WHAT: Adam finds Marlena and brings her home to meet Adora and Catra! WHERE: Darla WHEN: Today! WARNINGS: Lots of crying and emotions but mostly sweetness with a dash of awkward STATUS: Complete
Adam knew that it was possible that his parents might come to Vallo. He did. But he hadnât thought it was very likely. He knew that some of the Outlanders had their parents around â Atreus came to mind â but it didnât seem like it was something that was very likely.
He thought he was okay with that. He loved his mom, and he wanted Adora to meet her, but he accepted that it likely wasnât going to happen here. And he and his dad⊠well, there was a lot there that Adam hadnât quite unpacked. Sometime after Teela had left, heâd remembered making up with his dad. He remembered Randor hugging him, telling him how much he loved him. But⊠well, it had never really happened, and Adam⊠wasnât really sure how heâd deal with seeing his dad again, if he ever did.
Randor wasnât here now, but Marlena was. Adam was trying not to think too hard about whether or not that meant that Randor would be coming on her heels. There was no point in thinking too hard about it. What was important was that his Mom was here, and it turned out that heâd missed her more than heâd thought he had.
Heâd cried. Theyâd hugged. He had, eventually, convinced her to come with him to the Friendly Pixie where he could sneak away to video call Adora and tell her the news, and when heâd suggested that he get his mom an apartment in Morningside and that he could bring Adora by later to meet her, Adora had insisted that no, he was going to bring her by Darla, and that was that.
So, Adam wished Trixie a good day, and she said she hoped that he tripped and fell into traffic, but he knew she meant it affectionately. And then heâd taken his mom on a short tour of the city so Adora could mentally prepare himself.
Eventually, he texted Adora to let her know they were coming, and brought Marlena through the waypoint to Darla.
âThis is Darla, where I live,â he said. âSheâs a spaceship. But, we canât actually get to space in Vallo, so really sheâs like a really high tech plane, more than anything. We mostly just keep her here. But! Iâve got something really exciting to show you inside.â
He waited until they were inside before he covered her eyes with his hands, and then led her to the living room where Adora and Catra were waiting. He shot them a grin that had the suggestion of a thumbs up in it, before he uncovered Marlenaâs eyes, and he gestured at them with a flourish that wouldnât have been out of place on the stage.
âTa da!â he sang, grinning at his mom. âItâs Adora!â
It wasnât Marlenaâs first time finding herself in a foreign new world butâif it had to happen again, she could appreciate the lack of a violent shuttlecraft crash. A gentle plop into the middle of a whimsical forest was preferable, especially when the person that found her was her son.
Marlena had cried too. They had hugged for a while because she had little desire to let him go, and Adam was eager to fill in what was happening. Some kind of multiversal kidnapping magic, this was a common phenomenon, how he had been here for a year; everything.
Or so she thought that was everything. She didnât understand the need to keep her blinded when they arrived at his dwelling (she had questions), and when his hands dropped and he said that name (a forbidden one in Eternia, Randor had made sure of it), Marlena stood frozen sporting her regal gown.
Itâs Adora. Itâs Adora. Adora.
And just like that, everything else around her had fallen away. Marlena thought it to be a trick; some kind of cruel con, not unlike the many times someone would come forth with a fair-haired little girl and claim them to be the lost princess during their time of searching. She would take a glimpse at them and know that they didnât come from her, didnât carry her blood, werenât hers. Their eyes were never the right shade of blue. Noses werenât the right shape. Never quite the right blonde hair.
But this one â her, she wasnât those false girls. Adam wouldnât trick her. Adam hadnât even known her name. He had said it, though, and here she was; a woman, a stranger, his twin, her daughter.
Marlena cried again. It was silent.
âHowâ?â she forced out, voice cracking around the one word. Adora had someone next to her, and they were holding hands and the stance was⊠protective, that she could gather. Marlena glanced at Adam, and then at those clasped hands, and then at Adora again. Her feet worked on auto-pilot and brought her two steps closer. âHello. Hiâyouâre? Adora?â
Trembling hands rose to boldly cradle her cheeks so Marlena could look at her, really look at her. She had the right shade of blue in her eyes, the right nose, the right blonde hair but instead of on a baby, it was all on an adult.
