Alex not talk about their relationship with others at school besides those who already knew until after the teen graduated.

Letting out breaths they’d been holding onto for far too long, the couple could finally be themselves and enjoy their time together without worrying as much.

----

With the holiday season coming to an end, Maggie and Alex were revving up their work on preparing the Help Center for the upcoming semester.

In particular, via a mix of telekinesis and drawing, the two set up a new obstacle course for police, FBI, and CIA hopefuls to train on as well as a new virtual reality room in which a wider group of NCU criminal justice students could practice handling realistic stress simulations.

Alex was proud of her wife for securing the funds necessary to get those new supplies and grateful for how generous the department’s donors had been. She ran, climbed, and jumped through the multiphasic obstacle course and completed the stress simulations with finesse, demonstrating the quality of all the training she’d received from her internship and NCU experiences. After she did, the auburn-haired senior realized she’d miss the school in many ways, but would also be grateful to do things like being a wife and mom, prepping for careers in forensic psychology and genetics, caring for Gerty, and working on inventions without classwork getting in the way.

Maggie was also heavily in thought after Alex was finished, but not about school. Rather, she couldn’t get over how strong and hot her wife looked when sweating through her black NCU tank top and shorts as she went through the obstacle and simulations, especially when carrying the bigger guns their arsenal offered. Call it what you will, but Maggie had a serious thing for women who could wield guns with confidence and intelligence. Or, now, just one woman: the triplets’ sire. The woman she desperately needed another big thing from, even if they were on school property.

While setting up crime suspect dummies with different features for obstacle course participants to identify and call out during training, an unsuspecting Alex felt herself being violently torn away and thrust into the side of a bunker created just for the course. Maggie had quickly pinned her surprised wife against the blue and white stone wall with her mind, then began attacking her neck and mating mark with her lips and tongue in a way both used to signal a request for consent. The young inventor nearly caved to the request because of how aggressive and insistent her wife was being against her, but gently ran her hands through the brunette’s hair to signal they needed to stop. Maggie was understanding of her wife signaling no, yet desperate to be filled and sad about not getting the chance to fulfill a somewhat naughty fantasy of hers.

Picking up on her wife’s strong need and dejection, Alex mind-messaged her while guiding a trembling olive hand into the black NCU shorts to cup her hardness and feel the purple tube from it thrashing wildly with need.

Not here, but I need you, too. I need to empty my seed on or in you somehow. It’s been too long, and I want you to empty inside or on me, too, if you can. Mind if we take this to the astronomy lab, though? My lab mates aren’t coming to work on our project, and I want to make up for how we couldn’t mate when you proposed at the planetarium.

Although she loved science and had been a professor on campus for several years, Maggie had never been able to visit the astronomy lab at night. She had seen it in the day when touring the campus with a group of other new professors and had taken some new and prospective students there a few times, but hadn’t been back since then. Given NCU had a national reputation for producing NASA astronauts and scientists, competing with students and astronomy faculty for nightly lab reservations was like trying to use a butter knife to hack through an Amazonian forest: time-consuming and generally fruitless. However, the idea of getting her fantasy fulfilled while sharing a first with her wife was too good of an offer to pass up. The Latina mind-messaged her acceptance while suckling her wife’s mating mark again, moving her hand down further into the black shorts once she got consent, and squeezing her love’s orange-sized and pulsing plums.

Your lab mates’ loss is our gain. I want to try some new things with you while walking across campus, in the lab, and inside of you.

Alex nearly came on the spot while thinking of Maggie doing new things to her in public and private, especially because getting caught was a true possibility. After all, the two were hard to miss on campus; their respective accomplishments, looks, and demeanors led to many students and even some professors developing secret crushes on as well as perpetual stares at the two.

As her wife was desperately trying not to come in her hand, Maggie slipped out the athletic cup preventing her wife’s hardness from being visible in the black athletic shorts clinging tightly to her pale, tone thighs. As Alex tried to self-consciously cover her generous bulge with her hands because they could be interrupted at any moment, Maggie stopped her and mind-messaged what she wanted.

No. I want us to play a game. I want you to walk across campus like this. No athletic cup. No hands, sweater, or jacket covering you. No beta cream to hide your smell. Be proud of how swollen and alpha you are for me. Every time someone stops you or notices, I get points toward getting what I want in the lab. Every time I’m stopped, you gain points toward getting what you want. You in?

Alex vigorously nodded her head, praying to the gods the couple wouldn’t encounter many people while walking to the astronomy lab (which was a long, diagonal way from the criminal justice department).

----

By the time they reached the astronomy lab, Alex and Maggie had been spotted and stopped by several people from campus, such that several men and women blatantly flirted with a noticeably large yet uninterested Alex as well as the very pregnant, needy, and pungent professor. The brunette had to put every ounce of self-restraint into stopping herself from just taking her wife on a patch of courtyard grass and under the sunset for all to see. She also had to hold back from claiming her wife via scent marking her, holding her hand, or cutting people off, but she was more okay with that part; she’d do plenty to make sure everyone knew Alex belonged with someone after they were alone.

Maggie won their game by just a few points, so she was more than happy to use her telekinesis to thrust her wife up against another wall (this time, one made from sand-colored space rocks, supposedly sanitized ones from a previously unidentified planet). She started attacking the auburn-haired teen’s mating mark and engorged plums again after getting consent, and Alex was so close to the edge at multiple times during their walk that it didn’t take long for her plums to move up, tighten and fill impossibly more, and prepare for release. However, Maggie suddenly stopped her ministrations and moved them both to where they were outside, on the roof, and lying against the plexiglass showing the night sky. She wanted to see whether her new vision of them coming together under the stars and in public could happen.

Alex hadn’t been able to come inside her with seed since they’d first mated because her purple tube kept radiating light instead, so she’d fill the omega replica with seed as her wife hugged, kissed, and otherwise encouraged her from behind. Maggie hoped she’d found a way around that with Sara, Waverly, Nicole, and Ava’s help, though; via traveling to a past version of Alex’s home planet, the five had found a piece of jewelry Kivaans typically made to help couples facing their exact issue. Historically, the piece had apparently been used to get partners pregnant at the same time if both were capable of carrying. Alex was still unable to get pregnant due to the phase her uterus was in, but Maggie hoped the piece could help Alex come inside her as if they were trying again. She scanned the piece with her toxin detector after it shipped in and packed it away in her bag, then brought it to school in case she couldn’t wait until they were in bed at her (or, soon, their) house.

After Alex gave Maggie permission to pull the tight black shorts down and off, the Latina was stunned at what she found: Alex’s coppa was so full that it had turned pitch black in most places (as if it had been bruised by the truck a few weeks ago or faced serious frostbite, but hadn’t healed). She quickly laid out the blanket she brought for them to make love on, then stripped them both all the way and clamped different parts of the jewelry to their thighs. Maggie was so beautiful in the pale moonlight that Alex had them slow down for a few more tortuous seconds so she could hungrily yet lightly kiss, suckle, and nip at her wife’s mating mark, shoulders, breasts, belly, and lower back.

Maggie was so sensitive to and emotional over everything Alex was doing that she could feel her own penis growing, descending, and standing tall against her blossoming belly and the cold night air. As her wife was standing behind her, Maggie squatted a little and parted her legs, such that Alex’s coppa could slide in more easily and, to Alex’s surprise, Maggie’s silvery coppa could go backwards between her legs, under the other coppa, and inside Alex’s darkened and dripping meena. Although Maggie had won their little game, Alex couldn’t help but go into frenzy mode when realizing both were penetrating each other in a new way. Her hair and eyes turned silver as she roughly coaxed Maggie into leaning against the rooftop’s stone fence top, began a pattern in which they were thrusting into each other in time, and came at Maggie’s release and final request for the moment.

I don’t want to stop at just three kids. Fill me with more and let me fill you in the future so Earthlings with Kivaan blood will never need jewelry like this.

Alex and Maggie kept mating against the fence and under the stars until they couldn’t take in anymore and the babies started waking up. For the remainder of Alex’s astronomy lab reservation, the two laid down on a couch Alex had moved up to the lab for their date night, curled up under the blanket, drank hot chocolate, mind-messaged their daughters, and watched old films of asteroids flying across the galaxy. For once, the teen was grateful to be in a group of lab mates with senioritis; she couldn’t imagine spending this night with anyone else and hoped their triplets would someday feel this kind of love, too.

Chapter 41: Chapter Forty One

Chapter Text

The rest of January proved to be a very busy month for Alex, Maggie, and their wide network of family and friends.

Outside of providing physical ability test, stress simulation, administrative, and tutoring services in the Help Center, the Latina and her wife babysat Jade, Ruby, and (when she got big and strong enough) Adira whenever they had time and energy. They and everyone who attended the holiday celebrations also held a virtual baby shower for, Facetimed with, and provided food and self-care gifts for Waverly and Nicole. The Purgatory couple asked for Ava and Sara to get gifts during the virtual baby shower, too, given Adira’s unexpected early arrival led to a cancellation of the blondes’ shower. Everyone felt honored and grateful to be part of such an understanding, positive, and supportive group of people, especially when the red-haired Haught twins (Julie and Jenna) quietly arrived at the tail end of the month.

