You bounced him gently on your lap, watching as his green eyes light up and he giggles loudly.
'You like that buddy?' You say, squeezing his soft sides softly and basking in the full, toothy grin you get back.
'Yeah mamma.' He replies.
You hear a squeal next to you.
'Okay okay. You can have him for a bit.' You give up, handing Leo over to Kara and watching as his grin dwindled slightly.
'Aunt Kara is gonna bounce you now.' Kara said, eliciting an excited shout from Leo.
Kara kept him bouncing as you focused back on the game.
You were about 5 pounds off being bankrupt, and your heart stuttered at the implication. Lena's gone.
Kara grazed your arm slightly and you looked up at her.
She gave you a loving look, a smidge of pity at the corner of her eyes.
You gave your sister a tight smile and rolled the dice, grumbling as you landed on a house and were officially out of the game.
You struggled to pay attention to the rest of the game, your heart sitting heavy as your thoughts drifted to the person they always went back to. Lena.
It had been 2 years and she still hadn't come back. No sign or words or message. Not even a postcard. She had gone on an off world mission, and no one had seen her since. She had said 2 weeks tops, not 2 whole fucking years. You dreaded to think of what could've happened.
Everyone else has tried to move on, but you still think she's out there. You still know she's out there.
You can't give up on her, not yet.
Especially not for Leo.
It was at the 2 weeks mark, when she was supposed to be home, that the morning sickness started, and the rest came back positive.
You were extatique the science Lena worked so hard on had worked, but the one person you wanted to tell wasn't there.
No matter how many times Alex and Kara had sat you down, told you quietly that maybe Lena is truly gone, not coming back, you wouldn't believe it. You couldn't believe that your wife left you that easily.
You were shoved back into reality with a pillow to the face.
'Oi mopey, it's your go.' Alex said, a hint of sympathy written across her face, the same sympathy that's been there for 2 years.
'Alright alright.' You look down to see a whole new game out, and start playing.
Kara hands Leo back to you and you grin as he snuggles into your side on the couch, his chubby cheek resting on your arm.
After games night splits up, you drive Leo and you home.
You read him his bedtime story and get ready to sleep.
Before you hop into bed, you step onto the balcony, feeling the fresh air on your face.
You breath in.
'I miss you.' You say, like you do every night.
You walk back to your bed and fall asleep.
You wake up to a phone full of messages.
The first one you click is Kara, not seeing the other name listed.
'Hey so I know you're asleep but you need to wake up right fucking now because there's someone at the DEO you need to see.'
The next one starts.
'Okay so she's going to you actually but (y/n), all I want to say is I'm so happy for you, I love you so much and have a good few days to yourself. I'll see you soon.'
You look at your screen in disbelief and then your heart stops completely. Because underneath Kara's name in your phone, is Lena.
Your shaking finger presses the name before your brain catches up.
'Darling'-you sob-' is it good to be able to call you. I'm on my way home. I'll explain everything when I get there. I've missed you infinite amounts.' The doorbell rings and your heart pounds and your legs move on their own accord.
You stand in front of the door and breath in.
'I've missed you.' You say shakily.
'I've missed you too. Now open the door honey.' The voice of your wife calls through the door and you nod your head once to the sky.
Thank you Rao for finally bringing her back to me.
You open the door with unsteady hands and your whole body goes unsteady as you finally finally see those bright green eyes again, ones that aren't your sons.
'Oh love.' She stumbles through the doorway and into your arms and you sob openly into the crook of her neck that smells just like her.
You hear her cry too, and you're not sure how long you stay entrapped in her arms.
She pulls back after a long time and silently cradles your face.
Tears spill down her cheeks and you let them, your own joining hers on falling to the floor.
'I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry. The mission- it went terribly and I- I couldn't find a way home to you. I got stuck in a whole new world, which i hated, and I couldn't find the technology to bring me home. This man- he helped me, opened some sort of portal with his hands and now-'
'You're home. You came back to me.'
'Of course I came back to you-'
You lunged forward and pressed your lips to hers.
She opened hers and let you drag your tongue through her mouth before repaying the favour.
You put everything into the kiss, grabbing her waist and slotting her between you and the wall.
Catching up could be done later right now all you wanted was to-
'Mama?' You heard from behind you and sprung back from Lena.
'Mama?' Lena repeated, breathless and flushed.
'Leo honey go back to bed it's too early for you to be up.' You say gently, your own voice huskier than usual.
'But I wanna meet friend.' He said, pointing at Lena.
Lena has gone dead silent behind you, and you're not sure if she's breathing.
'Baby, do you remember when I said you had another Mama but she went away for a while?' You knelt down to his eye level and cupped his face.
'Yeah!' He nodded.
'Well she's back now.' A tear fell down your cheek as a grin took over his face.
'Really? Can I meet her?'
'Yes baby.' You stand up and take his hand, walking back to where Lena stood, still against the wall and eyes wide, tears spilling freely down her face.
'Leo, this is your other Mama.' You watched as Leo looked up into his own eyes, and watched as Lena looked down at the boy who held so many of her features. You watched them both take each other in, Leo with a sense of curiosity, Lena with a sense of love.
You choked back a sob at the overwhelming image in front of you.
'He's- he's mine?' Lena asked after a minute, looking nervous.
'Yes sweetheart. Your machine worked around 2 weeks after you left.' You grinned as she knelt down much like you did.
'Hey little man. It's nice to finally meet you.' She said, her eyes soft but her tears still steady flowing.
'Hi other mama!' He says and she lets out a wet chuckle.
You can see Lena is about to reach her limit, her body starting to shake with an impending breakdown of emotions, so you sway out of your spot nearby.
'Hey Lee, wanna go play with some toys in your room?' You say, scuffing his hair and smiling when he nods and scampers off.
You look back at your wife to see her shaking.
'Come on sweetie.' You lead her over to the couch and she collapses into you.
She sobs about the time she's missed watching Leo's first years of life, she sobs about the time she's missed with you and the time she's missed with your friends.
You let her, holding her and letting more of your own tears fall.
In the next week which you take off work, you watch as Leo and Lena form a connection only a mother and son can have so easily. After that first week, it's like she never was absent from his life in the first place. You watch as Lena absorbs you, much like you absorb her, talking about the time you've missed and the constant longing you both had to put up with.
You watch as Lena comes undone underneath you, many many times, because come on, you had a lot of time to catch up on.
There are still mornings where you wake up sweating and crying, your body believing you are still alone, but Lena is always there to wrap herself against your back and calm you down.
There are still moments Lena finds a photo of you and Leo in the years she missed, where she spends tearful evenings pressed into you, mourning the time she knows she'll never get back.
You watch now as a 4 year old Leo sits in Lena's lap at games night, helping her and you beat everyone at monopoly, and you let Kara wipe the happy tear from your eye before Lena sees it.
And you breath in a long breath, missing nothing but a kiss, which you ask for, and receive, one from your son, a slobbery kiss on the cheek, and one from your wife, a gentle pressing of lips, and you thank Rao one last time for bringing your family back.
