In Time

Summary: Eliza is dying and needs to talk to her girls...

Agent Alex Danvers sat on the edge of her mother's bed and took her hand, rubbing her thumb over the fragile skin. "Mom?" she said softly. "Can you hear me?" Against the pristine white sheets, Eliza Danvers looked pale and wan. "Mom?" Alex pushed her glasses higher up on her nose and tucked her greying hair behind her ear as she leaned in to gently kiss her mother's cheek. "She's asleep," she added softly. "The meds really take it out of her."

"Yeah." Kara sat and wrapped her arms around her wife, leaning against her and kissing her temple. "I'm just glad we made it in time."

Alex's breath hitched. "Thank you for picking me up in Geneva, Kara," she whispered. "We wouldn't have made it otherwise."

"Anything for you and Eliza. You know that, Love," the blonde replied, her face easing into a smile even as her blue eyes shimmered with tears. "I just wish we'd had more time. She deteriorated so quickly."

"She should've told us sooner," Alex sighed. "I would've taken a leave of absence and moved here to take care of her."

Kara nodded sadly. "I think that's exactly why she didn't tell us. She didn't want to disrupt our life."

The agent shook her head. "But I could've had more time." Her face crumpled into tears and Kara held her tighter as her own spilled over. "I need more time, Kara."

"Me too," the hero whispered as she ran her fingers through her wife's hair. "But there's nothing either of us can do about that. The cancer is just too aggressive."

"Have you spoken to J'Onn?" Alex asked as she plucked a Kleenex from the box on the nightstand and wiped her cheeks.

Kara nodded. "I called him when I was on my way to Geneva. He's already with Lucy. I told him not to tell her anything yet." She let her hand rest on Eliza's, smiling as the older woman stirred a little. "Can you hear me, Eliza?"

Alex sucked in a breath as blue eyes, greyed with age, fluttered open. "My girls," Eliza murmured.

"Hi, Mom." The agent smiled. "How are you feeling?"

"Peachy," the older woman whispered. "Where's my grandkid?"

"She's with J'Onn," Kara replied.

"Good, she shouldn't see me like this. Tell her I love her more than the moon and stars, ok?"

"Of course," Alex nodded. She held her mother's hand tightly. "Are you in any pain?"

"I'm ok."

The agent tilted her head. "I can ask the nurse to up your pain meds if…"

But Eliza shook her head. "I'm ok, Alex. I just want to talk to you both."

"Ok," Alex replied, sniffling a little. "What is it, Mom?"

"I want you to know…" Eliza took a breath. "That I'm so very proud of you both. I know it was rocky there for a while after you told me you wanted to be together as lovers rather than sisters and I'm sorry for that. I couldn't see how much you loved each other back then. How much you needed to be together."

"Eliza…" Kara whispered. "You don't have to…"

But the older woman lifted a hand. "No. Please let me say this." She coughed a little and winced. Alex hit her morphine button and the wince subsided. "I should have realized. I should have seen it but I was so blind. I'm sorry I missed your wedding. I'm so so sorry I missed all those years… Lucy's birth..." Tears ran down Eliza's face and Alex dabbed them away with her sleeve. "But thank you for welcoming me back into your lives when I finally found sense. What you have is so beautiful and you're so lucky."

Eliza's breath hitched and her eyes drifted closed. Alex and Kara were crying openly, holding each other and their mother's hands. "Mom," Alex whispered. "I'm not ready to lose you. I love you so much." All Kara could do was nod and squeeze the older blonde's hand as her eyes re-opened.

"Kara," Eliza said softly. "Please… take care of Alex for me… and Lucy."

The Kryptonian nodded. "Of course. They're my world."

"Alex, take care of Kara for me. She needs you. She always has."

The agent nodded, exchanging pained looks with her wife. "I promise. I need her too."

Eliza managed a weak smile. "Good."

And with that, her breath left her body in a soft whoosh and her eyes slid closed.

Alex leaned forward in shock but Kara, having heard their mother's heart cease to beat, just shook her head and pulled Alex into her arms. "She's gone, Love."

No! Nononononono! MOM!" The agent tried to pull away but Kara's strong arms held her in place until Alex finally collapsed against her, sobbing into her shoulder. Kara cried into Alex's hair, her heart splitting open as she, for the second time in her life, mourned the death of her mother.

Finally, she eased back and just stared out the window as she held her wife tightly against her. She was suddenly scared. She knew that in years to come, there'd be many more people she'd have to mourn.

Because Kara Danvers; Kryptonian, superhero and beloved wife, hadn't aged a day in over thirty years.