While Waverly and Sara were recovering from their respective births, Alex, Maggie, Lena, and Kara testified against the bar guy who’d struck Alex with his truck and threatened as well as stalked Maggie. Given her personal struggles with and legal advocacy on fertility, the judge was especially angry at the man for targeting a very pregnant woman and her wife, and she didn’t ask for Maggie to stay on the witness stand for longer than she felt comfortable doing so. The stress of being around such an unhinged person made the professor feel like she was going into labor, but the tightness she felt ended up being Braxton Hicks (practice, but not labor-indicating) contractions. The man was sentenced to a very long prison term, but the only thing which made Maggie truly feel better was forgetting about the guy and going with her wife to the 3D sonogram of their babies.

The couple was in awe of the squash-sized baby girls appearing on Dr. Griffin’s mounted screen. The OB/GYN noted how the trio’s growth had been slowing down and guessed it would go about the same pace as that of average human babies from that point on, so she told the couple to prepare a birthing bag before the first week of February was over. Based on the babies’ positions and sizes, her best guess was that they’d be born between mid-February and early March.

Clarke was also very amused and touched by the babies following and moving the ultrasound wand as their sire enthusiastically held it and narrated what was coming on the screen, such that she said Alex would likely make a great OB/GYN or pediatrician in the future (if she decided to change over from a more general genetics concentration). Alex promised to consider those areas of medicine, but wanted to focus on just her children with Maggie for the interim. She swore at least two of the babies looked more like her wife, but the Latina felt the opposite way and thought they barely looked like her (not that she minded).

More than anything, Maggie hoped all three babies would be born healthy so they’d never have to struggle with fertility as much as she had. Alex just hoped they would have their mommy’s dimples, eyes, resilience, cute butt, and loving heart. Maggie cried and kissed her wishful wife before the session was over, grateful they’d survived so many fights to be where they were and have this moment together. Dr. Griffin hugged the couple as they left, sensing this Danvers pregnancy wouldn’t be the only one she’d be responsible for monitoring. She wasn’t wrong; over the years, she’d see Alex, Maggie, Kara, and Lena numerous times, such that she’d get to know one of her children’s in-laws and extensive family very well.

Not wanting to procrastinate, Alex and Maggie decided to prepare the triplets’ car seats, cribs, cleanup tables, birthing pool, and birth bags over the weekend. The Latina was a little scared about the babies coming at the worst possible time on a given day and as quickly as their sire had, but Mara, Eliah, and Kaya assured that wouldn’t be the case; in fact, they were so scared to be born that Alex had to calmly talk them through what would happen. When the triplets and Maggie were ready, the future doctor would be ready to catch them as they made their way from the womb into Maggie’s cervix and vagin*, such that she would talk to and sing to them as each experienced the tight squeeze. Maggie and the babies were grateful for Alex’s reassurance, and the professor was especially grateful and touched by how her wife said the first person to touch each baby’s head would be their mommy. Though nervous about the birth, the Latina couldn’t wait to cradle each fuzzy head in her hands; Alex would catch her feeling down there several times, such that they’d turn on some soft music, sway to it, and quietly imagine what the best parts of Maggie’s labor would be like. The inventor just hoped the process wouldn’t be too painful for her wife, given the brunette had already been through so much.

After preparing and getting into their Sunday night milk bath, Alex held her wife close after cleaning raven hair and olive feet, legs, thighs, hips, belly, arms, neck, back, and face. The Latina wouldn’t let the pale warrior-academic give her breasts the same treatment, though, given they were even more swollen, tender, and prone to leaking if stimulated too much. However, when they were back in bed, she asked her alpha to do something she’d never asked a past partner to do: lie in her arms and suckle and massage each breast to help her feel better. Out of curiosity, understanding, and love, Alex nodded her head in consent, listening to her wife’s heart beat as she took the pain away with her powers, fingers, and tongue. The omega was amazed to see her wife’s breasts had swollen more over the weekend, too, and was just as willing to suckle and take her pain away in turn. Both agreed their milk tasted like a slightly less sweet version of the Hershey’s cookies ‘n’ creme chocolate they loved. More than anything, they were happy to be lying in each other’s arms and, birth preparations done, able to enjoy it without worrying.

They had and held each other throughout the night, and that was all they needed.

----

During the first week of February, Maggie and Alex took an afternoon away from school, making and selling inventions, spending time with friends and family, writing, chores, and the rest of their lives to do a maternity photoshoot.

The Latina had been too self-conscious to let anyone but her wife take such intimate photos of her (almost) uncomfortably big yet glowing belly. She also didn’t want to worry about what some stranger thought about the full on conversations they had with their girls via mind-messaging and (on their moms’ end) a lot of talking. After all, just hearing the word “judging” was enough to make Maggie cry and need more people breaks some days. Many mistook the introvert for an extrovert, given how passionate she was about advocacy, consulting, and teaching.

Walking hand in hand along the rows of newly blossoming bluebonnets, lavender, sunflowers, and wildflowers, the couple wondered whether their babies would fall in love with the scenery as much as their moms had and decide to be born mid-shoot. However, the growing family was going to be okay either way; Alex had packed their maternity bags, sought some last-minute tips from Drs. Griffin and Danvers, and reviewed as many OB/GYN best practices as possible before driving over with her wife and daughters.

In the first shoot, Maggie wore a dark blue dress as well as matching bracelets on her wrists and ankles to complement the bluebonnets. Enamored by her beautiful wavy locks, radiant smile, curiosity, and trust, Alex took pictures of her cupping, exploring, lying in, reading books in, and smelling the blossoms as the sun was moving West. The auburn-haired teen did similar shoots when Maggie changed into outfits which complemented the lavender, wildflowers, and sunflowers, joining in on several pictures as they visited each type of flower. Some of Alex’s favorites were of when Maggie wore the clover flower headband she spontaneously made and twirled around slowly in the field, given how much happier those things made her wife. Maggie’s favorites were of Alex coaxing her to stand closer to the flowers and holding her from behind, such that both women and their girls were able to enjoy the amazing blossoms’ caresses against them.

The babies admired visions of the flowers as much as their parents enjoyed seeing the real things, but opted to stay inside and eventually be born at home because they felt safer there. Maggie was grateful she and Alex would have a little more time to just be a couple and enjoy the pregnancy, given they’d only been married for four months and it might be their last litter until Alex finished medical school. Also, the warrior-academics still had the babymoon trip, Valentine’s Day, and some other meaningful firsts to do before their daughters arrived. The Latina didn’t really like the commercialized version of the holiday because it was the day she’d been caught drawing her love and abandoned by her biological family, but she wanted to start letting go of the past and make the occasion more authentic to how she and her wife loved.

It was and would be a great month for both lovely, deserving, and special women.

Chapter 42: Chapter Forty Two

Chapter Text

As the second week of February started, Maggie started feeling more uncomfortable than she had throughout her pregnancy. Up to this point, she’d experienced some back and leg pain as well as some sleep loss due to the pregnancy weight she was carrying; however, now that she was carrying an extra forty pounds total, she needed to pee more frequently, felt more pressure in her pelvis, and lost more sleep than ever. Figuring she was getting very close to delivering, the Latina and her wife started wrapping up school projects as well as finalizing who would be responsible for different aspects of maintaining the Help Center during their part-time maternity leave. Fortunately, Nia (a new professor Maggie was mentoring) was more than willing and able to finish whatever the couple couldn’t or didn’t want to after the girls arrived. The rest of their network created a schedule to pitch in so both women could take off four whole weeks, then work from home or (in Alex’s case) at the Center while the babies were cared for.

Thankfully, Alex had planned something for Valentine’s Day which would prove a welcomed distraction for her wife, Gerty, and the tightly-packed triplets. Specifically, the group was going to have its last pre-birth family night at a local park, such that Maggie, Gerty, and Alex would be sitting in their respective bean bag chairs, having a picnic while the sun went down, and leading Gerty through her first obstacle course. It would certainly not be a typical Valentine’s Day date, but Alex knew that’s what Maggie wanted and needed. She wanted to show the Latina how grateful she was for all her hard work at school, in their home, and when it came to growing three of the newest aliens the universe would see sooner than anyone realized.

Maggie was a little nervous when her wife said she had a surprise outing planned for everyone in the house, but was pleased to hear all she needed to wear to attend was her favorite oversized camo shirt, some comfy yet form-fitting black sweatpants, and Bare Naked Ladies tennis shoes (which, thanks to her wife’s recent shopping trip, actually fit her more swollen feet). She also loved the way her wife announced the surprise: a rolled up note held by a small, camo-clad teddy bear left on their bed right before she woke up from a nap.

My darling Maggie,

In addition to marrying me again today, would you be my guest at our favorite park this afternoon? I know it’s short notice, but want to show a certain Beauty how thankful I am for who she is and what she’s done for everyone she knows. If you are available, please put these on and bring Gerty as well as the babies with you. Just don’t tear my face off if you’re not, okay? :) <3

To a tale as old as time,

Alex (a.k.a. your Beast for the evening)

Alex couldn’t stop smiling when her wife came out of their room dressed in the outfit, shyly tucking silky raven waves behind each ear, and looking at her with dimples on full display. Gerty started bouncing around and yipping with an equal amount of excitement, then proudly brought her leash over for Maggie to put on. The warrior-academic tilted her head with amusem*nt and love as the growing pup pleaded by gently pawing at her leg, then used her powers to get the leash on (given how bending down and squatting that far had become virtually impossible).