Adora was prepared for this. Sort of.
As in, well, her brother had at least given her a half hourâs notice. Sheâd been so confused when he called her while he was supposed to be on-shift, that confusion morphing into astonishment when he went on to excitedly reveal that his mom â their mom â was here, and heâd found her, and he was going to take her to Morningside, but would she like to go visit her later?
Sheâd sat there on the floor of the kitchen, gaping at Adamâs image on the screen, for a good fifteen seconds before sheâd recovered. Sheâd never even considered their parents coming through. Sheâd heard all about them, and of course she wanted to meet them â she was curious, how could she not be? But hearing that Marlena was here, right that very second, wasnât something her brain knew how to process.
Thankfully, she didnât have time. Once she booted back up, she absolutely insisted that Adam bring Marlena back to Darla. No way she was going to let Adam stash their mother away at the apartments, even if maybe that distance would give her a little extra time to wrap her head around everything. She was family, and she would stay in the place that had become their family home.
It had been a flurry of activity from that point onward. Sheâd spilled everything to Catra, the words coming out in an anxious, stream-of-consciousness babble. Theyâd pulled the guest room together for Marlena to stay in, and then theyâd gone down to the observation deck turned living room to wait. It couldnât have been more than ten minutes before Darla announced Adam on the ramp, but it felt like a lifetime had passed, and it was really a miracle Adora wasnât shaking with nerves.
Nothing could really have prepared her for seeing her mother in person. They were the same height when Adora had always expected her to be taller. (Maybe that was because sheâd heard âQueenâ and equated her with Angella in her mind.) And the red hair â it was darker than Teelaâs, lined with streaks of grey, but their missing friend was the first one who came to mind.
When she tried to open her mouth to speak, nothing came out. She couldnât even bring herself to glare at Adam for this introduction â she knew what was coming, but Marlena obviously hadnât. She knew Adam had probably wanted to surprise her, and gods knew he always meant well, but it just added to the awkward that was making her squeeze the life out of her wifeâs hand as they rose from the couch.
Those hands on her face made her heart stutter, and even though it was strange, she made no attempt to move. This was a big moment for Marlena, and she wasnât going to ruin that. âHi,â she breathed out, her voice so soft it was a quivering, self-conscious whisper. She pressed her lips together, her head moving up and down fractionally, a barely-there nod. âYeah. I⊠Iâm Adora. Hi.â
Did Adam feel bad? Maybe a little. But more than anything, Adam was proud. Heâd daydreamed about this moment a hundred times in the last year, of seeing his momâs shocked face and then of her happy tears. Marlena had never talked about Adora. Adam had heard of her mostly from his tutors, who always looked awkward when he pried them with questions â theyâd been forbidden by royal decree from talking about it â but heâd tried talking to Marlena about it a few times when heâd been a kid until he had realized just how much it had hurt her.
He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, watching them like the cat whoâd swallowed the canary, and then he gave a start of realization and pulled out his phone to snap a couple of photos for posterityâs sake. Not many, but, well, he thought this moment should be captured.
âHi,â Marlena repeated, and her face was positively wet with tears. Her smile was tremulous but hopeful, and she was so bold as to stroke her thumbs across her cheek bones. This was her. This was Adora. âHi,â she said, again, before visibly crumbling. Her face became one of heartache as she embraced her daughter with startling desperation, and buried her face into her hair.
It was the first time in years; the first time since she was a baby cradled into her arms and nursing from her chest. Adora didnât know her but not holding her was something she couldnât fathom. âI knew you were alive, I knew it.â
Catra stood, awkward and alert, not dropping Adoraâs hand unless her wife dropped it first but boy did she pin Adam with a look that could cut steel, and she mouthed what are you doing, STOP THAT at himâhence the cut it out motion she was doing with her free hand towards her neck.
For several long moments, Adora stood there stiffly, letting Marlena hug her without protest but without really hugging her back. She could feel the emotion wafting off her, and it tugged on her heartstrings. She couldnât even imagine being in her motherâs shoes as a new mom. If she lost Finn at any point in their life, to any cause, she knew sheâd be a wreck. And never knowing if they were okay or even alive? It would consume her.
