Chapter Text
“Oh my Rao!”
“Kara? Honey, are you alright,” Eliza asked as she watched her daughter read and reread the letter as tears began to stream down her face.
“I…I…I have a da…daughter. L…Lena and I have a daughter,” Kara stammered out in disbelief.
“You do. I reviewed the DNA report Jeremiah included and it does match you and Lena. Right before I called you I had asked J’onn to come and he took a cheek swab from this little one and he is running our own DNA test at the DEO since they have both yours and Lena’s DNA on file. He’s running the test himself and won’t say anything to Alex or anyone else either. It’s fully up to you how to handle this Kara,” Eliza assured her daughter.
“O…okay, thank you for doing that. Um…can I…can I hold her,” Kara asked nervously.
“Of course you can hold her! Kara, she’s your daughter; yours and Lena’s so you never need anyone’s permission to hold her. Hold your arms just like mine are now though and be sure to support her head; yes, just like that,” Eliza said as she closed the distance and carefully transferred the newborn into Kara’s waiting arms.
Hold her daughter for the first time, Kara burst into tears once more. Kara thought she had lost her family when Krypton exploded but she found a new family with the Danvers and her last surviving biological relative, Kal-El aka Clark Kent/Superman. The one thing Kara never thought she’d have after witnessing her home planet’s destruction though was a family of her own. She had always wanted children but knew it would be impossible for her to have a child with a human so as she gazed at the face of her daughter, who she somehow got lucky enough to share with the woman who was her best friend and love of her life, she couldn’t help crying tears of pure joy. Taking in every detail of her little face, Kara immediately saw similarities between herself, Lena and their daughter. Looking at her daughter there was no doubt in her mind that she was in fact her daughter. She had Lena’s raven colored hair and her chin and lips but she had Kara’s nose and ears and when she opened her eyes and looked at Kara she had Kara’s blue eyes. Holding her daughter for the first time, Kara knew that she’d die for her daughter and she instantly loved her more than anything.
“She’s so so beautiful; she looks like the perfect mix and me and Lena. She perfect,” Kara said after a few minutes of silently crying, eyes never leaving her daughter. When her daughter quickly wrapped her index finger up in her tiny hand though, the tears started to intensify all over again as she was once again overcome with emotion.
“She is perfect and does look just like you both. I know we’re not genetically related but she reminds me of Alex when she was a baby.”
“How so,” Kara asked perplexed but still not taking her eyes of her little girl.
“She takes in everything around her and you can tell she listens when we speak and Alex was the same way, always inquisitive from day one,” Eliza said with a warm smile.
“Mhmm well she has the youngest member of Krypton’s Science Guild and certified genius Lena Luthor as her mothers, so naturally she’s already an intelligent little girl,” Kara said as she smiled at her daughter.
“True. I know this isn’t how any of us would have planned for you to become a mother but I did always want to be a grandmother and have grandchildren to spoil. I know I made some assumptions by calling myself her Nana but if you’d let me, I’d really like to be her Nana,” Eliza said, emotion clear in her voice which finally prompted Kara to take her eyes of her daughter so she could look at her adoptive mother.
“I know I’ve never called you and Jeremiah ‘mom’ and ‘dad’ but that’s not because I don’t think of you as my parents. On Krypton, when a child becomes an orphan the whole community takes care of the child; there is no foster care or adoption, no second families, no one to ever even consider calling your parents again because we believe you only bestow those titles to your two natural parents, meaning the two people who raised you from birth, whether that be a mom and dad, two dads or two moms. You and Jeremiah are my parents too, I do believe that, but I just have conflicting feelings about using those names again because it’s not something we ever did on Krypton. I spent thirteen years on Krypton and no matter how many years I spend on Earth some things just aren’t unlearned. So, I may not call you ‘mom’ and ‘dad’ but that doesn’t make you any less my parents or any less her grandparents. She’s being raised on Earth and I have no doubt she will want to call you Nana,” Kara said with a soft smile as she returned her gaze to her daughter who was snuggling comfortably against her chest, ear against Kara’s heart; her mother’s heartbeat lulling her to sleep.
“Sometimes I forget how much I still don’t know about Krypton, even after all these years. I never knew there was a cultural reason for why you never called us ‘mom’ and ‘dad’. But Kara, it doesn’t matter what you call us because no matter what we both love you just as much as we would if you were biologically ours. I am honored to be her Nana and Alex and Maggie will be thrilled to be her Aunties I am sure. But honey, what are you going to do about Lena?”