“Do we have everything ready for the park? I have no idea what we still need to pack up,” Maggie asked and confessed, not sure what was in store for the rest of their day.

Alex sauntered up to her love, touched the bridge of her nose to her wife’s forehead, took both olive hands into hers, and softly said, “I’ve got all I need. You?”

Choking up over her wife’s sweetness and implications, Maggie nodded through her happy tears and started leading them toward the car, curious as to what Alex had planned for them and hoping to shower her wife with just as much love during that evening and their babymoon.

----

“Alex was so sweet to me on Valentine’s Day. Even though it’s not my favorite holiday, she made me Impossible Meat burgers, roasted and glazed baby carrots, a slightly spicy veggie mix, and tank-shaped blueberry pancakes. She also held me while I drank some chocolate soy milk, sang the whole soundtrack from Beauty and the Beast, and spoon fed me some Salted Caramel Cluster vegan ice cream. Before eating and watching the sun go down, we played with our Nerf guns and trained Gerty to climb under, on top of, and around different ramps. I just love her so much,” Maggie gushed while getting to spend a night aboard the Waverider with Ava, Sara, Waverly, and Nicole.

Ever the sarcastic joker of the group, Sara replied, “Aww, how cute. I bet your wife is very jealous of how much you love Gerty! Sounds like Damnvers has some competition.”

Ava swatted her wife for the first time since Adira was born, and the group laughed over how big her eyes got when realizing that truth.

Sara and Waverly had to stop themselves a little early because they were still recovering from their respective births, but felt better after Maggie used her healing powers on their respective stomach areas. The Latina was grateful all of them could have a break from parenting or (in her case) worrying about going through birth. While Dolls, Wynonna, and Doc watched Julie and Jenna and Sara’s sister and parents watched Adira, the five women were going to enjoy a night full of trivia, karaoke, Super Mario Kart, and terrible new mom jokes they’d heard.

Unfortunately, Alex couldn’t make it because she had to study for exams and was trying to get ahead on her assignments before the babies were born. However, she promised to message the group later that night when finished and eventually did.

Alex the Greatest Sire Ever: Hey, my lovely lady and babies! Hope you all are having a good night so far. Glad you are getting some time in with our friends, but can’t wait to snuggle with a certain four pack tonight. <3 XOXO

Before Maggie could pick up and respond, Sara stole her phone with Ava’s help, ran before Waverly and Nicole realized what was going on, and typed back a reply using Maggie’s IM name.

Babies Got Maggie’s Swaggie: Stop inviting our friends into our bed but not including me! I may be on the verge of delivering, but have needs, too, you know. :P

After realizing the reply text was from Sara, Alex giggled, rolled her eyes, and typed back a sassy reply.

Alex the Greatest Sire Ever: Lance, if you were in my bed, you wouldn’t be able to speak at all after I took snuggling to the next level. Ask Maggie about how well her needs get met every night. Or, don’t. Just ask the Waverider to stay on alert for her screams! ;) :D :P

After seeing Alex’s reply text, Sara’s eyes grew round with surprise over how her typically modest friend was being so direct and open about making love with Maggie. Fortunately, that distraction was enough to stop her dead in her tracks and allow Maggie to use her telekinesis to get her phone back. The Latina was amused by her wife’s response because making love every night was by far not their norm (especially not now), but Sara apparently bought into the little white lie.

Babies Got Maggie’s Swaggie: Real me now, babe. Thank you for stopping Sara from further invading our chat. I do want to make love one more time before the babies are born, though. Save some room in your bed for me during the babymoon? Love and miss you bunches. The girls keep asking for you and want to hear you sing. <3 XOXO #cuddleyounearmyheart #always #closetopopping #passthebutter

Alex smiled at her wife’s text, made a sound bite of her singing to the professor and their babies, sent it as a response, and went back to studying. She was on different Skype sessions with Winn, James, Kara, and Lena as they worked on answering questions to different classes’ study guides and trading as well as checking answers (which their professors had generously allowed).

Lena: I’m almost done writing up my answers to the Healthcare Entrepreneurship study guide questions. :)

Kara: Same here, but for Medical Journalism. James, how about you? ^_^

James: I got done with my responses just before Lucy dropped by. Sending them over now. She says hi, by the way. :) ***Microsoft Word attachment inserted***

Kara: Thanks, and hi, Luce! Alex, how are you doing?

Alex: Just . . . about . . . done. There! Sending all of my responses over now. Lena, yours are coming first. Will send ones for James and Kara over in a separate response because the files are too big to be loaded all at once. ***Microsoft Word attachment inserted***

:P ***Microsoft Word attachment inserted***

James: Thanks! :)

Lena: ^_^ :D <3

Kara, Thank you, sis! How are you doing otherwise, though? <3 ;)

Winn: Hey, Alex and Lena! Lyra and I are going out on a walk in ten minutes, but here are my responses to the Medical Device Engineering II questions. Hi to James, Kara, and Lucy, too. Miss you all! :) ***Microsoft Word attachment inserted***

Alex: Miss us all hanging out more in person, too. Just trying to get as much work done as possible. My bet is the babies will come right after the trip, but I’ll bring our medical bags in case they can’t wait. They’re pretty cramped in there.

Kara: I CAN’T WAIT TO HOLD MY NIECES! GAH. YOU AND MAGGIE WILL BE PARENTING GOALS. I JUST KNOW IT! :D <3 <3 <3

Lena: Honey, no shouting! Pretty sure Kansas can hear you from here. I’m very excited to meet the girls, too, though. I’ll make sure Kara gives every one back. Will also check on you and Maggie when past the cuteness high. ;) <3

James: Lol! Lucy and I are dying over here. We’ll make sure Kara gives the girls back and check in on you two, too. Never saw any of this and your relationship with Maggie coming, but glad you found your person. :)

Winn: ^_^ Aww! I hope at least one of the babies loves to invent things. Uncle-niece date to make some machines which can fly to space! Here for you two, too. Okay, bye. Going out. #NASAnerds #vengeance :P :)

Smiling, and hoping Kara and Winn were right, Alex reviewed their respective responses, sent hers over, and closed her laptop when they were all done. She was excited to meet Eliah, Kaya, and Mara soon, but was also terribly nervous about the occasion.

Would she be able to support Maggie enough during the birth?

Would the babies like her less than the woman who carried them?

Would she have a less strong bond with them than the babies she hoped to carry one day?

Would the girls be accepted, no matter whether they were meenacoppas?

Would Kichaya, Tamris, and her dad be proud of the person she’d become?

Although Alex knew the truth at the logical level, her emotions weren’t quite up to speed. While showering and looking down at the parts which helped form the triplets just five months before, the young inventor hoped touching Maggie’s three petals would offer an outside perspective on the fears flooding her mind.

Little did she know that the three petals would become a single shape and do something nobody could have predicted when the babies were born the following weekend.

Chapter 43: Chapter Forty Three -- Part One

Chapter Text

Weeks before, Alex had put a lot of thought into where to take Maggie on their babymoon.

She didn’t want to take the warrior-academic back to the same beach near the house she’d miscarried in or the cabin-filled neighborhood she’d recovered from the Edges’ attack in for obvious reasons, but struggled to find just the perfect place for them by searching online. Thus, she wrote a pretty detailed ad to aid the process and pushed it out to different papers.

However, as two weeks passed, she didn’t hear from anyone who had the kind of property she truly wanted. Then, during a cuddle session with Maggie and the babies, she thought of a great idea which would bring their love and road to parenthood journeys full circle. After some careful planning with Sara, Ava, and their respective timeline management teams, the inventor and future cop received permissions and supplies to take Maggie to a safer, pre-Resistance version of her home planet (Kivaa).

The only downside to the couple renting that property for Spring Break was that another couple from a different planet had chosen to do the same thing. Fortunately, given the size of the property and the caretaker’s knowledge of Maggie’s impending birth, the moms to be were not asked or expected to interact with the other couple. In fact, Maggie and Alex would be staying on one side of the zupitaa farm while their co-renters would be staying about three huge barns of lime blue and black horse-like animals away. For all the other couple knew, the time hoppers would be practically nonexistent.

Maggie had been very hesitant about time travelling while pregnant because she had no idea how it would impact the babies or how they would get emergency treatment Alex couldn’t provide if something bad happened. However, after Sara and Ava shared research indicating time travel did not impact established pregnancies in irreversibly negative ways, and after Alex hired Kivaan public safety and health officers who could fly in anyone or anything they needed, Maggie agreed to the trip. She knew how important getting to know Kivaa was to Alex, and she wanted their babies to get a better sense of where their mama had come from (even if they would never feel its blades of grass-like yet soft-to-the-touch plants running between their little toes).

