[Last chapter. Thank you so much to everyone that has been kind enough to review and support. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate it.]

"You don't have to sit still," Aoife laughed, as Ellie squirmed uncomfortably. God, she was a beautiful sight. "I want to draw you as you are. Not posed. Just forget I'm here with my pencil. I'm just gonna … take notes on you. Over the next few weeks. I'll paint when you are at work."

Ellie smiled. She knew Aoife got self-conscious when she watched her painting. This was the first time Aoife had done a portrait of her. It wasn't the first time she had drawn her, though. Every time Ellie found one of Aoife's many notebooks around the house, she would pick it up and flick through it, and at least a third of the pages were filled with drawings of her. But those were casual, and nearly all of them in pencil or charcoal. This time, Aoife wanted her in color. She wouldn't even tell Ellie if she was planning on using watercolors or oils.

Ellie wished that she had some artistic talent herself, but she just didn't. She loved art, though, and she found Aoife's creations incredible. She couldn't believe quite how versatile she was. She drew, painted, took beautiful photographs, and had recently embarked tentatively on sculpture. Ellie could tell she was nervous about that; she wasn't surprised, Aoife's mother had had a tremendous reputation as a sculptor, so she had a lot to live up to.

Ellie was lost in thought, and Aoife smiled as Ellie's features softened, and became less self-conscious. "What'cha thinking about, Sawyer?" she asked.

"You," Ellie said, and then grinned bashfully.

Aoife grinned back. "I'm real pleased to hear that." She put her pencil down, and dropped the sketchpad on the table. "You can relax now, I've stopped," she smiled. "So how are you feeling about everything?" Ellie had just completed 21 weeks of Police Academy training, and, from the next day, would be a rookie in the NCPD.

"I feel great," Ellie said, and she found that she really meant it. This was a job that meant a lot to her – not only because her sister, whom she worshipped, was a detective, albeit temporarily seconded to the DEO – but because she really believed in the job. She genuinely wanted to protect and serve the people of National City – just like Maggie, and Alex, and Kate, all did.

"I hope you know how proud we all are," Aoife said.

Ellie demurred. She was by nature modest, and didn't like being the center of attention. In fact, she was half-dreading the evening that was to come.

"I know you didn't want the party," Aoife always knew what she was thinking. "But your family really wants you to know that they are behind you 100%. This is as much for them as it is for you. And at least it's a swimming party, so you can always hide in the deep end if it gets too much for you."

"It'll be fine," Ellie knew that was true. Much as her sister liked to tease her, she wouldn't do anything to make her feel really awkward. Nor would Alex, who had become like a real sister to her. Maggie had been so smart, to marry a woman like Alex. She absently scratched her left arm.

Aoife swatted her. "Stop that. It should have healed by now."

"It has. I just had an itch," Ellie was defensive.

"Let me see it," Aoife was already unbuttoning her shirt. Ellie knew that look in her eye.

"You just want to admire your artistry," Ellie teased, but she didn't stop Aoife.

"Not as much as I want to admire what God created," Aoife's voice deepened. She drew Ellie's shirt down her arms, and threw it carelessly on the floor. She tried not to ogle Ellie's full breasts as they strained against her bra. She turned Ellie carefully, and touched the tattooed top of her arm. "You look fantastic," Aoife's voice hitched. "This looks fantastic," she traced the design.

"Of course it does," Ellie winked. "I've got this real clever girlfriend who designed it for me. One day, this arm is going to be worth a fortune. Maybe when I'm 90 years old and broke, I'll have it cut off and sell it on eBay," she laughed at the suggestion. And then she realized that Aoife's attention had strayed.

Aoife grinned as she reached behind Ellie's back. In seconds, Ellie's bra was undone.

"You're getting real good at that," Ellie said. "I have trouble undoing it with two hands, I still don't know how you manage it with one."

"I have a good incentive," Aoife ran her hand down the side of Ellie's breast. She leant forward, and kissed the nipple that was adorned with the steel bar.

"Don't start something you aren't going to finish," Ellie gasped, instantly aroused by Aoife's attentions.

"We have four hours," Aoife reminded her. "Believe me, I'm gonna finish. And so are you. More than once."

SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG

Maggie hugged her sister fiercely. "I'm so proud of you. You are going to be a great cop. Just what this city needs."