“I have to find her, now more than ever. She may never want to see me again but she deserves to know she has a daughter, that we have a daughter. I just don’t know what I’d say to her,” Kara said as she visibly deflated the second she placed her sleeping daughter in her bassinet and sunk into the cushion of the nearby couch.
“What do you mean?”
“I told her my secret and she said she was fine with it and it didn’t change anything between us but then she disappeared without a trace less than twenty-four hours later leaving only a letter behind that did nothing but confuse me more,” Kara said frustrated.
“I know you don’t want to share the contents of the letter with anyone but is it possible her family found out that she knew about you and they threatened her or you and that made her disappear thinking it was the only way to keep you both safe?”
“I don’t know,” Kara mumbled in reply.
“We both know that as much as Lillian can’t stand Lena she would do anything to keep a Kryptonian away from her daughter. And Lex, well he may be in prison but after how his relationship with Clark ended I think it’s a safe bet that he’d find a way from prison to try and keep you from Lena if he got wind that she knew the truth.”
“I don’t know,” Kara mumbled again.
“Kara, I’m just saying give Lena the benefit of the doubt. I know I wasn’t supportive of your friendship in the beginning and I certainly wasn’t supportive when I realized you had romantic feelings for her but after getting to know her and see you together it was clear as day that she felt the same way about you as you did her. So, just give her the benefit of the doubt until you’re able to find her and talk to her, okay,” Eliza implored her daughter.
“It’s hard to continue doing that after four months though,” Kara said sadly.
“If you no longer are giving her the benefit of the doubt, if you’re giving up on her, why do you still take daily flights to look for her?”
“I have not given up on her! I’ll never give up on her,” Kara whisper shouted so as not to disturb her daughter although it was still clear how passionate Kara felt about not giving up on Lena. “I can never give up on her because she’s the love of my life,” Kara sadly added after a moment.
“I know, a mother always knows. I also know that on Krypton you only love once and when you find your person to love, and they love you back, nothing will ever be able to separate you forever, not even death, and that is how I know you will find Lena one day because she loves you back even if she’s not ready to admit it,” Eliza said confidently.
“I hope you’re right. Until that day comes though, I am going to be the best mother I can be to this little one.
“And you will be a fantastic mother. Have you thought of a name for her?”
“I haven’t even begun to think of names. Lena should be here to pick out a name for our daughter together,” Kara said sadly.
“I know sweetie but she’s not and we don’t know how long it will take you to find her so I think you’re going to have to name this little one yourself.
Kara sat in silence for a several minutes after that just looking at her daughter and trying to think of any possible names. After about five minutes she remembered Lena once being asked once if she would continue the Luthor tradition of naming your children with “L” names. She also remembered clearly how Lena responded that if she was ever blessed with a child she would like to continue the tradition because it was created by her paternal great grandfather, who believed in America truly being a melting pot where anyone of any race, religion, creed, culture, ethnicity, etc. should be welcomed and treated equally. He had passed two years after her father took her in after her biological mother passed, but in the two years she knew him, he had instilled in her the importance of everyone being treated the same no matter where they came from, who they were, what they looked like or believed in, etc. and her father continued to instill those beliefs in her until his untimely passing. So, despite the terrible things her brother and adoptive mother had done, Lena wanted any children she had to have “L” names to honor the men who helped shape her into the open minded, welcoming, loving, kindhearted person she was. With this knowledge in mind, Kara looked closely at her daughter for another moment before a smile spread across her face as the perfect name came to her.
“Lorelei Kieran Luthor-Danvers-Zor-El is her true full name but she will be known as Lorelei Kieran Luthor-Danvers, Elle for short, to the world,” Kara said confidently.
“It’s a beautiful name but why that particular name and nickname,” Eliza asked curiously.
“Lena wanted to continue the ‘L’ name tradition because her great grandfather started it, and he was the exact opposite of Lex and helped Lena become who she is. Her father shared her great grandfather’s beliefs but her grandfather, Lex and Lillian did not. So, she thought continuing the tradition of ‘L’ names would be a way to honor her great grandfather and father. We’ll call her Elle for short though because it’s sounds just like ‘El’ so it’s a way to keep my family name active in her life. Kieran is her middle name because that’s Lena’s middle name. I know she already has an ‘L’ name which is form Lena too but I want her to have a piece of her other mother in case I can’t find her. As for keeping ‘Luthor’ in her last name, it’s her name too and she will carry it proudly and show the world that Lena Luthor is not the only Luthor who is good.”