Walking hand in hand with her wife after they got settled in, Maggie loved mind-messaging the triplets images of the baby and adult zupitaa running around outside as well as in the barn closest to their rental house. She didn’t have to be afraid of the new creatures hurting them because they were more intelligent and considerate than most horses on Earth. In fact, several were happy to meet a person so far along with partly Kivaan babies because they’d never seen anyone but their kind pregnant. They mind-messaged how Maggie, Alex, and the girls were doing, and the baby zupitaa even started full out mind-conversations with the triplets on how awesome post-birth life was. The foals hoped the girls would make an appearance at some point and were saddened to not get a guarantee, but were happy to feel the girls’ hands and feet prodding against Maggie’s belly and at their curious muzzles.

“You did a great job picking this place, babe. I love it and you,” Maggie said as they were walking back to the rental house, pecking her wife on the lips just as they were about to climb the steps up to the front porch.

“I think you’re pretty good arm candy, too . . . sometimes,” Alex said in a playfully smug way, earning a swat from Maggie.

Rolling her eyes as she smiled, leaned into Alex’s side, and took her hand again, the professor playfully replied, “I also think you’ve been spending too much time talking to Sara. Where hath my girls’ sweet sire gone?”

Alex was about to return the banter she’d started, but noticed something moving out of the corner of her eye. Without being able to explain why, she felt like they were being watched.

Noticing the sudden change in Alex’s facial expression and attention, Maggie thought she’d taken the joking too far, prompting her to apologize

“Babe, you know I’m only joking, right? I’m sorry if I hurt you.”

Hyperfocused on the possible threat lurking around the barn, Alex missed hearing everything Maggie said and reached for her gun, ready to fire it once she convinced Maggie to go inside.

“Honey, it’s going to be okay. I’ve got this. Just go back in the house, okay?”

Confused about what was happening, yet adamant about being loyal, Maggie replied, “No way; ride or die, always. If you draw your gun, I draw, too. What did you see?”

Alex quietly signaled where the threat seemed to have disappeared to, so the couple alerted Sara and Ava about a potential time wrinkle they’d need to fix if the situation went south and began closing in on a highly-stacked pile of hay-like zupitaa feed.

Fortunately, the blur Alex saw did not put up any resistance once they cornered her against the feed stacks.

Hands in the air, and trying to shield her face, the possible threat yelled, “Please, don’t shoot! I’ve just never seen other women who love women before. I’m Tamris O’Quinn, the daughter of the man and woman who are renting the other house.”

Not sure if they’d heard the shaky teen’s first name correctly, and wondering how small of a world Kivaa really was, the couple cried out in unison, “Lower your hands and uncover your face, slowly.”

The teen complied, scared about what the couple was going to do to her. Inch by inch, she lowered her pale hands and revealed her feed-covered, short, and somewhat spiky black hair.

Staring back at the couple was the spitting image of Alex, minus the hair color, length, and texture. Of all people, they’d found a younger version of Alex’s sire creeping around. It was hard to say who the most shocked of the three really was about the striking similarities, but Tamris was the first to break the silence.

Walking up to Alex slowly, and examining her face with her equally dark and disbelieving eyes, Tamris asked, “Who . . . are you?”

Before Alex could radio Ava and Sara that they needed to fix this time wrinkle immediately, Maggie grabbed her hand and beckoned Tamris into their rental house. Seeing how Alex was hesitating in their time feeds, the time travel team members radioed that, as long as the couple didn’t mention their real names or how they were from the future, the timeline would not need to be significantly altered. After all, no matter how anyone edited it, several big things were going to happen that fateful Spring Break, and not to just the expecting couple.

----

With Sara and Ava’s blessing and ongoing monitoring of their situation, Maggie and Alex spent a couple of days getting to know Tamris, such that she readily began calling Alex “Dr. Danvers” or “Doc” and Maggie “Detective Danvers” or “Tec” (even though the former was not a doctor yet and the latter already was). Although the partially acting couple did not know it, both blondes had done months of preparing this trip for their friends and arranging for Tamris as well as two other ghosts from the Danvers family’s past to all meet. The duo and their teams would edit the timeline for inconsistencies once the trip was complete, but wanted their friends to get some closure they’d never be able to get otherwise.

Unaware of their friends’ kind scheme, Maggie and Alex enjoyed several meals, movies, and local adventures with Tamris while talking about her life, dislikes, likes, habits, and interests (given the woman was a hero to them both and one long lost grandmother of their babies). Apparently, the budding engineer could fix just about anything (even her planet’s equivalent of cats) and had known she liked girls for about ten years. However, she kept most things about herself private because she had come from an affluent yet neglectful, bigoted, and superficial family which cared more about its intergalactic business and image than its firstborn. Their home planet (Atrox) required everyone to cover up as much of their bodies as possible at all times, and children typically led very scripted, boxed-in lives crafted by their parents before they were even born. Many babies were even designed to order, but Tamris’ parents’ order had apparently been “wrong” (given Tamris had been born an alpha rather than an omega, something which went against the planet’s rigid social constructs). She wasn’t aborted, though; her parents had already thrown a lavish party to celebrate the upcoming birth of what they thought was a son, and the planet didn’t permit that procedure for any reason (even medical emergencies).

Once her younger and “anatomically correct” brothers entered the picture, Tamris was generally brought out along on her parents’ business trips as a formality, but told to wear omega-scented perfume and to not to speak unless spoken to. She used the time produced by her parents’ neglect to read about thousands of other planets and was most pleased when the two took her to Kivaa. She’d never been allowed off the rental property before (hence her not seeing women who loved other women yet), but had read the planet was much more accepting of people like her. She hoped to get enough resources to leave Atrox and her family behind, then settle on Kivaa, start an engineering company, and find someone to spend the rest of her life with. Someone who could love her just the way she was.

Maggie and Alex felt bad about Tamris’ upbringing and lack of freedom, so they made a pact to take the teen with them to town while her parents and brothers were away at a party they didn’t want to take her to anyway. Fortunately, the space enthusiast said the bodyguard her parents had hired to keep watch over her was nice, understanding of her situation, and willing to vouch for her if anything happened while the three visited the Kivaan town. Maggie said similar things about their bodyguards for the day (Captain Devaan and a daughter who they hadn’t met yet, but was being trained to join the Queen’s Royal Guard and along for the ride to get experience with protecting intergalactic clients).

While getting dressed and prepared to meet Tamris as well as the bodyguards downstairs, Maggie reached for the petals on her back to check on the triplets, wanting to touch the “present” one to make sure they were happy and up for a long walk through the downtown area. However, unbeknownst to her, the three petals had shifted away from their original spots, merged, and formed an entirely new shape: a complex and beautiful flower with a message for Alex, her, and their babies. Unable to see the babies as intended, and thinking something was wrong, Maggie mind-messaged them to check in. She was relieved to hear and feel how they were okay, but called Alex in to see what was going on with the petals.

Unsure of what was going on, Alex bounded in and was about to ask if the babies were coming, but stopped dead in her tracks at the new sight. Though in awe and disbelief of the sudden change in Maggie’s petals, she mind-messaged her wife about what happened and gently traced the shape.

Honey, the petals are now part of this . . . amazing flower . . . which is right on your lower spine.

Maggie mind-requested a picture of the flower and, after seeing it, started crying at how beautiful it was. Alex softly kissed her to show she was there for support; however, before heading out, Alex noticed the image was changing again, such that it was followed by a poem explaining why the change happened.

Three generations of heroes smart, brave, and sweet
Have gathered together on this planet and will meet.
Those who fell shall be alive again
And join forces because of present and future Kivaan.
There’s no need to fret, fuss, or feel blue;
When all is said and done, they will be in the heavens, waiting for you.

Torn up over the poem’s implications, but wanting to see if its words were true, the couple went out to meet Tamris downstairs, only to be greeted by the other two fallen they’d hoped to see.

A younger and wheelchair-free Jeremiah was Tamris’ bodyguard, and Captain Devaan’s daughter turned out to be none other than a younger yet equally fierce-looking Kichaya.

Chapter 44: Chapter Forty Three -- Part Two

Chapter Text

While out on the town with Jeremiah, Alex’s biological grandmother, and both of her biological moms, Maggie and Alex could tell how, though one of the youngest and shortest warriors in her class, Kichaya was fearless when faced with anyone or anything but one thing: her intense yet secret love for Tamris. While the pale engineer was distracted with sights of coupled women as well as their kids openly mingling, eating, holding hands, and shopping, the moms to be couldn’t help but notice Kichaya longingly staring at Tamris and (in her head) wishing they would be able to have what those other women had one day.

Captain Devaan was a quick study in terms of figuring out what people were thinking outside of mindreading and, without prelude, mind-messaged the puzzled Latina and her wife everything she knew about the current situation.

Kichaya and Tamris have known each other for ten years because of my bodyguard job, and they have been prophesied to marry each other. My daughter knows, but has not told Tamris her deepest feelings and wishes; underneath all of that armor and warpaint, she is the most sensitive soul I know. She would rather die than lose her best friend and, gods willing, her wife. That’s the only reason I continued working for the bigoted, insufferable O’Quinn elders when they came to the farm every month.