Ellie hugged her back. "I want to be just like you."

Maggie shook her head. "No. Be like you. Then you'll be perfect. You don't need to be like me, you're perfect as you are. Never forget that."

"I won't let her," Aoife appeared at her girlfriend's side.

"Ellie, we got you presents!" Addie came running up to her favorite aunt. Ellie lifted her up and swung her around.

"You didn't have to get me anything," Ellie said, tickling Addie until she squealed with laughter.

"You're lucky she likes being tickled," Maggie said. "Just don't try that with Alex. She hates it. Really hates it. Tickle her, and you're likely to get slugged."

Alex grinned. "That was only once. And you caught me by surprise."

Addie squirmed out of Ellie's grasp, and headed to the kitchen. She returned a moment later, with a large bag. "These are from all of us. You have to look at the tags." She pushed Ellie toward the couch. "I'll pass them to you. This one," she peered at the tag, "is from Auntie Kara," she passed the gift over.

Ellie tried not to feel too self-conscious. She was among friends, and family; all the people in the room loved her, and they wanted to make her happy. So she did her best to play along. She made a show of trying to guess what was in the small parcel. She shook it, and held it to her ear. Finally, she opened it. It held a small, classy flashlight. "Thanks Kara, this is great," she really meant it.

"This is from Kate."

Kate was trying not to laugh, as Ellie unwrapped a mug, with "I like big busts" on it, with a picture of a police car. Fortunately, Addie was too young to get the double meaning. Ellie wasn't, and she tried – and failed – to stop herself turning bright red. She did, indeed, like big busts. Aoife had to turn away to stop from laughing out loud.

"Thanks, KC, appreciated," Ellie said.

"Wait until you see Winn's," Kate said.

Addie looked in the bag, and drew out another parcel. "This one?" she asked, innocently. The t-shirt saying "cop a feel" was almost too much for Ellie.

"Mama got you a good gift," Addie passed a wrapped parcel over. This one contained a canvas patrol bag, which Ellie knew would be perfect for the job. She hugged Alex.

"And this is from Mommy," Addie gave her a wrapped pair of expensive sunglasses.

"You need to look cool on the beat," Maggie said.

James gave Ellie a pair of leather gloves, J'onn gave her a St Michael necklace – the patron saint of police officers – and Eliza had sent her a pair of binoculars, along with a note of regret that she couldn't be at the party, due to a major conference that she was speaking at.

Ellie was overwhelmed with the love in the room.

"So when are we getting in this pool?" Alex could see that the young woman was struggling to hold it together. She knew that Maggie had written a note to their parents, to tell them of Ellie's achievements, and inviting them to the party. She knew how much it had cost Maggie to do so – it was the first contact she had had with them for 18 years. But there had been no response. So Ellie would have to survive without the love and support of the people who were supposed to love her the most. She and Maggie were determined to make up for that loss.

"That tattoo is great," Maggie sat at the edge of the pool with Aoife, both of them nursing a beer.

"She looks so beautiful, doesn't she?" Aoife couldn't keep her eyes off her girlfriend. "Which reminds me. I have something for you." She led Maggie back into the living room. She handed her a small parcel. "I thought you might like this. She doesn't know I'm giving it to you. In fact, I don't think she's even seen it. I took it when she had her uniform fitted."

Maggie unwrapped the gift, to see a framed black-and-white headshot of Ellie in full uniform. Ellie looked so proud. Maggie blinked away tears. She hugged Aoife tight. "We'll hang this in the living room," she saw Alex standing by the door. "Babe, come see this," she showed it to Alex.

"You really love her, don't you," Alex said, softly.

"Yeah," Aoife tried to keep her voice even. "I'm glad you're both here. I wanted to talk to you. I mean, I can't ask her Dad. But I want … I want to … I mean. I know she's legally an adult now. And I know she's only been living her for six months. But I'm sure. And I think she is, too. And I'd really like to think I had your blessing. I know we're real young. But this is real. For both of us. I was going to ask her tonight. But if you think it's too early, or that ..."

Maggie put her hand on Aoife's arm. "Stop," she said, softly.

Aoife looked panicked.

"I don't mean stop," Maggie clarified. "Not like it's a bad thing. I just meant, we get what you mean. Yeah, you're both young. But when you know, you know," she took Alex's hand.