“It is a beautiful name full of meaningful elements. I think it’s very fitting,” Eliza said approvingly.
Later that day, Kara was giving Elle a bottle before she and Eliza sat down for dinner when she heard J’onn land in the backyard. Mere seconds later she could hear Eliza greeting the man before he entered the living room and hesitantly approached Kara.
Tearing her eyes away from her eagerly feeding daughter, Kara looked J’onn in the eyes and said, “I take it from the look on your face that your independent DNA test confirms that she is mine and Lena’s daughter?”
“It did. I brought a copy of the results as well in case you wished to review them,” J’onn said as he placed an envelope, presumably containing the results, on the coffee table in front of Kara.
“Thank you for running the test for Eliza but I really didn’t need it. One look at her confirmed she’s mine and Lena’s,” Kara said lovingly as she looked at her daughter.
“She does look like you and Lena. I know you do not wish to speak with any of us right now and I will continue to respect that while you deal with Lena’s disappearance in your own way. I will not tell anyone about your daughter as it is up to you to determine when to tell anyone. However, with your permission I would like to conduct my own routine flights searching for Lena. Before you object, I know you have declined my request to do this before but circumstances have changed and I want to help ensure your daughter has the opportunity to know both her parents,” J’onn said with nothing but sincerity.
“I have declined your offer in the past because I have been determined to find Lena myself but circumstances have changed and Elle deserves to know her other mother just as much as Lena deserves to know her daughter. So, yes, you have my blessing to conduct your own flights searching for Lena.”
“Thank you. I will begin my flights today then and Elle is a beautiful name, Kara.”
“Her name is actually Lorelei Kieran Luthor-Danvers-Zor-El but to the world she will simply be known as Lorelei Kieran Luthor-Danvers or Elle for short,” Kara said proudly.
“That is a wonderful name. I won’t keep you any longer so I think I will take my first flight looking for Lena now. And Kara,” J’onn asked just before he left the room, “I know this hasn’t happened how you’d have imagined it but congratulations on becoming a mother; Elle is very lucky to have you and Lena as her parents.”
“Thank you J’onn, for everything and for not telling anyone about this. I will tell Alex and everyone when I’m ready but if possible, I want to find Lena first; she deserves to know before anyone else.”
With an understanding nod, J’onn left the Danvers’ home and began his first of many flights looking for Lena.
One Month Later
After dinner that first night, Kara had asked Eliza if it would be alright if she and Elle stayed with her for a while as she acclimated to being a mother while also still finding time to search for Lena. Eliza had agreed immediately and Kara and Elle had been staying with Eliza ever since.
For the most part, living with Eliza was perfect. Kara always had someone there who was willing and able to help her with her daughter and Eliza was more than willing to watch Elle while Kara flew around the world searching for Lena. The only thing causing tension between the pair was the fact that Kara still had not told Alex or anyone else about Elle’s existence for Kara was still determined that Lena learn the news first. Kara knew she wouldn’t be able to keep the secret for much longer though because Alex and Maggie were making the two hour drive down from National City to visit the following week. Still believing Kara to be holed up in her apartment alone and refusing to see anyone, Kara knew her sister and her girlfriend would be shocked to find not only Kara at the home, but Elle too. It was with those thoughts running through her head that had Kara distracted during her daily flight searching for Lena.
With thoughts of how she was going to handle Alex and Maggie’s visit and tell them the truth, Kara was so distracted that she didn’t realize she had flown to Ireland, the country where Lena was born, despite her plan to only cover search Canada that day. She was so caught up in her thoughts about telling Alex and Maggie the truth and the possibility that one or both would never forgive her for not telling them sooner that she didn’t notice a once regularly heard melody in her ears. As she flew closer to the town of Kells, which was located just outside of Dublin, the sound became clearer and drew Kara out of her thoughts. When she got her head on straight after a moment and truly listened to the sound she immediately knew what it was; it was the unmistakable sound of Lena’s heartbeat.