I couldn’t take hiding the true nature of my family from Tamris or seeing her so badly neglected three weeks out of each month, though. I asked Jeremiah to replace me via an intergalactic policing forum and filed for custody two years ago, but it’s been a long battle. Atrox tends to support children like Tamris being born, but not living to their fullest potentials.

Fortunately, even though she doesn’t realize it, Tamris has seen how people like her can be loved and accepted for who they are inside and out. Courts’ blessings or not, she’s been part of the family since my wife and I first read a bedtime story to her, Kichaya, and our other kids all those years ago. We have served the other side of the farm every time they have come into town so we could all be together, but not feel beholden to the O’Quinns’ whims.

Grateful for the explanation, and wanting to know more, Maggie and Alex mind-messaged different questions back to the Captain.

If the O’Quinns are so against relationships which differ from their own, why do they bother coming here and crafting so many lies to Tamris?

Why are such people even allowed here?

Why did Jeremiah take a job which was so far away from Earth?

How many kids are we talking about here?

Understanding of their questions, and far more perceptive than either had given her credit for, Captain Devaan replied in a playfully blunt manner.

Booze, prophecies that grandbabies and great-grandbabies like you five would be born if we kept our borders open, fertility treatments he couldn’t find elsewhere, and 22 with our last three on the way.

Has the flower on your backside bloomed and shared you two’s birth prophecy yet? Hope it’s a good one!

Shocked at being found out and hearing how many Devaan kids there were, Alex spit out a mouthful of lime-like, vitamin-infused smoothie made for sires wanting to breastfeed their pups. At the same time, Maggie choked on the strawberry-like prenatal drink she’d bought from the same street vendor.

Seeing her fun had unintentionally gone south, the Captain tried to use her telekinesis to clear both women’s throats and mouths while mind-messaging their secret was safe with her. However, despite her best efforts, the noises broke Tamris’ focus on her gaycation from life with her parents, Kichaya’s fixed gaze on her, and Jeremiah’s ever-constant scanning for threats which could come their way. With no context for what had just happened, the trio couldn’t help but think the babies were coming in the middle of the street. Consensus formed between them, Kichaya put out a mind-alert for any doctors, nurses, or midwives in the street to come to their aid, leading tons of strangers to rush up to meet them.

Thankfully, the more experienced Devann took the helm over the impending chaos, reassured everyone that all five Danvers family members were in good hands, and used the situation to teach Jeremiah, Kichaya, and Tamris about assessing an emergency situation more fully before calling for aid. She also apologized for startling the moms to be so badly, but was secretly grateful she, Tamris, Kichaya, and Jeremiah had all had the chance to feel the babies kick once everything settled down. For science and safety, of course.

All returned to the zupitaa farm an hour later, and the Captain and Jeremiah decided to trade watch shifts for the night. With the Danvers’ insistence, Kichaya and Tamris stayed in one of their rental home’s rooms instead of at the O’Quinns' rental property or the Devaans’ loving yet comparably crowded home.

Hours later, Alex and Maggie were equally excited to find the future wives cuddled up and sleeping in the same bed, thinking Kichaya had finally made the leap and confessed her feelings. However, as the onlookers learned later on, the teens had frequently slept in the same bed for years and didn’t confess their love until the day before the triplets’ birth.

----

Three days before Kichaya, Jeremiah, Tamris, Maggie, and Alex were all supposed to return to their respective homes, something very rare to Kivaa was occurring: a full, light purple moon. Knowing the significance of the event, and unable to hold her feelings for Tamris back anymore, Kichaya traded watch shifts with Jeremiah and went to the O’Quinn’s rental house to ask her love to walk with her in the once-in-a-lifetime moonlight.

Fortunately, only Tamris was around; her neglectful, bigoted parents had gone to a larger city on Kivaa to celebrate another business success and simply couldn’t be bothered. However, their loss was Kichaya’s gain; she had noticed the fleeting looks Tamris had given her over time as well as how, even when covered by thick swimming trunks from her hyperconservative planet, the teen’s near-rut penis had responded to her accidental as well as purposeful brushes every time they visited the nearby waterfall. She’d already dedicated her immature yet very ready meena to the teen before the gods in private and hoped she could do the same thing, but with her love present.

As they were hugging in a barn doorway with the lavender moonlight shining upon them, Kichaya nuzzled into her pale counterpart’s neck, took a deep breath, and confessed her love. To her relief, Tamris confessed that, every time she’d said she loved girls over the past ten years, she’d secretly meant the caramel-skinned warrior. Weight of the world off their chests, the two started sharing innocent, light, slow, and inexperienced kisses.

Over time which stretched into the purple-lined heavens, those kisses escalated into confident, knowing, hot, fast, deep, and needy ones, leading Kichaya to guide her love to the farthest barn from the O’Quinns’ rental property so they could be together in peace. Then, once at the barn closest to Maggie and Alex’s rental house, Kichaya thrust Tamris up against the door, pinning her arms above her head as she did.

Though nearly out of breath, Tamris was the first to blurt out how she wanted to make love. Her face and neck flushed with desire as well as embarrassment over how she couldn’t control her mouth, especially when her love stopped her ministrations so suddenly. However, wanting the same thing, Kichaya reached for her love’s hand, placed it inside her pants against her sopping meena, touched her forehead to the shuddering engineer’s, and whispered with the sincerest and most vulnerable look imaginable, "Please?”

The pale teen started taking off her tan love’s clothes, gently as well as hungrily kissing the open expanses of skin as she found each of them. Kichaya started doing the same thing to her love, stopping only to slowly pull the budding scientist’s pants down and kiss the deep v-line formed against her flushed hips. As she did, she noticed the teen wasn’t wearing any underwear (despite all of the social conditioning her conservative planet put her through). She then started making love to the teen’s slightly outlined yet strong abs as well as her newly freed, big, throbbing, veiny, and silver-tipped penis.

Desperate for more, but wanting to keep her love safe, Tamris whispered more earnestly, “Wait! I should put on my condom. I don’t want you to get pregnant before you’re ready. Before we’re ready, if you want babies in the future. After getting married.”

Wanting to reassure Tamris while coming clean about some things, Kichaya stood up, took her love’s face between her hands, leaned in after tossing the speedo-like condom somewhere into the barn, and whispered, “I won’t be able to carry babies until a few years from now, and your condom won’t be able to withstand how strong, complex, and big your penis will be once I mate and marry you. After I bite you, my Kivaan genes will enter your body and make you more like my people. If we’re anything like my moms and friends’ moms, we’ll probably have between 17 and 30 kids who will have tons of friends and support here. Are you up for all of that?”

Once past the shock of how Kichaya’s moms had managed to stay closeted around her for so long, and turned on past the point of return, Tamris quickly swept the auburn-haired warrior off her feet, such that they fell against the door (Kichaya’s back first this time). As they were catching their breath and feeling their heads swimming with how right this felt, Tamris heaved out, “Mark me tonight. Write to and mind-message me when I go back with my parents. I want to come back, marry you, and call Kivaan home. Forever.”

Crying the happiest tears of her life, Kichaya whispered while sniffling and smiling, “Welcome to your forever home, my future wife.”

Profusely crying happy tears as well, Tamris choked out, “I want three barns’ worth of kids once we’re married.”

Laughing at how silly her wife was being, Kichaya replied, “Let’s just start with five and go from there. Deal?”

Tamris pecked her future wife on the lips, nodded the same cute way Alex did, and toppled her on a spare zupitaa blanket Kichaya moved there with her mind, tickling and suckling caramel skin once they landed.

----

Meanwhile, on the other side of the farm, Alex was feeling just as romantic and dedicating her meena and coppa to Maggie again as they were lying on their sides, such that she gently held the warrior-academic from behind while caressing her belly, cl*t, sides, breasts, arms, neck, ears, and face with her lips and fingers as she gently thrust in, against, and out. Maggie was so tired from losing sleep over carrying the babies and exploring the grounds that she could only take one round of lovemaking, but started falling asleep to the feeling of Alex still inside her and playing with their more-active-than-usual babies’ hands and feet.

Amused at how their babies still had the energy to play with their sire, Maggie asked through a sleepy and dimpled smile, “Are you ever going to stop counting how many fingers and toes they have, or are you going to go crazy on me?”

Though Maggie couldn’t see it, she could sense Alex blushing bashfully and cuddling her from behind. Then, she heard the future doctor and law enforcement officer say, “Probably not, and I’m already crazy for you.”

Turning and cracking her eyes open, Maggie gave her wife a light kiss and gently asked her to pull out as well as remove the Kivaan sex jewelry they’d been wearing so they could sleep more comfortably. They would need all of the rest they could get because, to their unawareness, the purple tube in Alex’s penis had pulled Maggie’s mucus plug out and had broken her water as they’d come together, meaning the babies needed to be out by the next day.

Chapter 45: Chapter Forty Four -- Part One

Chapter Text

“Wow.”

“Mhmm.”

“Wow.”

Burrowing into her future wife while listening to the sound of her chest beating and breathing, a smiling Kichaya jokingly asked, “Honey, are you ever going to use other words again?”