She took a deep breath, quiet so it wouldnât disturb Marlena and let Catraâs hand drop. Her heart was pounding in her ears as she raised her arms to return the hug, flattening both hands across Marlenaâs upper back. She didnât tighten her embrace or try to press in any closer, but she held her there and let her eyes fall closed.
Me - mo - ries, Adam mouthed back at Catra, but he slipped his phone back into his pocket and leaned back to enjoy the moment. He let it go on for a while until he thought that maybe there was a little less of that desperate tension in Marlenaâs shoulders, before he stepped up to then again and lightly touched his momâs shoulder.
âMom? This is Catra, sheâs Adoraâs wife.â
Marlena was, quite literally, clinging. Adora was flesh and bone and real, and they were the same heightâa minute detail she couldnât help but noticeâand this wasnât a dream. If it was, donât wake her. Not ever.
Adamâs touch did sober her back to the situation, and she blinked her eyes towards the Magicat that stood close by with arms crossed. That title took a moment to sink in. Wife. This was her daughterâs wife. Her daughter was already married and she missed that. âIâm so sorry, hello,â she laughed hoarsely, snotting all over herself. Royalty didnât always cry with grace. âIâm Marlena, and you donât know how much seeing you means to me and youâre so grown and beautiful and you have a wife and you met your brother andââ
Marlena had the dire need for a second hug, and this time she drew Catra in and squeezed her into Adora and herself. The noise Catra made was a very undignified squeak but she allowed this, keeping her arms to herself. She did⊠not know what to do with her hands here.
There wasnât a moment to interject any kind of response through all of that, but Adora didnât really know what she would say, anyway. Like, âyes, I am beautiful, thanks for noticingâ probably wouldnât be helpful. Funny, maybe, if she could pull it off, but that was a big if, and this was just really not the time. Instead, she allowed yet another hug, one arm slipping around her wife this time since sheâd been pulled in to join.
âItâsâŠreally nice to meet you,â she said at last, after Marlena had been sniffling against them for a little while. âAdamâs told me a lot about you. AndâŠRandor.â Maybe it should be Mom and Dad, but she couldnât get there just yet.
Adoraâs arm around herâyeah, Catra knew what to do there. One of hers slipped around her waist, hand rubbing up and down her side to help soothe some frayed nerves. She mustered an awkward, tight-lipped smile though! (She was doing her best?)
Still stunned, Marlena hadnât even noticed the air of awkwardness. Itâd make sense once logic entered her brain again but she was riding this high, stuck in this shock, elated and amazed and heartbroken upon remembering that she missed everything when it came to Adora. âGod, Randor would be soâŠâ she laughed through the tears, doing her best to neatly wipe her face. âYou donât understand, he bannedâhow did you two find each other? How did you two know?â
Her thoughts were ping-ponging around her brain from Point A to Point Q and then to Point C.
âAre twin senses really a thing?? Did you look at each other and just know??â
Catra tried not to chuckle at that. Felt kind of inappropriate, all things considered. Marlena was actually cute? Cute and sad and happy. âI think thatâs how Adam expected it to go if he found his sister,â she said, careful to speak since this wasnât about her and she was here to be supportive. Adora was likely struggling with words, though, so she thought she could⊠help move things along, for her sake. âBut we all figured it out after a couple months.â
Adam grinned. âHonestly, I feel robbed that twin senses arenât a thing,â Adam sighed, complete with dramatic hair flip. âActually, it was Catra who figured it out. Sheâs a pretty smart cookie.â
He didnât mention that Teela had apparently known before the twins had too. Teela wasnât here anymore; there wasnât any sense in getting into the fact that she had been.
âShe is,â Adora chimed in, giving her wife a gentle squeeze. âBut in fairness, it took her a few months, too. Teela confirmed it for all of us.â Unlike her brother, she had no qualms about throwing her name out there. She had been an important part of their lives, even if it was only for a little while. âI guess the Sorceress sort of knew the whole time? Not where I was, but that She-Ra and He-Man were supposed to be of the same blood.â
Something like that, at least. She had explained it to the three of them after their big revelation, but she couldnât say every bit of it had sunk in. Sheâd been too busy grappling with having an actual blood relative to take in whatever sheâd said about prophecy and fate and all that.