"Maggie was my first girlfriend," Alex said, with a smile. "And we both knew. Even before we kissed. Okay, so it took us a while to work it out right," she grinned. "But I knew. Right then, when she walked onto my crime scene."

"My crime scene," Maggie muttered.

Aoife laughed. Then her face was serious again. "So … I can ask her?"

"Only if you let us see the ring," Alex teased.

Aoife smiled, relief flooding her features. She went over to the coat rack in the hall, and pulled something out of the inside pocket of her jacket. "It's plain. I don't think she'd want fancy," she opened the box, to show a simple silver band.

Maggie's eyes filled with tears. She pulled Aoife to her. "If my sister doesn't say yes, I'm gonna kick her ass."

SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG

"Mama," Addie yawned as Alex pulled up the quilt to under her chin.

"Yes, Bug?" Alex ran her hand through Addie's hair.

"I had a real good day."

"Me too, Bug, me too. Your Mommy did too."

"Why did Mommy have to go out tonight?"

"She's just going to work to sign some paperwork. She'll be back real soon," Alex assured her.

"Can Mommy come say goodnight when she comes back in? Even if I'm asleep?"

Addie looked anxious, so Alex caressed her cheek. "Okay, baby. If you really want her to." She and Maggie both knew that Addie wasn't capricious, and if she asked for something like that, there was a reason for it. She guessed that she just wanted to make sure Maggie was home safe. She knew that Alex and Maggie looked out for each other at work, and she didn't like it when one of them went in without the other.

Addie nodded. "I do."

"Then I promise," Alex said. "We'll both come in and see you when Mommy gets back."

"Mama?"

"Yes, Bug?" Alex could tell that Addie had something on her mind.

"I really like that you and Mommy are my mommies."

Alex smiled so widely it made her cheeks ache. She loved this little girl with every fiber of her being.

"We really like it too, Addison. You do know that you are, by far, the very best thing that has ever happened to us, don't you? You make us so happy."

Addie smiled. "I love you Mama. And I love Mommy."

"That's the best thing I've heard all day," Maggie's voice came out of the darkness. She had crept upstairs, not wanting to wake Addie if she was already asleep.

Alex looked over at her. Her heart missed a beat, as it always did when she looked at Maggie. They had been together over three years now, and every minute had been magical – even the difficult ones. She didn't know what she had ever done to deserve this woman. "Hey, Dimples," she teased, smiling as she heard Addie laugh at the nickname. "Someone wants a goodnight hug."

"I can do that," Maggie came forward and sat on the edge of the bed. She hugged Addie tight.

"Mommy? Mama?" Addie snuggled into Maggie's arms. "Do you 'member, you told me once that you wanted to have babies?"

Alex nodded.

"Do you think you would like that, Addie?" Maggie asked her, as she tucked a strand of Addie's hair behind her ear.

Addie nodded. "I think it would be kinda cool. Robert Isles' mama had a baby a few weeks ago," she referenced a friend from school. "He says the baby's real cute. Except when he cries in the night, but he says he won't do that for long."

"How would you feel about being a big sister?" Alex wanted to know. She and Maggie had been discussing expanding their family recently, but they had both agreed that the most important thing was that Addie be happy with the idea. With her unsettled history, they knew how vital it was that she always felt secure in their love.

"I think I'd really like it. I could teach the baby to do things, like walk Gertie. And I'd take care of the baby, make sure nobody was mean."

"Well, we've been thinking about it," Alex admitted to Addie. "Maybe we'll talk about it some more."

Addie smiled widely. She knew that she could be a real good big sister.

SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG

Maggie rolled on to her back, her chest heaving. She turned toward Alex. "I don't know how you do it, Danvers, but that just keeps getting better."

Alex smiled. She kissed Maggie. "I love you so much, Margaret Ellen Sawyer," she said.

"Back atcha, Danvers. So, we really going to do this?"

"I'd like to."

"You're carrying our first," Maggie reminded her.

"I can't wait," Alex said, honestly. "But we're going to use your egg. So the baby can be part of both of us."

"And when I carry, we'll use yours," Maggie nodded agreement.

"I'll call the clinic tomorrow. Get things rolling," Alex offered.

Maggie cupped a firm breast. "You're going to be even more beautiful," she ran her hand over Alex's flat belly.