“Hi,” Tamris softly said after a long pause, blushing and pecking her humored, glowing wife on the head after she did.

Kichaya and Tamris were just waking up from their last round of lovemaking as the sun was rising, and the warrior was giggling and smiling at how the pale teen couldn’t get over how amazing their first night together was. Tamris’ body had obviously changed in several ways due to how Kichaya had bitten her neck, such that she now had the same telekinetic and healing powers her fiance had. Her penis and plums had also changed immensely mid-lovemaking, fulfilling Kichaya’s long-held fantasies of what their coupling would be like.

Tamris was also awestruck for other reasons, though. That night, she learned Kichaya had gained several Atroxan traits from their mating (especially the pale teen’s speed of learning new things, occasionally silver coloring, keen sense of smell, and tendency to go into frenzy mode when sex grew very intense). Memories of when the equally wild and silver-marked pair came together under the purple moonlight kept replaying through the teen’s mind; she didn’t know love like that could be possible, especially given her planet’s books on sex made the subject sound so boring and unemotional.

The Atroxan had unknowningly changed the warrior’s body when marking it, too. During their sunrise pillowtalk, they would learn the caramel-skinned teen’s meena had ripped in some places from all of the vigorous, shameless, and soul-deep sex they’d had. Tamris healed them all while apologizing profusely, such that Kichaya had to cup her face and kiss her mid-sentence to get her to stop saying sorry. After all, due to her job, the young warrior was used to getting hurt.

However, despite their sensitive noses and comfortable entanglement, the couple didn’t recognize the change to Kichaya’s body which happened due to the moon and would outlast them both.

The very same change Tamris had secretly wished for before ever being naked and inside of her fiance.

----

After cleaning each other up at the nearby waterfall twice (given they made love in the cave after their first cleaning), Kichaya looked at the sun’s position and noticed it was time for her to assume guard over Alex and Maggie. Especially after learning more about Tamris’ abilities and cute expressions the previous night, she couldn’t stop thinking of all the things the four had in common. Far too many things to be a coincidence . . . at least in her mind.

The warrior and her future wife were in agreement about the strange yet welcomed and natural connection they had with the growing family of visitors. However, both shared they were unsure of whether and how they should bring it up (given the couple was going to leave soon and hadn’t acknowledged the similarities through anything other than covert as well as overt staring).

The ache to know resonated deeply in Tamris’ mind and, for some odd reason, Kichaya’s belly. Thus, mind-messaging each other as they walked hand in hand to the better-occupied side of the zupitaa farm, the couple decided to just ask the couple at breakfast that morning.

----

Alex rolled out of bed happy and proud that morning.

Happy that she and Maggie were getting to experience such amazing moments on this planet, especially with her dad and expansive biological family.

Proud of the mess they’d clearly made in bed and of how full her sleeping wife’s belly looked as she breathed under the rising sun.

The future doctor and cop made a note to clean everything and check on the babies after her wife woke up, but decided to let all of them sleep and surprise them with some pancakes made out of Kivaa’s version of blueberries.

As the pale mom to be was dancing around the kitchen, singing, and making the pancakes, Kichaya and Tamris couldn’t help but giggle as they watched her, convinced she had to be related to them somehow (given Tamris had an amazing voice and Kichaya loved to hop around when making her family and future wife food). They full-out laughed at how Alex flung flour everywhere and screamed out when she became aware of them standing outside of the screen door, but graciously and quietly helped her clean up.

Once she dusted herself off some, Alex greeted the two with bright eyes, smiled wide, and said, “Hi mo- . . . I mean, Tamris and Kichaya. How are you feeling this morning? To me, you both look like you’ve been shot by a love ray!”

Knowingly looking at Tamris and smiling shyly at Alex, Kichaya diverted more discussion about why they looked that way by saying, “We were just out celebrating the purple moon last night and are feeling great. In fact, we thought about talking with you most of the night. Is now a good time?”

Grinning like an idiot as she motioned for them to sit at the dining room table, Alex couldn’t help but say yes, wondering what her moms were going to ask about.

Much like Captain Devaan, but in a slightly more sensitive way, Kichaya just went for it and started their question.

“Tamris and I have been talking, and we can’t help but think about how much you two look alike in the face, how you have my hair, and how all of us share different expressions and mannerisms. Including the singing and dancing we just saw you do.”

Tamris kept the conversation going as Alex nervously listened and fidgeted, finishing what her fiance started.

“We also feel a strong connection with Tec and the babies, but can’t quite put our fingers on why. Did you all come to Kivaa because of us?”

Feeling flustered by being put on the spot, but wanting to answer as honestly as she could, Alex took a few moments to think before responding.

“I arranged this trip as a babymoon for my wife, but also because I came to connect with my home planet. I never got to know it because . . . certain things . . . happened . . . to my sisters and me. After I was born, I had to be sent away. I am linked to both of you and Jeremiah, too, but can’t say why. Really wish I could, but I can’t. Hope you both . . . understand . . . someday.”

Satisfied with that answer for now, Kichaya and Tamris hugged Alex longer than they had before and helped her start putting breakfast together. The two were still unable to take their eyes off her or forget about their desire to know the full truth, but mind-messaged each other on how they would discover it for themselves, one way or another.

----

While Alex was downstairs talking with Tamris and Kichaya, Maggie finally started waking up. Eyes still closed, she smiled and burrowed into her pillow when feeling the apparently still-warm evidence of their lovemaking, thinking of how happy the trip had made her wife, and remembering the dream she’d had (which depicted the new moms introducing their daughters to the ever-curious zupitaa). She then started caressing her belly and got a little worried when the babies didn’t start playing their normal morning poking games with her, but remembered how late they’d been up the previous night and figured they were still asleep. She couldn’t have been any more wrong about why the babies were so quiet or why the sheets felt so warm, though.

Aside from her need for Alex’s blueberry pancakes (which she could smell pretty strongly in the bedroom’s air, given their aroma and how sensitive her nose was), Maggie felt a growing need to go to the bathroom. Unaware of the mild contractions she’d had for the past two hours because she was passed out and the babies’ powers took most of that pain away, the still-sleepy mom to be didn’t realize the need to poop was actually the feeling of their firstborn coming out. Thus, before going to the Kivaans’ version of a toilet, she spent a few minutes doing her morning skincare routine and braiding her hair. She wanted to make her raven bedhead into a less messy French braid which went to the side opposite of her dazzlingly bright silver mating bite to surprise Alex at breakfast.

Maggie was nearly finished with the braid when she felt her need to poop grow too urgent to ignore anymore. She held the unfinished ends of her hair while opening the toilet lid with her mind, then carefully squatted down, quickly finished the braid, and (in her mind) tried to poop. However, try as she might, nothing was coming out. Thinking she was constipated again due to how big her belly had gotten, she did something Captain Devaan had shared when discussing her years of experience in helping her pregnant wife and friends: gently massaging her back and mind-bending her opening from the outside to allow the passage of whatever was coming out.

She would stop the technique as soon as she heard urgent mind-messages from the babies, though.

Mommy, stop! Where’s Mama? Is birth supposed to feel this way? I’m scared!

Please get Mama so she can sing to us now; the water around us is almost gone, and we’re being forced out.

Mara says whatever you’re doing is making her head hurt, and we’re too tired to stop your pain now. Why aren’t we being born at home and in the pool?

Maggie’s head began swimming at the questions’ implications as well as the pelvic pain and pressure she suddenly started feeling. She tried to relax her mind and body for the girls’ sake, but felt a strong wave of nausea hit her, forcing her to double over, get sick on the floor, and begin shivering as well as crying.

Then, mustering up all the strength and focus she had while feeling exactly how dilated she was, she screamed as loudly as she could, hoping her wife would be able to make it before their first baby did.

“ALEX!!!!!!!!”

Chapter 46: Chapter Forty Four -- Part Two

Chapter Text

Fortunately, Alex definitely heard her wife from downstairs and, with her concerned as well as confused moms in tow, broke the one rule Sara and Ava set when crying out in response.

“MAGGIE?! MAGGIE, WHERE ARE YOU? I’M COMING UP, HONEY.”

Taking two stairs at a time, the young inventor ran to their bedroom and, after flinging the bathroom door open, her sweating and shaking wife’s side. Both were too caught up in the stress of the moment to care about Kichaya and Tamris seeing the raven-haired professor naked and bleeding from her ready opening.

Fortunately, the new mates and future wives handled the situation well. Kichaya mind-messaged Jeremiah and her mom to come help them while getting the medical bags for each baby, and Tamris rushed to get towels and prepare the birthing pool downstairs. As they did each of those things, Alex scooped up Maggie and, as quickly and safely as possible, took her wife down the stairs-turned-ramp (an ingenious Kivaan invention included in each house to accommodate the elderly, sick, disabled, injured, and pregnant populations).

Maggie dry heaved and shuddered the entire time, nestling her face into Alex’s neck to breathe in the sire’s pheromones (which would help her relax and focus on the delivery). Then, once gently placed into the just-filled pool, the Latina got into the most comfortable birthing position she and her wife had practiced: squatting on all fours and leaning into the partially submerged teen’s chest for comfort and support. Alex invested every ounce of energy not dedicated to holding her wife, singing, and catching their babies to taking on the omega’s pain (which was making the alpha equally sick).