That reeled Marlena back into reality. âShe-Ra? You too then, gods.â Her eyes were red and puffy and she wiped at them to keep them dry. âAnd Teela, sheâs here?
âWas,â Catra gently corrected and unlooped her arm from Adora. âIâll get some waters,â and a box of tissues, âbut if anyone wants a specific beverage, shout it.â The kitchen was connected to the living room anyway so she wouldnât be venturing too far; close enough to still hear everything clearly. She gave Adoraâs cheek a few encouraging kisses, then a soft look that said itâs going to be okay before walking off to play domestic housewife bullshit.
âWhen I got pregnant I did not expect to have kids with great destinies,â Marlena quipped. âRoyal duties, yes, that, butâŠâ Adam had died protecting Eternia, and she could only imagine what Adora had gone through as She-Ra. âYouâre bothâwell, right? No impending doom with a terrible name. Youâre⊠happy? Here?â
That was her first order of business. Confirming the twins were fine, and everything else could be discussed after. Adora was married and they were all living together so her assumption was yes but she needed them to say it.
âWeâre both fine,â Adora assured her, looking over at her twin for confirmation. They may not share twin senses â whether or not it was a thing was a different debate â but theyâd gotten good at reading each other, especially since he moved onto Darla. There wasnât a person in the world who knew her better than Catra, but Adam was up there with Bow and Glimmer these days.
âYou shouldâŠsit,â she offered, gesturing to the couch. Spirit was sprawled out across two cushions, alert and watching them without interfering, thanks to his training. Theyâd made sure to put Pop Tart in Adamâs room for the moment, since he tended to be a little overly enthusiastic with new people, which could be a lot. Adora reached out to nudge her puppy up. âThis is Spirit. Heâll scoochââ The word caught his attention and he shifted up and over to vacate one cushion, settling against the arm of the couch instead. âGood boy.â
Adam grimaced a little when Adora mentioned Teela, but it was the type of grimace that would only be noticed if someone had been looking directly at him at the time, and he was pretty sure no one was looking at him in this interaction.
âOh yeah, Vallo really is great,â Adam said, following Marlena and Adora to the couch. He sat on the other side of his mom, so that she could be sandwiched between her children. âMost of the people are pretty friendly for the most part, and generally, everyone works together to make sure that everyone else is safe and taken care of. Iâm so glad youâll get to see it Mom, youâre going to love it.â
âSounds a little too idyllic to be real and I think I want to stay here forever,â Marlena huffed out with a laugh, all too eager to take them up on the sitting offer. Everything felt incredibly surreal, and her hands had a slight tremble. She was overwhelmed, and it was certainly not the worst thing. âNext youâll tell me I can get McDonaldâs andâIâm sorry, Iâm sure you donât even know what that is.â
Catra returned with some water bottles, a box of tissues, and did not say a damn thing about McDonaldâs despite the little smirk. Everything was placed on the coffee table and the tissues were pushed towards Marlena, who gratefully plucked some and mouthed her an appreciative thank you.
The water bottle was taken, too. Hydration and a clean face was going to do her wonders.
âI need you to tell me everythingâeverything,â she insisted, sniffling. âHow you both came here and justâeverything. If you can. Please. Or give me a tour around the spaceship if you prefer, I donât mind that either.â
Adora took a water bottle, too, tilting her head back to give Catra an appreciative kiss on the cheek. Having her here was a huge help, made her feel calmer and a little less like a fish out of water. This wasnât going to stop being strange right this second, but being here with two of her most important people while she got to know Marlena was a pretty good deal, if you asked her.
âWell, everythingâsâŠa lot.â Okay, that was lame, but it was true. âBut we can show you around Darla, we set up a room for you upstairs. And you might be able to wear some of my clothes if you want to change into something more comfortable. After that, if you want, we can take you to McDonaldâs. They have them here. A lot of them, actually.â
âI havenât been sinceâEarth.â Marlena exhaled with disbelief, leaning back into the couch. This was not her world, not her kingdom, she didnât need to care about posture or political wording. She could manspread if she wanted to, presumably!
Maybe at the protest of her children. Not child. Children. She had two of them, and they were getting McDonaldâs.