Jeremiah and Captain Devaan barely made it through the door when the ornate flower prophecy glowed silver and Mara’s dark-haired and screaming head dipped into the pool, but readied themselves to receive a baby for cleaning and holding as they did. Alex cried with relief at the sound of Mara coming into the world, then reached for Maggie’s hand and kissed it before moving it to cup the scared baby’s wet and fuzzy head. However, the moment didn’t last long; though thankful their first was alive and okay so far, Maggie desperately wanted her completely out and kept pushing hard and long enough to make that happen. Three big pushes later, and the slippery mini-Maggie popped all the way out, plopping into Alex’s outstretched arms and shivering when she did.

Everyone in the room shed tears and knowing smiles as they saw the moms and their new baby bonding for the first time. With the pain of childbirth temporarily subsiding, the warrior-academic could finally catch her breath and take a moment to truly see Mara (who, with her moms’ singing and breasts in her mouth, was calming down nicely and starting to smile up at them). Gently tracing each feature, the moms admired how the little one had Maggie’s skin, big brown eyes, black hair, dimples, and cute butt, yet some expressions, mannerisms, and long limbs which were clearly Alex’s. Words couldn’t describe how good it was to feel her tiny hands hold theirs and splay out on Maggie’s chest, so the two settled with nudging and kissing the baby everywhere they could get (especially her very ticklish belly).

Once the moms were feeling ready enough to deliver their second and their first was ready to be handed over for cleaning, Alex cut the baby’s cord and handed her to Jeremiah and Captain Devaan, narrating what was happening and why to the little one as she did. Tamris and Kichaya would eventually take turns holding and getting to know Mara as well, but didn’t discuss the connection the baby’s personality prompted them to keep investigating. Instead, they stuck with taking some of the pain of birth off Alex and Maggie’s plates while knowingly looking at each other, rubbing circles on the omega’s back as she pushed against her wife.

Kaya’s birth would prove far less painful compared to Mara’s by virtue of her being second, but Maggie felt more pressure from her coming out of the birth canal because she was heavier than her sisters by a few ounces and possessed slightly wider shoulders. However, she came quickly like her sister, more or less flying into Alex’s barely-fast-enough arms after a particularly strong push and strangled cry from Maggie.

Not as scared of being born after knowing Mara was safe and sound, Kaya came into the world crying due to relief and fatigue as Alex sang. Once Maggie sat back on her shaky haunches to gently hold, stroke, kiss, and nuzzle her, she and Alex discovered their second had her sire’s pale skin, her dam’s black hair, and a combination of their facial features (dimples, narrower lips, a longer nose, and rounder cheekbones). The little one preferred her feet being tickled over her belly, too, setting her apart from Mara in another way.

As she was nursing on and smiling against both her moms’ chests, they were delighted to learn she had the classic Maggie head tilt, Alex’s classic pouty face, and some mannerisms they didn’t recognize. Kichaya certainly recognized them from her siblings, though, and looked over at her mom with a questioning face (only to be met with a smile and nod which told her everything yet nothing). Jeremiah and the eldest Devaan took the little one for cleaning as eagerly as they did her sister (who was fast asleep against Tamris’ chest), then turned her over to Kichaya (who, given the baby’s uncanny likeness, was barely able to suppress her need to know more about how she, Maggie, Alex, Tamris, and these babies were all connected).

However, Kichaya didn’t have long to think about their connection. Eliah practically fell out of Maggie just a few minutes later and after only a couple of light pushes, such that Alex only got through a few notes of her next song and managed to catch the baby in time via her telekinesis. As Maggie felt the placenta slowly descending, she and Alex held their third daughter (who was tired and teary from the ordeal, yet wide-eyed and grinning) close to their hearts. Their youngest was more receptive to being bounced around, so they took turns doing that as they kissed, nudged, and stroked her, too. She was basically a mini-Alex, minus her slightly tanned skin, dimples, fuller lips, smaller nose, and shorter stature.

Kichaya’s desperation to know more about the connection was only increased with Eliah’s arrival; the baby girl had a birthmark which was the same shape and in the same location as one Tamris had on her hip, but was the same color as the birthmarks she and several other Devaans had. After her mother and Jeremiah cleaned off baby number three and placed her in Kichaya’s arms (given Tamris was already holding the other two), the Captain nudged her daughter and said something the redhead would never forget.

“You should tell Tamris you’re pregnant from being with her under last night’s moon.”

Not sure she heard her mother correctly, Kichaya incredulously whispered “Excuse me? No . . . there’s no way . . . I’m not supposed to be able to have kids yet. My prophecy would have to be wrong!”

After giving Eliah over to an eagerly awaiting Jeremiah, and as Alex and Maggie were delivering the afterbirth, Captain Devaan pulled her daughter aside, lovingly moved her hair to the side, smiled at her new mating mark, and took a deep whiff just to be sure of her suspicion.

“It’s very, very faint, but you’re definitely pregnant . . . most likely with one O’Quinn-Devaan baby. The original prophecy did say you wouldn’t have children for several more years; however, another orb about your womb changing due to last night’s moon was sent to your mother and me this morning. This baby is going to be very special due to how she was conceived, so I hope you both keep her. If you do, the pregnancy can be frozen in time and paired with a future one happening in the other half of your womb so you both can get on your feet some. Just tell Tamris and think about it, okay? For all of us.”

Stunned, but able to put two and two together after hearing her mother’s words as well as seeing each baby’s birth, she hoped she could convince Tamris that they needed to keep the pregnancy and bring their baby into this world years later so everything they’d just experienced would still happen somehow.

That they needed to give a just-conceived Alex a fighting chance.

Chapter 47: Chapter Forty Four -- Part Three

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As Maggie and Alex showered off, ate breakfast, and rested upstairs, Jeremiah and Captain Devaan cleaned up the downstairs area and cooked an early lunch for everyone, starving because they’d missed breakfast to join in on that morning’s excitement.

Once the adults and teens ate, fed the babies some of their moms’ pumped breastmilk, and took plates for later up to the fast asleep parents, Jeremiah took guard outside, and Captain Devaan went home to check on her nearly-due wife as well as Kichaya’s numerous siblings.

Tamris and Kichaya, on the other hand, assumed guard over the inside of the house. Both couldn’t stop watching over the babies as they slept together in a Kivaan version of a bassinet the Captain had brought over, partly due to their sustained curiosity about the connection, and partly because they were in a heated debate.

Keeping her voice low to avoid waking up the babies and their moms, Kichaya whispered, “I swear, Rizzy! Mara and Kaya had coppas when they were born, and know for a fact that Eliah had a meena. How could someone miss any of that? We were all right here!”

Not sure of how to answer her fiance, but just as sure about what she’d seen, Tamris whispered in return, “Chi, I tried to put clothes on them and know what I saw. Mara and Kaya were the ones with meenas, and Eliah had a coppa. Maybe the first two had some afterbirth stuck on them, or their umbilical cords weren’t cut short enough?”

Giggling softly at the thought of her wife’s hopeless attempt to dress the babies (who didn’t particularly like wearing anything yet, cute or not), Kichaya rolled her eyes and mind-messaged her fiance in response, letting something slip by accident.

Babe, I’m pretty sure I’m right about what our grandbabies are. I mean, they can’t have been born with both, right? According to the library near here, meenacoppas haven’t been born on Kivaa since about three thousand years ago.

Stunned, and hoping her fiance meant what she said, Tamris whispered aloud, “Wait, what?”

Fortunately, the babies interrupted the conversation and settled the couple’s debate when waking up. To their grandmothers’ amazement, the three had heard and understood everything they’d said and mind-messaged, such that they had formed a collective response while snuggling and before opening their eyes.

True to the birth order, Mara mind-messaged them first, answering the burning question both teens had had for days.

It’s true; mama is your baby, just like we’re her babies. She and mommy brought us to see where her family -- our family -- came from. We were supposed to be born in the future, but are glad we got to see you both, Jeremiah, and Captain!

Jumping up and down in her seat with excitement at Mara’s words, Tamris squeaked, “I knew it! Chi, we’re going to be moms! And grandmas! Isn’t that great?”

Her wife’s response gave Kichaya life, so she nearly confessed about being pregnant right then and there. However, Eliah (who liked being called “Eli” for short) mind-messaged them next, taking the words right out of the warrior’s mind and patting where the Atroxan’s seed had just taken root.

Mama is in Grandma K’s belly right now. I can feel it. She’s a meenacoppa in the future, just like we are.

Tamris wasn’t sure what to be more stunned about: how her wife was pregnant due to their first night together, how their firstborn was going to be one of the first meenacoppas born in centuries, or how the triplets could apparently change their coppas to meenas (and vice versa) at will.

Fortunately, though just as stunned as her wife, Kichaya gently took the nearest pale hand and said, “I was just about to tell you, honey. I had no way of knowing my womb changed last night and only received a new prophecy about it a couple hours ago. We have to keep Alex, though. We’ll freeze the pregnancy in time so you can get away from your parents, come back to Kivaa, go to school here, and get the engineering job you’ve always wanted. I’ll complete Royal Guard training, and nobody but my family -- our family -- will ever have to know. Please?”

Tamris was shaking and crying tears which she knew to be joy, but worried Kichaya and made her think she and the just-conceived baby were about to be rejected. However, sensing their grandma’s tension, the babies all reached out and comforted her, and Kaya chimed in.

It’s okay, Grandma K. Granny T is just happy. Mama is her moon wish baby. Right, Granny T?

Kichaya turned just in time to meet her wife’s passionate kiss, feel her remove the three layers of armor on her torso, and bend down to hug as well as kiss the newly exposed and blooming caramel belly.

Still sobbing happy tears, Tamris said, “It’s true, Chi. What Kaya said . . . about me. I didn’t think it could really happen so soon, but I do want her. All of this. To be a big, timeless family. With you. Whenever we’re ready.”

A sobbing and relieved Kichaya hugged her wife and all of their granddaughters at once, careful not to squish the babies as she did.

However, after a few seconds, their joyful moment was rudely cut short by a loud bang as well as the forced entrance of the exact people Tamris was never happy to see.

Her parents were at the front door to Maggie and Alex’s rental home, silver-tinged with fury and holding a bruised as well as drugged Jeremiah at gunpoint.

----

Instinctively, Tamris got in front of Kichaya, their just-conceived baby, and their newborn granddaughters, wanting to shield them from the wrath of her clearly angry and warpath-headed parents.

“Surprise, surprise at you being here, Tamris. You always were too . . . close . . . to the Devaan family for our liking. Put the babies down, and leave Kichaya; you’re no longer allowed to sneak around with them,” the controlling Mrs. O’Quinn said with a mix of annoyance, intimidation, and disdain.

As always, the equally self-centered, shallow, bullying, and rigid Mr. O’Quinn finished his wife’s thoughts, sizing up the five of them, sneering, and getting in Tamris’ face as he did.

“We’re throwing a party before heading back to Atrox. Guests of ours may see you five together and start to talk because of how this . . . looks. We can’t have that.”

Right as the man was about to beat his daughter for the umpteenth time in her life and Kichaya was about to intervene as well as mind-message her mom for backup, a well-rested Alex came down the stairs, gun by her side and telekinesis powers on point.

Furious, and feeling especially territorial due to who all was being threatened, she let her alpha run wild and free through her mouth and veins.

“GET AWAY FROM MY FAMILY BEFORE I END YOU IN SIX DIFFERENT WAYS WITH MY INDEX FINGER!"

Right as the O’Quinns were about to shoot at her and Jeremiah (respectively), Alex used her powers to disarm them, remove the ammunition, and fling their guns upstairs. She also slowly, powerfully, and terrifyingly approached the insufferable couple, keen on teaching them a lesson for what they’d just done.

However, an urgent and sincere plea kept her from doing anything more.

“Alex, please don’t hurt them. Just freeze them where they are so they can’t go anywhere. I have something to say and don’t want to wait anymore,” Tamris requested, wanting to settle the score in her own way.

Nodding at her mom with her fists balled up, Alex did as requested, pulled up two spare chairs, and forced her horrible great grandparents to have a seat in them as Tamris readied herself.

Taking a deep breath, and gathering all her courage, Tamris just let her parents have it for all they’d done to her the past seventeen years.

“The days of you both pushing me around, telling me I’m not good enough, and treating me like I don’t deserve to be happy are over. I’ve found people who see me and get me and really, really like me. For who I really am. I will marry Kichaya, and we will have an amazing life together. We will also show our daughters and granddaughters there are so much more freeing, authentic, and healthy ways to be in the world than what you and everyone on Atrox have taught me. I’m not going with you to that stupid party, or back to the rental house and my birth planet at all. I’m comfortable in my own skin when around my real family, and Atroxan law is clear. When someone turns eighteen and/or becomes a parent, they are legally a separate adult. Kichaya is pregnant because we mated last night, meaning you both are powerless to make me do anything. Get out, and never return.”

Though shocked at the pregnancy news, Alex kept her composure and released the O’Quinns from the binds she’d put them in so they could do as told, watching them to make sure they didn’t cause any more trouble afterwards.

However, the O’Quinns were masters of misbehaving and were simply too rigid to change their ways. Specifically, the two were about to start yelling at Tamris for publically disrespecting them and gang up on her, only to hear another one of their least favorite voices ring through the door.

“That’s enough, you two! You heard Tamris. She’s free now, and you both will be charged with breaking and entering as well as assault, unlawful imprisonment, kidnapping, endangering children, and harassment if you don’t leave immediately,” Captain Devaan said, alpha on full alert and territorial drive as she did.

Grumbling at them being outnumbered, outpowered, and faced with possible legal action, the two left together with their noses turned up, trying to spit on as well as toxically scentmark the door and floor on their way out. However, threatening mind-messages from Alex, Captain Devaan, Kichaya, Tamris, the babies, and a rudely awakened as well as suddenly up Maggie drowned out their ability to do any of those things, allowing a sobered up Jeremiah to kick them out the door and (eventually) off the property.

“My loyalty is with Tamris and all associated with the Devaan line, not you two. As far as I am able, no harm will come to any of them. Be gone.”

That would be the last time Tamris ever saw her biological parents. It would also be the first day of her new life. Her free life. With all she loved and cherished.

----

After rounds of introducing the triplets and the just-conceived Alex to the zupitaa, tearful disclosures of the full truth of why the Danvers women were there, a final dinner, and many hugs as well as space pictures for them to keep, Alex, Maggie, and the babies bid everyone goodbye and headed back to Earth.

The growing Danvers family would never forget their trip, even though everyone back on Kivaa would. Sara and Ava had to work overtime to fix everyone’s timelines so the Danvers family could retain those memories without anything being considerably distorted, but the time was worth it. The blondes got to see an older version of Adira again to make it happen and verify no harm would come to the babies (who, despite the time teams’ precautions, were the first to be born in the past). But, most importantly, they got to see their friends and (apparently) their firstborn’s future wife get the closest thing to closure they could hope for.

Everyone back on Earth was doing well and excited to meet the babies, and the couple couldn’t wait to start their journey of parenting the newborn Kivaans.

Even if it meant the triplets kept taking off the clothes everyone bought them, endlessly (and, usually, lovingly) embarrassing their moms.

Chapter 48: Epilogue

Chapter Text

Four Years Later

“Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday Mara, Kichaya, and Eli! Haaaaaaaappy birthdaaaaaaaaaay to youuuuuuu!”

Everyone sang to the seated and smiling triplets as Alex placed a hand above each four-year-old’s head in time to the song and Maggie brought out four cakes: the girls’ respective mini-cakes and the group’s larger cake. Adira, Ruby, Jade, Jenna, Alice, and Julia couldn’t stop hugging the cake-handed Danvers girls, and everyone smiled as well as exchanged hugs and presents with them, too.

Maggie and Alex were beyond grateful to be moms to the three little ones (who had, over time, cut their parents some slack and embraced the idea of wearing clothes . . . most of the time). The two loved watching their girls experience their very own firsts, including potty training (which was surprisingly easy, compared to changing their clothes), eating lemons and ice cream, walking, going on playdates, going to parks, camping, playing with Gertie, learning new words, and starting Pre-K as well as Kindergarten classes at a local Montessori school. Each had taught her parents so much and developed her own personality, such that Mara was the most responsible and level-headed one, Kaya was the most rebellious and free-spirited one, and Eliah was the most sensitive, quiet, and shy of the three. In short, there was never a dull moment in the Danvers household.

Looking back, the inventor was especially glad she took off a year before starting medical school. Through trial and error, she learned to balance being a healthcare entrepreneur, future MD/PhD student, and author with being fully present with her wife, daughters, and dog. She frequently read bedtime stories, Harry Potter books, and chapters from her pre-program books to the girls and Gerty, gesticulating and narrating them while grinning and singing like an idiot. Maggie loved watching her wife with their girls and, at times, joined in on the fun or had her own pre-bed time with the girls.

The couple also had a wedding ceremony in front of their family, friends, pets, and colleagues to commemorate their first anniversary and the warrior-academic feeling comfortable enough to show off her post-baby body (which she’d hoped to resculpt to NCPD standards by the babies’ first birthday). They’d been very tempted to make more babies during their honeymoon (camping in Canada), but held off, knowing the best time to get pregnant again would be when the girls were more independent, Maggie was promoted again, Alex was further into her medical training, and both had more time to themselves.

However, now that the girls were turning four, loving school, dressing themselves, helping with chores, and having more playdates as well as sleepovers with their friends and family members, Alex and Maggie felt ready. So, while the girls were going on a birthday ride through the sky in the Waverider, they decided to try again.

The night didn’t go as planned for either woman in many ways, but both got what they wanted and needed in the end: a soul-deep reconnection as well as cuddles with one another.

By Spring Break, their suspicions were confirmed: Mara, Kaya, and Eliah would all become big sisters before their mama’s final year of school and right after Maggie was promoted.

Pregnant, Multiples. Recalculating Number of Babies.